The story behind the formulation of infant food (Amul) from buffalo’s milk using the technology developed by the scientists from CSIR-Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI) was retold during a webinar organised on Monday, in commemoration of 80 years of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).
Under the title “80 years and 80 success stories”, experts, including present and former CFTRI directors, former senior official of Amul and others brought to light how the infant food using buffalo’s milk was formulated and the efforts put in by the scientists of CSIR-CFTRI decades ago when resources were in scarce.
Shekar C. Mande, Director General, CSIR and Secretary, DSIR; Sridevi Annapurna Singh, director, CSIR-CFTRI; former CFTRI Director V. Prakash; B.M. Vyas, former MD, Amul Dairy; Commodore Amit Rastogi, CMD, NRDC, New Delhi; and Shikha, scientist, SCDD, CSIR took part in the webinar.
Mr. Mande, in his opening remarks, recalled how an unthinkable was achieved when the scientists from CSIR-CFTRI successfully formulated the infant food using buffalo’s milk at a time when only cow’s milk was considered for making such foods. The innovation made the country self-reliant in infant foods as India at that point of time (in 1957) was importing infant foods worth ₹6 crore, he explained.
In his comments, Mr. Prakash narrated how the scientists worked tirelessly for many days, sometimes even for 24-hours a day, to make it happen. He recalled the names of scientists and engineers who were behind the success story.
A CSIR newsletter in 2010 has brought out the success story of infant food from buffalo’s milk, and the efforts put in by CFTRI, Amul and NRDC in making it happen.
“The infant food innovation was key as it gave rise to other foods for children like bala ahaar which was fed to over one crore children a year in Nigeria. The midday meal programme was also inspired by the CFTRI’s innovation as today 14.8 crore children are fed meals daily across the country,” he explained.
With minimal infrastructure, our scientists achieved this. The challenge was to reduce the fat in buffalo’s milk for producing the infant food. It became a total success after the trials, he recalled.
Commodore Rastogi said the CFTRI’s success story has taught us a lesson – anything can be achievable if the respective strengths are fully utilised as the scientists’ had the challenge of making the infant food from buffalo’s milk.
Mr. Vyas also spoke about the success story.
According to the National Research Development Corporation (NRDC), NRDC transferred the technology developed by the scientists in 1958 to the Kaira District Milk Producers’ Union in Gujarat, producing 20,000 tonnes/annum infant food under the “Amul spray” brand name which became very popular and has been in use in almost all the houses in the country.
