Technology of protein-rich nutro foods.

According to FAO Food Balance Sheets' the average daily per capita protein
consumption in India is 50.4 g as against the usually recommended level of 60
to 70 g. The potentialities of augmenting the protein intake of the people from untapped
edible oil-seed meals are, indeed, great when it is realised that India produces over 7.29
million tons of oil seeds of which groundnut kernels alone account for 2.87 million tons'.
Pioneering investigations carried out at the Central Food Technological Research
Institute have led to the establishment of a pilot plant for the production of an acceptable
quality of groundnut flour containing 45-50 per cent protein and 5-10 per cent residual
oil. Apart from adopting this flour as the major component of Indian Multipurpose
Food2'3 a nd as the chief source of protein in the Tapioca Macaroni products4'5 Various
ter palatable protein-rich foods designated as `Nutro Foods' have also been developed
(Table l). These products comprising Nutro Biscuits, Nutro Macaroni, Nutro Breakfast
and Nutro Protein Food for infants and other age groups have all been fortified with
calcium and vitamins, the deficiencies of which are widely prevalent in our country. This
paper deals with the pilot plant production, shelf-life studies and nutritive value of these products. Consumer acceptability tests have shown these foods to be palatable and they
can, therefore, be produced on a commercial scale.