Section of Crop Utilisation
Mission Statement

The section's efforts extend to encompass the design and implementation of pre- and post-harvest machinery, including harvesting tools, peeling machines, and starch extraction plants. The Indian patent awarded for the power operated Chinese potato grader stands as a notable recent achievement of the section. Furthermore, the techno-incubation centre at headquarters and regional station are involved in promoting entrepreneurship in value added products among the stakeholders.

  1. To develop and refine post-harvest storage and processing techniques for minimization of losses in tropical tuber crops.
  2. To develop value added food products and industrial products from tuber crops and its byproducts.
  3. To develop and refine pre- and post-harvest machinery for tuber crops.
  4. Basic studies on the biochemical/phytochemical composition, bioactivities, and starch properties of tuber crops.

     

    NameDesignation
    Dr. A. N. JyothiPrincipal Scientist & Head
    Dr. M. S. SajeevPrincipal Scientist
    Dr. T. KrishnakumarScientist
    Dr. Pradeepika ChinthaScientist
    Mrs. R. NijamolTechnician
    Mr. N. ShijuSkilled Support Staff

    Value added food products

    Process for the production of value added food products and functional foods from various tuber crops, which include snack foods, bakery products, pasta, noodles, instant food mixes, nutribar, vacuum fried chips and rice analogues.

    Products for Industrial sector

    Process for the production of physical, and chemical modified starches, resistant starches, minimally processed tuber crops, functional sago, starch-graft-copolymers composites& nanocomposites for food and pharmaceutical applications, adhesives, superabsorbent polymers, thermoplastic starch sheets, biofilms, particles boards, biodegradable disposable articles, sweet potato wine, bioethanol and wax coating technology for cassava.

    Pre- and post-harvest machineries:  Cassava harvester, peeler, chipping machines, raspers, mobile starch extraction unit, feed granulator, Chinese potato grader.

    Technologies for animal feed sector: Ensiling technology for cattle feed, cassava leaf concentrate based fish feed, and granulated poultry feed.

    Basic knowledge on biochemical constituents and bioactivity: Established the biochemical profiles of tuber crops, their bioactivities, processes for the elimination of anti-nutritional factors, starch isolation and characterization techniques.

    The Section has different laboratories equipped with instruments for the proximate analysis and biochemical analyses of plant samples, chemical reactions for starch modification and a starch characterization laboratory. The section has a workshop and a Techno Incubation centre with facilities for conducting hands-on training on entrepreneurship and value addition in tuber crops. The major equipment in different laboratories are listed below. 

    Chemical and Food analysis Laboratories 

    • HPLC
    • Lyophilizer
    • Rotary Flash Evaporator
    • FT-NIR
    • HP-TLC
    • UV-Vis Spectrophotometer
    • Homogenizer
    • Cooling centrifuge
    • Incubator
    • Coating Machine
    • Stability Chamber
    • Tissue lyser
    • Deep Freezer, -20 degree Celsius
    • Colourimeter

    Starch Characterization Laboratory 

    • Rapid Visco Analyzer
    • Brookfield Viscometer
    • Microwave Synthesiser
    • Mill

    Techno Incubation Centre 

    • Chipping machine-manual/mechanical type
    • Electrical dryer
    • Flour mill (hammer type)
    • Dry blender (horizontal ribbon type)
    • Kneading machine
    • Pasta making machine: table top and stand-alone types
    • Twin screw extruder
    • Floor type sheet making and diamond shape
    • Two burner range (industrial type)
    • Packaging Machine: hand and pedal operated, band type and automatic filling
    • Seva making machine

    Workshop

    • Drilling machine
    • Welding machine
    • Hydraulic press
    • Band saw
    • Bending machines
    • Plate making machine
    • Hydraulic press plate making machine
    Sl No.TopicLanguageAuthors
    1Machineries for pre and post-harvest management of tropical tuber cropsEnglishKrishnakumar, T., Sajeev, M.S. Pradeepika, C
    2The 3A’s of the Section of Crop Utilization… Achievements, Aspirations and Action PlanEnglish 
    3Tropical Root and Tuber Crops in Human NutritionEnglishJyothi, A.N.
    4Cassava based micro food processing enterprisesEnglishSajeev, M.S., T. Krishnakumar, Byju, G., Pradeepika, C.
    5Prospects of Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) as a Biofuel Crop in India.EnglishSajeev, M.S., Padmaja, G., T. Krishnakumar
    6Tuber crops based Traditional Food Recipes of TripuraEnglishNamrata, A.G., More, S.J., Murugesan, P., Laxminarayana, K., Chakrabarti, M., Visalakshi Chandra, C., Suresh Kumar, J., Sethuraman Sivakumar, P.
    7Tuber crops recipesEnglishPadmaja, G., Sajeev, M. S., Rajalekshmy, L.
    8Modified tuber starchesEnglishA.N. Jyothi and Moorthy S. N.
    9Starch extraction machinery for tuber crops.EnglishA.N. Jyothi and Moorthy S. N.
    10Starch extraction machinery for tuber crops.EnglishNanda, S. K., Sajeev, M.S., Sheriff, J.T., Hemasankari, P.
    11Tuber crops recipeEnglishPadmaja, G. and Premkumar, T.
    12Primary processing equipment for cassava.EnglishNanda, S. K., Sheriff, J.T., Sajeev, M. S.
    13Current status of cassava processing industries in south IndiaEnglishSheriff, J. T., Nanda, S. K., Sajeev, M. S.
    14Tuber crops starchesEnglishS. N. Moorthy

    Folders

    Sl NoTopicLanguageAuthors
    1Advisory Note on How to Feed Animals with Cassava/Tapioca PartsEnglishJyothi A.N.
    2മരച്ചീനികാലിത്തീറ്റയായിനൽകുമ്പോൾശ്രദ്ധിക്കേണ്ടകാര്യങ്ങൾMalayalamJyothi A.N.
    3Tea time snack foods and dessertsEnglishPadmaja G. and M.S. Sajeev
    4Value added products from sweet potatoEnglishPadmaja G. and M.S. Sajeev
    5Food extrusion technology for tropical tuber cropsEnglishPadmaja G. and M.S. Sajeev
    6Techno-Incubation Centre (ICAR-CTCRI: SFAC Venture)EnglishM.S. Sajeev and Padmaja
    7Extruded snack foods from cassava.EnglishJ.T. Sheriff, M. S. Sajeev, T. Krishnakumar
    8Harvest and post-harvest equipments in tuber cropsEnglishM.S. Sajeev, J.T. Sheriff, T. Krishnakumar.
    9Modified tuber starches for industry.EnglishA.N. Jyothi and M.S. Sajeev.
    10Sankethika Samrambhakathva Pariseelana KendramMalayalamM. S. Sajeev, G. Padmaja.
    11Modified tuber starches in industry.EnglishA.N. Jyothi and S.N. Moorthy
    12Showcasing CTCRI technologies.EnglishA.N. Jyothi, J. Sreekumar, V. S. Santhosh Mithra.
    13Maracheeniyilninnu samrambhakasadhyathakalulla moolyavardhitha ulppannagalEnglishM.S. Sajeev, T. Krishnakumar and C. Pradeepika.
    14Maracheeniyilninnu snack foodsEnglishM.S. Sajeev, T. Krishnakumar and C. Pradeepika.
    15Maracheeniyilninnu snack foodsMalayalamM.6S. Sajeev, T. Krishnakumar and C. Pradeepika
    16Ulppanna vyvidhyavalkkaranam lalithamakkan maracheeni samskarana yanthrangalMalayalamM. S. Sajeev, and Krishankumar T.
    17Fried products from cassava.TeluguPradeepika, C., Krishnakumar, T., Sajeev, M.S., Koundinya, A.V.V. and Suresh Kumar. 2021
    18Pedal operated cassava chipping machineEnglishKurup, G.T., Nanda, S.K., J.T. Sheriff.
    19Harvesting tools for cassavaEnglishNanda, S.K., Kurup, G.T. and Sheriff,J.T.
    20Electrical dryer for cassava chipsEnglishNanda, S.K.
    21Hand operated cassava chipping machineEnglishNanda, S. K.

    Leaflets

    Sl NoTopicLanguageAuthors
    1Chinese potato graderEnglishKrishnakumar, T., Sajeev, M.S., Jaganathan, D., Muthuraj, R.
    2Maracheenikrishi bhakshyasurakshakkum grameenavikasanathinumMalayalamSajeev M S, Krishnakumar T, Pradeepika C.

    Operation Manual

    Sl NoTopicLanguageAuthors
    1Pedal operated cassava chipping machine.EnglishJ.T. Sheriff and M. S. Sajeev

    Laboratory Manual

    Sl NoTopicLanguageAuthors
    1Analytical methodologies for tropical tuber crops.EnglishPadmaja, G., Moorthy S.N., Bala Nambisan, Lia Babu, Sundaresan, S., Sajeev, M.S., Nanda, S.K., Susan John, K., Rajalekshmy, L., Sudha, K.S., Manikantan Nair, M.
    Our Projects
    Mega Project 7:  Development and refinement of post-harvest handling, storage and processing techniques for minimization of losses in tropical tuber crops and production of value added products
    Institute Code :  HORTCTCRISIL 202001501471   Project Leader :  Dr. M. S. Sajeev
    1Project 1:

     Non-conventional applications of cassava starch in construction and building materials

    Dr. M.S. Sajeev
    2Project 2: Development of cassava and sweet potato-based animal feedDr. M. S. Sajeev
    3Project 3: Development of modified starches of cassava and functional characterization of lesser known tropical tuber starchesDr. A.N. Jyothi
    4Project 4: : Design and development of pre and post-harvest machineries/storage systems in tuber cropsDr. T. Krishnakumar
    5Project 5: Quality changes associated with post-harvest storage/processing and development of value-added functional foods from cassava and sweet potatoDr. C. Pradeepika
    Externally Aided Projects
    Sl.NoProject TitlePrincipal InvestigatorCo-PIs
    1Abiotic stress-hormesis to enhance the phenolic-linked antioxidant protective system in biofortified sweet potatoes for designing functional food ingredientsC. Pradeepika---
    2Cassava CustardC. PradeepikaA.N. Jyothi, M.S. Sajeev
    3Development of smart foods, bio-composites, green packaging and bio-energy from agro-residuesM.S. SajeevT.Krishnakumar, A.N.Jyothi, S.S.Veena
    4Development of value –added products from Mudali (Colocasia esculenta) and Kone (Dioscorea)M.S. SajeevT. Krishnakumar,C. Pradeepika
    5Developing the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for good manufacturing practices and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) for tapioca starch and sago productionDr. A. N. JyothiM.S. Sajeev, T. Krishnakumar, J. Sreekumar, P. Prakash