Innovate Into The Next Decade

Fast-growing economy has seen India shift from traditional to modern eating habits demanding latest tech advances.

- Dr Deepa Bhajekar & Karishma Aziz 

Indian foods seem radically different as compared to other countries owing largely to the use of a heterogeneous mix of ingredients added in a unique order, coupled with the mesmerising aroma of spices which gives the cuisine a novel and delicious taste appealing to many palates globally. The scientific reason underlying the distinction of the Indian cuisine from the rest is essentially the pairing of flavours, wherein it specifically combines ingredients which don’t share overlapping flavours, thereby imparting the characteristic unique taste.

Though food habits are culture specific, in the last few years, India has seen a significant shift in it due to the fast-growing economy, a shift from traditional to modern technologies, globalisation, industrialisation, evolving tastes and increased demands for processed foods throughout our country. Cooking methods have also seen a gradational shift from mortar and pestle to electric grinders and from stoves to table top gas plates and microwave ovens.

In this current scenario where the average urban Indian desires to amalgamate the richness of traditional Indian foods with the modern-day convenience and nutritional completeness, considerable amount of innovation needs to be infused in the framework of procuring and processing of foods, so that one can match the changing choices of young Indian consumers.

As the food business in India is growing aggressively, in order to draw forth optimum profitability, innovations seem to be the imperative path to forge ahead. Some significant technologies have already made their presence felt in the fields of product development as well as plant operations in the food industry.