PETpla.net Insider 03 / 2021

TRADE SHOW REVIEW PETplanet Insider Vol. 22 No. 03/21 www.petpla.net 58 Drink Technology India 2020 - Innovation in Milk Beverages webinar Milk processing in India - trends and technologies by Kay Barton The international trade fair for beverage and liquid food technology Drink Technology India (DTI) was held virtually last December because of the pandemic. Experts from the machine building industry, science and the dairy business came together in a lively round of discus- sions about the dairy industry in India. Besides showcasing new products, these discus- sions highlighted future trends in dairy and dairy-based foods and drinks, as well as pack- aging technologies. The webinar was jointly organised by the Indian Dairy Association. Summarised here is a selection of points from lecturers and keynote speakers. Dr GS Rajorhia, President Indian Dairy Association The Innovation in Milk Bever- ages webinar was opened by Dr GS Rajorhia, President of the Indian Dairy Association. He reported that the dairy industry experiences aver- age growth of around 6.5% each year. Accordingly, 190 t of milk was produced in India in 2019, almost 22% of the global milk production of 880 million tonnes. At 394 g per day, the per-head consumption is high in comparison to the world- wide average of 302 g. He further explained that demand is also likely to increase, fuelled not least by the pandemic. “There are clear trends, for example, towards very nutrient- rich and varied dairy products,” explains Dr Rajorhia. “Demand is moving towards new combinations, flavours and healthy ingredients.” Also connected with this is the omnipresent topic of food safety, leading to a rise in aseptic packing and the achievement of longer shelf- life spans. “The shelf-life currently achieved is six to twelve months. It is predicted that sales of UHT milk are likely to reach US$ 24.6 billion in 2024,” continues Dr Rajorhia. Cur- rent favourites are lassi and butter- milk in various forms. Pranav Shah, Director Dairy & Food SPX Flow Joining the discussion from Den- mark was SPX Director for Dairy & Food, Pranav Shah. The machinery and plant manufacturer headquartered in North Carolina, USA, is principally seeing consumer trends in healthy foods that feature great flavours but refrain from using artificial ingredients and sugar. “Also topics like func- tional food, on-the-go consumption, quick access and quick preparation of snacks are gaining importance in society,” says Pranav Shah. Usually, products like these are comparatively higher in price but increasing prosper- ity is leading to sales growth in these areas. However, at the same time, affordability is an important topic in many markets. “Origin also plays an increasing role,” says Mr Shah and he has applied a feature for addressing customers visually: local Danish prod- ucts that show the national flag on the packaging sell around 33% better than the same products without a flag. In summary, Mr Shah says: “We see the principal trends for dairy products and ingredients in high-protein, natu- ral flavours, long-life dietary fibres, milk-based snacks and sustainable, handmade products that show the value creation and process chain.” Dr Satish Parmar, Assistant Professor at SMC College of Dairy Science The Indian SMC College of Dairy Science, represented by Professor Dr Satish Parmar, talked about trends in whey-based drinks. Using a graph from the National Dairy Development Board, Dr Parmar first gave a state- by-state insight into India’s milk pro- duction. According to this, the state of Uttar Pradesh produces the highest proportion of milk in India (30.5 mil- lion tonnes) before Rajasthan (23.7 million tonnes). Dr Parmar explained: “Around one third of all milk in India goes into cheesemaking. A signifi- cant proportion of whey arises as a by-product of this process, which was traditionally considered a waste product but has since been more intensively re-processed. Whey is natural, rich in lactose, minerals, vitamins and proteins and can be used in a wide variety of applications, including drinks, particularly here in economic and technological regard.” Dr Parmar categorises milk-based drinks as milk-like, thirst-quenching and fruit-juice-type drinks. In addition to these are alcoholic and non-alco- holic drinks. Numerous whey-based drinks are already on the market, for example energy, sports and func- tional drinks.