PAU enters into agreement with UP-based company

Ludhiana: The Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) entered into an agreement with M/s Sanchi Ventures Private Limited, Sitapur, Uttar Pradesh, for licensing of brewed fruit vinegar technology. The pact was signed by Dr Navtej Singh Bains, Director of Research, PAU and Mr Prithipal Maurya, Director, Sanchi Ventures Private Limited, on the behalf their respective organizations.

Dr GS Kochar, Senior Microbiologist-cum-Head, Department of Microbiology, said PAU has been actively engaged in research on fermented vinegar. A number of fermentation technologies on vinegar production from sugarcane, grapes and apple have been recommended and commercialized by PAU. The research focuses on increasing use of fermented/natural vinegar prepared from traditional fruits that carry nutritional and therapeutic values besides value addition of the horticultural produce, he added.

Dr Gursahib Singh, Additional Director of Research (Farm Mechanization and Bioenergy), said there is a need to replace synthetic vinegar which is though cheaper a bit, yet has health concerns with no nutritional value. He further informed that PAU has signed 5 memoranda of agreement (MoAs) for the commercialization of brewed fruit vinegar technology.

Dr SS Chahal, Adjunct Professor, Technology Marketing and IPR Cell, said PAU has signed 220 MoAs and commercialized 52 technologies.

Dr AS Dhatt, Additional Director of Research (Horticulture and Food Science); Dr PS Chahal, Consultant (Scientific), PAU and Dr DS Srivastava, SMS-Plant Protection, KVK-II, Sitapur, were also present on the occasion.