As a skill development initiative, and to impart hands-on training to students, Department of Food Science Technology, University of Kashmir, Srinagar in collaboration with Department of Botany Government Degree College (GDC), Baramulla organized one day work shop on “Fruit Processing and Vegetable Preservation” on April 08, 2021 at GDC, Baramulla under MoFPI funded project of Government of India. About 40 undergraduate students, many scholars and faculty members attended the workshop. Prof. (Dr.) M. A. Lone, Principal of the college while inaugurating the workshop praised the efforts of the two departments for upskilling and empowering the participants to become self-sufficient entrepreneurs and employers besides achieving academic excellence.Dr. A. R. Malik, Head, Department of Botany welcomed the guests, speakers and the participants and highlighted the role of the department for introducing skill-oriented courses/programmes in the institution to shape and sharpen the hidden talent of students.
In the first session of the workshop, Prof. (Dr.) F. A. Masoodi, Head, Department of Food Science and Technology, UoK during a power point presentation elaborated the scope and significance of Food Sciences and Technology, role of allied fields in food sciences, skill development and entrepreneurship opportunities, among other things. In the second session, hands-on training was given to the participants in which the processing of tomato was demonstrated through operation of pulper machine, and packaging of the prepared product. Further, packaging of the food was demonstrated to the students with the help of a vacuum packaging machine. The participants were acquainted with the operational mechanism of many other machines like canning line, steam jacketed kettle, and other equipment by the manager of the OEM, Shri Raj Gopalan and his technical team.The workshop concluded with the vote of thanks delivered by Prof. M. Aslam Bhat, Associate Professor of Botany and distribution of certificates among the participants.