Evolution of the Meals Ready to Eat

Evolution of the Meals Ready to Eat

Jatin

More than 200 years ago, France instituted a 12,000 francs prize for anyone who could find a way to preserve food. The purpose was military; soldiers required an assured supply of food and nutrition to win wars in distant territories. In 1810, 15 years after the prize was announced, Nicolas Appert found a way, by cooking food in a glass jar and sealing it with a cork. But Appert, a chef, did not know the reason why the food he canned stayed fresh for months.


From grandmother’s pickles and salted and sun-dried fish to the milk that comes in tetra packs and stays fresh for months without refrigeration, packaged and processed food has come a long way, meeting the modern-day demand for hassle-free instant food. Even fresh vegetables like green peas or cauliflower, once available only in the winter, are now available around the year, if only at a higher price.

Once such food processing technologies are developed, thermally processed foods that do not need rehydration or preparation may be consumed straight from the pouch with or while not pre-warming, relying upon the necessity of the users and therefore the weather. These foods meet the particular wants of convenience, organic process adequacy, ambient storage and distribution to the centers and shelf stability has made these extremely successful and most suited to Indian cuisines. Hence the technology enables consumers to enjoy their favorite foods such as Dal Makhani, Shahi Paneer, Butter Chicken, various Biryanis and what not. Ready to eat food for travelling products such prepared require just warming in a microwave oven or water bath before eating. The thermal processing is the best and the most acceptable form of food preservation for North Indian Food and cuisines without any preservative and in its natural form

The ready-to-eat category was commercially first introduced to the country in 1987 but suffered a slow beginning with consumers preferring traditional cooking. By the turn of the millennium, and the advent of new technologies to improve the shelf life of ready to eat chicken biryani products, alongside growth in storage and distribution centers, and lifestyle changes the segment gained momentum.

The RTE / heat-and-eat market currently valued at Rs 2400 million and has been growing at a rate of 18% over the last three years and over the next five years, though its rise will reach 22% per annum as a result of rapid urbanization, increasing disposable income and expected improvement in retail infrastructure, touching by Rs 7000 million by 2020.

Original Source: Evolution of the Meals Ready to Eat




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