PROCESSING

Cereals-Work on cereals is geared primarily toward improving unit operations such as drying, storage, dehulling, threshing and milling. (Click here for a publication listing on cereal processing).

Fruits and Vegetables- In the fruit and vegetable sector, AGSI is active in providing training in small scale fruit and vegetable processing through workshops and training courses. Technical manuals and demonstrative videos are used as training aids. The AGSI Technical Manual on Small-Scale Processing of Fruits and Vegetables is widely utilised in training, and is currently available in Spanish and English (will soon be available in French).

Fruit and Vegetable Processing is an AGSI bulletin which very comprehensively covers AGSI’s work on the subject. A number of specific publications on fruit and vegetable processing are also disseminated at National and Regional levels. (Click here for a publication listing on fruit and vegetable processing).

Oilseeds-Work on oilseed processing is geared toward improving processing technologies and the availability of edible oils to populations  in which vegetable oil consumption is inadequate. A technical cooperation project (TCP; TCP/CPR/4557) recently conducted in China, focused on improving the quality and yield of sunflower oil, through development of a central processing unit. (Click here for a publication listing on oilseed processing)

Roots and Tubers-Work on roots and tubers focuses on improving their nutritional quality and processing. Diversification of the use of these agricultural raw materials as sources of starches is also covered by the Service.

A Regular Programme funded project conducted in Ghana in 1995, focused on the production of protein-rich foods from roots, tubers and local pulses, in support of food security. (Click here for a publication listing on the processing of roots and tubers).

 Starches-. Starch production, the downstream processing of starches to sweetners and the functional properties of starches, are all covered by the Service. The production of starch from a number of crops is described in AGS bulletin 98 -Small-Medium and Large-scale Starch Processing.  

Sweetness from Starch is an AGS manual which describes the downstream processing of starch to a high-maltose sweetner. Through the Technical Co-operation among Developing Countries (TCDC) scheme, technology for the production of this starch-based sweetner which was developed in Vietnam, was transferred to Benin. Funding was provided through AGSI’s Regular Programme. (Click here for a publication listing on starch processing)

Relatively few literature reports have described the functional properties of  tropical starches.  These properties offer  considerable potential for adding value to the starchy crops from which they are derived. The AGSI document Functional Properties of Starches reviews the functional properties of tropical starches as compared to those of the more commercially utilised starches.

Sugars -AGSI offers expertise in the production and utilisation of products from sugar cane and sugar beet. A programme is currently under way with Corporación Colombiana de Investigación Agropecuaria to improve the efficiency of panela factories in Latin America. (Click here for a publication listing on sugar processing).

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