Health Care Technologies

Recent technological developments have led to the proliferation of new, rapid diagnostic tests/kits that hold promise for the improved management and control of infectious diseases. DRDO LS cluster has developed, tested and evaluated successfully a number of test kits for Japanese encephalitis (JE), Chikungunya, dengue,Anthrax,Human &Bovine Brucellosis etc. Herbal remedies were also developed for treatment of diseases like leucoderma, eczema etc.

Untreated human waste is not only a big aesthetic nuisance and source of organic pollution to water bodies but mode of transmitting various pathogens, causing diseases like cholera, typhoid, diarrhea, dysentery, jaundice etc. Technology for human waste disposal is developed. It includes specially designed bio-digetsers and active anaerobic microbial consortium which is used as seed material.

Multi Insect Repellent Cream and Spray (DEPA)

A multi-insect repellent, N,N- Diethyl-2-phenyl acetamide (DEPA) has been developed. The cream is cosmetic friendly, spreads uniformly, does not stain the clothes and non-greasy having pleasant fragrance. It also contains natural contents such as Aloevera which is having anti-bacterial property and nourishes the skin. It keeps insects away for 8 to 10 h with single application. The spray formulation is easy to apply on fabric, curtains etc. and keeps away from painful bites of blood sucking insects.

Meat testing Kit

Microbiologically unsound meat and cold slaughtered meat can cause serious health hazards and heavy economical losses. To test doubtful quality meat a test kit has been developed. It enables testing of 5-6 samples of meat. The test kit contains the components like mini cutter, forceps, and the glass tube with screw cap along with the test strips.

Minimally Processed Fruits & Vegetables

Peeling, cutting and washing of vegetables before cooking is a time-consuming and laborious process and hence there is a need to minimize kitchen drudgery besides reducing the packaging and transportation costs due to the elimination of inedible portions. The process developed is based on stabilization of precut vegetables in the packaged form without thermal pretreatment which renders fresh-like quality to the products. The products, as a result of inbuilt ability withstand ambient temperatures and offer marketing flexibility under varied conditions at the retail outlets. Minimal processing protocols for 14 types of vegetables i.e., carrot, cauliflower, cabbage, potato, radish, capsicum, etc have been developed.

Tender coconut water

is much valued for its delicate taste, aroma and flavour apart from the minerals and other nutrients that it delivers. An innovative state-of-the-art technology to preserve and stabilize tender coconut water in flexible polymeric pouches and aluminiumcans has been developed. The product has a shelf life of 6 months in laminate pouch and aluminiumcans under ambient conditions. The shelf life can be further extended by 3 more months under refrigerated storage.

Hurdle Technology for fruit preservation

Fruit preservation by hurdle technology is based on combination of low levels of various antimicrobial factors (hurdles) acting synergistically resulting in a shelf stable high moisture, fresh-like products. These high moisture fruits retain their fresh appeal and the product remains microbiologically safe and has high acceptance. It is an excellent substitute for canned and/ or dehydrated fruit.

Hydroponics Technology

Hydroponics technology has been developed for growing of vegetables without soil using standardized nutrient media. This system has been proven very useful in snowbound hilly altitude areas where cultivable land is not available. The technology is suitable for off season cultivation of vegetables using single nutrient media. The nutrient composition has been developed to grow different vegetables using single medium.

Vegetable Hybrids

High yielding vegetable varieties of various crops viz; tomato, capsicum, cabbage, garlic, bitter gourd, cucumber etc have been developed and evaluated in multilocational trials in mid and high altitude areas under field as well as protected conditions. Some of the hybrids have been released by Nation release Committee for commercial production.