Meat-1-839x1024We were listening to Dr N Kondiah for more than one hour. The Director of the National Research Centre on Meat was so humorous at the same time so conversant while elaborating on the meat industry of India. We, as trainees on the programme ‘WTO and its implications on the agricultural sector’ at Extension Education Institute (Rajendra Nagar, Hyderabad) were making an industry visit. Dr Kondiah allowed us to visit the laboratories and we could even taste almost all the recently developed meat delicacies.

The centre is directed by Dr N Kondiah, a graduate of Thirupathi Veterinary College who had his post graduation and doctorate from Indian Veterinary Research Institute and special training in Meat Technology from Denmark.  Dr Kondiah joined Agricultural Research Service of ICAR in 1976 and served as Joint Commissioner (Meat and Meat products), Department of Animal Husbandry, Government of India. He functioned as the principal scientist in Animal science Division of ICAR and joined as the Head of Livestock Technology Division of IVRI before joining NRC as its Director in 2006. Dr Kondiah has some 220 scientific papers and four patents in meat technology to his credit. He is also acting as a member of the National Meat and Poultry Processing Board.

The National Research Centre on Meat, Hyderabad is the premier institution in meat research and meat production-processing-utilization technology development in India. This institution was conceptualized in 1986 at IVRI Campus, Izatnagar for research on meat science and technology. Though initial steps were taken, it was later shifted to Hyderabad and started functioning at Chengicheria (Near Uppal) in September 1999.

Meat2-1024x685It was aimed at conducting applied research in meat science and technology and to establish infrastructure facilities
for development of relevant technology, processes and practices for meat production. This centre is providing need based training for different levels of personnel in meat and allied sectors and maintains a liaison with industry and trade. It is also a national repository of information in meat and allied sectors.

This national research centre has seven sections for ‘meat animals’ and meat inspection, fresh meat technology, microbiology and quality control, marketing, economics and statistics, training, consultancy and extension. It boasts of a world class laboratory too. Till now, the centre has developed different and innovative technologies for small scale meat processing, producing cured and smoked meat products, producing shelf stable meat products and production of heavier broilers for value added meat products and species and sex identification of meat.

Meat Centre  hyd 5Meat centre Hyd 6Meat centre Hyd 4This centre is also undertaking series of innovative trainings and workshops on meat processing, value addition and clean meat production among butchers, meat processors, consumers and exporters. It has developed technologies for value addition to tough meat from old and culled animals and spent hens and brought out a lot of meat delicacies too. Several new entrepreneurs have benefitted from the tailor made hands-on training programme of the centre.

Meat-426-799x1024The services available with the centre:

  • Analysis of meat and meat products,
  • Differentiation of meats from different species and sex
  • Shelf life and consumer evaluation of meat and meat products
  • Project reports for Slaughterhouse and meat processing plants
  • Contractual research and consultancy, grading in meat animal marketing
  • Research on Value addition of meat products for the meat industry
  • Research on processing technologies, proteomics and meat quality
  • Updating of meat Inspection practices, Chemical residues analysis in meat.

With its advanced infrastructure and a committed and trained faculty, NRC is promoting entrepreneurship and imparting trainings, consultancy, licensing and technical-know-how on meat technology and industry. It is ready to assist the prospective entrepreneurs and organizations on developing employment skills or setting up own business related to meat industry.

More details can be had from:

The Director, NRC on Meat, Chengicherla, PB No. 19, Uppal (Post), Hyderabad-500039

E-mail: nrcmeat-director@yahoo.co.in  Web: www.nrcmeat.org.in