Chair of the IMechE Food & Drink Engineering Committee visits India

Lecture given on "Engineering sustainable cold chain transport for food in India"

Dr Tim Fox C.Eng C.Env FIMechE FRSA, Chair of the IMechE Food & Drink Engineering Committee, visited India in the month of January 2016 on a UKTI Food & Drink Trade Mission for the Northern Powerhouse initiative. During this visit, Tim held meetings with Fellows and Members of the Institution based in Mumbai, including representatives of the Mumbai and Pune Committee of India Branch and Professor of Mechanical Engineering Milind Atrey (FIMechE) at IIT Bombay, one of the most prestigious higher education establishments in India, who specializes in cryogenic engineering. Tim also worked on the ground with the Institution’s Principal Regional Advisor for India, Mr. Prabal Sarma, to explore future opportunities for IMechE, including establishing a Process Industries Division Centre locally to serve the large engineering community associated with this important industrial sector in India. Dr Fox concluded his visit with a technical lecture as an invited speaker at Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute (VJTI) in Mumbai. VJTI is one of the oldest engineering colleges in Asia. Founded in 1887 and formerly known as the Victoria Jubilee Technical Institute, it adopted its present name in 1998. VJTI is an academically and administratively autonomous institute, however it is a part of the University of Mumbai and its degrees and diplomas are issued by the university.

Dr Fox delivered his lecture, "Engineering sustainable cold chain transport for food in India" on the 20^th of January 2016 which was attended by a large and attentive learned audience comprising Faculty Members, Industry experts, Fellows and Members of the IMechE and  young college students pursuing Mechanical Engineering . About 120 people were in attendance and the question and answer session at the end of Dr Fox’s lecture was lively, particularly so amongst the younger generation aspiring to be India’s future engineers, bearing testimony to an inspirational and well-received lecture.

The audience participating in the Q&A Session post Dr Fox’s lecture at Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute (VJTI) in Mumbai, India

Synopsis of the Technical Lecture

India experiences high levels of post-harvest food losses and of particular concern for the future is the loss of perishable produce such as fruit, vegetables, fish, meat and dairy. Losses in this area of up to 40-50% are typically quoted. This is a systemic problem that needs urgent attention, not only because such high levels of loss lead to unnecessarily high food prices and act as a brake on the economic development, but also because India will experience a large population increase and substantial demographic change in the coming decades. In this regard rapid urbanization combined with growing affluence is likely to lead to large shifts in dietary preferences and an emerging desire for fast food and convenience products, thereby increasing demand for perishable and processed produce, as well as frozen goods. When combined with the nation's geographical location in tropical and sub-tropical regions that are anticipated to experience some of the most extreme effects of global warming, postharvest loss prevention across India is a critical challenge to meet to ensure local, national and international food security.

Drawing on the Institution’s report “A Tank of Cold: Cleantech Leapfrog to a More Food Secure World”, Dr Fox explained not only why meeting cold chain food transport needs is critical for India to ensure that as much harvested perishable produce as possible retains its nutritional content and reaches the consumer in a safe condition, but also why it is important that this infrastructure is sustainable and delivered using clean technology.

In his technical lecture, Dr. Fox described the engineering of a new technology from the UK that innovatively uses liquid nitrogen and the novel Dearman cryogenic engine for the provision of zero emissions refrigerated food transport and discussed how this could get started using existing industrial gases infrastructure within India. Such an approach has the potential to help connect farmers with market opportunities for economic development while simultaneously facilitating resilient rural-urban supply chains, enhancing energy security, reducing pollution and underpinning local, regional and international food security. The audience had to agree, an excellent example of how mechanical engineering is center stage in tackling some of the world’s complex 21^st Century challenges and helping to improve the World through engineering.

The Institution, which already has more than 2,000 professional members in India, is focusing on India as a key country for membership growth and engagement. Visit the Near You India Page or email globalbdm@imeche.org to find out how to get involved with the Institution in your area. Read the full report A Tank of Cold: Cleantech Leapfrog to a more food secure world.