Scientists at the Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology (MPUAT), Udaipur, have for the first time developed a technology as well as the machine for Browning free mechanized pulp extraction from the Custard Apple (“Sitafal”). Browning is a change in colour of pulp due to enzymatic oxidation and the brown pulp is not edible and fetches no price in the market. Custard Apple pulp is used to prepare Ice cream, Rabdi and beverages.

The technology as well as machine has been developed at the Department of Horticulture, MPUAT, Udaipur under the National Agricultural Innovation Project (NAIP) which was commissioned at this centre in the year 2009. NAIP is the World Bank funded project of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), New Delhi.

The scientists who took part in the development of this new technology are Dr. RA Kaushik, Professor and Head, Department of Horticulture and Dr. Sunil Pareek, Assistant professor, Department of Horticulture.

Custard Apple based Ice-cream business portfolio of ice cream companies was at a very small scale before the advent of this innovation because traditional pulp extraction was done manually which is tedious, cumbersome and inefficient giving a very low output. The machine is new and innovative and has mechanized the extraction of Custard Apple pulp with higher yield, recovery, quality, consistency, hygiene, structure and texture of the pulp.

The technology developed will offers livelihood security to tribal people and help on conservation of underutilized fruit species of Rajasthan apart from increasing in farmer’s income and living standards of custard apple growers.