Here comes a machine that would make 250 ragi muddes in an hour !

Ragi mudde has been the staple food for agrarian community in Karnataka over the years. The popularity of this traditional dish remains strong despite competition from modern foods.

However, with the influx on pizzas many urbanites are giving ragi items the go-by and for some, preparing items out of millet is a challenge.

In a bid to standardise the ragi mudde making process, CSIR-Central Food Technological Research Institute rolled out a sophisticated mechanism that can discharge 250 muddes in just one hour.

It is the long cherished dream of V D Nagaraju, Senior Principal Scientist, CSIR-CFTRI, who had dreamt of designing a machine to prepare ragi balls to serve large population of the society.

It took the efforts of a team of 20 persons and over eight months to conceptualise the design, prototype, commercial design and fabrication of ragi mudde-making.

Besides, there was a request from the public on developing technology that could constantly make ragi mudde without much human intervention. The machine which can discharge 250 muddes each weighing nearly 200 to 225 gram in just one hour.

What more, it was unveiled at the hands of H D Dewegowda, who introduced ragi balls as an international cuisine, when he was the Prime Minister.

With just days of its launch, the machine has received an overwhelming response from the people. There has been a steady stream of curious visitors, especially from hostels, hospitals, hotels, and educational institutions, witnessing a high footfall.

The machine, only requires ragi powder and water to make the mudde. Steam quality and other working parameters of the machine are maintained within the range by the control system of the machine. The preparation in the machine ensures quality and hygiene. It needs just one operator. The unit can be cleaned easily.

CFTRI, which has been instrumental in popularising millet products has often come up with new technologies beneficial for the public. Here, they do not sell the machine but transfer the technology and share the design for a nominal fee. The people and organisations who buy the design can get the engines fabricated from engineering units.

Now with the introduction of ragi making mudde the task cut out and can produce mudde on a large scale and with minimum time spent with hygienic conditions. This machine will be very useful in big restaurants, hostels, industrial canteens, defence canteens, jails and airport restaurants.