MysoreNet - CFTRI's landmark achievement

The Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI), Mysore, has registered a record 100 patents for its food research innovations and techniques. No other Indian research institute, affiliated to the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), which was set up in 1942, has recorded such a large number of registration of patents. With this, the CFTRI’s active patents have touched 334, right from its inception.According to CFTRI Director Dr.V. Prakash, of the 100 patents, 12 relate to fruits and vegetables, 26 to biotechnology, 32 to processed foods, nine to horticultural crops and spices, nine to equipment and fabrication, five to cereal technology, four to flour milling and baking technology, and three to convenient foods.

The CFTRI has not only achieved 100 patent landmark this year but also applied for 75 patents in countries like the USA, Canada, 10 European countries, UAR, Korea, Philippines, Thailand, Nigeria, Sudan, Kenya, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Kazakhstan, Bangla Desh, Brazil, Ethiopia, Lebanon, Egypt, Cuba, Indonesia and West Indies. Last year, it was CFTRI’s in-puts which enabled India fight Basmati patent cases, registered in the US. This lead to a creditable victory in respect of clauses 15, 16 and 17, of the total 20 clauses in the patent. It also lead to the withdrawal of 17 clauses from the US PTO patent.

While assisting the country in defending its patents, CFTRI realized its significant contribution and that the time had come for registering its innovations and techniques developed over the years. This has, at the same time, led to the protection of our intellectual property, the Director said. The Institute will also create a storehouse of knowledge by digitizing the country’s traditional know-how. For example, the CFTRI had developed a recipe for the Goose Berry soup and patented it to prevent it being copied by other countries. Goose berry and its leaves are commonly used by the tribals living in the forest areas of Mysore.