The GI tagged traditional dairy product Kaladi from Udhampur district of Jammu and Kashmir will be upscaled using advanced food technologies to enable wider culinary applications and market expansion while preserving its original flavour texture and nutritional identity. The initiative has been identified under the One District One Product programme with a focus on value addition shelf life enhancement and diversified food applications.
Union Minister of State Independent Charge for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences Dr Jitendra Singh directed premier CSIR laboratories to take up coordinated scientific intervention to address the key constraint limiting Kaladi’s outreach beyond local markets its short shelf life. He emphasised that any technological upscaling must retain the product’s traditional milky flavour stretchable texture and nutritional character which define its uniqueness and consumer acceptance.
Highlighting Kaladi’s growing economic relevance following the grant of the GI tag Dr Jitendra Singh said that improving shelf life through scientific validation appropriate processing and modern packaging is critical to unlocking national and international market potential. He added that the focus would also be on recipe diversification including fresh consumption functional food formats and alternative culinary uses without compromising Kaladi’s native sensory attributes often likened to the mozzarella of Jammu.
During a review meeting the Minister interacted with Dr Giridhar Parvatam Director CSIR Central Food Technology Research Institute Mysuru and Dr Zabeer Ahmed Director CSIR Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine Jammu. He instructed the two institutions to work jointly on nutrient profiling characterisation value addition and shelf life enhancement of Kaladi. The laboratories have been asked to submit initial observations within weeks and deliver comprehensive outcomes within six months.
The initiative will include documentation of traditional preparation practices followed across different regions of Jammu and Kashmir and scientific identification of a common industry friendly process suitable for scale up. Nutrient profiling flavour validation and regulatory compatibility will be integral components to ensure market readiness and consumer confidence.
Dr Jitendra Singh also called for leveraging advanced technologies developed by CSIR CFTRI Mysuru one of India’s leading food research institutions. Referring to the successful adoption of CFTRI technologies for millet based products by global food chains he said similar scientific approaches may be explored for Kaladi wherever feasible.
Kaladi traditionally prepared from raw full fat milk using whey water as a coagulant has emerged as an important livelihood product for local communities particularly rural youth. However its limited shelf life of a few days especially under non refrigerated conditions has restricted wider distribution.
The Minister said the initiative reflects the government’s broader vision of integrating science technology and traditional products to strengthen local economies. He expressed confidence that once shelf life and value addition challenges are addressed Kaladi can be positioned as a premium traditional dairy product beyond Jammu and Kashmir delivering higher returns to farmers and artisans while showcasing Dogra cuisine on national and global platforms.
