Ludhiana: Business owners trained on how to make vinegar, kombucha tea

Ludhiana: Officials said on Sunday that a special training program on brewed vinegar and kombucha tea was organized here. They said the training was organized by the National Initiative for Developing and Harnessing Innovations-Technology Business Incubators (NIDHI-TBI), under the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, with the aim of promoting innovation-driven entrepreneurs. Officials said the initiative aimed to provide registered businesses with technical expertise in creating value-added fermented beverages with strong market potential. It saw active participation from registered businesses interested in diversifying into functional and health-oriented products.

The program focused on imparting practical knowledge of fermentation techniques, starter culture management, hygiene protocols, quality evaluation, and shelf-life considerations. According to officials, participants were briefed on the scientific methods of brewed vinegar and kombucha tea, as well as marketing, branding, and commercialization strategies. Urmila Gupta, Head of the Department of Microbiology at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), and her team, including Principal Microbiologist GS Kochhar; Microbiologist Priya Katyal; and Extension Scientist Keshni, conducted technical sessions, providing explanations and live demonstrations. Gupta emphasized that understanding the science behind fermentation is crucial to ensuring the safety, stability, and scalability of products.

Welcoming the resource persons and trainees, Ramandeep Singh, Principal Investigator at NIDHI-TBI and Director of the School of Business Studies at PAU, emphasized the growing demand for probiotics and naturally fermented beverages. Singh explained that fermented products like brewed vinegar and kombucha tea offer promising opportunities for startups seeking to capture the growing health and wellness market. Poonam A. Sachdev, Co-Principal Investigator at NIDHI-TBI and Principal Food Technologist at PAU, praised the organizing team for the technically sound and industry-relevant modules. She stated that brewed vinegar and kombucha tea have immense commercial potential and offer scope for creative flavor development and unique market positioning. She encouraged business owners to focus on product quality, safety, and maintaining consumer trust while growing their ventures. The session included live demonstrations of fermentation processes, clarification techniques, flavor development, and safe bottling practices. The organizers stated that the interactive discussions allowed participants to explore regulatory considerations, scalability options, and potential market positioning strategies.