Dehydrated Onion (100% EOU)
Dehydrated Onions have been produced in small quantities since the nineteenth century. A 100 percent export oriented unit is one, which would export its entire production, except for the permitted levels of rejects. The main advantages of dehydrated onions are that they are easy to store, being lighter in weight and smaller in bulk than fresh or other processed onions. They are cheap to pack compared with canned goods. They do not require refrigerated storage as do frozen onions and the contents of a container can be used some time after opening provided they are not dehydrated. When establishing a dehydration industry, considerable thought should be given to the procurement of fresh onions for dehydration. To operate a dehydration plant efficiently, a constant supply of onions is required and this involves considerable organization. Ideally a dehydration factory should handle only one type of onion over long periods, so as to avoid the necessity of cleaning down all the machinery and altering the grading and cutting settings etc. when changing from one variety to another. In the food processing field, dehydration is sometimes described as the removal of 85% or more of water from a food substance, by exposure to thermal energy by various means. Thermal dehydration reduces volume of the product, increases shelf life, and lowers transportation cost. There is no clearly defined line of demarcation between drying and dehydrating, and latter sometimes being considered as a supplement of drying. Usually, the direct use of solar energy, as in the drying of raisin, lay etc. is not lumped with dehydrating. The term dehydration also is not generally applied to situations where there is a loss of water as the result of evaporation. Uses Dehydrated onions are used chiefly as a constituent in various food products i.e. they are sold to manufacturing concerns as an industrial raw material and demand for dehydrated onions is a function of the demand of these food products. However there is a demand for dehydrated onions for use as curlinary onions, both by large catering concerns institutions and industrial canteens; and for domestic use. The other use of dehydrated onions is in the manufacture of dried soups once virtually the sole outlet for these products, but now declining in relative importance, as other applications including use in canned soups and stews, baby foods, fish, meat and bakery products and more recently in dried `ready meals' have been developed. Market Survey In India dehydration of many food products especially vegetables and some fruits are in practices at home and industry level throughout year. these dehydrated products are the largest export products for international markets & international clients who desire for quality products. These products are 100% export oriented to countries like UK, Canada, Germany, Poland, Finland, Denmark, Australia, Spain, Italy, Greece, UAE, France, Belgium, Netherlands, South Africa, Latvia, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Philippines, Korea, New Zealand, Japan, Singapore, Israel, South Africa, Russia, East European countries and many more. Thus export potential of onion is quite high and already a large number of dehydration plants in operation in many parts of the country. Drying of onion flakes has the potential to not only reduce the storage losses but it also helps in stabilizing the price. The food processing industry has been slated for accelerated growth. It is projected to be a futuristic industry and it is anticipated that, over the years, it will emerge as a leading player in the global markets. As a result, the industry is seen to be witnessing feverish activity.