New juice processing technology launched

Rwanda Agriculture Board (RAB), on Wednesday, launched a new project to improve banana juice processing in the country. The project was supported by Association for Strengthening Agriculture Research in Eastern and Central Africa (ASARECA,) at a cost of $50,000 (Rfw31 million).According to RAB, the new technology cuts costs and time by combining pasteurisation and mixing as well as maintaining nutrients in the end product.Jean Bosco Shingiro, the researcher in charge of post harvest programme at RAB, says the new processor can halve costs and cut off big production time compared to traditional juice processing.“Juice goes bad quickly if not properly processed. Our processors depended on traditional methods that lasted for very few days. The new technology will allow juice to be kept for over three months,” he said.The inception of the project, according to Dr. Daphrose Gahakwa, the Deputy Director General in charge of Research at RAB, is a turning point in the industry.She noted that RAB had spent over three years doing research that led to the new banana juice processing technology.

National

New juice processing technology launched