Introduction

Introduction:

Spices play an important role in enhancing the flavor and taste of the processed foods. India produces almost all the known spices and is the largest exporter of this commodity. Although spices are traded chiefly in an unprocessed form, a small yet significant quantity enters international trade as spice powders. Curry powder is the foremost of those blends or mixes and sometimes consists of 20 or more spices designed to impact the characteristic flavor of an Indian curry which is appreciated all over the world. Apart from the overseas market, processed curry powder is becoming popular in the internal market also. Hence the demand for unadulterated spices and curry powder in attractive handy packages is fast emerging.

Kerala – ―The God’s own country‖ and the ―Spices Garden‖ of the world has seen tremendous growth in spices related consumer industry recently. Although the struggle of poor consumers for getting genuine food items is still at large. To enhance the flavor and aroma of foods spices are used whole or in pieces, as in pulaos and biriyanis, or in powdered or ground form. While freshly ground masalas (mixed curry spices are preferred to powdered masalas), owing to the shortage of domestic labour, there is a definite trend today towards using spices mainly in powder
d form in many combinations of curry powders. Curry powder, chilli powder, turmeric powder, spices powder etc are greatly consumed for preparing a variety of vegetable and non-vegetable food items. The quality of these products increases the taste and quality of food products. The consumers around the world have always opted for unadulterated food items irrespective of their cost. Considering the recent trend of change followed by the reasons of fast life of people, paved the way for the emergence of a lot of entrepreneurs in the food processing field. Ready to use rice powder will simplify the job of households. Today’s fast life style of people will increase the demand of ready to use food products.

Coconut oil is an important cooking medium in Southern parts of the country especially in Kerala State. Besides, the oil has varied industrial applications. It is used in the manufacture of toilet soaps, laundry soaps, surface active agents and detergents, hair tonics, cosmetics, etc. It is used throughout the country as hair oil as it helps growth of the hair. As massage oil it has a cooling effect on the body. Owing to these qualities coconut oil has a potential market in the country.