Joynagar Moa is a creative endeavour of Moawalls of Joynagar, West Bengal. The main ingredients of Moa preparation are Kanakchur rice/ paddy, ghee & Nolen Gur Prepared from the juice of date palm. This gur is the core binder of puffed rice & other condiments which constitute the round shape of JoynagarMoa. The flavour & Sweetness of this Moa along with the combination of taste & aroma has made it very popular throughout India & abroad.
Department of Micro & Small Scale Enterprises & textiles, Government of West Bengal approached the Indian Institute of Packaging to conduct research to enhance the shelf-life of Nolen Gur In response to their request, a project on packaging of Joynagar Moain packaged form was undertaken by the Institute to identify a suitable packaging material,so that the Shelf-life of Joynagar Moa could be enhanced to the desired length of time. The improved System of packaging helped to retain the quality of Joynagar Moa over a longer period of time thereby helping the growth of the local market.
Indian Institute of Packaging carried out an R & D with different packaging materials with higher barrier properties like Plastic laminated tray having a combination of Ploy Viny1 Chloride /Ethyl Viny1 Alcohol / Low Density Polyethylene (PVC/EVOH/LDPE)-400µ and Plastic laminated tray having a combination of Polyethylene Terephthalate / Low Density Polyethylene (PET/LDPE)-350µ. The above trays were sealed using lidding film of combination Polypropylene/ Polyamide /Ethyl Vinyl Alcohol / Low Density Polyethylene (PP/PA/EVOH/LDPE)-100µ .The trays were flushed with gas mixture 90% N²+10% CO².
After detailed study in the laboratory at the Institute’s head office in Mumbai,it is observed that the shelf life of Joynagar Moa can be increased upto 25days when the product is packed in plastic laminated tray having a combination of Polyethylene Terephthalate /Low Density Polyethylene (PET/LDE)-350µ .
Based on the R & D study, Institute had submitted a detailed report to the Department of Micro & Small scale Enterprises & Textiles, Government of West Bengal and based on that department has planned to set up a Common Facility Center (CFC) at Joynagar, West Bengal for the processing and packaging of Joynagar Moa so that the smell entrepreneurs would be able to get revenue by selling their product through the Common facility center and thus this particular segment of the society will be highly benefited.