Kazakhstani scientists set to help farmers preserve products for decades

Scientists from the Al-Farabi Kazakh National University (KazNU) presented an innovative mobile unit, Dayar 20, which allows for processing and storing agricultural products for several decades.

According to Yerbol Ikhsanov, PhD, senior lecturer of the Department of Chemistry and Technology of Organic Substances, Natural Compounds and Polymers, and the author of the project, Dayar 20 operates on the principle of lyophilization, or freeze-drying.

This is a method in which water evaporates from a product in a frozen state under low pressure. It preserves the taste, shape, smell, color and useful properties of the products.

«This device can dry fruits, vegetables, meat and dairy products, and even ready-made meals and fish, ensuring high quality. Dried products can be stored for one to three years at room temperature without refrigeration, and up to 50 years with special packaging,» the scientist noted.

The main feature of the device is its mobility. It can be delivered to the field or farm, which is especially convenient for remote or mountainous areas. This allows farmers to process the harvest on site, reducing losses and increasing the safety of the products.

According to project developers, Dayar 20 could become an important tool for increasing Kazakhstan’s export potential and food security. Scientists hope that the introduction of this technology on farms will help avoid crop losses and facilitate the promotion of Kazakhstani agricultural products in foreign markets.

Although the government of Kazakhstan has invested heavily in various startups, not all of them have proven viable. Between 2018 and 2020, Kazakhstan’s Autonomous Cluster Fund «Park of Innovative Technologies» (PIT) financed 95 startups, allocating approximately $2 million in budget funds. However, 32 of these entities were later liquidated, and another 21 projects were inactive, failing to demonstrate investment success or effectiveness.