New legislation proposals on labelling claims - Pork and beef fat: Indians will soon know if the source of the animal fat in packaged food products is pork or beef. They will also know whether the foodstuff they buy in a supermarket contains any items that would trigger allergic reactions

By Syed Akbar
Hyderabad: Indians will soon know if the source of the animal
fat in packaged food products is pork or beef. They will also know
whether the foodstuff they buy in a supermarket contains any items
that would trigger allergic reactions

The Food Standards and Safety Authority of India has now come out with
its draft guidelines on labeling claims. People can decide what type
of food labeling claims laws they would require for a healthy and
disease-free living, by sending their comments and reactions to the
FSSAI on the draft guidelines by the end of January 2013.

The new guidelines, which will be adopted after hearing public
comments, mandate the manufacturers to declare whether the animal fat
or oil was obtained from pork fat, lard or beef fat. They should also
clearly mention if there were any extracts from these sources.

For the first time Indian citizens will also know if, the food they
are eating contains any allergy-causing agents or ingredients known to
cause hypersensitivity in certain individuals. It is mandatory to
mention the presence of such substances even if their percentage is
less than five. They include cereals containing gluten; i.e., wheat,
rye, barley, oats, spelt or their hybridized strains and products,
crustacean and their products,
milk and milk products, eggs and egg products, fish and fish products,
peanuts, tree nuts, nut products, black gram and soybeans.

The FSSAI has also suggested changes in certain products from “best
before” to “use by” in fat spreads both milk and vegetable fat based.
Fresh fruits if coated by was should be mentioned.

Manufacturers can claim “fruit juice” only if the percentage of juice
is 100. If it is diluted, the label should carry “diluted juice”. They
should also mention if the food is processed through irradiation and
the purpose of radiation.

The new guidelines mandates that every package of pan masala or other
similar products containing supari (betel nut) as one of the
ingredients should carry the warning that “this product contains
supari, chewing of which is injurious to health". Products with
chewing tobacco should also carry health warning.

They bar manufacturers from making claims like “home made” and “home
cooked”, which may give an erroneous impression to consumers. However,
claims related to religious or ritual practices like Halal and Jhatka
can be made provided the food conformed to the requirements of the
appropriate religious or ritual authorities and is certified by
authorized agencies concerned.

Nutritious cashew apples will not go waste now: Gitam University develops technology to preserve cashew apple juice

By Syed Akbar
Hyderabad, Dec 21: Everyone loves crunchy cashew nuts but when it comes to eating the highly nutritious cashew apple, not many would prefer it. Apart from its astringent taste, the cashew apple is highly perishable and thus it ends up in the garbage bins before reaching the market.

But now a team of researchers from Visakhapatnam, known for its cashew orchards, has developed technology to convert cashew apples into tasty, perservable and nutritious juice. The team has removed astringency from the juice. This will save thousands of kgs of cashew apples from going into the garbage bins and help people to derive health benefits from it.

AP is one of the major cashew-producing states with 1.65 lakh hectares under cultivation in Guntur, Krishna, East and West Godavari, Srikakulam, Visakhapatnam, Nellore and Prakasam districts. About 65 tonnes of cashew is produced in the country, with AP contributing about 10 tonnes. Visakhapatnam district alone produces about three tonnes of cashew.

"Cashew apples are highly nutritious, possess therapeutic and medicinal properties. These are considered as a good source of reducing sugars, vitamins mainly vitamin C (contains six times higher than that of orange), minerals, amino acids, carotenoids, phenolics, organic acids and anti-oxidants. Traditionally, these fruits are used to cure a number of chronic diseases like scurvy, diarrhoea, uterine complaints, dropsy, cholera, rheumatism, and sore throat infections," said research scholar Uma Talasila. She developed the technology under the supervision of Dr Shaik Khasim Beebi, associate professor, department of biotechnology, Gitam University, Visakhapatnam. The research was funded by the Department of Science and Technology under fellowship scheme for women scientists.

They said apart from its nutritional and medicinal value, the juice could also be utilised as fermentation medium for the production of value added products like as ethanol, single cell protein and hyaluronic acid, which has an important function in the body.

"Unfortunately, cashew apples are considered as an agricultural waste and by-product of cashew nut production. About 90 per cent of cashew apples are disposed of at harvest due to high perishability, astringency, short shelf life and lack of proper preservation techniques," they said adding that their technology helps in clarification of the juice to make it palatable and perservable. It will reduce the load of microbes and increases the shelf life.

Improved shelf life of cashew apple juice makes it feasible for the year-round availability. Preservation of cashew apple juice increases utilisation of these nutritious fruits, which are otherwise discarded in the fields. "This will also generate employment among rural communities and is expected to derive benefits during off-season," they pointed out.

India has now taken up its fight against "hidden hunger". For the first time ever, Indian scientists will look into the major health problems created by “hidden hunger” or deficiency in micronutrients

By Syed Akbar
Hyderabad: India has now taken up its fight against "hidden
hunger". For the first time ever, Indian scientists will look into the
major health problems created by “hidden hunger” or deficiency in
micronutrients.

A vast majority of people in the country suffer from health issues
related to lack of sufficient quantity of micronutrients in their
daily food. Deficiency in micronutrients is responsible for
complications that may reduce physical output and mental agility.

Six major scientific research bodies in India have joined hands for a
critical review to unravel the medical and health mystery of hidden
hunger and the long-term health impact on individuals suffering from
deficiency in micronutrients. The mega exercise involves the Indian
Council of Medical Research, the Department of Biotechnology, the
Department of Science and Technology, the Indian Council of
Agricultural Research, the Defence Research and Development
Organisation and the Indian National Science Academy.

“Several micronutrient deficiencies have been identified in India,
with varying degrees of severity. Micronutrient deficiency is referred
to as the hidden hunger since it is not an obvious killer or crippler,
but extracts heavy human and economic cost. Micronutrient deficiencies
are complex in their origins,” points out senior scientist Dr GS Toteja.

The health issues involved are anaemia, bone health and osteoporosis,
non-communicable diseases, lifecycle approaches, maternal nutrition
and adverse birth outcomes like low birth weight. Micronutrients like
iron, vitamin B12, other B vitamins, vitamin D, calcium, magnesium,
chromium and zinc are important for healthy and disease-free living.

The new research exercise will take systematic reviews of the
magnitude of the problem with relation to these micronutrients for
valuable insights into potential strategies. Based on the outcome of
the research studies, the Union Health Ministry will initiate
approaches like supplementation programs, fortification of salt,
cereals and oil, bio-fortification and food-food fortification (diet
diversification), and enhanced agricultural production of healthy
pulses and millets through soil and agricultural science.

Research studies by the city-based National Nutrition Monitoring
Bureau reveal that cereal-pulse based Indian diets are qualitatively
deficient in micronutrients particularly iron, calcium, vitamin A,
riboflavin and folic acid. About two-thirds of preschool children
consume less than 50 per cent of the recommended daily allowance or
iron, vitamin A and riboflavin.

Food Safety and Standards Authority of India: Iron filings in tea now gets upper limit of contamination

By Syed Akbar
Hyderabad: For more than a century people have been sipping tea
contaminated with iron filings. The Central government has now woken
up to this major health hazard and fixed 150 mg of iron filings per
one kg of tea as the upper permissible limit.

The city based National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) is conducting a
study on the harmful impact of iron filings in tea. The present limit
will remain till the results of the NIN study are published. The
government may increase or decrease the upper limit for iron filings
in tea based on the outcome of the NIN study.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), the
country’s premier body that sets food safety levels, has fixed 150 mg
per one kg as a temporary limit. This limit will stay for a period of
one year or till the NIN comes out with the report. “Zero presence of
iron fillings is not possible in tea,” says the FSSAI circular while
arriving at the standard.

Iron filings enter tea due to wear and tear of the machinery. The
problem is noticed even in the new machinery. Many developed countries
have fixed the maximum level of 120 mg/kg for iron filings in tea. The
Indian limit is slighting higher. The limit is as high as 500 mg per
kg in poor countries. Neighbouring Sri Lanka allows up to 200 mg of
iron filings per kg of tea.

“Iron does not easily go out of the body. It accumulates and when the
concentration of iron reaches a particular level, the body begins to
react. Simple symptoms include loose motion to stomach ache, while
severe health issues include heart attack. Men require just 8 mg of
iron per day. It is 18 mg in case of women,” points out expert in
internal medicine Dr K Ramachandra Murthy.

The continuous presence of iron filings in tea has raised safety
concerns and there have been several demands to fix an upper limit.
Though iron is good for health, excess intake may lead to severe
health complications including cancers and cardiac problems. In the
absence of standards thus far, tea manufacturers do not mention on the
packs the extent of contamination by iron filings. The new FSSAI
standard will help consumers to file case in a consumer forum against
the manufacturer in case iron filings are present in quantity above
the maximum permissible limit.

The Tea Board on its part has decided to keep a tab on the quality of
tea and its infusion to ensure that iron filings are not present in
excess. It will collect samples from different parts of the country at
frequent intervals to maintain the standards.

Kababs, samosas, laddu and sharbat are irresistible, but scientists are not clear about their real nutritional value and the impact they have on one's health. Indian foods are a gourmet’s delight, and many of them, specially the “take-away” category, cause severe health issues including obesity and type 2 diabetes

By Syed Akbar
Hyderabad: Kababs, samosas, laddu and sharbat are
irresistible, but scientists are not clear about their real
nutritional value and the impact they have on one's health. Indian
foods are a gourmet’s delight, and many of them, specially the
“take-away” category, cause severe health issues including obesity and
type 2 diabetes.

For the first time ever a team of international scientists is
collecting data on Indian take-away meals and food products including
kababs, beverages and soft drinks to obtain new information about
their nutritional composition. The data will help researchers to plan
ideal meals for a healthy and disease-free living. Many types of foods
particularly fast foods are responsible for premature death and
disability and chronic diseases. Foods from other major countries
including China, the USA and Canada will also form part of the study.

The George Institute for Global Health, Australia, is coordinating the
research on fast foods around the world including India. “Sustained
small-to-moderate improvements in the food supply would reap
significant public health gains and avert much premature chronic
diseases. With the rates of non-communicable diseases such as obesity,
type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases increasing, there is a
strong argument for renewed efforts to achieve population-wide
reductions in sodium, saturated fat, sugar and energy consumption,”
points out senior researcher Elizabeth Dunford.

The study will help in comparing the nutrient composition of various
“take away” foods, which are notorious for their “dense energy”, high
saturated fat and salt and lack of essential micronutrients.

The Indian food stuff to be covered under the international study
include fruit and vegetable juices, pure fruit smoothies, milkshakes,
milk-based drinks like lassi, plain and flavoured waters, soft drinks,
sugar-free artificially-sweetened soft drinks, tea and coffee,  hot
breakfasts, deserts and grilled chicken.

Most of the fast food items sold in India do not carry the nutritional
value or the ingredients used for the preparation. The nutritional
content and calorie values differ hugely even for the same variety of
food served by different restaurants or fast food joints. This is
because they do not follow uniform standards and the calorie value
changes between two servings in a same restaurant. The new research
study will not only identify the nutritional values of the Indian fast
foods, but also help in devising uniform standards for servings.

Forty years after its ban, experts in food poisoning are collecting vital scientific data to find out if Kesar dal is dangerous to human health and if so, how to reduce its toxicity

By Syed Akbar
Hyderabad, Nov 8: Forty years after its ban, experts in food poisoning
are collecting vital scientific data to find out if Kesar dal is
dangerous to human health and if so, how to reduce its toxicity. The
research is important from economic and nutrition perspective as Kesar
dal costs just Rs 20 a kg and contains high content of important
nutrients.

Research studies so far have not found a strong link between
consumption of Kesar dal and health hazards. Biomedical scientists,
toxicologists, clinicians and food and feed technologists on Thursday
converged at the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) here to
exchange the scientific data and formulate strategies in developing
technologies to make better use of Kesar dal.

The NIN is the nodal agency on Kesar dal research. The experts feel
that there is an ample scope to turn Kesar dal into a highly useful
food crop using detoxification methods and genetic modifications.
Kesar dal is linked to a crippling health condition called Lathyrism,
but there is no conclusive evidence.

Kesar dal, though used for thousands of years, was declared unfit for
human consumption due to its alleged toxicity, and banned in many
States including Andhra Pradesh. West Bengal and Chattisgarh have not
banned it, while Kesar dal continues to be sown legally in Maharashtra
following a court stay.

Dr GS Toteja, director, Desert Medicine Research Centre, Jodhpur, said
production of pulses in India was 17 million tonnes as against the
demand of 21 million tonnes. Kesar dal, if promoted, would fill the
gap. “The Indian Council of Medical Research is currently collecting
data to clinically link consumption of Kesar dal to health problems.
New evidence is emerging in favour of Kesar dal, but the final report
is still awaited,” he said.

“Presently, there is a radical shift in the perception of the
scientific community about Kesar dal, in unraveling its beneficial
effects, as there is ample scope to turn it in to a highly useful food
crop. It can be used as a highly beneficial food supplement and even
its cost effectiveness can be a great boon to millions of starving
people all over the world,” said Dr Arjun L Khandare, senior
scientist, NIN.

Kesar dal grows even in the severest of drought conditions and gives
high yields. Kesar dal has been a major adulterant in tur dal. Kesar
dal, technically known as Lathyrus sativus, contains a chemical called
alpha-ODAP. It was banned in early 1970s after certain studies linked
Kesar dal to ill health.

Dr Kalpagam Polasa, director in charge, NIN, and Dr IV Rao,
vice-chancellor of NTR University of Health Sciences, participated in
the international conference.

Milk loses much of its nutritional value when heated intermittently. Dilution of milk with water and removal of fat layer robs it of vitamins important for the healthy growth of individuals

By Syed Akbar
Hyderabad:  Milk loses much of its nutritional value when
heated intermittently. Dilution of milk with water and removal of fat
layer robs it of vitamins important for the healthy growth of
individuals.

A team of researchers has found that boiling milk brings down the
content of vitamins to a significant extent. Each step adopted during
household practices plays a significant role in varying the
concentration of nutritional components, which affect the quality of
milk.

Though boiling of pasteurized milk is not advisable from nutritional
point of view, the team from Punjab suggested boiling of milk once as
prevention of food-borne diseases remains a priority in the Indian
context.

“Dilution of milk significantly affects the nutritional profile which
might lead toinsufficient nutrient deliveries especially in infants and young
children. Milk should not be diluted before consumption and the
practice of storage and intermittent heating of milk should be avoided
to prevent the vitamin loss,” reveals the research study by senior
scientists S Bahman, N Yadav, A Kumar, S Ganguly, V Garg and SS Marwaha.

Boiling of milk increases the concentration of most of the components and
minerals but reduces the level of vitamins A (by 21 per cent), B3 (13
per cent), B5 (three per cent) and B12 (21 per cent). Addition of
water also decreases the concentration of minerals and vitamins.
Storage of milk leads to a decrease in total solids by 19 per cent and
vitamins A, B3, B5, and B12 by 26 per cent, 17-19 per cent, 23 per
cent, and 18-26 per cent respectively.

“Milk contains over a hundred biochemical compounds of which the majority has
substantial nutritional values. When boiled milk is stored at
different conditions (room temperature and refrigeration), and unboiled milk under
refrigerated conditions, the level of total solids decreased up to 19
per cent. After storage for 24 hours, when the deposited the fat layer
at the top was removed, 71-76 per cent loss of fat was
observed,” the researchers said.

Storage of milk at low temperature results in the deposition of the
fat layer on the wall of the storage utensil/pouch carrying away fat-soluble vitamins
resulting in their substantial quantitative loss. Also, exposure to light during storage has a
deleterious effect on water-soluble vitamins. An appreciable loss in
their contents during storage at lower temperature has been reported.

Adding sugar to milk leads to reduction in the concentration of
calcium and magnesium.

However, an appreciable increase in total solids, SNF (solids not fat)
and carbohydrate contents was found.

Chicken 65, ginger chicken, chicken fried rice, chilly chicken, chicken noodles and chicken Manchuria sold on the streets of Hyderabad and Secunderabad are highly contaminated by disease-causing bacteria

Syed Akbar
Hyderabad:  Poultry-based foods like chicken 65, ginger
chicken, chicken fried rice, chilly chicken, chicken noodles and
chicken Manchuria sold on the streets of Hyderabad and Secunderabad
are highly contaminated by disease-causing bacteria.

According to a research study by the city-based Food and Drug
Toxicology Research Centre attached to the National Institute of
Nutrition, pathogenic bacteria like Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus
cereus are present in poultry-based street foods in twin cities.

The researchers found bacterial contamination is high in salads and in
drinking water. Salmonella contamination was more in salads than in
street foods. Chicken fried rice is the most contaminated food among
poultry-based street foods in Hyderabad. “Although food is cooked at a
temperature high enough to inactivate bacterial pathogens,
post-contamination and cross-contamination that is being promoted by
unhygienic food handling and incorrect storage practices are making
the safely prepared food to be unsafe,” the study observed.

The NIN’s findings were published in latest issue of The Scientific
World Journal, a peer-reviewed scientific publication. A total of 376
samples including chicken fried rice, chicken noodles, boiled noodles
and boiled rice were collected from circles 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 of
Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation and analyzed for
microbiological examination. About 110 samples of hand washings,
drinking water and salads (onion and lemon) were also tested.

The most prevalent pathogenic bacteria isolated were S. aureus and B.
cereus. Salmonella spp. was present in salads and hand washings of the
food handler. Salmonella contamination was found in salads served
along with chicken fried rice and chicken noodles than in the food.

Sample analysis indicated the presence of one or more of the
food-borne pathogens in each food sample. Sixty per cent of samples
were contaminated with either B. cereus or S. aureus. S. aureus was
isolated in 31 per cent of the food samples and B. cereus was detected
in 58 per cent of the food samples.

Salmonella spp. was not detected in both of these food samples. The
salads served along with chicken fried rice and chicken noodles were
contaminated with S. aureus (61 per cent), B. cereus (48 per cent),
and Salmonella spp. (43.5 per cent).

“Level of sanitation was poor, most (70 per cent) of the street food
outlets were located adjacent to the road, and few (15 per cent)
outlets were located near the municipal garbage bins. Vegetables were
not peeled and cleaned in 40 per cent of the outlets. Eighty per cent
of the vendors were using dirty cloth for cleaning purpose,” the study
revealed.

Bt brinjal: National Biodiversity Authority accuses seed firms of biopiracy on Indian egg plant

Syed Akbar
Hyderabad: The controversy surrounding Bt brinjal, the first
genetically modified food crop developed in India, has turned murkier
with the National Biodiversity Authority planning to launch
prosecution against a seed company for alleged bio-piracy.

The National Biodiversity Authority, which regulates matters
pertaining to biodiversity protection, conservation and use in India,
will lodge a complaint against the alleged violators of the Biological
Diversity Act for “bio-piracy in promoting Bt brinjal”. The commercial
launch of Bt brinjal has already been kept in abeyance by the Central
government following concerns over health, biological and other issues.

According to information provided to Environment Support Group (ESG)
in response to a Right to Information (RTI) query, the NBA admitted
that the “matter was under advanced stage of lodging a complaint”. The
filing of the complaint against this serious environmental crime
assumes launching of criminal prosecution against the violators.

Leo F Saldanha, coordinator/trustee of the Environment Support Group
had filed a complaint accusing, the world's largest agritech company
Monsanto along with its Indian partner Mahyco and several government
institutions, of accessing over 16 varieties of brinjal endemic to
India in comprehensive violation of the Biological Diversity Act while
promoting the commercial release of transgenic Bt brinjal.

Can the nuclear race in the Indian subcontinent lead to a major famine in the world, with even big nations like the United States of America and the Peoples Republic of China being hit by acute shortage of food?

Syed Akbar
Hyderabad:  Can the nuclear race in the Indian subcontinent
lead to a major famine in the world, with even big nations like the
United States of America and the Peoples Republic of China being hit
by acute shortage of food?

With India successfully test-firing Agni-5, the long-range ballistic
missile capable of hitting targets as far away as 5,500 km, the
International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War has come
out with a new report that predicts significant climate disruption
around the globe in case of a regional nuclear war between India and
Pakistan.

The report, prepared in association with the Physicians for Social
Responsibility, US, will be released on Tuesday. It points out that
the new missile test has once again ratchet up tensions in the South
Asia region. A regional nuclear war such as a clash between India and
Pakistan would cause significant climate disruption around the globe,
leading to a sharp decline in agricultural production. This is the
first major report on the consequences of a regional nuclear war on
agricultural production, global climate and environment, and the
health of human beings, animals and plants.

Both the USA and China will be affected in terms of agricultural
production that could trigger a famine jeopardizing the already
precarious lives of the nearly one billion malnourished people on
earth, according to Dr Ira Hefand, who prepared the report based on
primary research articles to be published in the journal Climatic
Change. Dr Hefand is the vice-president of the International
Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, North America unit.

According to the study, the nuclear weapons danger is real and growing
- nuclear terrorism, nuclear proliferation, and the thousands of
weapons still on hair-trigger alert in the United States and Russia
put the planet at risk.

Along with global warming, nuclear war is the greatest preventable
danger facing humankind. There are still more than 20,000 nuclear
weapons in the world, and no comprehensive process is under way to
abolish them. Opinion polls show that a majority of the world’s
peoples want their governments to start negotiations to rid the world
of nuclear weapons.

Physicians for Social Responsibility is the largest physician-led
organisation in the US working to prevent nuclear war and
proliferation and to slow, stop and reverse global warming without
using expensive, unsafe nuclear power and toxic degradation of the
environment.

The power of probiotics: Probiotic food is helpful in a number of ways

Syed Akbar
Hyderabad: Select probiotic agents can either prevent or
treat antibiotic-associated diarrhoea in both children and adults.

According to research studies conducted by some institutions across
the country, use of specific probiotic agents can also be helpful in
dealing with diarrhoea caused by Clostridium difficile. Scientists are
also looking at the possibility developing designer probiotics to
treat specific diseases.

“Our understanding of the role of the microbiota (probiotics) in our
gut and other sites in our body is rapidly emerging and could lead to
many new and innovative approaches for health care. The promise of the
potential role of probiotics for the prevention and treatment of
enteric and other infections as an effective solution needs to be
realized,” said a study carried out by senior researchers Dr Neerja
Hajela, Dr G Balakrish Nair, Dr Philip Abraham and Dr Nirmal K Ganguly.

The gut contains more than 1000 species of microorganisms that exist
in harmony with the host and exert metabolic activities that virtually
parallels an organ within an organ, they said in a study published in
Biomed Central. They added, “The gut flora can be manipulated to
enhance the beneficial components that represent a promising strategy
for the prevention and management of various infective and
non-infective disorders”.

Probiotics offer immense potential for the prevention of a variety of
diseases including the preventive strategy for gastrointestinal
diseases, treatment and prevention of allergic disorders, chronic
inflammatory diseases, and prevention of cancers and reduction of
respiratory diseases.

Infectious and non-infectious diseases account for a large majority of
deaths annually; they said adding that there is optimism about the
ability of interventions such as probiotics to prevent health
disparities.

Randomized controlled trials have demonstrated that certain probiotic
strains are more effective than placebo in a variety of conditions
affecting the gastrointestinal tract. Multiple meta-analyses indicate
effectiveness in reducing the duration of acute enteritis in
pre-schoolers and in reducing the frequency of necrotizing
enterocolitis in pre-term babies, the researchers said.

Probiotics are also efficacious in reducing the severity and duration
of adult and paediatric diarrhoeas especially those caused by
rotavirus. However, their role in prevention of traveler's diarrhoea
is equivocal and hence limits their use in this condition.
India continues to face disproportionate morbidity and mortality due
to diarrhoeal diseases with 18 per cent of the global child diarrhoeal
deaths and 77 per cent of diarrhoeal deaths of children in Southeast
Asia.

Daily intake of a probiotic strain, Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota
played an important role in prevention of acute diarrhoea in young
children in a community setting, they said.

Researchers have identified five super hero foods that will save the world, and incidentally all of them have strong links to Andhra Pradesh

Syed Akbar
Hyderabad:  Researchers have identified five super hero foods
that will save the world, and incidentally all of them have strong
links to Andhra Pradesh.

Green gram, disease-resistant bananas, drought-tolerant maize, scuba
rice and bitter gourd are the top five foods that will not only save
the world, but also keep humanity healthy with increased immunity
against diseases. All these foods have a strong traditional link with
Andhra Pradesh, and in fact, one of them, scuba rice, has been
conceptualised in the State.

The Readers Digest, UK edition, in its recent issue listed these five
foods as the one that will save the world. Researchers in the State
have been busy working on these foods for several years to improve
their nutrition traits on one hand, and productivity on the other.

The city-based International Crops Research Institute for Semi Arid
Tropics (Icrisat) has carried out pioneering research on
drought-tolerant maize, while the World Vegetable Centre located on
the Icrisat campus is busy searching for the ideal bitter gourd with
the maximum momordicin content that could fight diabetes effectively,
besides building up immunity against a plethora of diseases.

Green gram (moong dhal or Pesarpappu) is an inseparable ingredient of
the Andhra kitchen and State-based research institutes including
Icrisat have conducted a number of research studies on this nutritious
legume. Incidentally, green gram is sown in as much as four lakh
hectares in the State.

Scuba rice is the brainchild of local farm scientists and the rice
variety was tested for the first time in the State. It can survive
under flood condition for several days without being damaged. Scuba
rice is best suited for flood-hit areas like coastal regions where
this variety can stay submerged under water for almost two weeks.

The Horticulture Research Centre, Kovvur, has conducted several
studies on disease-resistant bananas. It is also doing research on
banana germplasm and improving the nutrition content of the fruit.

“The World Vegetable Center’s improved mungbean is the result of
decades of research. It has high iron content, and its short maturity,
which allows farmers to include the crop in rice or wheat rotations.
Bitter gourd, with compounds that increase insulin sensitivity, lower
blood glucose, and help regulate glucose uptake, could provide a cheap
way to control rising rates of diabetes, particularly in developing
countries,” point out scientists at the Centre.

The simple karela or bitter gourd could soon emerge as a natural antidote to fight alcoholism and drug abuse, and the future medicine to treat HIV and AIDS

Syed Akbar
Hyderabad: The simple karela or bitter gourd could soon emerge
as a natural antidote to fight alcoholism and drug abuse, and the
future medicine to treat HIV and AIDS.

City Unani doctors have successfully used small green bitter gourd to
treat cases of alcohol and drug abuse. The bitter gourd variety that
is short and about three inches in length has been found to be the
most effective of all karela varieties available in the country for
treatment of alcoholism.

The short green bitter gourd variety also improves the functioning of
liver, reduces the urge for alcohol, cleans the blood and increases
the immunity level to fight the physiological issues created by
alcoholism. As many as 10,000 people addicted to alcohol have been
successfully treated using the bitter gourd therapy.

“Our study involving hundreds of people addicted to alcohol has
revealed that the juice, obtained from bitter gourd fruit or leaves,
works as a natural antidote to treat alcohol and drug abuse. The
greener and shorter the bitter gourd fruit the greater the effect
against alcoholism. All that an alcohol patient needs to do is to take
a three-inch karela every day. For those patients, who do not want to
take the bitter fruit, we have prepared karela powder for easy
palatability,” said Unani expert Dr Fazal Ahmad, whose team conducted
research on the efficacy of bitter gourd against alcoholism.

According to him, bitter gourd brings down the sensitivity of the body
to alcohol and regular intake of raw karela will help in curing
alcoholism and drug addiction. The ideal course is for 30 days.

In another research study conducted in Mysore, Unani doctors have
found that green bitter gourd (not ripe) contains anti-viral
properties that could successfully be used to attack the human
immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The proteins present in bitter gourd
inhibit the enzyme reverse transcriptase, which is central to the
pathogenesis of HIV and AIDS.

The study revealed that daily intake of bitter gourd will help in
reducing the viral load in people living with HIV and AIDS. Karela
selectively inhibits the growth of cells already infected by human
immunodeficiency virus.