NITK transfers tech to preserve, ready-to-cook, non-acrid edible aroids

NITK-Surathkal has transferred a technology to produce and preserve ready-to-cook, non-acrid edible aroids. The technology transfer agreement was signed by Prof Ananthanarayana, Deputy Director, NITK and Naveen G V, Founder of nGV naturals.

The inventor of the technology Dr Prasanna B D, Prof Shripathi Acharya Dean-R&C, Dr Subray Hegde, faculty in-charge IIP cell, registrar, joint registrar, deans, etc was present on the occasion.

The company nGV Natural Industry Private Ltd which has purchased the technology from NITK is in the business of packaging and selling vegetables in a ready-to-cook form in Bengaluru. It has successfully established its business in processing and selling banana stems, tender jackfruit, and bamboo shoots in ready-to-cook form.

The technology, which was transferred, was developed by Dr Prasanna B D, Associate Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering, NITK and his team and they had filed an Indian patent application (No 202141016589) in April 2021.

Using this technology, the acridity present in various edible corms of Elephant foot yam (Amorphophallus paeoniifolius), Taro (Colocasia esculanta var esculanta), Tannia (Xanthosoma violaceum), and giant taro (Alocasia macrorrhiza) can be removed and preserved for six months under ambient conditions. Calcium oxalate crystals present in these corms are responsible for acridity. Consumption of unprocessed aroid corms containing calcium oxalates causes caustic effects, irritation to the intestinal tract and absorptive poisoning and oxalosis.

Total oxalates are removed traditionally by cooking, baking, frying or fermentation with additives like organic acids, baking soda etc. Although these strategies are successful in reducing oxalate content to some extent, colour/ flavour changes occur inevitably.

Furthermore, due to these tedious steps involved in the preparation of this vegetable, most urban consumers are reluctant to use it. Using the aforesaid technology, a ready-to-cook, non-acrid vegetable is prepared. Consumers can use the product like any other vegetable (carrot, potato, etc).