VADODARA: ‘Aam ke aam, guthliyon ke daam’ — this humble adage proves true ahead of this year’s
mango
season. A team of researchers have extracted mango seed kernels’ juice and got patented, for what is locally known as ‘
gutli
’, from the Union govt.
After a thorough process of grinding, crushing, filtering and batch pasteurisation of juice extracted from mango seed kernels, this research has revealed that the juice extracted from the popular ‘gutli’ is rich in
Vitamin B12
promising it to be a healthy dietary option for vegetarians who often suffer from B12 deficiency.
Interestingly, a research paper on low vitamin B12 levels, especially in vegetarian population in major cities of Gujarat – Vadodara, Ahmedabad and Surat – had triggered this project.
“The research paper had revealed that almost 27% people in Gujarat had B12 deficiency, with lowest in Surat at 15% and highest in Ahmedabad at 35%. The population of vegan or vegetarian people is more than that of non-vegetarian,” explained professor Vijay Dattarao Kele, head of the Department of Dairy and Food Technology at city-based Parul University.
Kele, along with his student Priyanka Desai, started working on mango seed kernels to derive a plant-based supplement that can improve B12 levels amongst vegetarians. The researchers soaked the ‘gutlis’ in warm water for 12 hours, removed its skin, crushed it, and filtered out the solid parts. They then pasteurized the batch at liquid at 63°C for 30 minutes, cooled to 4°C and packed in PET bottles.
The samples were then sent for analysis at two NABL accredited laboratories including the CALF (analytical and research laboratory) of Anand-headquartered National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) and Navi Mumbai-based Autocal Solutions Pvt Ltd. “The analysis revealed presence of 10 microgram Vitamin B12 in 100ml of the juice extracted from mango seed kernels through our patented method. This is much higher than 2.4 microgram, which is the recommended consumption of Vitamin B12 in adults,” said Kele.
The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for vitamin B12 is determined based on the amount needed to maintain blood health and achieve levels of vitamin B12 in the bloodstream. What’s more, the project has also been selected by the screening committee of experts of Student Startup and Innovation Policy (SSIP) at the Gujarat Technological University’s Innovation and Startup Centre to avail SSIP’s financial support.
“We have used the Alphonso mango seed kernels, one of the choicest mango varieties of the country, to provide a better experience to tastebuds of consumers,” he said, adding that even chocolate, strawberry, kesar and elaichi flavoured variants have been developed.
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