A beverage mix developed by Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI) as an energy drink has been well received by officials of Sports Authority of India (SAI) in Bengaluru.
The beverage mix comprising ragi malt, whey powder and green tea extract, was developed under a project of Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Government of India.
“The beverage mix available in different flavours like jaljeera and pineapple was tested on both mice and human beings after receiving due clearances,” R. Chetana, Technical Officer, Traditional Foods and Sensory Sciences, said.
SAI officials, who tested the drink on athletes, said it worked well as a ‘recovery agent’, Dr. Chetana said. The drink worked well against fatigue and cramps developed by athletes after exercise.
The beverage mix is pending approval before the Process Development and Research Utilization Committee (PDRUC) of the CFTRI.
Similarly, the technology for preparing an energy bar developed by CFTRI was purchased by a start-up run by a management student Kushal Aradhya, who has begun its commercial production. The energy bar containing spirulina, which is rich in protein, iron and vitamins, is sold only through an e-commerce website. The energy bar is available in a box of four – two dark chocolate bars and two white chocolate bars.
Chikki
The institute has also come out with a kind of chikki – a sweet bar made out of peanuts and jaggery, added with spirulina. The children of anganwadis in Nanjangud, who were served with the chikki under the nutritional breakfast programme, also reported development of the brain, said Dr. Chetana. The chikki bar, weighing 35 grams, meets the daily dietary allowance fixed by National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad, she added.