Mysore/Mysuru: CSIR-Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI), Mysuru, joined hands with the Income Tax (I-T) Department (Karnataka and Goa) in providing relief food to the migrant labourers affected by the COVID-19 lockdown.

The Institute supplied five tonnes of fruit bars, 500 kg of spirulina chikki and five tonnes of flavoured water to the I-T Department which is feeding nearly 10,000 migrants every day.

“These items are long shelf-life foods that are also supplemented with some essential nutrition. But in case of COVID-19 relief, the national lockdown brings in another challenge. Foods also need to provide micronutrients that aid in boosting immunity. This may not be possible in case of mass feeding and hence, supplementing with such essential nutrients when the beneficiaries are locked in one place for extended periods becomes essential,” says Dr. K.S.M.S. Raghavarao, Director, CSIR-CFTRI.

Keeping this in view, CSIR-CFTRI has put together a few food items that would provide one or other supplement needed to maintain the immune system in times of distress.  CFTRI is supplying the following five food items:

1. 50,000 Nutri Mango Fruit Bar containing essential nutrients such as carbohydrates, carotenes and also added Vitamin C and Zinc which are known to improve the immunity.   The mango bars provide nearly 75% of Vitamin C and 30% of Zinc required by a person every day.

2. 50,000 Nutri Mixed Fruit Bar is similar to mango bars. Both the products last up to six months.

4. 10,000 bottles of Cardamom Flavoured Water were supplied. CFTRI is using it as a vehicle for providing flavour oils from traditional herbs which are also known immune-boosters.

5. 15,000 numbers of Spirulina Chikki, a snack that provides the good micronutrients from Spirulina as well as the tasty, nourishing groundnut proteins. It provides the bio-available micronutrients such as Vitamin A, Beta Carotene and easily digestible algal proteins.  

The relief food preparation was a private-public enterprise where CSIR-CFTRI used its knowledge to formulate foods and some of its licensees provided their facilities for manufacturing the food in such a short time.

“In times of lockdown when manpower and movement are curtailed, this model gave us a workable solution,” says Dr. Raghavarao. 

“Without the logistics support provided by I-T Team, our efforts would not have reached the needy, and I thank them wholeheartedly for helping us,” Dr. Raghavarao added.

The I-T Department of Karnataka and Goa came forward to help with logistics of supplying the food to the needy.  The Department had already set in place a system that was providing cooked food to around 10,000 people every day.

“CFTRI’s offer to supplement by providing flavoured water, spirulina chikkies and fruit bars has given a boost to our efforts in the form of these immunity boosting foods that are imperative for our target population to sustain themselves in good health during these unprecedented times,” said Zakir Thomas, Principal I-T Commissioner, Karnataka and Goa.

“It’s laudable that in this urgent hour, CFTRI is providing nutrient foods for the needy. What’s more commendable is that CFTRI is applying its specialised knowledge to make sure that kids, women, Police, health workers are not devoid of essential nutrients. It’s also heartening to see that the spirulina chikkies and mango bars are very much enjoyed by kids. We intend to extend this partnership in the coming days of lockdown,” said Nishanth, Joint Commissioner (I-T), Bengaluru.

The foods were distributed in Sampigehalli, Airport Area, Bagalur, Kottanooru, Annapurneshwari Nagar, Nagarabhavi, Jnanabharathi, Amruthahalli, Mallathahalli, Chandra Layout, Kamakshipalya, Hennur, Chickbasti, Yelahanka Amarajyothinagar and Byatarayanapura areas of Bengaluru, according to a press release from A.S.K.V.S. Sharma, Co-ordinator, Information and Publicity, CFTRI, Mysuru.