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IP News Bulletin

GI tag for Odisha's super food



Scientists in Odisha are currently refining their findings in preparation for a presentation for the Kai Chutney's entry into the geographical indications (GI) register.


The GI tag, when used under the food category, would aid in the development of a standardised hygiene strategy in the manufacturing of Kai Chutney for general consumption.


GI labels help local enterprises and increase the value and reputation of regional products.


Weaver ants, also known as Oecophylla smaragdina in science, are a common sight all year round in Mayurbhanj. They use host tree leaves to build their nests.


When necessary, leafy ant nests are removed from their host trees, gathered in a bucket of water, and then sorted to remove them from other leaves and detritus.


According to Jagannath Patra, a scientist at the Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), larval and adult stages of the ants are preferred and are either consumed raw or made into "chutney" by combining them with hot food.


Tribals in rural marketplaces sell the chutney, which is made by combining and crushing salt, ginger, garlic, and chillies.


The Mayurbhanj Kai Society Limited said in their application for GI register that "The nests are sturdy enough to withstand wind and are impermeable to water. A single little leaf folded and tied unto itself to enormous nests made of several leaves and measuring more than half a metre in length are just a few examples of Kai's nests, which are often elliptical in shape.


According to Deepak Kumar Mohanty, a senior scientist with KVK, "the tribes of Mayurbhanj consume Kai chutney or soup to get rid of flu, common cold, whooping cough, to increase appetite, enhance vision and eyesight naturally without corrective eyewear, and to treat joints pain, stomach diseases, and it is considered essential for the development of a healthy brain and nervous system."


By immersing the gathered Kais in pure mustard oil, the tribal healers also make medicinal oil. This oil is used as baby oil after 30 days and is externally applied to treat rheumatism, gout, ringworm, and other skin conditions. Thus, it is the tribes' only chance at salvation, according to the application.


Three types of family members make up the "Kai" (Red Weaver Ant) family: workers, major workers, and queens. The majority of workers and major workers are orange. Kais consume minute insects and other invertebrates, with beetles, flies, and hymenopterans being the majority of their diet.


"These ants act as biocontrol agents. They are hostile and eat the majority of arthropods that enter their domain. Kais are known as biological control agents also in tropical crops due to their predatory habits, which enable them to defend a variety of crops against a wide range of insect pests. They are thus indirectly used as an alternative to chemical insecticides", according to Dr. Mohanty.



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