MYSURU: The Central Food Technology Research Institute (CFTRI) that had come out with carbonated fruits and Gluten-free products, has now decided to target millions of overweight people with its anti-obesity oil --Diacylglycerol oil. If everything goes as per plan, the commercial production of the oil is expected to start hit the market soon.
Though Japan came out with an anti-obesity oil, it was withdrawn considering safety aspects in 2009. CFTRI will be the first institution that completed toxicological studies and proved that the oil is safe and without carcinogens.
Visitors were keen on knowing about Diacylglycerol at the exhibition organised as part of ‘Make in India’ in Food Processing-Initiatives by CSIR-CFTRI.
The scientists have prepared the oil using rice bran and sunflower oil and enriched it with diglycerides. The product contains antioxidants which reduces cholesterol in the blood and improves skin texture, imparts other health benefits and helps maintain healthy body weight. The scientists said the oil provides energy and does not get stored as fat in the body.
Researches have proved that sedentary lifestyle and bad food habits are the reasons for obesity. This has been successfully experimented on lab rats and the result encouraged them to produce the oil and get into negotiations with industries that can produce it on a large scale.
Clarifying that this has not been tried on the Indian population, CFTRI director Ram Rajashekaran said CFTRI has come out with the anti-obesity oil with safety measures with naturally available ingredients that removes accumulated fat. He said they produced 10 kg of oil and are ready to give the technology to produce one kg sachets and in higher quantity.
He said prices are affordable and will come down in the case of bulk commercial production. He said any edible oil can be converted into anti-obesity oil by adopting this technology.
“A few oil companies have shown interest in the technology and will get back after they analyse samples. We want a few food industrial units to use the oil and prepare a few products,” he said.
Lauding the initiative of CFTRI, Union Minister for Science and Technology Dr Harsha Vardhan said he wants these products to reach the common man.