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05/07/22 21:41 PM IST

Odisha's Red Ant chutney seeks GI tag

In News 

  • In the Mayurbhanj district in Odisha, the red ants are consumed in the form of a Chutney or a watery semi solid paste which is known as ‘Kai Chutney’ and now scientists have sought a Geographical Indications (GI) tag for the dish. 
Red Ants 
  • Red weaver ants are indigenous to Mayurbhanj and are found in abundance in the jungles their, including in Similipal.
  • Red weaver ants live in colonies consisting of multiple nests on trees.
  • Each nest is made of leaves stitched together using the silk produced by their larvae, and can withstand strong winds and can be water-tight.
  • This savoury food item, rich in valuable proteins, calcium, zinc, vitamin B-12, iron, magnesium, potassium, sodium, copper, fibre and 18 amino acids, is known to boost the immune system and keep diseases at bay.
Red Chutney 
  • The paste made from Red ants and their eggs makes for a delicious chutney in India’s eastern states of Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Jharkhand.
  • The red ant chutney created by the indigenous communities of Odisha is known as ‘Kai Chutney’.
  • The red ant chutney among the indigenous communities has been known to serve medicinal purposes apart from being a delicacy. The red ants in a dish has the potential to remedy myriad of illness.
  • The weaver ants or red ants have been included in their food, elevating it to the level of superfood, for medicinal purposes. The dishes are given to people suffering from jaundice, common cold, joint pain, cough and poor eyesight. 
Importance of GI Tag 
  • A Geographical Indications (GI) tag will help put the savoury dish to the global food table. The tag will bring about the uniqueness in the dish's identity- meaning- it will be recognised as the one dish found in a particular country.
  • This will patent Kai Chutney and therefore make it harder for anyone else to misuse the identity of kai or mislead customers.
  • The GI tag would also define a help develop a structured hygiene protocol for the preparation of the Kai Chutney. 

Source- Live Mint 

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