Dairy products from jackfruit pulp on the horizon

While jackfruit isn’t everyone’s favorite fruit, its flavor is sure to thrive on even the most picky eaters over time.

The national fruit of Bangladesh is high in calories, dietary fiber, minerals, and vitamins, making it one of the healthiest summer delicacies.

Some people prefer it ripe, while others like the cooked parts raw, which is considered a delicacy in Bangali cuisine.

That said, it is one of the fruits that is lost more frequently than any other since the supply almost always exceeds the demand.

Keeping this in mind, scientists from the Agricultural Research Institute of Bangladesh (Bari) have developed a method to use jackfruit pulp to produce high quality, tasty and healthy dairy products, namely yogurt, ice cream and cheese.

The technology, developed with the cooperation of the Krishi Gobeshona Foundation (KGF) as part of the “Jackfruit Postharvest Management Processing and Marketing Project”, is expected to help reduce jackfruit waste and in so doing reduce farmers’ losses occurring every year.

In the last season, Gazipur produced about 247,000 tonnes of jackfruit on more than 9,300 hectares of land, according to the district’s Agricultural Extension Department (DAE).

Read also – Covid-19: Gazipur farmers disappointed by the fall in jackfruit prices

According to Bari, due to the lack of processing and preservation alternatives, 43-45% of jackfruit trees produced nationwide rot each year, leaving farmers with no choice but to sell the fruit at a fraction of their normal price. .

Four students from the Food Science and Technology Department of Chittagong Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (Cvasu) assisted in the development of this method under the supervision of Dr Golam Ferdous Chowdhury, Senior Scientific Officer, Postharvest Technology Department, Bari, and chief researcher of the project.

Speaking to the Dhaka Tribune, Dr Chowdhury said, “Following on from the unique use of jackfruit, we devised the method of creating yogurt, ice cream and cheese. The most important aspect is that these products can be made simply with jackfruit pulp and milk. An entrepreneur can create these items all year round after collecting jackfruit pulp.

“Because jackfruit is rich in many nutrients, the items created from its pulp will be more nutritious and healthier than other products on the market. No additional or artificial colors or flavors are used in this recipe.

Dr Chowdhury added that a big investment was not necessary. With just a freezer, refrigerator and a few small household appliances, an entrepreneur could produce dairy products worth 1,500 Tk after spending 800 Tk on raw materials.

Meanwhile, Hafizul Haque Khan, Scientific Director of Post-Harvest Technology Department, Bari, said: “If we can develop a skilled workforce in this sector, it will create huge business potential, which will greatly contribute to guarantee fair prices for jackfruit and should play an important role in nutritional security in order to achieve sustainable development goals. “