As nutritional gap widens, CFTRI event in Mysuru focuses on plant proteins to address deficiency
The symposium was organised to mark the 75th anniversary of CFTRI. As the country's premier food technology institute enters its 75th year of remarkable contribution in the area of food science and technology, it is commemorating the occasion with a series of scientific events and academic activities throughout the year.
As a part of the celebrations, the CFTRI is hosting a platinum jubilee lecture series, serving as a platform for bringing together eminent personalities from the realms of science, academia, industry and innovation to share their knowledge.
Through the lecture series, the CFTRI aims to foster knowledge-sharing, spark meaningful dialogue and inspire the next generation of scientists and technologists. The national symposium held on Friday is one such effort. Eminent scientists and delegates from various places took part in the event.
Former CFTRI Director V. Prakash inaugurated the symposium in the presence of CFTRI Director Sridevi Annapurna Singh, H.S. Savitri, former professor in Biochemistry, IISc, Bengaluru; G. Narahari Sastry, professor, IIT, Hyderabad; Rekha S. Singhal, professor, ICT, Mumbai; and Viswajanani J. Sattigeri, head, CSIR-TKDL, New Delhi.
Ms. Savitri delivered the platinum jubilee lecture on the topic 'Decoding the Structure and Function of Plant Viral Proteins: Relevance to Plant Protein Research and Biotechnology'. Mr. Prakash gave a talk on 'The Continuing Unique Global Saga of Plant Proteins @Cheluvamba Campus... Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow'.
Mr. Sastry gave a talk on 'Machine Learning and AI applications in Protein Structure-function, Drug Discovery and Healthcare'; Ms. Singhal spoke on 'Plant Proteins: So Near and Yet So Far!'; and Ms. Sattigeri delivered a talk on 'Traditional Foods and Modern Concepts on Nutrition: Unity in Diversity'.
The concluding lecture at the symposium was given by Ms. Sridevi Annapurna Singh, who spoke on 'My Odyssey with Proteins for Nutrition, Functionality and Health.'
Dietary protein intake
According to CFTRI, India's current dietary protein intake is dependent mainly on cereals such as wheat and rice, which contribute to nearly 60% of the total crop production, and yield approximately 22.6 million metric tons of protein. However, the protein quality of cereals, especially in terms of essential amino acids, is relatively poor compared to animal-based sources.
'This heavy reliance has led to widespread protein deficiency affecting an estimated 13 to 37.3% of the population across various age groups,' it stated.
Nutritional gap
To bridge the nutritional gap, there is a growing interest in alternative protein sources such as legume, mushrooms, and single cell proteins derived from microalgae, yeast, and bacteria.
To discuss alternative protein sources, the Symposium was organised bringing together scientists, technologists, industry professionals, and young researchers to share knowledge and explore the current landscape, challenges and future directions in plant protein research.
The symposium focused on structure-function relationships of plant proteins; alternate and smart proteins; therapeutic proteins and human nutrition and advanced technological solutions for large scale protein production, a note said.
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