Baripada: Process has begun to fetch GI tag for the red ant chutney dish that is eaten by the tribal people of Mayurbhanj district in Odisha. The scientists of the Krishi Vigyan Kendra are busy preparing documents to seek the said tag.
Deepak Mohanty, a known scientist of the of the centre said that red ant chutney is helpful in dealing with fever, cold, huffing cough, to alleviate hunger, improving eyesight, joint pain and a healthy brain. The tribal people of Mayurbhanj district use to eat red ant while they are in their larva or teen stage. The chutney is prepared after adding proper ratio of salt, zinger and chilly.
Earlier, the Supreme Court had declined to entertain a plea seeking direction for use of ‘Red Ant Chutney’ to effectively boost the immune system and also in the long run, prevent Covid-19 infection. The plea reportedly claimed that “Red Ant Chutney”, has a medicinal value as it contains formic acid, protein, calcium, Vitamin B12 and zinc and its efficacy needs to be ascertained as a cure of Covid-19. The petitioner claimed this chutney, a mixture of red ants and green chillies, in the tribal belts of the country including Odisha and Chhattisgarh is considered as a cure of flu, cough, common cold, fatigue, breathing problems, and other ailments.
Ms Kalinga