Mysuru: The Omega-3 enriched ice cream named ‘NutriIce creams’, India’s first nutritionally superior ice cream was launched by the CEO of National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog Amitabh Kant at CFTRI campus on Tuesday, July 5.

The new innovative ice cream is developed using Chia – a super food having the highest content of Omega-3 fat from a vegetarian source. This innovative Omega-3 and Vitamin-E enrich ice-cream will have positive effect on the human heart. It’s rich with reduced saturated fat that blooms a heart’s health.

The ice cream market in India is growing rapidly with both home grown brands and brands that have entered from overseas. The sector is showing considerable growth annually. The offerings vary with a multitude of SKUs spanning differentiators of flavours, ingredients and specific brand positioning. A largely accepted and enjoyed food product, ice cream finds a special place in most of our lives. However, the product is associated as a fun food that delivers largely energy.

As a pioneering step in using ice cream as a vehicle to deliver quality nutrition, CSIR-CFTRI, Oleome Biosolutions, Bengaluru along with Dairy Classic Ice Creams Private Limited has developed Omega-3 and Vitamin E enriched ice creams. The NutriIce Creams/ frozen desserts have been successful in their product design and have been found to have excellent sensory qualities. Omega-3 fats and Vitamin E are sensitive to heat and air, thus need precise science in its addition to other foods. Omega-3 fat is also found in fish and being from a non-vegetarian source, it is not an easily accepted addition to ice cream (which is largely a vegetarian product). The new innovative ice cream is developed using chia, a superfood having the highest content of Omega-3 fat from a vegetarian source.

CSIR-CFTRI has developed agrotechnology for Chia and has shared the seeds to farmers from across the nation. The production of chia has been successful in India by individual farmers and in Karnataka by the farmer producer company Raita Mitra. Adding the value of Healthy India to the Start Up India and Make in India missions, this pioneering functional food has coalesced the efforts by CSIR-CFTRI, farmers growing superfoods, technology developer start up Oleome Biosolutions and the industry Dairy Classic Ice Creams Private Limited. The Omega-3 revolution in Indian food products will offer superior health to consumers and offer a great value to our products on a global platform.

Amitabh appreciates CFTRI director Ram Rajashekharan for his initiative

It was Ram Rajashekharan who was instrumental in coming out with the nutritious ice cream. It was very much essential for the country, as more than 39.9 percent of the children suffer from lack of nutrition. Amitabh appreciated Rajashekaran’s initiative. He also assured to bring it to the notice of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.