Scientifically developed plant-based organic colour made from tapioca flour, anyone?

Unfortunately, no! This Holi, too, an organic gulal (colour) developed by a team of scientists from the Assam Agricultural University (AAU) has not found any commercial takers.

In 2011, the team worked on a project to make this plant-based colour with flour extracted from tapioca plant, which was selected by The Indian Council of Agricultural Research for commercial purposes.

The organic gulal in bright colours looks exactly like those available in the market but does have any harmful chemicals or metals, except those used in food products.

Once again, the organic product lost an opportunity for a commercial launch in the markets as entrepreneurs showed no interest.

Priyanka Das, lead scientist in the project, said she is still waiting to hand over the technology to interested entrepreneurs even though the same product was accepted when sold in limited quantities at an agricultural fair at Diphu in Karbi Anglong district in 2014.

Lack of awareness about the plant-based organic gulal, the absence of a ban on harmful gulal and lack of interest from entrepreneurs are some of the detrimental factors behind the product not being commercially featured, she added.

“Entrepreneurs need to come forward and bid for our product. We develop technologies but are not being able to transfer it for mass production. If chemical colours are banned, maybe our product would have got an edge. Zinfed, an agro-based group, had taken our product for sale in Karbi Anglong in 2014,” Das said.

However, an organic gulal developed by the National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow, had its technology transferred for commercial production.

“The tapioca crop is widely grown in the Northeast. We are ready to hand over the technology. The product was widely praised by those who used it. But because of to lack of awareness, it is not getting sold. We are scientists and we develop things but it is up to the entrepreneurs to take the lead,” added Das.

“Every year after Holi I get patients complaining of skin allergies. If such a product could be made available in the market, these cases will gradually come down,” said a medical practitioner. The presence of harmful chemical in gulal can cause dermatitis, irritation, allergies and respiratory problems. Prolonged use of chemicals can also lead to cancer, she said.