Bengaluru start-up develops ‘Papchup’, a papaya ketchup

Bengaluru start-up introduces Papchup, a papaya-based ketchup rich in antioxidants and nutrients, offering a healthier alternative to tomato ketchup.

Tomato has always been synonymous with ketchup, but a Bengaluru-based agri-biotech start-up has come up with a novel papaya-based ketchup, as an alternative.

Thomas Biotech & Cytobacts Centre for Biosciences (OPC) Pvt. Ltd, which extensively worked with papaya farmers over the years, developed ‘Papchup’ to help papaya farmers get better prices for their crop, for which manufacturing and storage facilities are limited. 

“Currently, papaya-based processed products are rare in the market, and it is mostly consumed as cut fruit. The papaya ketchup, besides providing a new option to the consumers, would help the farming community significantly. While papaya is a highly perishable fruit, the storage and marketing options are limited, which causes distress among papaya farmers and sellers. They also face other losses due to disease and limiting factors in the field and during marketing,” says Pious Thomas, CEO and director of Thomas Biotech, who was also a principal scientist at the Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR). 

He adds, “Papaya has many health benefits as it is a rich source of protective elements including the anti-oxidants lycopene, carotenoids, flavonoids, vitamin A and C, and the minerals potassium and magnesium. It contains the enzyme papain, which helps in digestion and the mitigation of issues like constipation and bloating. Yet, it does not get the kind of recognition that exotic fruits like avocado and dragon fruit do. This is one of the reasons why we wanted to come up with a papaya-based product which will be available year-round and appeal to consumers.” 

Unlike many available tomato ketchups in the markets, which have around 12 – 18% tomato paste, Papchup has 50% papaya pulp. While overripe papayas are usually not preferred for consumption, they are a good pick for ketchup due to their soft texture. Papchup also has other natural ingredients like onion, ginger, garlic, green and red chillies, guar powder and spice mix. 

“Relatively low in calories and added sugars, and rich in the antioxidant Vitamin C and the carotenoid pigments, it forms a healthier option over tomato ketchup. Papaya colour is complemented with beetroot, giving it an attractive red-maroon colour. With no artificial colours or flavouring agents, Papchup is a nutrient-packed product for all age groups and families,” Mr. Thomas said. 

The ketchup can be a complementary dish to bread, French fries, sandwiches, burgers, pizza, rolls, noodles, chapati and a variety of fried snacks, according to the developers. It is priced at ₹150 for a 200-gram bottle and is available for sale across India on the e-commerce platform Amazon.