On the menu: mushroom cookie, chutney powder and rasam powder

IIHR develops these five kinds of mushroom millet cookies and other value-added products with the aim of inculcating the spirit of entrepreneurship through the production of these products

Bengaluru:

Fancy a mushroom cookie, health drink, chutney powder or rasam powder? The Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR) in Hesaraghatta has developed five kinds of mushroom millet cookies and various value-added products from mushrooms aimed at inculcating the spirit of entrepreneurship through the production of these products.

The ‘Arka mushroom millet cookies’ technology uses dry elm oyster mushroom (Hypsizygus ulmarius) powder in combination with five different millet flours (sorghum or jowar, pearl millet or bajra, corn or maize, finger millet or ragi and little millet or sawai) for the production of mushroom millet cookies. IIHR officials said this is the first of its kind to be developed since mushrooms and millets are well known for their culinary medicinal properties.

“Mushrooms are a novel horticultural crop gaining importance and also are a very good source of protein, fibre, iron, vitamins B and D, potassium, phosphorus, selenium and copper. They also contain polysaccharides and antioxidant ergothioneine, which are immune stimulators and anti-cancer agents,” Chandrashekara C, Senior Scientist, from IIHR said.

“At the same time, it is good for diabetics and heart patients due to their low energy, very low fat, no sugar, and ability to reduce cholesterol and triglycerides. These cookies and value-added products will increase the consumption of mushrooms, and also the cultivation of the mushrooms will increase and benefit the farmers,” the scientist said.

On the occasion of the International Year of the Millet this year, the IIHR is also giving importance to mushroom products using millets. “Millets are again regaining their importance as a staple food source due to their varied nutritional potential. Blended or combination food or products can be an important way to diversify the food plate and obtain balanced nutrition. Development of mushroom millet cookies is a step towards blending the nutritional goodness of mushrooms and millets for better taste and nutrition,” he explained.

The National Horticulture Fair 2023 (NHF2023) will be held between February 22 and 25 in Hessarghatta on the outskirts of the city under the theme of ‘innovative horticulture for self-reliance’, said Sanjay Kumar Singh, Director of ICAR-IIHR and chairman of organising committee NHF 2023.