Indore: The State Institute of Hotel Management (SIHM) in Indore has brought a new innovation to get rid of the plastic waste and has prepared edible crockery from millets to replace the use of plastic and thermocol crockery.
The institute claims it will help people to choose alternatives to plastic and using edible crockery will also improve their health too. Besides, it can be easily destroyed if not eaten and the remains will work as fertiliser. The principal of SIHM, Dr Vijay Kumar Singh told ANI,
In view of today’s health issue, we came up with this idea. It is quite good that people are moving towards organic food and there is awareness among them. But we see that plastic and thermocol are being used in food serving and packaging in parties. We have to overcome it, therefore, we started working to replace it.
In Pics: Can Edible Cutlery Replace Plastic Disposables?
Mr Singh said,
Since Prime Minister Narendra Modi has focused on promoting millet grains, we thought of making edible crockery from millets and started research on it. Slowly, we came to the conclusion that it can be done. After that we gave assignments to our students under two faculty members Vivek and Basant. Finally, we have made a complete set of edible crockery. Later on, we also get its lab testing to find whether there is any impact of fungal or bacterial growth in it and the report is successful.
He further added that they also tested the Millet crockery’s shelf life and found that it will last for 30 days. All types of food which includes, warm, cold, liquid, semi liquid and solid can be served in it and it does not absorb water. He added,
The ingredients used in making these crockeries majorly include ragi flour and sugar mixed together. Now, we have created it from the mould in the institute itself as a training facility. Since we are not commercial, we just want to percolate an idea in the market. We want that if it is adopted and its commercial utilisation is done in future then we can get relief from pollution.
“One can eat these crockery, there is no harm in it and it will increase millet intake in the body. Even if a person does not want to eat these crockery, it can easily decompose and will increase the fertility of the soil,” the principal further said.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
NDTV – Dettol have been working towards a clean and healthy India since 2014 via the Banega Swachh India initiative, which in its Season 10 is helmed by Campaign Ambassador Ayushmann Khurrana. The campaign aims to highlight the inter-dependency of humans and the environment, and of humans on one another with the focus on One Health, One Planet, One Future – Leaving No One Behind. It stresses on the need to take care of, and consider, everyone’s health in India – especially vulnerable communities – the LGBTQ population, indigenous people, India’s different tribes, ethnic and linguistic minorities, people with disabilities, migrants, geographically remote populations, gender and sexual minorities. In a world post COVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign will continue to raise awareness on the same along with focussing on the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children, fight malnutrition, mental well-being, self-care, science and health, adolescent health & gender awareness. Along with the health of people, the campaign has realised the need to also take care of the health of the eco-system. Our environment is fragile due to human activity, which is not only over-exploiting available resources, but also generating immense pollution as a result of using and extracting those resources. The imbalance has also led to immense biodiversity loss that has caused one of the biggest threats to human survival – climate change. It has now been described as a “code red for humanity.” The campaign will continue to cover issues like air pollution, waste management, plastic ban, manual scavenging and sanitation workers and menstrual hygiene. Banega Swasth India will also be taking forward the dream of Swasth Bharat, the campaign feels that only a Swachh or clean India where toilets are used and open defecation free (ODF) status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014, can eradicate diseases like diahorrea and the country can become a Swasth or healthy India.
