Jackfruit Seeds Provide a Value-Enhanced Earning Chance for Farmers, Enhancing Their Profits
In the tropical regions of India and Southeast Asia, the jackfruit tree is a familiar sight, its towering branches laden with the heavy, spiky fruit. But the jackfruit's potential extends far beyond its delicious, sweet pulp. Its seeds, large, oval-shaped, and smooth, have been overlooked for too long, hidden within the fruit's core.
However, recent research and initiatives are shedding light on the numerous benefits and uses of jackfruit seeds. These seeds, around 2-4 cm long and ivory-white to light brown, are not only a rich source of nutrients but also a cost-effective, high-potential venture for rural communities and industries alike.
Jackfruit seeds are packed with starch (85%), proteins (13-20%), and are rich in dietary fiber, iron, calcium, magnesium, zinc, and antioxidants such as polyphenols and flavonoids. This nutritional powerhouse can be harnessed for various applications, from improving rural living standards to providing a path toward a healthier, greener world.
Encouraging seed harvesting, drying, and processing can allow communities to generate more money with minimal investment. Policymakers and agricultural organisations are intervening for jackfruit seed-based enterprises through research, value-chain building, and market access. Women self-help groups and young entrepreneurs are being encouraged to begin microenterprises based on jackfruit seed flour, snacks, or seed-based herbal products.
Beyond food, jackfruit seeds have potential uses in environmental technology for wastewater treatment and bioethanol production. They can also be used in various industrial applications, such as biodegradable films, stabilizers in soups and sauces, and drug delivery capsules.
The seeds' starch contains jacalin, a natural lectin with antimicrobial action, which suggests possibilities for its use in nutraceuticals and functional foods. Processing techniques such as autoclaving, boiling, drying, germination, and roasting can transform jackfruit seeds into flour, enhancing their qualities like antioxidant capacity and storage life.
However, there is still much to be explored and discovered about the uses of jackfruit seeds. While most documented uses focus on food and nutrition, further research may reveal more applications in food technology, nutraceutical development, and economic value addition in agriculture.
Despite the promising potential, farmers and consumers often lack awareness of the jackfruit seed's maximum potential. Training and capacity-building programs at the village level would help in ensuring extensive use and proper utilization of jackfruit seeds. With the right support and knowledge, the humble jackfruit seed could revolutionise rural economies and contribute to a more sustainable future.
[1] Functional Ingredients in Food Processing: Jackfruit Seeds as a Versatile Source. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6827460/ [2] Industrial and Nutraceutical Applications of Jackfruit Seeds. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/339401048_Industrial_and_Nutraceutical_Applications_of_Jackfruit_Seeds [3] Alternative Products Development from Jackfruit Seeds: A Review. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/326201960_Alternative_Products_Development_from_Jackfruit_Seeds_A_Review [4] Jackfruit Seeds: Challenges and Solutions. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S221108551730106X [5] Jackfruit Seeds: A Potential Source of Nutrients and Functional Ingredients. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6327443/ [6] In Southern Karnataka's rural heartlands, jackfruit trees are a part of village life and are associated with boosting farmers' incomes and health. (Related Link) [7] This cost-effective, high-potential venture can impart economic resilience to remote regions while promoting sustainable agro-based enterprises.
- The jackfruit's seeds, often overlooked, are increasingly gaining recognition in health-and-wellness and environmental-science communities due to their rich nutritional profile and diverse applications.
- In the realm of nutrition, jackfruit seeds are a nutritional powerhouse, containing substantial amounts of starch, proteins, dietary fiber, and minerals like iron, calcium, magnesium, zinc, and antioxidants.
- The potential uses of these seeds extend beyond food, with possibilities in environmental technology for wastewater treatment and bioethanol production, as well as industrial applications such as biodegradable films, stabilizers in soups and sauces, and drug delivery capsules.
- The seeds' starch also contains jacalin, a natural lectin with antimicrobial action, which suggests potential uses in nutraceuticals and functional foods.
- Encouraging seed harvesting, drying, and processing can provide rural communities and industries with a cost-effective means of generating income, with support from policymakers, agricultural organizations, women self-help groups, and young entrepreneurs.
6.As more research is conducted, the uses of jackfruit seeds may be further expanded to include food technology, nutraceutical development, and economic value addition in agriculture, potentially revolutionizing rural economies and contributing to a more sustainable future.
