Kerala to set up Centre of Excellence in Nutraceuticals to tap state's natural resources

Thiruvananthapuram, Jul 24 (PTI) The Kerala government announced on Wednesday that a Centre of Excellence in Nutraceuticals will soon be established here to explore and commercialise the state's untapped potential in utilising its natural resources for nutraceutical development.

Nutraceuticals are products derived from natural substances that provide extra health benefits beyond basic nutrition.

The state Cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, has given its permission to start the Centre of Excellence in Nutraceuticals in the capital under the auspices of the Kerala Development and Innovation Strategic Council (KDISC), Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment (KSCSTE), and Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC), respectively.

The land for this has been allocated at the Thiruvananthapuram Life Science Park, Thonnakkal, a CMO release said after the cabinet meeting.

"Research and development activities will start immediately. For this, temporary laboratories will be set up at the Institute of Advanced Virology's existing facility in the Bio Life Science Park," it said.

The release noted that nutraceuticals have high acceptance among the general public due to fewer side effects and being derived from natural substances.

Research has shown that nutraceuticals play a crucial role in boosting immunity and reducing susceptibility to certain diseases, it said.

In addition, studies indicate that nutraceuticals can be used against various health conditions such as diabetes, allergies, Alzheimer's, heart diseases, cancer, eye diseases, Parkinson's, and obesity.

The decision to set up the institute was made as there are no institutions in Kerala that utilise the abundant availability of plants and marine resources, despite the state being rich in vast water ecosystems, coastal areas, forests, and the Western Ghats.

The institute aims to study these resources, identify the best ones, and commercialise them.

Along with ensuring the safety and commercialisation of existing nutraceuticals, the project also aims to discover new ones, harness their potential benefits, and develop new products, the release added. PTI TGB TGB ROH