Agricultural Technology

The project aims to utilize Mahua fat as an additional Cocoa butter substitute, meeting the Codex standard for Chocolate and chocolate products. Mahua fat offers a sustainable solution, benefiting both the industry and tribal economies. Adivasi people, primarily women and children, collect Mahua seeds and flowers for minimal compensation, highlighting a disconnect in revenue generation, supply chain, and market demand. Commercializing Mahua fat addresses this gap, providing additional income for farmers and contributing to global cocoa butter supply. The project also aims to assess the feasibility of using Mahua butter and other vegetable oil combinations for structured lipids formulation. Additionally, it focuses on examining the performance of novel Mahua butter produced through enzymatic esterification, studying the physiochemical properties of the resulting mixture, and developing enzymatically interesterified fats based on Mahua and vegetable oil suitable for cosmetic emulsions.