Scientists busy isolating new proteins from sugarcane

Panaji, Jul 2 (UNI) The scientists at the Coimbatore-based premier Sugarcane Breeding Institute (SBI) are busy trying to isolate the new proteins from sugarcane stem for medicinal use.

With this, a simple sugarcane stem yielding nutritious and mouth-watering juice will become a potential ''bio-factory'' offering high-value proteins with several applications in modern medicine.

SBI Principal Scientist Dr N Subramonian told the visiting UNI correspondent recently that the genetic engineers are exploring the ''bio-factory'' nature of the sugarcane to extract new proteins.

By using transgenic technology, the scientists are now trying to isolate the new proteins for medicinal use, which is based on the lines of developing the genetically-engineered plantain with insulin, tomato with controlled ripening genes embedded and rice with rich vitamins to fight blindness, he said.

Various experiments using genetic-engineering technology are underway to isolate the high value proteins. The Sugarcane plant with high biomass content has all the potential to become a bio-factory of the future, he added.

Mr Subramonian said that the SBI had developed a simple technology for bottling the sugarcane juice to make the thirst quenching and sweet liquid available at as a soft drink. It has several minerals like phosphorous, calcium, magnesium, vitamins and amino acids with nutritious value.

The bottled juice could be stored at room temperature for at least six to eight weeks and could last longer by a period of three to four weeks, if kept in refrigerated condition, he added.

The bottled juice could be stored at room temperature for at least six to eight weeks and could last longer by a period of three to four weeks, if kept in refrigerated condition, he added.

Apart from developing the method to bottle the juice, he said the institute has also prescribed various practices including selection of varieties of juice-rich plants for growth, their cultivation and harvesting techniques, treatment and extraction for beverage purpose.

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