The Dhaka Times Desk When the countrymen are extremely worried about formalin, Bangladesh scientist Dr. Mubarak Ahmad Khan invented this formalin alternative shrimp shell. Chitosan can be obtained from this peel. Which is effective in preserving various foods including fish, fruits, vegetables.
There is no end to worry about formalin in recent times across the country. Because harmful formalin is being used in everything from fish, meat to fruits, greens and vegetables. When there was no way to prevent this chemical material formalin, which is very harmful to the human body, a talented scientist of Bangladesh. Mubarak Ahmad Khan discovered that shrimp shells can be used as an alternative to formalin. This discovery will help the people of this country to breathe easy.
It is known that Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission's chief scientific officer discovered an alternative to formalin, a harmful chemical. Mubarak Ahmad Khan. In his long research, he discovered that chitosan can be used as an alternative to formalin in food preservation. This chitosan is naturally produced from discarded shrimp shells. It is cost effective yet not harmful to human body.
Dr. Mubarak has already had success using chitosan made from shrimp shells to preserve a variety of fruits and vegetables. Now his research will be applied to fish. Then commercial use will begin.
After researching for the past 3 years, he has been able to preserve mangoes for 2 to 3 weeks, litchi for 12 to 13 days, pineapples for 10 to 12 days, bitter gourds for about 18 days and tomatoes for 21 days using chitosan, he told the media. There will be no change in the quality, shape, color and taste of the food.
Dr. Mubarak told the media that it is possible to produce chitosan according to demand by using domestic raw materials. Commercially, one rupee of chitosan per kg of mango is sufficient. Saving vegetables will cost only 40 paise. 60 grams of shell is obtained from each kilogram of shrimp. According to that, 1 kg of chitosan will be produced from 6 kg of shrimp shells, which will cost 20 thousand taka. But in the neighboring country India, chemically producing chitosan costs 1 lakh rupees.
3 percent sodium hydroxide (caustic soda) is used to wash shrimp shells in this chitosan preparation. Chitin is produced after this shell is washed and cleaned. He said that chitosan was produced from chitin through gamma ray radiation in the research. Radiation technology in food preservation is a safe process approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the US Food and Drug Administration. It does not cause any environmental pollution as no other chemicals are used.
Dr. Mubarak also said that his discovery was presented in a recent meeting at the Prime Minister's office. A committee of 13 members has also been constituted for its implementation. In the meeting of the committee, other research institutes have been directed to look into the issue through experiments. Also permission has been given to start work on fish.
The discovery of this scientist will benefit the life and livelihood of the common people of this country. It is everyone's belief that this groundbreaking invention will be properly used in the work of the country.
It should be noted that 15 thousand tons of shrimp shells are available in Bangladesh annually. From that, the production of chitosan will be 250 tons. Scientists think that amount is sufficient for food preservation.
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