Book brings scientific clarity to arecanut debate: CAMPCO president

Mangaluru: The book ‘Arecanut – History, Constituents, Cancer and Beyond' offers scientific clarity on the constituents of arecanut and helps address doubts over allegations that it contains carcinogenic elements, said CAMPCO president SR Satishchandra.He was speaking after presiding over a CAMPCO programme Wednesday to release the book authored by Dr Prasanna Belur, professor at National Institute of Technology Karnataka (NITK), Surathkal.
Referring to a report that ranked Dakshina Kannada eighth among the 10 richest districts in the country, Satishchandra said arecanut cultivation is a key pillar of the region's economy. "From Bhoota Kola and Yakshagana to temple Brahmakalasha rituals and education, arecanut forms the economic backbone of the region. Therefore, opposition from certain lobbies is natural. To counter such narratives, a strong scientific and historical foundation was needed, and this book provides that," he said.Releasing the book, NITK director Prof B Ravi highlighted the potential for value addition and market expansion in arecanut cultivation. He stressed the need for more research on its health aspects and said NITK is ready to collaborate on studies on improved cultivation practices, quality enhancement, harvesting technology, and disease management. He added that artificial intelligence could also be used for these purposes, with more than 300 researchers at the institute ready to contribute.Economist Vigneshwara Varmudi said the book clearly explains the properties and constituents of arecanut, making it a valuable scientific reference.All India Arecanut Growers' Association president Mahesh Puchappady said growers earlier struggled to counter claims linking arecanut to cancer due to the lack of scientific documentation. "In this context, this publication assumes great significance," he said.Sharing his experience, author Prof Prasanna Belur said his interest in arecanut research began during the Covid-19 period when he assisted with arecanut harvesting at home. "For processing red arecanut, we used stored chogaru, a concentrated red liquid from the previous year. Though the lid of the container was loose, the liquid did not spoil. This sparked my curiosity," he said.He said microorganisms formed on the surface, but the colour, smell and taste of the liquid remained unchanged. "Our research revealed that antioxidants present in arecanut were responsible for preserving it," he said.