Pb: Poultry supplement developed from kinnow peels

Punjabi University, Patiala and the state-owned Punjab Agro claimed to have developed a poultry feed supplement from kinnow peels, an official statement said on Thursday. Minni Singh, Associate Professor, Department of Biotechnology, Punjabi University said that she and her team used nanotechnology to develop the formulation, which has taken nine years of research.

Punjabi University, Patiala and the state-owned Punjab Agro claimed to have developed a poultry feed supplement from kinnow peels, an official statement said on Thursday. 'LimoPan' is a a bio-engineered nutraceutical with the ability to replace the use of antibiotics in poultry feed.

The unbridled use of antibiotics in poultry feed is one of the reasons that has been attributed to causing antibiotic resistance in humans, as they become passive consumers through residues that remain in poultry, the statement said. The product utilises the antimicrobial potential of phytoconstituents present in the peels of kinnows, it further said.

Punjab is a leading producer of kinnow, a citrus fruit. This technology sets an example of sustainable utilisation of horticulture waste by converting it into a value added product, it added. Minni Singh, Associate Professor, Department of Biotechnology, Punjabi University said that she and her team used nanotechnology to develop the formulation, which has taken nine years of research. Meanwhile, Manju Wadhwa's team from Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University conducted application trials on poultry through contract research.

The safety of the product has been ascertained by the National Toxicology Centre at National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research. Managing Director, Punjab Agro Manjit Singh Brar commended the efforts of the University and Punjab Agro, and reiterated that it will pave way for future industry-academia partnerships, which will strengthen the scientific acumen and business temperament in the region.

Punjab Agro has funded the research and development of the product.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)