Bioinformatics

Food biotechnology refers to the use of biotechnology to enhance the production, nutritional value, safety, and taste of edible products. It is being recognized that genetic modification is indeed a more efficient and precise way to achieve the benefits of food improvement. Often referred to as phytochemicals, the nutraceuticals and natural extract market includes nutritional supplements, functional foods, natural products and herbs. Together they constitute the “Wellness Industry”. Functional foods and vitamins, minerals and supplements (VMS) sub segments constitute the key focus areas.

• Leading Players in the Global Nutraceutical market
• Major Players in the Indian Nutraceuticals Market
• Gujarat well equipped to hamess the opportunity

Leading Players in the Global Nutraceutical market

Major Players in the Indian Nutraceuticals Market

Gujarat well equipped to hamess the opportunity

The State's enormous success in the dairy industry is exemplified by the presence of one of the country's premier food company viz. AMUL. The Company has been a role model for the cooperative sector in India. With its constant zest for innovation, the Company has the widest range of dairy based food products. It has a strong R&D team backed by a competitive marketing and branding team.

Vadilal, an established brand in the processed food segment processes and markets a wide variety of fruits, vegetables and ready-to-serve Indian Foods. Over the last decade the Company has acquired a prominent position in India and established itself as one of India's leading manufacturers / exporters in this sector.

Gujarat also has a large unorganized natural extracts and nutraceuticals segment base, constituting several small-scale manufacturers and trading outfits. These companies are engaged in producing herb-based dyes, cosmetics, spices and other consumables.

The State has about 240 ayurved pharmaceutical companies of which about 29 have GMP certified facilities. Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Valsad, Surat, Rajkot and Mehsana have a significant presence of natural extract based industry. Companies such as Unique Pharmaceuticals, JB Chemical, Cadila Pharmaceuticals, Paras Pharmaceuticals and Vasu Pharmaceuticals which are based in Gujarat, have international linkages in terms of import and export of natural extract products.

Entrepreneur driven ventures such as Sienna Biotech, Ayushi Biotech and Ban Labs are some of the Gujarat based phyto pharmaceutical companies. They have been typically marketing, exporting natural extracts and nutraceuticals catering to several therapeutic segments. Zandu Foundation for Healthcare has been set up in Gujarat as a not for profit charitable organization by Zandu Pharmaceutical Works headquartered in Mumbai.

The Company is undertaking, extensive research projects on agrotechniques for large-scale cultivation of medicinal plants and laboratory methods for quality control involving pharmacognostic and phytochemical research and clinical evaluation in Gujarat. In terms of the Government driven initiatives in the food biotechnology segment, The National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) is a name to reckon with. The NDDB is the world's largest dairy development program based at Anand, carrying out extensive R&D activities in biotechnology to develop formulations and technologies towards improving the productivity of milch animals.

Dhara Vegetable Oil & Foods Company Limited (DOFCO), at Vadodara was set up as a wholly owned subsidiary of NDDB to undertake activities related to edible oils and oilseeds. With active support from DOFCO, the Delhi University's Centre for Genetic Manipulation of Crop Plants (CGMCP) it is working on the development of rapeseed-mustard hybrids and double zero mustard using conventional and biotechnological tools. Five international patents have already been filed based on these discoveries. Several double zero rapeseed-mustard lines have been developed under the quality improvement programme sponsored by DOFCO at the Botany Department of the Nagpur University.

Mother Dairy, the other wholly owned subsidiary of NDDB is involved in marketing and distribution of milk, milk products and horticulture produce. CAR Labs such as NRCMAP is not only acting as a national information data bank on medicinal plants in India, but is also supporting and is engaged in activities of multilocational testing of technologies through All India Coordinated Research Project on Medicinal & Aromatic Plants (AICRP M&AP).

AICRP M&AP works in partnership with State Agricultural Universities and other organizations, undertakes research, multilocation testing of technologies, training and provides scientific and technical advice and information to a host of clients such as farm and growers, industries etc. There is a dedicated Directorate of Indian System of Medicine and Homeopathy (ISM&H) under the aegis of the Department of Health and Family Welfare, Government of Gujarat. Medical education and Health Services other than allopathy fall under the purview of this department. ISM&H administers the functioning of the Gujarat Ayurveda University, Jamnagar, the only statutory university of its kind both at National and International level, exclusively devoted to Ayurvedic studies and research.

The Directorate also manages four medicinal plants collection centres, two Government Ayurvedic Pharmacies and ten Ayurvedic Medicinal Plants gardens. In terms of the academic machinery, institutions under the aegis of MS University of Baroda and SP University in the State offer specialized courses in the area of Food Biotechnology. The Gujarat Ayurveda University at Jamnagar offers dedicated courses at different levels i.e. graduate, post-graduate, doctorate and diploma courses in the areas of medicinal plants, Ayurveda etc. Intensive literary, clinic and drug research is also being undertaken at the University.

To promote the teaching and learning in various other specific areas of Ayurveda University has also established many centres in campus including International Center for Ayurvedic Studies, Medical Astrology Research Center, Center for In-service Training, Maharishi Atreya AIDS & Cancer Research Center, amongst others. Several other Ayurvedic Colleges within and outside the State are affiliated to the Gujarat Ayurveda University.