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OHERALDO - Goa
The new ‘smell’ of success- Goan feni in an odourless avtar
VIBHA VERMA
[email protected]
Panjim: Important Feni makers across Goa are receiving feni these days, instead
of making and sending them out. This “caju” has got less colour and err what
the hick.. no smell. Feni without smell!!!!.
While feni-tics (feni fanatics) might fume at the odour-less feni, the Indian
Council of Agricultural Research has managed a breakthrough to make feni more
accessible to others and make them converts.
The scientists at Old Goa-based Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)
have eliminated the strong odour, which will make it more acceptable amongst
national and international buyers.
It is expected the odourless Feni can fetch more commercial value, within and
in the international markets. The scientists have already started experimenting
among the feni-makers divided in three batches to check the response, which has
been tremendous.
Nearly 2000 feni-makers are currently involved in making feni in a highly
traditional way.
ICAR Director Dr Narendra Pratap Singh told Herald that researchers have
achieved this milestone without tampering with the taste of this drink.
Our aim is to make the smell acceptable without making it lose its flavour,”
Singh said announcing the breakthrough in the research
ICAR’s Senior Scientific Investigators S B Barbuddhe and A R Desai were tasked
to find a scientific solution for the problem.
The central government institute’s research on this Goan brew began when the
Goa Feni Association approached them in the last season with the request to
study the entire process of feni-making.
During their studies, the scientists found that the yield of feni varies with
the type of technique employed for distillation and depends on the natural
flora, which spirals its fermentation.
Barbuddhe said there is no information available on the type of microflora
involved in fermentation of cashew apple juice.
ICAR has been studying the micro-flora and the type of techniques involved in
feni making. The initial studies have concluded that the method of juice
extraction from the cashew apple is unhygienic and recommended their
standardization.
Barbuddhe said that the use of tin or iron containers for storing the juice
during the fermentation process leaves blackening of the juice which may affect
the flavor of the end product.
ICAR findings also revealed that the yeast population in naturally fermented
juice is diverse and hence it recommends standardizing the fermentation and
distillation process for large scale adoption.
“The mechanized way of extracting juice will help in hygienic handling of the
pre-fermented juice,” the scientist added.
The experts have estimated that Rs 700 crores could be made through the sale of
Feni only in India.
Feni has always been accepted socially in the state as a party drink for every
class of people. Besides this, it has also been honored for the medicinal
values embedded in it.
After a long drawn struggle, the Goan spirit has already received GI
(Geographical Indication), which makes it patented product. This spirit is also
derived from Coconut besides Cashew in the State.
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