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agricultural-and-food-engineering-instituteIIT Kharagpur researchers develop essential oil extractor to economize betel leaf production

The Economic Times (April 10, 2021)

Researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (IIT-Kgp) announced that they have found a novel betel leaf oil extraction technology that they claim is more efficient.

The extractor is capable of saving 44% of the time and 30% of the energy requirement while increasing the oil yield by more than 16%, as compared to the current processes and apparatus popularly used, they said. Proshanta Guha and his research group from IIT Kharagpur’s Agricultural and Food Engineering Department.

Betel leaves, which are a key ingredient of 'paan', a preparation which is consumed as a digestive and mouth freshener after meals, are considered beneficial for digestion, stimulation of senses and fresh breath due to the presence of antimicrobial and antioxidant-rich essential oil. (Read More)