Feb 20, 2025 05:07 PM IST
The Karnataka authorities will cease supplying peanut chikki bars in colleges as a consequence of well being dangers and poor dietary high quality.
The Karnataka authorities has determined to cease distributing peanut chikki bars in authorities and aided colleges underneath the noon meal programme. The transfer comes after issues have been raised in regards to the dietary worth and security of those snacks, which have been offered as a substitute for eggs.
Peanut chikki is a crunchy candy made with peanuts, jaggery and sugar(Freepik)
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Why chikkis are banned?
A directive issued on February 17 highlighted a number of points associated to the chikkis, together with extreme ranges of unsaturated fat and sugars, in addition to challenges in storage and high quality management. Studies from varied districts indicated situations the place chikkis have been both expired or saved improperly, resulting in doable well being dangers. A letter from the extra commissioner of faculty schooling in Dharwad additionally identified that some batches of chikkis didn’t meet the required meals security requirements, rising the chance of contamination.
The noon meal programme in Karnataka advantages roughly 5.5 million schoolchildren, with round 30 % selecting chikkis or bananas as a supplementary meals choice. The distribution of eggs, bananas, and chikkis in colleges has been supported by the Azim Premji Basis, alongside state authorities funding. Whereas the federal government sponsors the initiative twice every week, the inspiration supplies extra dietary help on different days.
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Well being specialists have advisable higher alternate options to chikkis. Talking to The Indian Categorical, Dr. Sylvia Karpagam, a public well being researcher stated that roasted and salted groundnuts may very well be a more healthy substitute for youngsters as a substitute of sugar-coated peanut bars. “A 100-gram portion of roasted peanuts is rich in protein, beneficial fats, and key micronutrients like calcium, iron, and zinc,” she advised to the publication.
Many state governments have been distributing chikkis to the scholars in colleges and hostels as a part of their nutritious food regimen. As many chikki suppliers present low-quality peanut chikkis, the transfer from Karnataka authorities may set off the authorities to rethink on dietary preferences.
Really useful Subjects Information / Cities / Bengaluru / Karnataka govt stops chikki distribution in colleges for its ‘high sugar’ content material
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