Fox nuts are healthy, richly nutritious and vegan. It’s a combination too attractive to ignore for fitness conscious and health lovers. However, collecting water lily seeds and processing them complying with global food safety norms is not easy. Eastern India is the largest makhana-producing region in the world. And being a top makhana manufacturer in India and one of the significant global fox nuts suppliers, we deeply understand and appreciate the importance of food safety practices. These safety standards are an integral part of our makhana manufacturing processes: collection, washing, segregation, grading, processing, or packaging.
Let us explain the challenges makhana manufacturers in India face to meet the global food safety standards. It might help you admire the quality we deliver.
Highly human labour-intensive production process
Makhana is the seed of an aquatic plant, prickly water lily. These plants naturally grow in large quantities in marshy lands, paddy fields and ponds in Eastern India. Conventionally, people (especially from the Mallha community in Bihar, India) collect seeds, dry them under the sun and sell them to aggregators. For the last couple of decades, Makhana Research Institute in India has been promoting field-based production techniques for better control over the planting, growing, nurturing and harvesting processes. However, these processes still require human intervention as automation is not feasible with aquatic plants to date. Getting experienced workers and skilling new workers is a considerable challenge.
Community-specific production skill sets
Despite the intensive research & development works conducted on makhana cultivation in the last 30 years, indigenous, community-based sources of knowledge are still significantly crucial for understanding seasonal variations in production and quality. The traditional wisdom of the Mallha community in makhana production is world-renowned. Maintaining and promoting the transfer of community knowledge is a significant challenge to makhana manufacturers in India.
Maintaining water quality
As an aquatic plant, water quality plays a significant role in makhana production. The food safety of raw and processed makhana depends on it. Modern field-based makhana production techniques have allowed us to monitor and control water quality with accuracy and reliability. But it is a constant challenge makhana manufacturers face to meet the food safety standards of FSSAI, India, which is at par with global safety standards.
Collecting directly from authentic producers
Agricultural markets are usually fragmented with multiple intermediaries. There are hundreds of small-time makhana manufacturers in Bihar, India supplying makhana to the wholesale markets. It is essential to source raw makhana from authentic, experienced producers to ensure quality and maintain an uninterrupted supply chain. It helps to empower farmers and, at the same time, supply the best quality products to end-consumers.
Automation, mechanisation of cleaning and washing
In India, top makhana manufacturers are gradually trying to mechanise most of the raw makhana cleaning and washing processes to ensure complete zero contamination. It is a significant challenge considering the delicate handling necessary in the process.
Innovating and popularising makhana-based foods
Along with supplying raw makhana to global markets, the top makhana manufacturers, like Indian Foxnut, try to popularise the food among younger generations in different processed forms like roasted flavoured makhana snacks. Innovating new makhana-based processed foods, flavours and manufacturing in compliance with stringent food safety standards is an evolving challenge for new-age makhana manufacturers in India.
Finally, as a top makhana manufacturer, Indian Foxnut assures the highest quality raw makhana and makhana-based foods with laboratory-tested food safety, FSSAI-certification and tamper-proof hygienic packaging.