CSIR-National Institute of Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (CSIR-NIIST), Thiruvananthapuram, will on Wednesday officially release a high protein, low glycemic index (GI) rice enriched with essential micronutrients that it has developed.
The ‘design rice’ is aimed at addressing lifestyle-related nutrition and health challenges, CSIR-NIIST said. The technology will be transferred to TATA Consumer Products Limited and SS Soul Foods, Tamil Nadu, at ‘CSIR-NIIST Tech Connect: From Lab to Market’, a technology transfer event scheduled at the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) headquarters in New Delhi on Wednesday.
CSIR Director General N. Kalaiselvi will be the Chief Guest for the event.
While rice feeds more than half the world’s population, especially in Asia and Africa, polished white rice is also associated with high postprandial blood glucose levels and increasing type 2 diabetes, NIIST noted in a statement. Protein and micronutrient deficiencies—often called “hidden hunger”—remain widespread despite adequate caloric intake. Solving this dual challenge requires improving the nutritional quality of rice without changing dietary habits.
According to CSIR-NIIST, his innovation increases protein content, moderates carbohydrate digestibility for better glycemic response, and provides nutrients such as iron, folic acid and vitamin B12 to help bridge dietary gaps.
NIIST Director C. Anandharamakrishnan won the Tata Transformation Prize 2024 for the development of designer rice.
A number of other NIIST technologies will also be brought to Wednesday’s event. Among them is the indigenous coffee crema technology, which enables stable and long-lasting foam formation. This is an important factor for coffee’s aroma and sensory experience, which offers opportunities for the growing coffee and beverage industry, NIIST said. At the event, NIIST will also present “Jaivam”—an engineered microbiome for rapid aerobic composting that enables faster composting without odor, leachate, or fly problems—and two alternative plant-based technologies derived from agricultural biomass.
“Through strong partnerships with industry and commercialization agencies, we are accelerating the translation of innovations in nutrition, sustainability, materials and the circular economy into technologies that benefit people and the nation,” said Dr. Anandharamakrishnan.
Published – 16 Feb 2026 21:02 IST