Bamboo shoot processing: food quality and safety aspect (a review)

Bamboo shoot being low in fat, high in dietary fibre and rich in mineral content, like an ideal vegetable has been used traditionally by tribals for decades, world over. The research studies included in this review paper focus on post harvest processing of bamboo shoot. Due to seasonal availability of bamboo shoot, processing for handling cynogenic toxicity in raw shoot while keeping nutrients intact and enhancement of shelf life of the value added products assume great significance for business potential. Obviously, it would demand process standardization for small scale processing units. Literature review reveals that studies on food safety aspect of bamboo shoot are unsystematic and scanty, hence need special attention. Similarly indepth investigation on effect of processing (boiling, fermenting, canning etc.) on total nutrient content (macro and micro) of various bamboo shoot species growing in different agro-ecological regions needs to be carried out. It would help in converting the non-edible species into edible one, thus enhancing the business scope for rural people. Scientific validation of indigenous knowledge of tribals coupled with modern scientific inputs would provide guidelines for evolving a simple, efficient system for bamboo shoot utilization. Thus, several important knowledge gaps identified in this paper would give impetus to new academic and R&D activities, in turn generating innovative job profile in food industries as well as rural entrepreneurship.