Dietary Use of Algae Among Tribal of North-East India: Special Reference to the Monpa Tribe of Arunachal Pradesh

Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge Vol. 15 (3), July 2016, pp. 509-513

Dietary use of Algae among tribal of North-east India: Special reference to the Monpa tribe of Arunachal Pradesh

Sudipta Kumar Das* Central National Herbarium, Botanical Survey of India, Howrah –711103, West Bengal, India E- mail: [email protected]

Received 10 September 2015, revised 12 October 2015

Dietary use of Algae is known since ancient times, but is mostly confined to marine forms. In India, several marine or brackish water macro-algae are consumed directly as food in South east coastal localities. The present study not only documents the dietary use of a freshwater Alga Ulva intestinalis L. by the Monpa tribe of Arunachal Pradesh but also summarizes the same by various other tribes in North east India.

Keywords: Algae, Dietary use, North-east India, Monpa tribe, Arunachal Pradesh IPC Int. Cl.8: A01H 13/00, A23L 1/29, A47G 19/26, A47J 39/02

Algae are used as a nutritionally functional food of the country4. Being a part of Himalayan and source for human being since ancient times. Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspots, the region In coastal regions of the Far East the algal encompasses a rich wealth of flora and fauna5. consumption for dietary use was recorded since Though composing about 3.1 % of the total 6000 BC. Macro algae are consumed directly in population of the country6, anthropologically the different food and beverages whereas microalgae region is equally bio-diverse with more than are sources of nutrient supplements. These are rich 150 ethnic tribes speaking as many languages, source of protein, fibre, vitamins, bioactive with various socio-cultural traditions. The tribes are compounds1 and several essential polyunsaturated mainly divided into two broad communities, tribes fatty acids (PUFAs) which cannot be synthesized in belonging to Monkhemar culture of Austoic dialect human body2. Marine macro algae or Seaweeds are and tribes belonging to Tibeto-Burman subfamily principal dietary components in most of the coastal of Tibeto-Chinese group who are basically Asian countries as well as in Europe, South America, mongoloids7.These ethnic populations develop North America and Australia. About 145 species of several traditional recipes for food and beverages the Seaweeds (60 % of total Seaweed biota) are to adapt to the harsh environmental conditions for being used for the food3. Most of them are centuries8. Documentation of such ethnic recipes was commercially cultivated. But, the freshwater made by several researchers time to time9-18. ecosystems are mostly exploited for isolation of Arunachal Pradesh has a significant tribal microalgae for industrial production of nutrient population which is distinctly categorized into supplements. Record of direct use of freshwater 26 major tribes and 110 sub-tribes19. Monpa tribes macro algae as food is scanty. North east India are predominantly inhabited West Kameng and includes eight states, i.e., Assam, Arunachal Tawang districts of Western Arunachal Pradesh. Pradesh, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Their maximum population is found in Bomdila Tripura and Sikkim. Geographically it is located subdivision of West Kameng district. Due to their within 21°34′ - 29°50′ N latitude and 87°32′ - 97°52′ ethnobotanical practices they have managed and E longitude with an altitudinal variation from almost conserved the biodiversity of their surrounding20. sea level to more than 7000 meters above msl, Monpa tribe are usually non-vegetarian in their food representing about 8 % of the total geographic area habitat, but utility of several seeded and non-seeded plants is significantly reflected in the cultural and —————— 11,21-23 *Corresponding author religious practices as well as traditional foods . 510 INDIAN J TRADIT KNOWLE, VOL. 15, NO. 3, JULY 2016

These traditional foods are integral part of their daily Manipur, but ambiguity of their identification and diet as well as various socio-cultural events24. The taxonomic position was revised by Ganesan et al.30. present study not only documents the dietary use of They have not only re-identified the earlier reported Algae by Monpa tribe also summarized the same by L. fluviatilis28 as a novel taxon L. manipurensis but various other tribes in north east India. also corrected the nomenclature of all the reported species. Other than dietary uses these algal species Materials and methods were also studied for their nutrient analysis31,32, The traditional knowledge of Algal consumption in therapeutic uses33-36, bio-fuel production37 and traditional foods among the Monpa tribe was found synthesis of fluorescent gold nanoparticles38. during an algal floristic study in Western Arunachal Paralemanea grandis [Syn. Lemanea australis], which Pradesh in March-April 2014. Then, several surveys is reported from the rivers of Manipur is regarded were carried out in the local markets as well as among as critically endangered plant by Mao et al.4 resource persons of Dirang, Bomdila and Tawang. Practice of including Algae in traditional food The information on the dietary use of Algae was recipes is a century old affair in Arunachal Pradesh, gathered by individual interviews with 15-20 local according to local vendors and local Monpa tribe of vendors and 10-12 resource persons in the localities. Dirang and Bomdila. But, it was documented recently Detailed documentation was made for plant parts and probably misidentified as blue green algae11. used, processing and application of the plant product. During the present investigation, it is found the Help of a local guide was taken in approaching the Alga to be freshwater green algae (Chlorophyceae), resource persons. Comparative study of the market Ulva intestinalis. The Alga (Figs. 1-4) grows value of the processed plant product was also made luxuriantly attached to submerged rocks in Siang not only in the said localities also in nearby localities River near Dirang and Bomdila. The Alga is reported and communities. After thorough investigation and first time from the state and as a rare record collection of ethno-botanical data, the dried algal from freshwater habitats. The voucher specimen of material was also obtained from the local market of the Algae (CAL-69556) was deposited in Central Bomdila and Tawang for identification. Detailed National Herbarium, Howrah (CAL). The local morphological study of the Algae was made with tribes collect the Alga during late winter (January – Nikon microscope Ni – 11 fitted with Nikon Digital February), when the flow of the river is slow. Camera DS – Ri1 – U3 and operated by Nikon Then the Alga is sundried after thorough cleaning. Imaging Software NIS – D + EDF. The plants were The dried Alga (locally named as Chhilap) is sold in identified following standard monographs and local markets in 100-150 gm packets (Fig. 2, 5-7). literature. The price of each packet varies from INR 450 – 500 Results and discussion (INR 4500 – 5000/Kg) and the availability of the Dietary use of Algae in the North eastern states dried alga in the market is restricted from late winter was first reported in early 70’s from Manipur25-26. (January-February) to early summer (March-April). Since then several reports were made from According to local people, the high price of the various ethnic groups of Manipur and Arunachal alga is due to the life-risking methods of its Pradesh11,14,18,27,28. The Algal species reported from collection. The Alga contains high levels of essential North east India for their dietary uses are enlisted amino acids and dietary fibres, thus is used for in Table 1. nutritional purpose worldwide. Its consumption Lemanea and Paralemanea are freshwater red reduces blood lipid level and chances of coronary Algae (Rhodophyceae) were only reported from cardiac diseases. Manipur in India so far. These grow in all five rivers The red algal taxa Pyropia vietnamensis of Manipur, i.e., Chakpi, Manipur, Iril, Imphal and (Tak. Tanaka & P.H. Ho) J.E. Sutherland & Monotilla Thoubal River in colder months, when they are (also locally named as Chhilap) (Fig. 8), though harvested and processed for sale in markets2930. not collected locally, is extensively found in the Earlier documentations showed occurrences of five local markets of Tawang in small packets of Lemanea species, L. australis Atkinson, L. catenata 100 gm (Fig. 6-7). The market price of the Kütz., L. fluviatilis (L.) C. Agardh, L. mamillosa packets of the Alga Pyropia vietnamensis is also Kütz. and L. torulosa (Roth) C. Agardh, from cheaper in comparison to that of Ulva intestinalis. DAS: DIETARY USE OF ALGAE IN NORTH-EAST INDIA 511

Table 1 – Algal species consumed for dietary purpose in North-east India Botanical name (Class) Local name Plant habitat Market price Dietary use and (INR/kg) preparation Lemanea manipurensis E.K. Ganesan, J.A. Nungsham Chakpi river, 7000/- Ingredient of local West, Zuccarello & J. Rout (Rhodophyceae) (= Hair of stone) Manipur river Manipuri cuisine Singju Lemanea mamillosa Kütz. (Rhodophyceae) (Manipur) and also used in Paralemanea grandis (Wolle) Kumano preparation of sour (Rhodophyceae) chutney for its fishy Paralemanea catenata (Kütz.) Vis & Sheath smell. (Rhodophyceae) Used by Meitei, Kuki, Paralemanea torulosa (Roth) Sheath Kuki-chin-mizo (Rhodophyceae) communities. Prasiola crispa (Lightfoot) NA Siang river NA Used in preparation of Kütz.(Chlorophyceae) (Arunachal Pradesh) soup and sometimes cooked with vegetables. Used by Monpa and Sherdukpens communities Unknown Blue Green Algae Chhilap or Rimom Siang river NA Used by Monpa tribe in (Cyanophyceae) (Arunachal Pradesh) the preparation of traditional recipe Shya Phrum Rimom, where it is cooked with meat and Paneer. Ulva intestinalis L. (Chlorophyceae) Chhilap U. intestinalisis collected 4500-5000/- Cooked mostly with from Siang river meat, vegetables and in (Arunachal Pradesh) soups. Specially consumed during Losar festival by Monpa tribe. Pyropia vietnamensis (Tanaka & P.H. Ho) Chhilap marine red alga imported 1500-2000/- Cooked mostly with J.E Sutherland (Rhodophyceae) from Taiwan meat, vegetables and in soups. Specially consumed during Losar festival by Monpa tribe.

Fig. 1—Thallus structure of Ulva intestinalis L.; Fig. 2—Sun-dried algae; Figs. 3-4—Light microscopic photographs of the thallus showing the cellular pattern; Fig. 5—Selling of dried algal packets in the Bomdila local market by the Monpa tribal women. (Scalebar:Fig. 1 = 1 cm; Fig 3-4=20 µm); Fig. 6-7—Packets of dried marine algae Pyropia vietnamensis imported from Taiwan; Fig.8—Thallus structure of Pyropia vietnamensis. (Scale bar: Fig. 10 = 1 cm) 512 INDIAN J TRADIT KNOWLE, VOL. 15, NO. 3, JULY 2016

The information about these red algal packets was 8 Tamang JP, Okumiya K & Kosaka Y, Cultural adaptation of collected from local people and vendors. According the Himalayan ethnic foods with special reference to Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and Ladakh, Himalayan Study Mon RIHN to them, the packets are imported from Taiwan and (Kyoto, Japan), 11 (2010) 177-185. the seaweed is unknown to them. The authentication 9 Uchoi D, Deepayan R, Majumdar RK & Debbarma P, of the algal species was made after thorough Diversified traditional cured food products of certain morphometric observations. The voucher specimen indigenous tribes of Tripura, India, Indian J Tradit Knowle, of the Algae (CAL-69557) was deposited in 14 (3) (2015) 440-446. 10 Tiwari SC & Mahanta D, Ethnological observations on Central National Herbarium, Howrah (CAL). It is fermented food products of certain tribes of Arunachal a major dietary constituent in the coastal Asian Pradesh, Indian J Tradit Knowle, 6 (1) (2007) 106-110. countries. This Alga is of high therapeutic utilities 11 Singh RK, Singh A & Sureja AK, Traditional foods of for being source of bioactive substances and Monpa tribe of West Kameng, Arunachal Pradesh, Indian J Tradit Knowle, 6 (1) (2007) 25-36. antifungal compounds. According to the Monpa tribe, 12 Jeyaram K, Singh TA, Romi W, Devi AR, Singh WM, et al, both the Algae (Chhilap) are rich sources of vitamins, Traditional fermented foods of Manipur, Indian J Tradit so are mostly used to feed children for better health. Knowle, 8 (1) (2009) 115-121. 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