Application of Coca Products in Varied Industries
The coca plant is a cash crop, which belongs to the Erythroxylum family. It is native to South America, and it is mostly grown in states of Peru. There is a great prominence of coca plant and leaves in traditional Andean culture for millennial.
Some people also eat coca leave as it has certain medicinal features. Some of its feature includes:
- It relieves hunger and exhaustion.
- It can boost physical performance.
- It alleviates altitude sickness.
There are varied products which are acquired from the leaves of coca plant such as coca powder, coca tea, coca snacks, coca capsule, and many more. These products are in demand globally due to its various benefits.
Industrial Application of Coca Products
The derivatives of coca leaves are used for versatile purposes. The coca products are profoundly applied in below-mentioned industries:
Food & Beverage
- The coca leaf contains 0.25% to 0.77% of cocaine in it. The cocaine is removed from coca extract o make it usable in the manufacturing of soft drinks and food products.
- The coca powder is used in manufacturing the coffee powder due to its stimulant attributes.
- The coca leaves are chopped to prepare coca tea. Coca tea is an herbal tea which promotes weight loss. It is even used for gastrointestinal treatment as it can combat diseases such as stomach pain, intestinal spasm, nausea, indigestion, constipation and diarrhea.
Healthcare Sector
- The coca leaves contain traces of cocaine. The coca powder is used in pharmaceutical companies following certain safety standards.
- Due to the anesthetic properties of coca, it is also used to numb the organs of the body such as eyes, nose, etc which are to be operated in surgeries or medical procedures.
Nutraceutical
- The coca leaves are de-cocainized to make dietary food products.
- Coca Capsules are prepared from the leaves of coca leaves. The capsules serve as a supplement of calcium, vitamins, and proteins.
- The nutraceutical industry has also introduced coca snack. The healthy snacks is delicious in flavor as it can is a fine mix of cacao mass, honey and coffee with coca powder. The intake of coca snacks can increase mental energy levels and even boost metabolism.
Global Demand of Coca Products
- Peru is one the world’s largest producers of coca leaves and its products. The versatile application of coca leaves has elevated the cultivation of coca plants.
- As per the records of United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the area planted with coca in Peru expanded 9 percent in 2016 as the demand for its products grew globally. The area under cultivation increased by more than 3,500 hectares in 2016 as compared to 2015.
- The report, jointly produced by UNODC and the country's Government, indicates that the area used for cultivating coca plants increased from 40,300 hectares to 43,900 hectares.
- The substantial increase in the cultivation of coca plant at the moderate rate is witnessed in Peru after 2016.
Conclusion: The products derived from coca are demanded globally due to its bountiful benefits. Today, the producers of coca products also lay efforts to supply products such as coca tea, coca capsule, coca powder, etc easily to consumers. These days some online stores also provide the panoply of coca products to facilitate consumers throughout the world.