IIT Delhi Students Invented Eggs to Grow on Plants: Fact Check

Story:

Delhi, India IIT Students Invented Eggs to Grow on Plants

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కోడి గుడ్లు కాసే చెట్లు వచ్చేశాయండీ. మాములు కోడి గుడ్డు లో వుండే…చెడు కూడా వుండదు..నేనూ ఏదో మ్యాజిక్ అనుకున్నా.. అది నిజమే..I I T స్టూడెంట్స్ పండించారు..చూడండి..త్వరలో అందరికీ అందుబాటులోకి.

Fact Check:

A story in wide circulation online purports to show IIT Delhi Students have Invented Eggs to Grow on Plants. Accompanying video appears to show they have grown eggs on a plant, followed by an apparent news report on it. The claim as such is not real – it is a hoax with some valid information explained here.

Have IIT Students Invented Eggs to Grow on Plants?

The video circulating on Facebook, WhatsApp and other online platforms is in fact a combination of two different footages. The later part of it shows a September 2019 Kannada language Dighvijay 24×7 News report on a research of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi. As part of many innovative products, the team created a plant-based egg having almost the same taste and texture as well as the same protein level. However, the eggs are not grown on plants. The innovative vegan egg is about ”Plant-based” scrambled eggs made using Lentils. It is to provide an alternative to non-vegetarian food without compromising on taste.

White ‘Brinjal’ Plant

On the other hand, the first part of the video showing eggs grown on plant also appeared on popular Telugu TV program Jordar News of hmtv News. Unlike what the stories in circulation say, the reporter questions the authenticity of the claims.

There’s an ‘Egg plant‘ Solanum melongena var. producing Brinjals like fruits looking like Eggs. Egg plant is believed to have originated in India and grown worldwide for its edible fruit. The plant species grows fruits in different shapes, sizes and colors, including white one looking like egg. One variety with close resemblance to eggs is also known as the Easter Egg Plant. The spongy, absorbent fruit is most often purple in color and useful in several cuisines.