NEWSLINKS
INDIA & THE WTO
NEW GOVERNMENT
COMMENTARY
INTERVIEWS
SPECIALS
CHAT
ARCHIVES
SEARCH REDIFF

Patent is not for Indian-type curry, clarifies Japan's House Food

House Food Corporation, the Japanese company which stirred a controversy by seeking a patent for "curry sauce", has sought to assure Indians that it is not about to seal one of their favourite dishes up in a patent.

The company has reiterated that the fuss was a mistake and all it wants is legal protection for a food additive it developed.

It termed the report published last month by The Independent newspaper in England as "inaccurate".

House Food said the patent application is for a food additive that has gone through "special cooking process".

"We are by no means attempting to take out a patent on the general notion of curry as understood by Indian people and curry connoisseurs all over the world," a spokesman told Reuters newswire.

The patent would apply only to Japan and products coming into Japan.

Unlike the spicy Indian curries, Japanese "curry sauces", in vogue for over 100 years, are sweet.

The curry patent is a budding row over taste

Business