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The research investigates the transformative impact of nano-zinc oxide and iron oxide formulations on prolonging the shelf life of strawberries. A total of 16 distinct treatments were applied through foliar application, and a nano-zinc oxide (ZnO) and iron oxide (FeO) formulations were administered. Each square meter received 42 ml of the solution in triplicate, ensuring a comprehensive exploration of the formulations' impact on shelf-life enhancement. Notably, the combined application of ZnO and FeO NPs at 150 mg/l, specifically T15 (Z3F3), exhibited superior effectiveness in preserving the crop. T11 (Z2F2), featuring 100 mg/l ZnO and 100 mg/l FeO, closely trailed T15, showcasing significant improvements in parameters such as ascorbic acid content (49.66 mg/100g), and anthocyanin content (39.82 mg/l), etc. at nine days after harvesting. Besides this, TSS (7.25 obrix) in T14 and acidity (0.65%) in T5 and T9 at nine days intervals. These findings advancing the strawberry preservation methods in the agriculture and food industries and establishes the superiority of simultaneous applications of nano-formulations in T15 (150 mg/l ZnO + 150 mg/l FeO) and T11 (100 mg/l ZnO + 100 mg/l FeO). These formulations emerge as optimal solutions for extending the shelf life of strawberry fruits, particularly the Cv. Winter Dawn under Punjab Region, India, and could implement in similar climatic condition around world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COVID-19-induced lockdowns and movement restrictions led to individuals’ limited movement and recall of street food memories. Against this backdrop, the current study explores the enabler role of the perceived scare of COVID-19 on street food attachment and its contribution to recommending and revisiting intention. A prominent contribution of this study is the evaluation of the moderating role of perceived price fairness, food authenticity, vendor hygiene practices, and income. The proposed model is validated with perceptual responses gathered from two prominent destinations viz. India and the Middle East and analyzed with partial least squares. Results showed that the perceived scare of COVID-19 does significantly enhance one’s attachment associated with street food. Moreover, street food attachment does enhance an individual’s revisit and recommendation intention in the new normal. Furthermore, results showed that the contingent effects of food authenticity, perceived price fairness, vendor’s hygiene practice, and income have a positive moderation on the relationship between perceived scare of COVID-19 and street food attachment. The study is one of the few studies on street food attachment in the new normal for developing countries like India and the Middle East. The implications have relevance for street food businesses and small food business owners in Asian countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Logistics is among the leading contributors to pollution and greenhouse gas emissions and needs a paradigm shift to ensure sustainability. Green logistics is an initiative to reduce environmental, social and economic damage, create a positive brand image and ensure customer loyalty to the firm. Even though green logistics yields many benefits, several factors often challenge its successful implementation. Thus, the study aims to identify and group the adoption barriers to green logistics in the food industry. The barriers perceived by food industry professionals were collected through a survey, and exploratory factor (EFA) analysis was applied to identify and group the most significant ones. EFA grouped the 19 significant barriers into six factors: organizational, regulatory, supplier, technological, customer and financial. Identifying these adoption barriers can help organizations frame suitable strategies to overcome barriers in successfully implementing green logistics. The study also suggests strategies to address the barriers to green logistics in the food industry for the Indian economy. The study also highlights implications for practice and theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When evaluating financial performance, industry-specific elements that have an influence on the food business are considered, including raw material costs, pricing dynamics, the competitive environment, regulatory environment, and consumer trends. When assessing a company's general health and future prospects, it is important to take these elements into account because they have an impact on its financial performance Over the years, India's food business has undergone substantial development and change, driven by factors including shifting customer tastes, urbanisation, and rising disposable income. The industry includes a number of subsectors, including restaurants, processed food, drinks, dairy products, and confectionery. Over the years, India's food business has undergone substantial development and change, driven by factors including shifting customer tastes, urbanisation, and rising disposable income. The industry includes a number of subsectors, including restaurants, processed food, drinks, dairy products, and confectionery. Investment Decisions: Evaluating the financial performance of food sector firms enables investors to make wise investment choices. Risk management: It's crucial to comprehend the financial status of businesses in the food sector. Industry Competitiveness: Analysing financial performance sheds light on the Indian food industry's competitive environment Government agencies and regulatory organizations can use financial performance assessments to develop policies and regulations that support the expansion and sustainability of the food sector. Sector Analysis: Evaluations of financial performance help with a more comprehensive study of the Indian food business. Investment Decisions: Evaluating the financial performance of food sector firms enables investors to make wise investment choices. Risk management: It's crucial to comprehend the financial status of businesses in the food sector. Industry Competitiveness: Analyzing financial performance sheds light on the Indian food industry's competitive environment Government agencies and regulatory organisations can use financial performance assessments to develop policies and regulations that support the expansion and sustainability of the food sector. Sector Analysis: Evaluations of financial performance help with a more comprehensive study of the Indian food business. Company 1, Company 2,Company 3,Company 4,Company 5,Company 6 Net Profit Margin, Current Ratio, Debt Ratio, Debt to Equity After doing topsis analysis company 2 has ranked 1 company 2 has ranked 6 TOPSIS method provides a systematic and comprehensive approach for evaluating alternatives based on multiple criteria. It considers both the positive and negative aspects of each alternative and helps decision makers in selecting the most suitable option based on their preferences and objectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With COVID-19 paralyzing street food businesses, street food vendors are trying to sustain their operations. The current study helps them by identifying the importance of five prominent stimuli viz. authenticity, quality, staff-service, ambience, and value for money in developing desire for street food in individuals in India. Furthermore, the study contributes by identifying the role of street food nostalgia (as a mediator) and perceived risk of COVID-19, age, and gender (as moderators) on the direct impact of each stimulus on the desire for street food. The study uses partial least squares path modelling to validate the hypotheses using SmartPLS. The findings are comparable to other developing Asian countries, as the proposed associations are validated with perceptual responses from three prominent cities and well-known street food destinations in India. The study showed the relative importance of the five-stimuli based on the stimulus-organism-response framework in developing a desire for street food. The findings suggest partial to complete mediation of street food nostalgia across the three samples. Lastly, the perceived risk of COVID-19 along with age and gender emerged as prominent moderators for many of the direct effects of stimuli on desires for street food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study empirically investigates the implications of corporate social responsibility (CSR) on the value-added intellectual capital efficiency of food and agribusiness firms in India. This study uses the firm-level data collected from the Prowess database of the Center for Monitoring Indian Economy for 362 food and agribusiness companies in 2019. The study contributes to the theoretical and managerial practices by assessing the causal relationship between the value-added intellectual capital (VAIC) and CSR for food and agribusiness firms in an emerging economy, i.e., India. The results suggest a significant mean difference in the key characteristics of firms with and without CSR expenditure. Further, there is a significant relationship between CSR and Value-Added Intellectual Capital Efficiency in the Indian food and agribusiness firms. Finally, the regression analysis indicates that CSR expenditure has a positive and significant implication on value-added intellectual capital (ß = 0.119, p < 0.01), including all the dimensions of firm's capital efficiency except structural capital; i.e., capital employed (ß = 0.095, p < 0.01), human capital (ß = 0.145, p < 0.01) and intellectual capital (ß = 0.124, p < 0.01). However, CSR does not seem to have significant implications on structural capital standalone (ß = 0.044, p > 0.10), implying that the structural capital efficiency of the firms does not get affected by CSR expenditure. The findings of the study provide a good reason for implementing mandatory CSR, which goes beyond the performance of firms, as there is a positive and significant impact of CSR on the Value-Added Intellectual Capital of the firms. This paper contributes to the existing literature by providing extended understanding on the relationship between CSR and VAIC among food and agribusiness firms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various industries are gradually sifting away from the linear economy and toward the circular economy (CE), but its advancement is crawling far behind the environmental contamination by the food processing industry in developing countries. Hardly any research analyzes the CE performance of food processing small‐ and medium‐sized enterprises (FPSMEs) in an emerging economy context. Hence, developing a CE performance evaluation framework is imperative to facilitate this transition. This research proposes a comprehensive framework for evaluating CE performance based on three real‐world cases of Indian FPSMEs. Initially, 15 essential criteria are shortlisted from the literature and refined by the experts. Afterward, data are collected through questionnaires administered to experts and structured interviews. Next, this research employs a multi‐criteria decision‐making (MCDM)–based approach, in which the Criteria Importance Through Inter‐criteria Correlation (CRITIC) method is used to compute the objective weights of criteria and the Vlse Kriterijumska Optimizacija Kompromisno Resenje (VIKOR) method is used to determine the performances of FPSMEs and rank them accordingly. The results reveal that "investment in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)," "use of renewable energy," "increase in scrap recycling rate," "total CO2 emission," and "total water consumption" are the top five criteria for CE performance. Investment in CSR emerges as the most influential criterion for strategic corporate transformation, which blends the notions of CE and CSR as a feasible solution for designing circular business processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSDs) and ergonomic risk factors are very common in bakery workers. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to (1) assess the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders among bakers because they use automated machines or traditional baking, and (2) to determine the strategies to prevent musculoskeletal disorders in bakers. METHODS: A systematic review of PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science was conducted from the beginning to February 4, 2022, based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Mesh keywords and phrases were used to execute the search strategy. Information on MSDs and ergonomic risk factors in bakery workers was collected. Two reviewers worked independently on study selection, data extraction, and paper quality ranking. RESULTS: This study identified 14 papers from seven countries. Although the prevalence of MSDs in bakery workers has been studied, only a handful of them have been studied ergonomic risk factors, and the findings have been very limited. The association between different risk factors and MSDs seemed significant compared to many other occupational diseases. The traditional bread-baking system and lack of mechanization may increase the risk of MSDs in bakery workers. CONCLUSION: WRMSDs for bakery workers have been less studied than other occupational diseases. Our systematic review found several significant relations between the factors influencing the prevalence of MSDs. This study also showed the comparison of traditional and modern cooking systems with diseases of the upper limbs, shoulders, and back pain as possible fields for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates how household inflation expectations relate to realized inflation, and uses biased expectations hypothesis (BEH) to understand the association between inflation expectations and realized inflation in the food sector. Household survey data, wholesale price index (WPI), and consumer price index (CPI)-based data on inflation are used in the study and the data was sourced from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and Ministry of Statistics and Program Implementation, Government of India. The obtained results were cross-validated using auto-SARIMAX algorithm in a machine learning (ML) framework. The study finds that expected and realized inflation have significant causal relationships; this further supports BEH and reveals how household inflation expectations impact actual market inflation, and vice versa. Hence, these are broadly complementary. However, changes may occur in these aspects, and households and markets must prepare for these changes and plan their future accordingly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is a public health imperative to have safe food and water across the population. Foodborne infections are one of the primary causes of sickness and mortality in both developed and developing countries. An estimated 100 million foodborne diseases and 120 000 foodborne illness-related fatalities occur each year in India. Several factors affect foodborne illness, such as improper farming methods, poor sanitary and hygienic conditions at all levels of the food supply chain, the lack of preventative measures in the food processing industry, the misuse of food additives, as well as improper storage and handling. In addition, chemical and microbiological combinations also play a key role in disease development. But recent disease outbreaks indicated that microbial pathogens played a major role in the development of foodborne diseases. Therefore, prompt, rapid, and accurate detection of high-risk food pathogens is extremely vital to warrant the safety of the food items. Conventional approaches for identifying foodborne pathogens are labor-intensive and cumbersome. As a result, a range of technologies for the rapid detection of foodborne bacterial pathogens have been developed. Presently, many methods are available for the instantaneous detection, identification, and monitoring of foodborne pathogens, such as nucleic acid-based methods, biosensor-based methods, and immunological-based methods. The goal of this review is to provide a complete evaluation of several existing and emerging strategies for detecting food-borne pathogens. Furthermore, this review outlines innovative methodologies and their uses in food testing, along with their existing limits and future possibilities in the detection of live pathogens in food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of the article was to examine the level of debt value in companies pursuing international expansion in food sector in India, against the background of macroeconomic indicators. Design/methodology/approach: The following methods were used in the article:1. Calculation of statistical descriptive values for debt level, revenue and total assets, 2. A parametric Student's t-test to test for differences in the capital structures of the companies studied, 3. The Pearson coefficient for determining the relationship between capital structure and the ratio of revenue generated from international sales to total sales revenue. Sixty-five companies from the food sector in India participated in the study. The study covered the period 2014 - 2021. Findings: The results of the used study indicate that there is a steady decline in the level of corporate debt and an increase in revenues. This is associated with an increasingly better financial situation of the companies - an increase in revenue levels and an increase in foreign direct investment (increasing macro environment indicators). The results presented confirm previous findings in the literature. Originality/value: In the article, the obtained results allowed capturing the unique relationship between debt structure and internationalisation of enterprises in the food sector. An additional value is the presentation of the relationship between the formation of macroeconomic factors and the internationalisation process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

India's food processing industry is a sunrise sector and can scale new highs to supply good quality, nutritious, hygienically-produced and packed food products to the consumer and ensure better income for the growers. Rising incomes and a demand for healthy, packaged food ensure its sustenance without fear of recession. In India, this industry has a dualistic structure - organized and unorganized. There is substantial marketing importance of this industry. However, the extent of processing is still at a nascent stage, and the supply chain gaps and losses are the biggest challenges faced by the industry in India. The objective of this paper is to analyse different aspects of food processing industry in India and covers its importance, growth, potential, problems, and government policy. In the end, the paper carried out the SWOT analysis and offers a few policy steps required for exploiting opportunities that lie ahead food processing industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The implementation of food safety management systems has a great influence on global food safety and security, especially for developing nations. The principles of the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points are crucial for food safety and are the basis of food safety management systems. The purpose of this study was to assess the food safety management systems of a selected small-sized food company in India, both before and after certification of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 22000 and the Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP). This company manufactured traditional fried vegetable snacks using manual processing. The effectiveness of these certifications was assessed through direct audit. The integrated FSVP and ISO 22000 audit checklist were elaborated and applied in this study. It was shown that the certification significantly improved (97.14%) food safety system conformity in the company in question. Before certification, many non-compliances were found, especially for HACCP implementation. After certification, the only non-conformity concerned pest control. The integrated FSVP and ISO 22000 audit checklist used for the assessment enabled an evaluation of several factors: the food quality and safety compliance level, the effectiveness of certification, and the readiness of the small-sized Indian snack producer to develop the export of their products to the U.S. and other developed countries. It was shown that certification enabled a small-sized Indian food producer to meet the requirements of ISO 22000 and FSVP, which are the prerequisites for exporting to the U.S. and other developed countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The advent of climate change with the recognition of interlinkages between Food‐Energy‐Water (FEW) resource security has brought forth a renewed emphasis on ascertaining the FEW footprints of varied policy interventions. The nexus approach through an IO framework explores the interplays and synergies between sectoral flows and their FEW footprints. India is currently undergoing great transformations under policy interventions on both the economic and environmental front. The country has been attracting investments to expand its manufacturing base, while also aiming to transition into a greener economy. The district of Pune has a balanced and diversified economic profile, spread across manufacturing, as well as knowledge‐based tertiary sectors. However, rapid urbanization has put an undue burden on its FEW resources, challenging urban sustainability. Hence cohesive strategies are of priority to ensure sustainable and equitable development. Toward this end, the current study presents the first‐ever district‐level economy‐wide FEW nexus study in India. Results indicate that the most resource‐intensive sectors in Pune district include the food processing sector, motor vehicles, and electrical engineering and instruments. Based on this comprehensive footprint analysis, priority sectors are identified to pursue sector‐wise efficiency analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gujarat is one of India's top potato-producing regions, making it one of the world's top producers of potatoes. The demand for potatoes is driven by the food processing industry, domestic consumption, and export opportunities. While potato production in India has been growing, there are several issues that affect the industry. The availability of high-quality potato seeds, as well as post-harvest losses due to improper handling and storage, are major challenges. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of various culture systems and nutrient supplements to establish and optimize a suitable system for in vitro shoot growth, microtuberization, and storage conditions. In vitro cultures of six different locally adapted potato cultivars were created and the shoot multiplication protocol was standardized. The microtubers protocol was optimized using four-week-old shoots, and a mean of four microtubers per shoot was observed on the Murashige and Skoog medium supplemented with 6-benzylaminopurine (0.88 µM) and sucrose (8%). Harvested microtubers were used to investigate storage conditions and shoot growth was evaluated from microtubers under in vitro as well as ex vitro conditions. All microtubers developed healthy shoots after 18 days of storage at 4 °C both in vitro and ex vitro, and the resulting plantlets showed >90% survival in the greenhouse. The distribution of high-quality potato seeds in Gujarat, which are in high demand, may benefit from the optimal microtubarization protocol. This study confirms the potential of long-term germplasm preservation and microtuber-based cultivation practices in the Gujarat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Penicillium citrinum and Penicillium expansum are primarily associated with the spoilage of wide variety of fruits and derived food products. Increasing demand of consumers for preservative (synthetic) free food has led the researchers to explore natural substances for controlling spoilage and pathogenic microbes. Past researches have demonstrated the antimicrobial activities of spices. Present study was undertaken to assess the growth inhibitory activities of aqueous extracts (AEs), essential oils (EOs) and powdered (PD) forms of 10 spices towards P. citrinum (MTCC2553) and P. expansum (MTCC2006). PD spices were evaluated for their growth inhibitory potential using spice agar method. Impregnated paper disc method was followed for the antifungal screening of AEs and EOs, while broth dilution method was opted for the determination of their minimum inhibitory concentrations. Results revealed that AEs of all the spices were found ineffective, whereas PD forms of three spices, namely, Cinnamomum cassia (Blume), Cuminum cyminum and Syzygium aromaticum, significantly arrested the growth of both the fungal strains. Nevertheless, EOs of Allium sativum, Brassica juncea, C. cassia (Blume), C. cyminum, Mentha piperita, Ocimum sanctum and S. aromaticum, exhibited remarkable antifungal activities against both the fungi. P. citrinum was more susceptible as compared to P. expansum, towards tested substances. According to our results, PD spices, being cheap and safe, may be persued as 'green antimicrobials' along with spice EOs, for in vivo studies to extend the shelf life of fruits and their processed products. Therefore, this study would prove a great help to the agricultural sector and food processing industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Indian economy was a traditional economy with majority of people having a preference towards home cooked food which consist of nutritional value. This was a major challenge to global fast food to setup their business in India. In the present scenario, traditional food is replaced by fast foods. Due to the changes in lifestyle pattern demand for fast food is increasing day by day. Today fast food industry is one of the leading industries in India. This present study is focused on determine youth's consumption pattern towards fast foods particularly with respect to the frequency of visits and choice of fast food outlets. It is found that most of the customers are willing to spend more if food quality & Improvement in the menu. Major concern is on Employee friendliness, where the food courts can further extend seating space and can bring more marketing strategies to attract more customers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) seed is a rich source of starch (about 80–85% dry basis) and considered as byproduct of food so, it has the potential to be a source for commercial production of starch. The search for new starch sources has been motivated by following main reasons: growing demand of market, industry demand for novel starches with different structural, physicochemical, and functional properties than the traditional ones and food supply to meet the increase of world population. Jackfruit belongs to genera Artocarpus, which is native of Western Ghats of India, which contains ample amount of starch that could be utilized in various food developments. As jackfruit seed starches showed higher amount of resistant starch (about 75%) better swelling and water absorption capacity, and high gelatinization temperature (76–88 °C). This review summarizes the recently published research on the composition, physicochemical, functional properties, structure, and morphology of jackfruit seed starches. The effect of different processing on the properties of starch and the study provides suggestions for needed research to improve the thoroughly exploitation of jackfruit seed starch in the food industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supply chain operations and the use of energy are inextricably interwoven. The supply chains, especially those operating in the food sector, which experience high competition, high implied demand uncertainty, low profit margin etc., are trying very hard to minimize their operational costs to become efficient in the marketplace. On the contrary, inflation has been one of the key issues in food supply chain operations. Irrespective of whether the food product is need-based or demand-based, inflation of essential commodities is experienced by consumers throughout the year. This paper examines how energy price fluctuations have impacted food supply chain prices in India. The time series data of energy and food resources have been modeled and validated using Machine Learning (ML)-based SARIMAX algorithm to find that High-Speed Diesel (HSD) impacts food inflation the most, keeping aside coal. In push-need-based food supply chains, the impact of HSD is relatively higher than in push-demand-based food supply chains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Street food is a crucial and integral part of our society. Vendors cook and sell street foods, often in the streets, as ready-to-eat meals creating employment for the marginal people in developing countries. It is now one of the go-to options for urban people within their hectic schedules due to its easy access, wide variety and low cost. However, the food often needs better hygiene and risks food safety due to improper handling, preparation, storage, vending and waste disposal. The present study on a hundred street food vendors selected from major food clusters of Ahmedabad city, India, was conducted to determine the knowledge of vendors about food safety standards, hygiene and sanitary practices after introducing the Food Safety & Standard Act, 2011. The study collected data through face-to-face interviews using structured questionnaires on demographics, food safety and legislation knowledge. The method also included an extensive observation checklist on personal hygiene, food handling and waste management practices, along with conditions of the vending environment. Information from the study showed that most vendors had at least primary education. Still, only 5% of vendors got formal training, and the rest learned either from a friend, a family member or on their own in a non-formal setup. Moreover, 70% of vendors were unaware of or did not avail of various food quality licenses. Regarding hygiene, 75% of vendors didn't wear aprons, gloves and head covers, and only 13% washed their hands before all the tasks. Around 45% of vendors cleaned vessels and cooking surfaces regularly, and only 8% had water available around them through pipelines. Almost 50% of vendors displayed food in open areas, either in vessels or in and around the working surface area. These results indicate that street vendors' have a moderate understanding of food handling practices, poor knowledge of environmental sanitation and waste handling practices, and need more awareness of safety measures and hygiene. Like developed countries, the food safety standards in India are in order. Still, its implementation shows a significant gap between knowledge and practice by street-food vendors leading to compromise in food safety. Hence, vendors should be required to undergo training in hygiene and sanitation before opening a food vending business. They should also be provided with continuous food safety education to help them achieve higher standards on the hygiene of their products. Moreover, giving basic infrastructures like accessible potable water, waste management utilities, and small financial assistance to upgrade vending carts per new standardized cart specifications will improve hygiene practices. Establishing a code of practice for the street food industry, like "Clean street food hubs," can further assist in acknowledging street vendors' requirements and learning from consumer expectations, thereby increasing street vendors' understanding of food safety standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protein breakdown by endogenous enzymes in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract results in generation of peptides and amino acids that act as building blocks in essential biological functions. Exogenous proteases possess immense potential as digestive enzyme supplements that can assist protein digestion in the GI system. Plant proteases, in addition to their promising activity, are considered to be safe in nature. The present study evaluated the potential application of a plant protease based proprietary formulation-MDZenPro in digesting raw whey protein, whey protein isolate and plant protein under INFOGEST simulated GI conditions. The gastric and GI digested protein products were analyzed for determining the degree of hydrolysis. The protein pro􀃶les were evaluated using SDS-PAGE. The results of the degree of hydrolysis study revealed that MDZenPro facilitated gastric and GI digestion of proteins. This increase in degree of hydrolysis was noted to be higher than that observed in proteins that were not treated with MDZenPro. The SDS-PAGE pro􀃶le further supported these 􀃶ndings wherein, the MDZenPro treated protein samples displayed low molecular weight fragmented peptides in contrast to the pro􀃶le of undigested proteins. The present study thus highlights the promising application of 'MDZenPro' as an effective supplement for protein digestion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective - Firms embrace green supply chain management (GSCM) practices to minimize the environmental repercussions of their operations. The food processing industry is one of the largest industries globally, engendering massive waste and emitting greenhouse gases, raising environmental concerns. GSCM has recently gained momentum in developing countries like India due to increasing environmental issues. This exploratory study examines the GSCM practices adopted by Indian food processing firms and investigates their impact on sustainable performance. Methodology/Technique - This study has employed a case study methodology to fulfill the research objectives. Two food processing firms operating in Goa were selected for this purpose. The case study involved semi-structured interviews with supply chain professionals from both firms. Findings – Various GSCM practices identified in the literature are observable within the case study. The results highlight the importance of GSCM practices for attaining sustainability. Findings reveal and reinforce that adopting GSCM practices improves the firms' sustainable performance. Novelty - This article is one of the earliest studies on GSCM in the food processing industry in the Indian context. The research outcomes provide an overview to managers of the food processing firms regarding GSCM practices, their execution, and sustainable performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rising price and demand for energy are significant issues for the food sector, which consumes a substantial amount of energy throughout the supply chain. Hence, improving energy efficiency has become an essential priority for the food sector. However, most food businesses have limited awareness of the recent technological advancements in real‐time energy monitoring. Thus, the concept of "Internet of Things" (IoT) has been investigated to increase the visibility, transparency, and awareness of various energy usage levels. This paper presents a case study of a beverage factory where the implementation of an IoT‐enabled sensing technology based on the embodied product energy (EPE) model helped to reduce the energy consumption. This arrangement made provision for the collection of real‐time energy data within a food production system to support informed and energy‐aware operational decisions, which lead to optimized energy consumption and significant savings of approximately 163,000 kWh in the year 2017. Practical applications: Given the importance of energy efficiency and Internet of Things (IoT), especially in the food manufacturing industry, this research reports a baseline application at a beverage company in India. The results allowed the company to use energy more efficiently to have an advantage over its competitors and better market positioning. More data could be incorporated into the energy management system with the use of IoT. The availability and accuracy of such valuable data would help managers to make better energy‐efficient decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the present investigation was to substantiate the versatility of brown rice obtained from distinguished Indian varieties with a viable hyphenation with the cultivar influences. Brown rice from seven eminent cultivars, that is, PR‐114, PR‐121, PR‐122, PR‐123, PR‐124, PR‐126, and PR‐127, was in depth characterized by a broad spectrum of properties. Primarily, to comprehend the suggestive milling behavior of paddy and brown rice, their dimensional and physical properties were compared. Secondly, to validate the physicofunctional and cooking prominence of the grain, properties such as amylose and amylopectin content, alkali spreading value (ASV), temperature, and behavior of gelatinization were scrutinized. The assessment of specific nutritional components viz., mineral, vitamins, and fatty acid composition together with textural profile analysis of the cooked grain further validated the primacy of the Indian cultivars. The result presented that the physical and dimensional characteristics of paddy and brown rice varied significantly. In terms of physicochemical and cooking properties, the cultivars PR‐122 and PR‐124 demonstrated considerable pre‐eminence. Furthermore, the ASV, temperature, and gelatinization behavior were principally associated with the starch constituents, that is, amylose and amylopectin. With reference to the mineral, vitamins, and fatty acid composition of the cultivars, PR‐122, PR‐122, and PR‐124 were nutritionally and functionally viable and diverse. Practical applications: Brown rice is a nutritionally and biofunctionally eminent cereal grain. A viable hyphenation between the anticipated properties demonstrated by these improved and high‐yielding brown rice varieties grown in India would further endorse the cultivation of these cultivars at a larger scale as well as invigorated the farmers to fast‐track their cultivation estate. The physical, physicochemical, gelatinization, cooking, and textural properties of the Indian brown rice cultivars could play a vital role in deciphering and substantiating its processing, nutritional and bio‐viable eminences, which would further confirm their superior demands in the context of regional and national food markets along with food processing industries operating at variable scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ficusgeniculata (FG) is one of the underutilized fig species in India and throughout the world. However, the different parts of the plant have numerous phytochemicals and have the potential to boom the functional food as well as the pharmaceutical food industry. The plant is still unexplored and needs the attention of researchers and industrialists for its value addition. Therefore, in the present investigation, different parts (shoot, leaves and bark) of FG were exploited and leaves were selected based on physicochemical and phytochemical analysis for nugget supplementation. The FG leaves powder incorporated nuggets were prepared using different variables: FG (0 to 50%), salt (0.07 to 0.92%), and black pepper (0.079 to 0.92%) along with black gram as filler to make it 100%. The optimum conditions for the production of supplemented nuggets were having 0.82 desirability. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) also confirms the retention of bioactive compounds in the nuggets. No remarkable clustering was observed, which indicating the significant (p ≤ 0.05) effect of all the variables on the quality attributes of the supplement nuggets. Thus the developed conditions will be useful for the nugget industry and also may be a good alternative to the vegetarian people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ready to rehydrate food products are consumers' choice in global market. More than 9500 rice cultivars (Oryza sativa L.) were reported from North East India. Three underutilized paddy land races of NE India viz., Chakhao poireiton, Joha and Chokuwa were assessed and compared for their commercial potential to develop ready to rehydrate rice (RTRr) for the first time. RTRr were prepared by processing paddy via soaking, sand frying, sun drying and milling following conventional method of soft rice processing using metric scale and were assessed for nutritional (AOAC methods), energy (Atwater factors), moisture content (Moisture analyzer), water activity (Water activity meter), rehydration time and sensory analysis (9-point hedonic scale) by 25 untrained panelists. All the experiments were performed in triplicates. PCA and AHC were done by XLSTAT and ANOVA at p <0.05 were conducted using Sigmaplot. RTRr exhibited quickest rehydration time 40.00 ± 4.08 min in Chakhao poireiton, highest yield (63.20±1.03%) in Joha, carbohydrate (87.48±0.01%) in Joha, protein (10.06±0.32%) in Chakhao poireiton, fat (9.25±0.5%) in Chokuwa, ash (3.23±0.46%) in Chakhao poireiton, dietary fiber (12.13±0.4%) in Chokuwa, energy (437 kcal) in Joha, color difference (ΔE ab) value 9.65±0.02 in Chakhao poireiton RTRr powder, overall acceptability of 7.08±0.098 in Chokuwa, product characterization and panelists' evaluation by PCA 84.27% and 56.70% between the components in preferring Chokuwa. These paddy cultivars exhibited commercial potential to develop RTRr. RTRr developed from Chakhao poireiton exhibited higher protein, ash and low moisture contents, RTRr developed from Joha showed high carbohydrate and energy content and low water activity and RTRr developed from Chokuwa was rated highest in sensory analysis by the panelists. [Display omitted] • Ready-to-rehydrate rice (RTRr) was prepared from three underutilized paddy land races of NE India. • RTRr was prepared for the first time from Joha & Chakhao poireiton alongside Chokuwa. • Nutritional, physical parameters including color analysis of the three RTRr were compared. • Sensory analysis of the three RTRr along with product characterization and panelists' evaluation were done for the first time to screen industrial potential. • All three RTRr exhibited potential scope for commercializaion as per calculation of cost of production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The physicochemical characteristics in terms of composition, pasting properties, in vitro starch digestibility, morphology, XRD, FT‐IR, and functional properties of starch, isolated from the kernels of Euryale ferox seed cultivated in Northeastern Region of India were studied and utilized them in formulation of bread. E. ferox kernel starch (EFKS) exhibited an A‐type diffraction pattern and granule sizes ranged from 1 to 3 μm in diameter and were polyhedral shape. EFKS exhibited high pasting temperature indicating its potential to incorporate in products requiring higher temperature to cook, such as baked items like bread. The effects of replacing refined wheat flour with native EFKS (5%–50% db) on bread quality attributes were investigated, and sensory results suggested that bread with 20% EFKS incorporation was acceptable, but bread with higher concentrations of EFKS produced smaller loaf volumes. Results evidenced that EFKS is a novel starch source and has an immense potential in both food and non‐food industries. Novelty impact statement: Results of the study have the credential evidence to corroborate that the Euryale ferox kernel starch (EFKS) has strong potential applications in food industries. The study also clearly revealed that EFKS can replace up to 20% of wheat flour for bread making with acceptable sensory attributes. The EFKS is comparable to popularly acceptable commercial starch‐like rice and has potential for enormous food and non‐food applications and can be a money spinner for entrepreneurs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Makhana or gorgon nut has popular and nutrition rich pop across India and many parts of the world. In the light of the recent makhana food production, there is now considerable concern about the crop management, processing and marketing of makhana pop. Due to Covid-19 spread, many agriculture sectors in India as well as in the World were badly affected because of restriction of movement of workers, changes in demand of consumers and restricted food trade policies and financial instability. Hence, the objective of this present experiment was to assess elaborately about impacts of Covid-19 spread on the production and marketing system of makhana. Methods: Crop management system was monitored and problems were detected by field visits and taking observations. The sample size was >10 at each location for market analysis. Multistage random sampling at each stage and 'Conventional method' were adopted for per cent loss and gain. Result: According to August-2020 survey, Covid-19 spread and subsequent lock-down situation in India might reduce the total makhana production due to less labor involvement in the production process and would have adverse effect in the marketing system as well as on the export balance in the international market. Accordingly, a case study was also performed from the farmer field of Manigachhi, Darbhanga, Bihar, where crop losses occur from leaf blight due to improper crop management during lock-down situations and they farmers felt an existing weak marketing system. However, during the second survey in November (2020), it was evident that makhana industry got an sudden and impulsive change, due to increase in mass awareness about makhana as a nutrition dense medicinal food and immune booster. Early negative impact of Covid-19 was redressed and finally the makhana food industry became profitable on account of having medicinal and pharmaceutical value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

India is experiencing a nutrition transition, with sales of packaged and processed foods rapidly increasing in recent years. This study sought to understand the views and experiences of self-help groups about highly processed, packaged food in Visakhapatnam, India, using the Photovoice method. Participants were able to record, reflect on and critique their environments through participatory analysis, identifying key themes, and offering a critical lens on their food environment and experiences. On an average eight and 14 members participated in the Photovoice workshops held in urban and rural Visakhapatnam respectively. The key themes emerging from the photos and text data are that participants experienced highly processed packaged foods as being: 1) democratic (easily available and consumed by all, affordable and accessible; 2) convenient (easy to prepare) and 3) unhealthy (for human consumption and for environmental sustainability). These data demonstrate the challenges facing public health nutritionists in wishing to shift dietary behaviors to healthy habits: on the surface participants acknowledged their unhealthy characteristics, however these products may now be embedded in dietary culture. Traditional methods for changing dietary habits may not be able to capture the complexity and systems approach is required to explore the most effective entry points for affecting change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Boosting the immune system's response through better nutrition has been suggested as a coping strategy to help fight COVID-19. Among other food products, orange juice, a rich source of Vitamin C, has been in huge demand in India since the outbreak of COVID-19. Panic buying has further added to this increased demand for orange juice. Using data collected through online surveys, this paper applies both conjoint and market simulation analysis to study consumers' preferences when purchasing orange juice. Nine important product attributes (flavour, preservatives, sweetener, brand, taste, pulp concentration, container, production method of orange and price) as well as different levels for each attribute are considered for the analysis. Among the selected attributes, relatively respondents gave more importance to the 'method of production' of orange, followed by 'brand', 'pulp concentration', 'sweeteners', and 'preservatives.' The market simulation analysis showed that a new product with the desired levels (high mean utility values) across the selected attributes would stand to enjoy a market share of around 32 percent. These findings support product differentiation as a strategy by firms in the food processing sector under conditions of intense competition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Food Processing sector in India has a quintessential role in networking Indian farmers to consumers in the domestic and international markets. Demand for processed food items is set to increase in India in the coming years providing opportunities for greater value addition, lower wastages and alternative employment opportunities. Various analysis have reported that outcome from food processing firms have been lucrative, but the value addition component needs to increase significantly. Organizations like Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) is making concrete efforts to encourage investments across various value chain. Selection of right process, effective package of equipment with trained manpower coupled with effective strategy and initiatives is the key to promote food processing sector. Under National Agricultural Research System many such technologies have been developed which enables setting up micro and small food processing industries in production catchment. Some of these technologies which could be adopted for doubling the farmer's income in briefed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

India has witnessed extensive economic reforms in its policies governing international trade that has consequently led to a dramatic rise in the trade flows, increased volumes of bilateral trade and has led to the growth of specific industries in the last two decades wherein a lot of trade agreements have been formed. India-ASEAN agreement and the on-going negotiations between India and EU representatives during the last decade has given rise to substantial curiosity among researchers across the world. The kind of trade agreements India has with the two trading blocs is significant to explain the direction of India's trade volume in respect of selected industries. The research paper analyses the trend in trade patterns and the increase in CAGR in respect of selected industries from 1996 to 2015. The trade pattern of India with respect to selected industries like agricultural food processing, textiles and garments, minerals, chemicals, gems and jewellery, metals and metallic goods and machinery and engineering goods, under the HS code II is analysed for EU and ASEAN countries. The historical span for the study was chosen keeping in mind the years of association with the countries in EU and ASEAN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Disruption through present pandemic is applicable to almost all the sectors of economy. However, impact on Indian food and dairy industry is largely experienced considering it as the livelihood of sizable stakeholders emphasizing small and marginal farmers. Present study is undertaken to examine the global assessment of dairy supply chain with emphasizing on India, USA and Canada, which will be important to observe positive and negative trends of Covid-19 and suggesting appropriate measures for dealing with present and similar situations in near future. Methods: Systematic literature review assessment had been followed from major web platforms like Jgate, Ebsco database and popular news articles were explored since December 2019 to April 2020 for the study purpose. Conclusion: Along with supply chain assessment through its various components, it was observed that although different countries have negative effect on the dairy communities, but these adverse situations can be converted into new possibilities for expansion. It was also observed that dairy industry has the potential to convert present crisis into opportunity thereby not only concentrating on health part of consumers but also contributing towards generating employment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The correlation of engineering properties and mass of ash gourd seeds was explored by using models like linear, quadratic, S‐curve, power, and multivariate. The recorded range of values for seed groups (group of large mass, medium mass, and small mass) was 92.77 to 34.07 g for thousand seed mass, 28.06 to 24.46 for angle of repose, 5.64 to 4.90 m/s for terminal velocity, 213.73 to 227.12 N/mm for hardness. Coefficient of static friction was found the highest for rubber (0.488) and the lowest for aluminum (0.305) for all sizes of seeds. The recommended models based on dimensions were linear, quadratic, and power models with R2 = 0.997 based on arithmetic mean diameter for large mass seeds, power model (R2 = 0.999) based on geometric mean diameter for medium mass seeds, quadratic and power models with same R2 = 0.999 based on arithmetic mean diameter for small mass seeds. The recommended area‐based models for large mass, medium mass, and small mass seeds were quadratic model (R2 = 0.997) based on projected areas perpendicular to length, power model (R2 = 0.999) based on projected areas perpendicular to thickness, and quadratic model (R2 = 0.999) based on projected area's perpendicular thickness, respectively. For surface area‐based models, quadratic model (R2 = 0.997) for group of large mass, quadratic and power models (R2 = 0.999) for group of medium mass, and quadratic model (R2 = 0.999) for group of small mass were found to be acceptable. Models based on ellipsoid volume of seed were recommended for all groups. The properties studied and models explored (best fitted) may be used for process and equipment design. Practical Applications: Ash gourd seeds are discarded as waste by ash gourd processing food industries (mainly Petha industries in the northern part of India). Seeds are rich in proteins, minerals and oil, the ash gourd seed oil is high in therapeutic value, as it is rich in phytonutrients such as vitamins (A and E), squalene, terpenoids, and alkaloids. Seeds are also rich in antibacterial and antifungal properties. This makes it highly valuable for food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries. The size of seed changes as the size of fruit changes and physical properties of seed depend on seed size. This study will give the knowledge of the properties of seeds, which help to design equipment for processing of seeds for various end products with the best quality. The explored models may be used for prediction of mass as per the size of seeds and help in understanding the processing operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Limonia acidissima (wood apple) fruit is edible and used in very limited food preparations. This fruit as well as different parts of the L. acidissima plant is also used as a folk medicine to treat various ailments and reportedly possesses anti-hyperglycemic and anti-hyperlipidaemic activities. The purpose of the present study was to examine the potential uses and applications of L. acidissima to improve the usage of this unexploited fruit based on its nutritive value. This review summarizes recent pharmacognostical aspects, various applications of this fruit in food and non-food industries, and the experimental research work done on L. acidissima. This review will be helpful to create interest toward the lesser-known facts and less documented work done on L. acidissima. This information may be useful in developing new formulations or enhancing the existing products with more therapeutic or nutritive value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This paper aims to understand the dietary diversity in the selected tribal population, identify and document the available non-timber forest products (NTFPs) and locally available food resources (LAFRs) in the selected tribal area, review the functional and nutritional properties of the food resources, and promote them as functional foods in achieving food and nutrition security. Subjects and methods: The selected Irula tribes were located at the base of the Western Ghats region of Southern India. Background information was collected using a pre-tested questionnaire and a direct interview schedule. A dietary survey was carried out using the 24-h recall method and a food frequency questionnaire for individuals in the 18–65 year age group (n = 400) in consultation with senior women in the families. A scientific review process was adopted to identify the functional properties and nutritional values of the NTFPs and LAFRs. Results: The review process of the NTFPs and LAFRs revealed the presence of active compounds, including enzymes, pigments, and polyphenols, and anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, cardioprotective, immune-boosting, anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, gastroprotective, anti-anaemia, and anti-diarrheal functional properties. For the past few decades, a simultaneous reduction in tribal dietary diversity has been observed, with acute shortcomings in macro and micronutrients in the most vulnerable age groups. Conclusion: Efforts to document and promote the best utilization of NTFPs and LAFRs with functional food and nutritional value will help to achieve food and nutrition security in the selected population. Promotion of NTFPs and LAFRs through education and dietary interventions would be a possible solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Fishing and fish processing in India is a major industry in coastal states. Job demand in fishing industry involves awkward work postures, repetitive or continuous stresses on a worker's musculoskeletal system which makes them vulnerable for various work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSDs). Several risk factors at workplace and in the work related task have been identified to be strongly associated with WRMSDs, however there is limited retrievable literature identifying these risk factors in people involved fishing and fish processing industry. Objectives: To find out the prevalence and association between WRMSD and task related ergonomic risk factors in fish processing industry. Study design: Cross sectional study design. Methods: This cross sectional study was conducted among (n=83) various workers involved in the fish processing industries along the coastal region of Southern Karnataka. NMQ which is a valid and reliable self-administrated questionnaire commonly used to identify WMSDs was distributed among the workers at their worksite. Subjects who had completed the NMQ with more than 90% response rate were included for data analysis, and task analysis was done by using REBA which was evaluated through tripod mounted motion capture camera. Results: The prevalence data in this study was collected using Nordic musculo-skeletal questionnaire, in which it was found that musculo-skeletal issues pertaining to neck and upper back were the most prevalent (52.9% each) in the period of past 12 months followed by lower back (51.8%), knee (42.4%), shoulder (31.8%), elbow (20%), wrist (16.5%), ankle (15.3%) and Hips (7.1%). Of all the occupational categories analysed, the mean REBA score was the highest for cutting (6.88+ .32), whereas all the other categories had an identical mean score of 6.0+0 and the difference was found to be very highly significant. Conclusion: This study finding showed the link between adverse effects of inadequate work conditions and musculoskeletal injuries in fishery industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Convenience food industry has shown a rapid growth in India in the last few years. Now a days they are very much in demand and is growing at a rapid rate. These foods are saviour for busy and working people. They have been widely accepted by the non-working people as well. Due to fast and busy life, consumption pattern of people is drifting from raw food to convenience foods. Convenience foods are overly processed food which saves the preparation and cooking time of food in the kitchen.. Young generation children are more likely to consume packaged food as they give great aroma, texture and taste. These foods determine the food choices and consumption pattern of the consumers. Urbanisation and the changing lifestyle has a huge role in increasing the demand of such food items. They are gaining immense popularity in the food industry, global food market and among the food scientists. In the past few years convenience food has shown a remarkable growth in the food market . This present study aims at studying the consumption pattern of convenience food in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite several interventions, India has made little progress in reducing hidden hunger, micronutrient malnutrition. Food fortification of staple foods could be useful in addressing the above problem. Nonetheless, it may lead to an increase in economic stress among people by increasing inflation and monthly budget expenditure. Objective: The prime objective was to see whether or not mandatory food fortification will lead to an increase in inflation and the family's budget expenditure. Methods: The study was based on secondary data. Decomposition approach has been used—inflation was decomposed into contributions of each commodity and which was further divided into base, weight, and inflation effects. To estimate the impact of mandatory food fortification on the family's budget expenditure, monthly per capita expenditure has been assessed by considering both the situations—with and without fortification. Results: Results suggest that mandatory food fortification has a very negligible effect on inflation, suggesting no rise in inflation due to mandatory food fortification in India. Also, the study suggests a minimal increase in monthly per capita expenditure in both rural and urban sectors of India. Conclusions: Though adopting mandatory food fortification in India will not have an impact on inflation, there would be 2 major challenges: high dependency on food items processed locally and unawareness of benefits of fortified food items. Therefore, the government can first start food fortification of staple food with safety nets programs like NFSA, focusing on the most vulnerable groups of the society, and then scale up at a large scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

India's diverse climatic environment ensures that all types of fresh fruits are available throughout the year. After China, India is the second-largest fruits producer in the world, with 81,285 MT of fruit accounting 12.6 percent share in world's fruits production in 2017. The impact on fruit farming have a cascading effect on the food processing industry, which is critical to India because its contribution in the economy and employment generation especially in rural economy. The COVID-19 implications are expected to have a significant impact on food value chain, because it is labour intensive and products are highly perishable. The national lockdown announced by the government in March has seriously affected rural India's lives and livelihoods. The article will have a birds-eye view of understanding the emerging operational issues and future implications of COVID-19 on fruit supply chain in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In India, there has been no attempt to measure the implementation of World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Article 5.3, which provides guidelines to address tobacco industry interference (TII). This study draws on a desk review conducted to assess the frequency and severity of TIIs and the government's response, reported between January and December 2017. This study highlights that the government of India does not allow tobacco industry to participate in policy development. However, the industry interferes by collaborating with the government's allied organizations. The tobacco industry has diversified as food industry in India, and directly or indirectly supports various government programs, by investing through their corporate social responsibility schemes. In addition, there are limited legislative measures to allow transparency in adoption of Article 5.3 guidelines across the country. Hence, the findings of this study underscore an exigent need to adopt and implement Article 5.3 at the national level in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Musculoskeletal Disorders or MSDs are injuries and disorders that affect the human body's movement or musculoskeletal system (i.e. muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves, discs, blood vessels, etc.). Work activities that involve heavy lifting, awkward postures, bending, twisting or stooping, prolonged sitting or standing and repetitive motions may contribute to the development of these problems. Industrial workers are more prone to develop musculoskeletal disorders. Objectives: Objectives of the study were to the prevalence of common musculoskeletal disorders and survey among the workers. To find out the severity of specific musculoskeletal disorders prevailing in the food industry in Karad. Material and Method: In this observational study, 60 subjects were assessed using Visual analogue scale (VAS), Posture assessment and Nordic questionnaire. Results: Statistical analysis of VAS were found to be extremely significant with a P value of <0.0001. Conclusion: The current study concluded that there are chances of musculoskeletal disorders in small scale food industry workers. The musculoskeletal disorders which appears with maximum duration initiates with neck pain followed by low back pain and knee pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Financial performance of a firm is a function of its financing sources which are affected by firm-specific as well as marketspecific factors. Though substantial literature is available on capital structure, there are very few studies which have concentrated on Indian food processing industry. The research paper investigates the factors affecting the financing choice of a company considering its relative size and market share. On the basis of literature review, eight important factors are identified and their impact on the long-term and shortterm borrowings have been tested using multiple regression model on balanced panel data of 40 firms for 5 years (2014 - 2018). The study concludes that tangibility, liquidity, growth opportunities and operating cash flows are major determinants of long-term and short-term liability. The paper has also found that small firms primarily borrow more with high profit whereas medium and large firms prefer equity and retained earnings as profits increases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Information and communication technology (ICT) is a general-purpose technology, which plays an important role in improving the efficiency of a business firm. Nowadays, investment on ICT has become necessary for every business firm in different sectors of the economy. However, firms need to be very cautious while investing on a particular ICT, which is suitable for their businesses. Thus, it becomes necessary for the firm to understand its internal organizational characteristics to invest better on ICT. Therefore, the objective of the present study is to understand the organizational factors, which influence investment on ICT at the firm level. Design/methodology/approach: The technology–organization–environment (TOE) framework is adopted to understand the organizational factors which influence a firm's ICT investment. The sample for the study is the firms belonging to bakery and sugar confectionery sector, which is one of the important sub-sectors of processed food industry in India. The data for analysis is extracted from a secondary source, namely the Prowess Database. The study uses two-step system GMM, a method of generalized method of moment (GMM), to identify the organizational determinants of ICT investment at the firm level. Findings: The study finds that previous-year investment on ICT has a significant impact on firms' present-year investment on ICT. The result of the econometric method also shows that firms which are larger, labour-intensive and highly liquidated are the ones investing more on ICT in the present study. Research limitations/implications: As mentioned, the study examines the ICT investment determinants of firms belonging to one of the important sub-sectors of processed food industry of the Indian economy. However, the result of the study is not to be generalized since it is related only to a specific industry. Further, the data used in the study is limited by secondary sources and therefore, requires data from primary sources for in-depth investigation of ICT investment determinants at the firm level. Originality/value: This paper bridges a research gap by examining the determinants of ICT investment of one of the important industry sectors in particular to developing countries. The paper contributes to the growing research on information technology adoption by using factors within the TOE framework to explain a processed food firm's investment on ICT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this race the Indian legislature, fortunately, has not lagged far behind and has shown great concern for degradation of environment" and made specific legislative attempts to control different environmental pollution in particular. On the other hand, the second limb of the state, the executive, has been moving at a snail's pace or what Justice Krishna Iyer says, the bureaucratic machinery, which difunctionally, has passion for files, not for the people." Whereas, the judiciary is trying its best to balance the environment and development. In view of the degrading environment which poses a problem for the very survival of living things, the environmental law academics lately started paying attention to this underdeveloped field. Out of the three components of the state, the academics in India have generally confined their discussions to the approach of the legislature. The executive approach in environment has yet to attract serious attention of the law academics' writings. However, the judicial approach finds some place in the law writings. The present paper makes an attempt to take further the discussion on Indian judicial approach in the field of environment. Such academic exercise is all the more necessary in the present time because Indian judiciary since 1980 is taking special cognizance of the pollution explosion and there is a substantial increase in the case law in environment. Is not the time ripe to take stock of the direction of environmental legality in India? The present paper makes a humble attempt in this direction. It confines discussion to the cases of 1987 decided by the Supreme Court of India and the High Courts. This specific year has been selected because the graph of case law in environment from the year 1950 to 1990 shows its highest peak in 1987. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because of absence of efficient infrastructure and food processing industries about 30-35 percent of all food produced in India are wasted and changes in factors like information technology, competition, importance of speed and the human perspective has increased more significance of Supply Chain Management. For agricultural products, successful supply chain development projects reduce not only the transaction costs but also the institutional barriers that decouple individual links in traditional distribution channels. They allow participants to achieve higher levels of service and to capture substantial added value thereby serving as leverage points both for economic growth and for poverty alleviation. The entire supply chain of Fruits and Vegetables in India is laden with various issues and challenges. To list the possible challenges and suggest a way forward, there is a need to study the supply chain of Fruits and Vegetables sector in India. So the purpose of this paper is to discuss the supply chain of fruits and vegetables sector in India and explain the issues which are affecting it. This paper also suggests the corresponding mitigation strategies to overcome the identified issues and challenges. This paper discus the viable issues as far as the drivers of the supply chain performance, which are inventory, transportation, facility, information and price of the upstream elements, farmers, traders and mid stream of the supply chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

India is one of the largest producers of fruits and vegetables in the world. These are rich sources of bioactive compounds which provide health benefits and also possess antioxidant therapeutic value. A large portion of fruits and vegetables goes unutilized in the form of pulp and peels after the extraction of juice in food processing industries. This contains a large number of bioactive compounds. The compounds like phenolic compounds, flavonoids and carotenoids are ubiquitously present in fruits, vegetables and their byproducts. These compounds have antioxidant, antimicrobial, anticancer, antiviral, antitumor and many more activities to a greater or lesser extent. This review focuses on the bioactive compounds present in fruits, vegetables and their by-products along with their classification and importance in day to day life. A further aim of this review is to discuss various techniques employed in the extraction of bioactive compounds from plant products. The antioxidant activity of various fruits and vegetables based on DPPH radical scavenging methods has also been reported in this work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper seeks to investigate the relationship between equity and factors affecting them in Indian medium-sized food industry. The analysis has been done on medium-sized firms of food industry taken from prowess software. The data of 5 years has been taken from 2013-2017 so as to get a clear view of analysis over the period of time. Regression analysis is used in the estimation of functions related to equity with a measure of capital structure. The results reveal a significant positive relationship of tangible fixed assets and growth opportunities with equity, significant negative relationship of age, profitability, tax provision and total assets with equity. The research suggests that medium-sized food firms of food industry rely more on debt than equity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public-private partnerships are crucial for advancing agricultural sustainability and tackling issues related to enhancing global food security. They help make technology accessible to farmers so they can access markets. As PPPs bring together participants from the public, private, and civil society, they are commonly touted as a means of boosting productivity and fostering growth in the agriculture and food sectors. The PPP can assist in implementing cutting-edge technological breakthroughs and promoting private sector participation to reduce risks that could otherwise be excessive. PPPs are commonly understood as having the potential to modernize the agriculture industry and offer numerous concessions to help farmers achieve sustainable agricultural growth. The objective of the present study is to understand how these new partnerships are expected to play significant roles in identifying answers to the most important agricultural problems that Indian Agriculture is confronting. The study further aims to understand the critical issues in PPPs in the agriculture sector in the Indian context by analyzing their interrelationships and prioritization. The study utilizes Grey DEMATEL to determine these contextual relationships for PPP issues. Grey systems theory is a methodology that incorporates improbability and vagueness into the analysis. The critical issues in agricultural PPPs, as identified in the study, are "Complex and Time-Consuming Procedures", "Governance Issues", "Lack of Enabling Environment", "Costly Contracting and Endogenous Contract Incompleteness", and "Coordination Failures". The present paper makes an effort to provide a detailed and exhaustive assessment of difficulties in agriculture PPPs in India, as well as a path forward for policymakers. • Analysing the key issues in PPPs in agriculture in the Indian context. • Interrelationships and prioritization of these issues. • Using the Grey DEMATEL to determine these contextual relationships for PPP issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]