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Citrus fruits belong to the Rutaceae family, which comprises sweet oranges, sour and bitter oranges, mandarins, lemons, limes, grapefruit, pomelo, citrons, etc, and a wide range of hybrids and cybrids. The presence of vitamin and flavonoid enhance the nutritional and medicinal properties. Hesperidin, found in citrus fruits is one of the major flavonoids which binds with the active protein site of the severe acute respiratory syndrome, SARS-CoV-2 (Corona Virus-2). Citrus also helps to boost immunity. Fruits cannot be kept for a longer period under normal conditions due to postharvest decay which causes heavy economic losses of up to 30% of the total production and can go up to 50% in underdeveloped countries. This post-harvest loss causes non-utilization and wastage of citrus and the world need nutritional security to prevent the pandemic and hidden hunger. So, it is required to process the fruit in the form of canned products, squash, juice, juice concentrate, puree, essential oil, pickle, vinegar, etc and enriched & fortified products such as fortified vermicelli or cookies with orange peel powder can help to enhance immunity and prevent respiratory issues for utilization of citrus. The by-product obtained after processing can be used to extract the essential oil and pectin from the waste. This value addition, enrichment, and fortification help the citrus to reach the people for consumption and develop immunity. Hence, it could help to reduce the activity against the COVID virus; and help to resolve the issue of hidden hunger.

The textural properties of coconut meat such as punching force, cutting force, punching energy, and cutting energy are the salient parameters for the efficient and ergonomic design of the fiber extraction machine and processing equipments such as coconut chips slicing machine and grating machine. As literature on these textural properties of coconut meat is limited, our study analyzed these textural properties at three different positions viz. eye, middle and bottom position of 9, 10, and 11 months maturity old Malayan Yellow Dwarf (MYD), Malayan Orange Dwarf (MOD), and Chowghat Orange Dwarf (COD) cultivars. Statistical analysis revealed that cultivar, maturity and loading position are the major factors that significantly affect the textural properties of coconut meat. MOD was reported to be the toughest cultivar followed by MYD and COD. The amount of force and energy needed to punch and cut the coconut meat was found to increase with maturity (11 months> 10 months> 9 months) and loading position (bottom section > middle section > eye section), respectively. The highest punching force was observed for the meat of cultivar MOD of 11 months maturity with 18.41 ± 1.53 N, 36.70 ± 5.72 N, and 39.12 ± 6.65 N for the eye, middle and the bottom sections, respectively. The highest punching and cutting energy of 168.89 ± 7.37 J and 254.21 ± 28.14 J was documented for MOD cultivar of 11 months maturity, at the bottom section.

Ultrasound processing has been widely applied in food sector for various applications such as decontamination and structural and functional components modifications in food. Enzymes are proteinaceous in nature and are widely used due to its catalytic activity. To mitigate the undesirable effects caused by the enzymes various technologies have been utilized to inactive the enzymes and improve the enzyme efficiency. Ultrasound is an emerging technology that produces acoustic waves which causes rapid formation and collapse of bubbles. It has the capacity to break the hydrogen bonds and interact with the polypeptide chains due to Vander Waals forces leading to the alteration of the secondary and tertiary structure of the enzymes thereby leading to loss in their biological activity. US effectively inactivates various dairy-related enzymes, including alkaline phosphatase (ALP), lactoperoxidase (LPO), and γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGTP) with increased US intensity and time without affecting the natural dairy flavors. The review also demonstrates that inactivation of enzymes presents in fruit and vegetables such as polyphenol oxidase (PPO), polygalacturonase (PG), Pectin methyl esterase (PME), and peroxidase. The presence of the enzymes causes detrimental effects causes off-flavors, off-colors, cloudiness, reduction in viscosity of juices, therefore the formation of high-energy free molecules during sonication affects the catalytic function of enzymes and thereby causing inactivation. Therefore this manuscript elucidates the recent advances made in the inactivation of common, enzymes infruits, vegetables and dairy products by the application of ultrasound and also explains the enzyme inactivation kinetics associated. Further this manuscript also discusses the ultrasound with other combined technologies, mechanisms, and its effects on the enzyme inactivation.

In this study, de-oiled rice bran (RB) and virgin coconut oil cake (VCOC) were selected as base materials. Corn starch, wheat bran, and guar gum were taken as binding agents. The doughs were treated with combined Ultraviolet (UV) (1000 μW/cm2 for 15 min) and Aqueous Ozone (AO) (3 mg/L, exposure time 5 min and pH of 4). The effect of these non-thermal treatments on microbial log reduction, textural characteristics, glass transition (Tg), and crystallinity was studied and compared with the control. The results for all samples, dough raising capacities differed widely by 10–30%. Bulk Density and True Density were 1.6 to 2.5 g/cm3 and 2.3 to 3.3 g/cm3. X-Ray Diffraction indicated 30–45% crystallinity, and crystallite size ranges between 0.54 and 0.90 nm. DSC indicated Tg and melting point between 49°C-55°C and 98°C-101°C for RB dough and at 54°C-60°C and 107°C-134°C for VCOC dough samples. UV with AO treated dough showed a maximum of 5.2 log microbial reduction compared to the untreated sample. The developed RB and wheat bran combination demonstrated the highest tensile strength (0.62 MPa) whereas RB-starch combination had the minimum water absorption (1.33 ml/min). This indicates the ability of additives to improve the characteristics of biodegradable cutlery made from agricultural residues.

The color of any food is influenced by several factors, such as food attributes (presence of pigments, maturity, and variety), processing methods, packaging, and storage conditions. Thus, measuring the color profile of food can be used to control the quality of food and examine the changes in chemical composition. With the advent of non-thermal processing techniques and their growing significance in the industry, there is a demand to understand the effects of these technologies on various quality attributes, including color. This paper reviews the effects of novel, non-thermal processing technologies on the color attributes of processed food and the implications on consumer acceptability. The recent developments in this context and a discussion on color systems and various color measurement techniques are also included. The novel non-thermal techniques, including high-pressure processing, pulsed electric field, ultrasonication, and irradiation which employ low processing temperatures for a short period, have been found effective. Since food products are processed at ambient temperature by subjecting them to non-thermal treatment for a very short time, there is no possibility of damage to heat-sensitive nutrient components in the food, any deterioration in the texture of the food, and any toxic compounds in the food due to heat. These techniques not only yield higher nutritional quality but are also observed to maintain better color attributes. However, suppose foods are exposed to prolonged exposure or processed at a higher intensity. In that case, these non-thermal technologies can cause undesirable changes in food, such as oxidation of lipids and loss of color and flavor. Developing equipment for batch food processing using non-thermal technology, understanding the appropriate mechanisms, developing processing standards using non-thermal processes, and clarifying consumer myths and misconceptions about these technologies will help promote non-thermal technologies in the food industry.

In this study, the pesticide (acetamiprid, deltamethrin, and pyridaben) removal and physicochemical quality improvement of vine (Vitis vinifera) leaf were examined using ultrasonic and traditional cleaning for 5, 10, and 15 min. After an ultrasonic cleaning procedure at 37 kHz for 10 min, acetamiprid, deltamethrin, and pyridaben in vine leaf were reduced by 54.76, 58.22, and 54.55 %, respectively. Furthermore, the total phenolic content (TPC) in vine leaf increased to 13.45 mg GAE/g DW compared to that in control samples using traditional cleaning (10.37 mg GAE/g DW), but there were no significant differences in DPPH radical scavenging activity. After 15 min of conventional cleaning, the total chlorophyll and total carotenoid content of leaves were found to be lowest among all samples, at 6.52 mg/kg and 0.48 mg/kg, respectively. In conclusion, when compared to conventional cleaning methods, ultrasonic cleaning with no chemicals or heat treatment has proven to be a successful and environmentally friendly application in reducing commonly used pesticides and improving the physicochemical qualities of leaves.

One of the earliest and most prevalent processing methods to increase the shelf-life of foods is drying. In recent years, there has been an increased demand to improve product quality while lowering processing times, expenses, and energy usage in the drying process. Pre-treatments are therefore effectively used before drying to enhance heat and mass transfer, increase drying efficiency, and lessen degradation of final product quality. When food is dried, changes are expected in its taste, color, texture, and physical, chemical, and microbial properties. This has led to the need for research and development into the creation of new and effective pre-treatment technologies including high-pressure processing, pulsed electric field, ultraviolet irradiation, and ultrasound. Sound waves that have a frequency >20 kHz, which is above the upper limit of the audible frequency range, are referred to as “ultrasound”. Ultrasonication (US) is a non-thermal technology, that has mechanical, cavitational, and sponge effects on food materials. Ultrasound pre-treatment enhances the drying characteristics by producing microchannels in the food tissue, facilitating internal moisture diffusion in the finished product, and lowering the barrier to water migration. The goal of ultrasound pre-treatment is to save processing time, conserve energy, and enhance the quality, safety, and shelf-life of food products. This study presents a comprehensive overview of the fundamentals of ultrasound, its mechanism, and how the individual effects of ultrasonic pre-treatment and the interactive effects of ultrasound-assisted technologies affect the drying kinetics, bioactive components, color, textural, and sensory qualities of food. The difficulties that can arise when using ultrasound technology as a drying pretreatment approach, such as inadequate management of heat, the employment of ultrasound at a limited frequency, and the generation of free radicals, have also been explained.

Although both ultraviolet (UV) radiation and ultrasound (US) treatment have their capabilities in microbial inactivation, applying any one method alone may require a high dose for complete inactivation, which may affect the sensory and nutritional properties of pineapple juice. Hence, this study was intended to analyse and optimise the effect of combined US and UV treatments on microbial inactivation without affecting the selected quality parameters of pineapple juice. US treatment (33 kHz) was done at three different time intervals, viz. 10 min, 20 min and 30 min., after which, juice samples were subjected to UV treatment for 10 min at three UV dosage levels, viz. 1 J/cm2, 1.3 J/cm2, and 1.6 J/cm2. The samples were evaluated for total colour difference, pH, total soluble solids (TSS), titrable acidity (TA), and ascorbic acid content; total bacterial count and total yeast count; and the standardization of process parameters was done using Response Surface Methodology and Artificial Neural Network. The results showed that the individual, as well as combined treatments, did not significantly impact the physicochemical properties while retaining the quality characteristics. It was observed that combined treatment resulted in 5 log cycle reduction in bacterial and yeast populations while the individual treatment failed. From the optimization studies, it was found that combined US and UV treatments with 22.95 min and1.577 J/cm2 ensured a microbiologically safe product while retaining organoleptic quality close to that of fresh juice.

The qualitative and quantitative evaluation of agricultural products has often been carried out using traditional, i.e., destructive, techniques. Due to their inherent disadvantages, non-destructive methods that use near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) coupled with chemometrics could be useful for evaluating various agricultural products. Advancements in computational power, machine learning, regression models, artificial neural networks (ANN), and other predictive tools have made their way into NIRS, improving its potential to be a feasible alternative to destructive measurements. Moreover, the incorporation of suitable preprocessing techniques and wavelength selection methods has arguably proven its practical feasibility. This review focuses on the various computation methods used for processing the spectral data collected and discusses the potential applications of NIRS for evaluating the quality and safety of agricultural products. The challenges associated with this technology are also discussed, as well as potential future perspectives. We conclude that NIRS is a potentially useful tool for the rapid assessment of the quality and safety of agricultural products.

Food color is a feature that provides preliminary information about their preference or consumption. There are dominant pigments that determine the color of each food; the most important pigments are anthocyanins (red–purple color), chlorophylls (green color), carotenoids (yellow-orange color), and betalains (red color). These pigments can be easily affected by temperature, light, oxygen, or pH, thereby altering their properties. Therefore, while processing, it is necessary to prevent the deterioration of these pigments to the maximum possible extent. Ultrasonication, which is one of the emerging non-thermal methods, has multidimensional applications in the food industry. The present review collates information on various aspects of ultrasonication technology, its mechanism of action, influencing factors, and the competence of different ultrasonication applications (drying, irradiation, extraction, pasteurization, cooking, tempering, etc.) in preserving the color of food. It was concluded that ultrasonication treatments provide low-temperature processing at a short time, which positively influences the color properties. However, selecting optimum ultrasonic processing conditions (frequency, power, time, etc.) is crucial for each food to obtain the best color. The key challenges and limitations of the technique and possible future applications are also covered in the paper, serving as a touchstone for further research in this area.

The potential of bio-preservatives, namely, nisin, natamycin, and polylysine, as viable alternatives to chemical preservatives for storage of tender coconut water (TCW) during refrigerated storage (5 ± 2°C) was explored. Bio-preservative treatments were carried out after optimized heat treatment (85°C for 5 min) of TCW to establish its storage characteristics. Various concentrations (up to 125 ppm) of bio-preservatives were used for the preservation, and quality parameters of resultant TCW were assessed based on physicochemical characteristics and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) guidelines and statistical analysis applied. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and post-hoc test revealed that pH and overall acceptability (OA) are the major governing factors that determine spoilage of TCW (p < 0.05). Overall, the polylysine combination was found to be most effective in ensuring quality retention of TCW. It was concluded that pasteurized TCW shelf life could be extended up to 20 days using bio-preservatives.

Coconut husk is used as a natural fiber, and it is constantly gaining economic importance including in organic farming. Yet, there are major knowledge gaps regarding the engineering properties of coconut to design efficient coconut dehusking and coir manufacturing process. A sample of 40 coconuts of each variety, namely Malayan Yellow Dwarf, Malayan Orange Dwarf, Kera Shankara, Chowghat Orange Dwarf, and Chowghat Green Dwarf, were divided into two groups (20 dry and 20 green coconuts), and different engineering properties were measured. It was observed that coconuts show an extensive diversity in size, density, husk thickness, husk weight, shell thickness, shell weight, and kernel thickness, depending on variety and maturity. The present investigation provides necessary information and the need for classifying the coconut fruits based on size/variety rather than weight to design superior coconut dehusking machine.

Huge quantities of byproducts/wastes generated in onion processing are usually discarded, but they are excellent sources of bioactive compounds and phytochemicals. However, with growing interest in the sustainable use of resources and the circular economy to reduce adverse impacts on the environment, food processing wastes such as onion peel/skin can be extracted and employed as inputs in developing or reformulating nutrient supplements, and pharmacological drugs. This review highlights major bioactive components, especially total phenolics, total flavonoid, quercetin and its derivatives present in onion peel/skin and their therapeutic applications as cardioprotective, neuroprotective, antiobesity, antidiabetic, anticancer and antimicrobial agents. The present review emphasized that onion peel is one of the important agricultural by-products which is rich in bioactive compounds and can be utilized as health promoting ingredient especially in pharmacological and biomedical fields. Thus, with increasing burden of life style disorders/non-communicable diseases, finding suitable natural alternative for their treatment is one major concern of the researchers and onion peel and its extract can be exploited as a prime ingredient.

The number of food frauds in coconut-based products is increasing due to higher consumer demands for these products. Rising health consciousness, public awareness and increased concerns about food safety and quality have made authorities and various other certifying agencies focus more on the authentication of coconut products. As the conventional techniques for determining the quality attributes of coconut are destructive and time-consuming, non-destructive testing methods which are accurate, rapid, and easy to perform with no detrimental sampling methods are currently gaining importance. Spectroscopic methods such as nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), infrared (IR)spectroscopy, mid-infrared (MIR)spectroscopy, near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy, ultraviolet-visible (UV-VIS) spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and Raman spectroscopy (RS) are gaining in importance for determining the oxidative stability of coconut oil, the adulteration of oils, and the detection of harmful additives, pathogens, and toxins in coconut products and are also employed in deducing the interactions in food constituents, and microbial contaminations. The objective of this review is to provide a comprehensive analysis on the various spectroscopic techniques along with different chemometric approaches for the successful authentication and quality determination of coconut products. The manuscript was prepared by analyzing and compiling the articles that were collected from various databases such as PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus and ScienceDirect. The spectroscopic techniques in combination with chemometrics were shown to be successful in the authentication of coconut products. RS and NMR spectroscopy techniques proved their utility and accuracy in assessing the changes in coconut oil’s chemical and viscosity profile. FTIR spectroscopy was successfully utilized to analyze the oxidation levels and determine the authenticity of coconut oils. An FT-NIR-based analysis of various coconut samples confirmed the acceptable levels of accuracy in prediction. These non-destructive methods of spectroscopy offer a broad spectrum of applications in food processing industries to detect adulterants. Moreover, the combined chemometrics and spectroscopy detection method is a versatile and accurate measurement for adulterant identification.

This study involves information about the concentrations of nutrients (proteins, phenolic compounds, free amino acids, minerals (Ca, P, and Iron), hardness) in milled rice processed with enzymes; xylanase and cellulase produced by Aspergillus awamori, MTCC 9166 and Trichoderma reese, MTCC164. Brown rice was processed with 60–100% enzyme (40 mL buffer -undiluted) for 30 to 150 min at 30 °C to 50 °C followed by polishing for 20–100 s at a safe moisture level. Multiple linear regression (MLR) and artificial neural network (ANN) models were used for process optimization of enzymes. The MLR correlation coefficient (R2) varied between 0.87–0.90, and the sum of square (SSE) was placed within 0.008–8.25. While the ANN R2 (correlation coefficient) varied between 0.97 and 0.9999(1), MSE changed from 0.005 to 6.13 representing that the ANN method has better execution across MLR. The optimized cellulase process parameters (87.2% concentration, 80.1 min process time, 33.95 °C temperature and 21.8 s milling time) and xylanase process parameters (85.7% enzyme crude, 77.1 min process time, 35 °C temperature and 20 s) facilitated the increase of Ca (70%), P (64%), Iron (17%), free amino acids (34%), phenolic compounds (78%) and protein (84%) and decreased hardness (20%) in milled rice. Scanning electron micrographs showed an increased rupture attributing to enzymes action on milled rice.