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The global demand for starch has been steadily increasing, driven by various industries such as food, pharmaceuticals, and textiles. However, conventional starch sources, such as corn and wheat, are associated with significant environmental concerns and resource depletion. Therefore, there is a growing need to explore sustainable alternatives to conventional starches. Barnyard millet starch can be a promising sustainable alternative to conventional starch. The starch extracted from barnyard millet exhibits unique physicochemical properties, including high amylose content, small granule size, and good gel‐forming ability. These properties make it suitable for various industrial applications. In the food industry, it can be used as a thickening agent, stabilizer, and fat replacer in various products, including sauces, soups, bakery items, and dairy alternatives. Moreover, barnyard millet starch shows promise in the textile industry as a sizing agent and for producing biodegradable films. However, challenges related to scaling up production, processing techniques, and market acceptance must be addressed to realize the potential of barnyard millet starch fully. Embracing barnyard millet starch can contribute to a more sustainable and resource‐efficient future, reducing the ecological footprint associated with starch production. This review article focuses on the properties, modifications, functionality, and applications of barnyard starch. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The traditional wet-heating Maillard reaction (MR) used a long-duration process and affected the over-browning color of the product. Thus, ultrasound (UL) and microbubbles (MB) were studied to assist the traditional MR on cricket protein isolated (CPI) conjugated with fructooligosaccharide (FOS) called CPF. These processes were carried out using central composite design (CCD). Two independent variables were UL (2–58 min) and MB times (6–35 min). The significant variables WS, OHC, EAI and ESI, DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP were further optimized by the response surface method (RSM). RSM results showed that the quadratic model can predict response values. The optimal conditions yielded the most favorable functional properties (WS = 89.38 g/L, OHC = 8.65%, EAI = 81.37 m2/g, and ESI = 120.75 min) as well as the highest antioxidant activity (DPPH = 14.77, ABTS = 14.55, and FRAP = 13.98 µmol TE/g). Moreover, the UL and MB were not significantly affected by the browning index of CPF. This study can conclude that the UL and MB-assisted MR process is a promising method to decrease the processing time and is highly effective at improving the characteristics, functional properties, and antioxidant activity of conjugated cricket protein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aims to investigate how the geometric shapes of semi‐rigid plastic trays impact the quality characteristics of a retort processed food simulant. Initially, oval, triangular, rectangular, and round‐shaped plastic trays with a tomato‐based food simulant were subjected to retorting at rotational speeds of 6 and 11 revolutions per minute (RPM), and various food quality attributes were assessed. At 6 RPM, triangle‐shaped and round‐shaped trays exhibited a significantly greater reduction (p < 0.05) in ascorbic acid (AA) content compared to oval or rectangular‐shaped trays. Furthermore, there were no significant differences (p > 0.05) in lycopene and hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) content change from control among the different tray shapes at 6 RPM. However, hexanal content change was found to be greater in rectangular‐shaped trays than in oval‐shaped trays, while no significant difference was observed between triangular and round‐shaped trays. Both triangular and rectangular‐shaped trays showed a substantially greater (p < 0.05) total color difference (ΔE) compared to other shapes. This data suggests the presence of a temperature gradient in the food simulant influenced by the tray's shape. At 11 RPM, oval and round‐shaped trays showed a significant reduction in AA content, while rectangular‐shaped trays exhibited higher lycopene levels compared to oval and round trays. There was an increase in HMF response from control across all tray shapes; however, differentiation between shapes was not significant (p > 0.05), while both triangle and round‐shaped trays had elevated hexanal content as compared to oval‐shaped trays (p < 0.05). Oval, round, and triangle‐shaped trays all exhibited a greater ΔE than rectangular‐shaped trays. In summary, oval and round‐shaped trays exhibited a more pronounced change in AA content at 11 RPM, indicating a faster temperature equilibration. In contrast, triangle and rectangular‐shaped trays displayed elevated total color differences at 6 RPM, which may suggest the presence of a temperature gradient leading to uneven heating due to their respective shapes. Practical applications: This information would be applicable to new food products designed for thermal treatment in which the packaging shape could be manipulated to not only fit infrastructure requirements (packaging equipment, processing equipment, distribution devices) but also help support heat penetration at an optimal rate. Depending on product type and makeup, this approach may hold some value to the product developer whose product will be packaged in semi‐rigid plastic containers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]