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IntroductionCoconut testa, a by-product of the coconut processing industry, is currently underutilised. This study aimed to extract a coconut testa-based food colourant using various organic solvents and physical methods, and to utilise this colourant in food product preparation.MethodsDifferent organic solvents, along with various time and temperature combinations, were employed for colourant extraction using both a laboratory-scale water bath and ultrasonication. The colour coordinate values (CIELab) of the testa-derived colourants were measured, and the colourants were screened for various phytochemicals. The in vitro antioxidant potential of the testa colourant was assessed by quantifying total phenolics, and the phytochemical composition, including monomeric anthocyanins, was evaluated.ResultsThe study determined the optimal combinations of organic solvents, temperature and time to obtain extracts with maximum antioxidant activity and total phenolic content (TPC). Acidified ethanol-based extracts of testa colourants yielded highest polyphenol content (154.39 ± 2.63 mg GAE/g) and flavonoids content (53.65 ± 0.62 mg QE/g). Similarly, ethanol-based extractants of coconut testa produced high anthocyanin content [823.02 ± 1.81 mg Cy-3-glc equivalents (C3GE)/100 g]. Acidified (0.3 M HCl) solvents at relatively high temperature and time combinations exhibited high antioxidant potential of testa colourant, as measured by CUPRAC, FRAP, and DPPH assays. Following the foam mat drying process of the colourant, a mature coconut water-based jelly was prepared by incorporating the testa colourant extracted with acidified ethanol.DiscussionThis study highlights the biochemical and antioxidant potential of the food colorant derived from coconut testa and explores its suitability for functional food applications. Therefore, coconut testa extract serves a dual purpose: it enhances the aesthetic appeal of food as a colourant and provides significant health-promoting properties due to its high anthocyanin content. Insights from this study could help in promoting the valorization of one of the beneficial by products of coconut industry.

Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) pesticide application in recent years owing to its importance such as time saving, reduction in human drudgery and also reduction in pesticides application rate. UAV has a great potential to address the problem involved in manual chemicals spraying in tall crops like coconut plantation where at present operation performed by manual climbing involves lots of drudgery and life risk. The current study aimed to understand the most influencing spraying parameters, such as spray height and spray time of the UAV sprayer on droplet characteristics such as spray droplet size, spray coverage and spray deposition at different layers (spindle, middle and bottom) of coconut tree canopy. The selected spray height (1, 2 and 3 m) and spray time (5, 8 and 11 s) significantly affects (p

The effect of the incorporation of roasted garden cress seed powder (RGCSP) in the diet of girls with anaemia on Hb level and quality was evaluated. Twenty-two girls were selected and their Hb levels were estimated. Out of twenty-two girls, fifteen girls were found to be anemic and were selected for the study and it was found that four girls had mild, nine had moderate and two had severe degree of anaemia. The girls' average Hb levels dramatically raised from 8.9 to 10.4 g/dL following a 60-day intervention that also included RGCSP. Research on garden cress seed powder (GCSP) showed that roasting decreased the amount of moisture, protein, carbohydrate, and zinc while increasing the amount of ash, fat, crude fiber, and iron. Four distinct formulations were created with various amounts of GCSP (5 %, 10 %, 15 %, and 20 %) to generate fortified chikki. The chikki with 15 % GCSP had the highest overall acceptance rating of among them. Compared to the control chikki, this enriched variety had higher percentages of protein (6.95 %), fat (15.87 %), moisture (4.60 %), fiber (3.95 %), and calorie content (456.23 kcal/100 g). Supplemented chikki made by fortifying with RGCSP was rich in nutritional composition.

This comprehensive work explores the multifaceted field of electrolyzed water (EW) and its crucial role in altering the textural characteristics of various food categories. The analysis begins by providing a clear explanation of EW and its different types, including slightly acidic (AC) EW, plasma-activated EW, neutralized EW, alkaline EW, and weakly ACEW. The review highlights the novelty of EW in preserving food quality, making it a significant alternative to various cleaning and disinfecting methods. The focus then shifts to the applications of EW, examining the impact of different EW types on the textural compositions of various food categories. The examination of the textural profile of foods, which is a crucial determinant of consumer preference, is comprehensively conducted across various categories, encompassing baked goods, meat and poultry, marine foods, fruits and vegetables, as well as ready-to-cook items like noodles. Furthermore, the review investigates the combined effects of EW, when utilized in conjunction with other technologies. The integration of EW with ultrasound, high-pressure processing, plasma activation, slurry ice, and other technologies, assessing their collective impact on textural attributes, was explored. As a consequence, this paper examines the present uses and impacts of electrolyzed water on the texture of food and also investigates its potential synergies with other technologies. The thorough analysis presented here establishes a basis for future research directions in this rapidly developing area, facilitating the exploration of inventive methods for food processing and preservation.

In the realm of food safety, dried foods have traditionally been perceived as having a lower risk profile. However, recent reports have highlighted concerning levels of mycotoxin contamination in dried food products, such as dried fruits, vegetables, and spices, exceeding permissible limits. This contamination not only compromises shelf life but also poses a significant threat to consumers, while depleting the bioactive components of these products. The food industry grapples with considerable challenges arising from the substantial risk of mycotoxin contamination in dried foods. To meet the demands of a disc; erning food market, there is an imperative need for sustainable mycotoxin-degrading technologies. These technologies must be non-thermal and chemical-free, minimizing thermal damage to treated food to preserve essential nutrients, ultimately enhancing food quality and safety. Developing non-thermal decontamination technologies for dried foods holds enormous economic and public health significance.This review centers its focus on the decontamination of dried foods, proposing a green approach through the utilization of Cold Plasma Technology (CPT). We delve into the working principles and applications of CPT in dried foods, highlight the influential factors affecting its efficacy, and acknowledge the limitations of this innovative technique. Furthermore, we pinpoint and explore emerging research opportunities in the decontamination of dried foods, particularly in conjunction with other complementary methods. CPT, an evolving and environmentally friendly technology, exhibits promising capabilities in controlling pathogens in dried food products and extending their shelf life. Critical determinants encompass the parameters of cold plasma, operational conditions, food-related variables, and microbiological factors, which collectively influence the efficacy of CPT. We advocate for future research dedicated to assessing the impact of CPT on various mycotoxins, food composition, and its interaction with food-related factors. In this vein, it is imperative to emphasize the scaling up of this technology for practical commercial applications, addressing the growing need for enhanced food safety in dried products.

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.

Bitter gourds were dried under varied drying conditions in a microwave assisted fluidized bed dryer, and the process was optimized using response surface methodology. Microwave power, temperature and air velocity were used as process variables for drying and the process parameters were varied between 360 and 720 W, 40–60 °C and 10–14 m/s, respectively. The responses determined for deciding the optimal criteria were vitamin C, total phenolics, IC50, total chlorophyll content, vitamin A content, rehydration ratio, hardness and total color change of the dried bitter gourd. Statistical analyses were done by using response surface methodology, which showed that independent variables affected the responses to a varied extent. The optimum drying conditions of 550.89 W microwave power, 55.87 °C temperature, and 13.52 m/s air velocity were established for microwave assisted fluidized bed drying to obtain highest desirability for the dried bitter gourd. At optimum conditions, validation experiment was done to ensure the suitability of models. Temperature and drying time plays an important role in the deterioration of bioactive components. Faster and shorter heating led to the greater retention of bioactive components. Taking the aforesaid results into consideration, our study recommended MAFBD as a promising technique with minimum changes in quality attributes of bitter gourd.

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.

Neem oil is a promising alternative for synthetic chemicals in food preservation and an active functional agent in food packaging. Drying studies were conducted on neem seeds using different drying methods, and the oil yield profile and nutritional content such as azadirachtin content, functional groups, and elemental composition were analysed. Tray drying at 60°C showed a faster drying rate with a minimum quality of the oil. The process parameters were statistically optimized by analysing the effect of drying methods and thickness (15 and 30 mm) on azadirachtin content and oil yield. Maximum oil yield and azadirachtin content of 42.1 and 0.053% were obtained in solar drying with 15 mm bed thickness. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy analysis showed that there is no change in the functional group when the neem seeds were dried, and the peak absorption wavenumber confirmed the presence of O-H stretching, C-H stretching, C-O stretching, C-H bending, O-H bending, C=O stretching, and N-H stretching. Sun- and solar-dried neem seeds showed maximum retention in elemental composition when compared to the tray-drying method.

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.

Naturally occurring phytochemicals with promising biological properties are quercetin and its derivatives. Quercetin has been thoroughly studied for its antidiabetic, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-Alzheimer's, anti-arthritic, antioxidant, cardiovascular, and wound-healing properties. Anticancer activity of quercetin against cancer cell lines has also recently been revealed. The majority of the Western diet contains quercetin and its derivatives, therefore consuming them as part of a meal or as a food supplement may be sufficient for people to take advantage of their preventive effects. Bioavailability-based drug-delivery systems of quercetin have been heavily studied. Fruits, seeds, vegetables, bracken fern, coffee, tea, and other plants all contain quercetin, as do natural colors. One naturally occurring antioxidant is quercetin, whose anticancer effects have been discussed in detail. It has several properties that could make it an effective anti-cancer agent. Numerous researches have shown that quercetin plays a substantial part in the suppression of cancer cells in the breast, colon, prostate, ovary, endometrial, and lung tumors. The current study includes a concise explanation of quercetin's action mechanism and potential health applications.

Various types of natural fiber-rich ingredients are added into bakery-based products to improve their fiber content for health promotional purposes. But the majority of these products usually include exotic dietary fiber components. The aim of this study was to develop biscuits incorporated with wheat bran, rice bran and banana peel powder and to evaluate the effects on physicochemical properties and sensory acceptability of these different biscuit samples. Wheat bran, rice bran and banana peel powder was used to substitute refined wheat flour in biscuit samples at different levels (0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30%). The effect of wheat bran, rice bran and banana peel powder incorporation on proximate composition, physical characteristics, texture profile, color and sensory evaluation of biscuit samples were investigated. The moisture content of the product showed a significant (p ≤ 0.01) decreasing trend while as protein showed increasing trend with increasing level of incorporation of wheat bran, rice bran and banana peel powder. Also there was a considerable effect on L*(darkness to lightness), a*(greeness to redness), and b*(blueness to yellowness) values of biscuit samples. Among the physical parameters diameter and thickness decreased non-significantly (p ≤ 0.01) with the addition of different fibers whereas spread ratio and weight increases. Sensory attributes showed a significant (p ≤ 0.01) increasing trend with an increase in the level of incorporation of different fibers. Based on sensory evaluation biscuits prepared with 15% wheat bran, 15% rice bran, and 10% banana peel powder were rated best. The biscuits were packed in high density polyethylene (HDPE) boxes and were analyzed on different intervals viz. 0, 30, and 60th day. In samples of optimized biscuits, the ash content, protein, fat and color exhibited a non- significant tendency of declining over storage. It was discovered that the ash content dropped from0.86 to 0.67% in Wb4, 0.95 to 0.75% in Rb4, and 1.15to 0.92% in Bpp3. However there was a considerable increase in moisture content during storage.

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.

Impact of various ultrasound pretreatment and microwave drying parameters on the qualitative and antioxidant characteristics of Inula viscosa (L.) was investigated in this study. The leaves of Inula viscosa (L.) were sonicated for 10, 20, and 30 min in an ultrasonic bath (37 kHz, 150 Watts). Microwave drying was done at three distinct times (1, 3, and 5 min) and with three different microwave power levels (100, 180, and 300 Watts). Microwave dried samples were tested for color characteristics (L*, a*, b*), chlorophyll, carotenoid, total phenol, and antioxidant content. All dried samples were prepared by infusing them in hot water as tea, and the sensorial properties of teas including odor, color, aroma, and overall acceptability were evaluated by panelists. For 10, 20, and 30 min of ultrasound pretreatment, the L* values of leaves varied from 37.70 to 49.76, 34.97 to 46.25, and 27.88 to 43.34, respectively. The total carotenoid concentration ranged from 0.12 to 0.32 mg/g DW, while the total chlorophyll content was from 0.44 to 0.94 mg/g DW. The antioxidant activity of Inula viscosa (L.) leaves that were dried at 300 Watts for 5 min did not change significantly as a result of ultrasound pretreatment. There was a significant positive correlation between aroma and TPC, as well as between color and overall acceptability. The darkest-colored teas were deemed preferable by the panelists.

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.

Milk and milk products, meat, fish and poultry as well as other animal derived foods occupy a pronounced position in human nutrition. Unfortunately, fraud in the food industry is common, resulting in negative economic consequences for customers as well as significant threats to human health and the external environment. As a result, it is critical to develop analytical tools that can quickly detect fraud and validate the authenticity of such products. Authentication of a food product is the process of ensuring that the product matches the assertions on the label and complies with rules. Conventionally, various comprehensive and targeted approaches like molecular, chemical, protein based, and chromatographic techniques are being utilized for identifying the species, origin, peculiar ingredients and the kind of processing method used to produce the particular product. Despite being very accurate and unimpeachable, these techniques ruin the structure of food, are labor intensive, complicated, and can be employed on laboratory scale. Hence the need of hour is to identify alternative, modern instrumentation techniques which can help in overcoming the majority of the limitations offered by traditional methods. Spectroscopy is a quick, low cost, rapid, non-destructive, and emerging approach for verifying authenticity of animal origin foods. In this review authors will envisage the latest spectroscopic techniques being used for detection of fraud or adulteration in meat, fish, poultry, egg, and dairy products. Latest literature pertaining to emerging techniques including their advantages and limitations in comparison to different other commonly used analytical tools will be comprehensively reviewed. Challenges and future prospects of evolving advanced spectroscopic techniques will also be descanted.

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.

Many studies have demonstrated the use of synthetic preservatives and chemical additives in food is causing poisoning, cancer, and other degenerative disorders. New solutions for food preservation with quality maintenance are currently emerging. As a result, public concern has grown, as they desire to eat healthier products that use natural preservatives and compounds rather than synthetic ones. Clove is a highly prized spice used as a food preservative and for a variety of therapeutic reasons. Clove essential oil and its principal active component, eugenol, indicate antibacterial and antifungal action, aromaticity, and safety as promising and valuable antiseptics in the food sector. Clove essential oil and eugenol are found to have strong inhibition effects on a variety of food-source bacteria, and the mechanisms are linked to lowering migration and adhesion, as well as blocking the creation of biofilm and various virulence factors. This review emphasizes the importance of CEO (clove essential oil) in the food industry and how it can be explored with edible coatings to deliver its functional properties in food preservation.

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.

Paneer is an acid coagulated concentrated indigenous Indian dairy product. The texture of paneer manufactured from a developed automatic machine was studied with respect to the processing parameters such as coagulation temperature (70–90°C), pressure (0.3–0.6 MPa), types of coagulant (vinegar and citric acid), and milk (cow, buffalo, and full cream milk). The paneer samples were analysed for texture profile analysis of hardness, adhesiveness, springiness, gumminess, chewiness, and cohesiveness. An inscribed central composite design was used to optimize the desired textural characteristics of paneer such as minimum hardness and maximum springiness of paneer. The optimization result concluded that the full cream milk at the coagulation temperature of 88°C with citric acid at pneumatic pressure of 0.3 MPa would result on minimum hardness of 105.84 N and the springiness value of 0.6073, and the result was validated.

The processing of tomato fruit into puree, juices, ketchup, sauces, and dried powders generates a significant amount of waste in the form of tomato pomace, which includes seeds and skin. Tomato processing by-products, particularly seeds, are reservoirs of health-promoting macromolecules, such as proteins (bioactive peptides), carotenoids (lycopene), polysaccharides (pectin), phytochemicals (flavonoids), and vitamins (α-tocopherol). Health-promoting properties make these bioactive components suitable candidates for the development of novel food and nutraceutical products. This review comprehensively demonstrates the bioactive compounds of tomato seeds along with diverse biomedical activities of tomato seed extract (TSE) for treating cardiovascular ailments, neurological disorders, and act as antioxidant, anticancer, and antimicrobial agent. Utilization of bioactive components can improve the economic feasibility of the tomato processing industry and may help to reduce the environmental pollution generated by tomato by-products.

Cashew apple is a pseudo-fruit available abundantly during harvest seasons (March to July) and majority of them goes as waste because of their perishability and poor shelf life. However, the absence of distinct exocarp and seeds are some of the potential advantages for processing utility. Hence, in the present study, osmo-dehydrated products were prepared from two maturity stages i.e. breaker and ripe stages using sugar, spice mixture and were referred to as cashew fig and chew, respectively. The drying efficiency and product recovery were conquered by cashew chew and fig, respectively. Based on the biochemical and organoleptic qualities, ripe fruits were found suitable for preparation of chew and fig. The tannin content responsible for acridity got reduced (chew of ripe stage 1.18 to 0.53 mg/g and chew of breaker stage 1.85 to 0.68 mg/g) during the process of osmodehydration. Excluding total antioxidant activity, all other biochemical properties were found to be improved compared to their respective controls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]