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The poppy seed plant (Papaver somniferum L.) is well known for its health benefits. It contains plenty of nutrients including proteins, oil content, dietary fiber, antioxidants, tocopherols and other micronutrients. It is also under exploration considering its in vitro bioactive potential against various health issues such as hypertension, pain and cancer. Poppy is mainly grown for its opium and oil contents; however, poppy seeds are also widely used for cooking purposes. Poppy seeds contain various essential bioactive compounds including alkaloids, flavonoids, phenolic compounds and polyunsaturated fatty acids that can be effectively used as food ingredients in various applications. Poppyseed oil is considered a good quality oil owing to its rich polyunsaturated fatty acid content. Thus, tremendous potential exists in poppy seeds to be used as functional food ingredients and nutraceutical agents in various formulations. Medicinal and functional uses of poppy seed have been discussed, including some aspects of the utilization of the poppy seeds in the food industry. Further research is required to bring out its ingredient potential in food and health supplements. Keywords: Poppy, seed oil, health attributes, industrial uses, medicinal uses

Health and wellness are among the core segments of the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), with the ever-increasing health consciousness among consumers around the globe. Functional foods and beverages, formulated from natural ingredients with targeted physiological functions, are at the heart of research and development in food industry. However, the novel functional food product development requires extensive research and development activities i.e., clinical efficacy trials, which the food manufacturing companies cannot afford to perform owing to their limited R&D budget and limited technical know-how in this particular aspect. Further the consumer acceptance of these food products is another area of concern for functional beverages development. For example, among the beverages, one challenging task is to replace sucrose with naturally occurring sweeteners, which could effectively address concerns of sugar intake in patients with diabetes and provide a healthy choice for consumers. However, consumer acceptance of these beverages from the sensory point of view remains challenging. Therefore, to better map the opportunities and challenges associated with functional beverages development, this review focusses on recent trends in the global market and new opportunities that may arise as a result. A detailed analytical discussion on new potential functional beverages and related products has also been presented.

This study highlights the optimization of a suitable amount of enzymatically hydrolyzed potato powder (EHPP) with whole milk powder (WMP) to produce a quality yogurt. The yogurt was prepared with different levels of EHPP (0, 10, 15, 20, 25, 35 and 50% w/w) with WMP and evaluated after 24 h at 4 °C. The resulted product was analyzed on the basis of physicochemical, sensory, texture, antioxidant activity and microbiological analysis. The prepared yogurt showed a significant (p

Micro/nanoencapsulation is a promising technique to encapsulate/protect sensitive ingredients during various processing conditions and to enhance product value. Various techniques and additives are used for encapsulation such as emulsification, melt dispersion technology, extrusion, hydrogels, membrane and microchannel emulsification, and others. Important additives include natural and synthetic emulsifiers, different hydrocolloids, and minerals. Playing with techniques and additives either enhances the nutritional values or improves the physicochemical properties of final products. This chapter explores the encapsulation techniques and additives used in the fortification of drinks and beverages.

A microwave pre-ionization source is designed, fabricated and installed on Glass Spherical Tokamak (GLAST) to reduce the high-loop voltage requirement during the plasma startup. In GLAST II, limited space is available at the in-bore side, which restricts the size and heating capability of central solenoid. Therefore, the central solenoid alone cannot produce the required loop voltage for plasma breakdown. Electron Cyclotron Resonance Heating (ECRH) can be very useful to overcome this limitation. In this work, an economical microwave source is fabricated using magnetron of 2.45 ± 0.02 GHz, obtained from a household microwave oven. Pulsed-mode operation of the magnetron is achieved through certain modifications in the half-wave circuit of domestic microwave oven. A new technique is proposed to enhance the microwave power, where an additional electromagnet is introduced around the magnetron cavity that confines the fast moving electrons. This modified microwave source is sufficient to achieve the breakdown in GLAST II with improved plasma current of 5kA.

Background Safflower is a multiple purpose crop generally grown for oil production. The safflower oil is considered to be a better oil since it contains higher amount of oleic and linoleic acids than other oil seed crops. Safflower oil has numerous applications in food, cosmetics, pharmaceutical and feed industry. An added advantage of safflower oil is lower cost of production thus can become an alternate option for those who cannot afford to buy olive and other functional oils. Scope and approach This manuscript provides a comprehensive review on critical aspects of pharmacological and nutritional applications of safflower oil. A higher antioxidant activity renders better stability of safflower seed oil over extended storage period. Moreover, a higher content of omega six fatty acids makes it a healthier choice for consumption especially where olive oil being the only but costly choice. There has been a surge in developing innovative and efficient methods to extract safflower oil including super critical fluid and enzymatic extraction techniques. Key findings and conclusions A higher stability index makes it possible to encapsulate safflower oil or used it as a carrier in bioactive functional ingredient delivery systems. The functional properties of safflower oil can be used to treat skin infections, bone related disorders, menopause and atherosclerosis. Composition and distribution of phenolic contents of safflower oil has not been explored to its full potential. There is a need to conduct exclusive research on exploring the role of phenolic compounds in food and pharma industrial applications.

Background Phoenix dactylifera is an instinctive plant, cultivated worldwide especially in Arab regions being an edible nutritious fruit. For this plant, Ajwa date fruit variety is distinguished among all varieties due to its richness of sugar, dietary fiber, essential mineral and vitamin contents. The unique phytochemical profile of Ajwa dates have potential to cure different diseases. Scope and Approach This manuscript provides an overview on pharmacological and nutritional aspects exclusively for Ajwa dates. The excellent phytochemicals profile placed Ajwa dates at top among other date varieties. Recently, new in vitro and in vivo studies prove the effectiveness of Ajwa dates. However, quantitative studies are need to understand the protective actions of Ajwa dates. Key Findings and Conclusions Ajwa fruit pits are also enriched with dietary fibers , lipids, minerals, and proteins. Ajwa dates are consumed not only for dietary purposes but also used for their medicinal effects against different ailments. Phytochemical studies have showed that Ajwa flesh and pits are enriched with certain phenolic and flavonoids , which have multiple effects on human health due to their strong antioxidant properties. Preclinical studies revealed that Ajwa dates have strong antioxidant , anti-inflammatory, anti-mutagenic, hepato-protective, nephroprotective and anti-cancer activities.

Nanoencapsulated foods are associated with many health benefits but generally have very low bioavailability after consumption, mainly due to sensitive bioactives and harsh gastric conditions. The encapsulated bioactive nutrients via polymeric nanoparticles, micro/nanoemulsions, nanodispersions, and nanocolloids offer an efficient strategy for improving their absorption from emulsified food products. The attributes of bioavailability depend upon multiple factors like stability in the gastrointestinal tract, modifying the surface properties to enhance the interaction with biological materials, biocompatibility and biodegradability, and optimal formulation conditions. This chapter presents various strategies to create nanoencapsulated bioactives that will increase their intestinal uptake and distribution, and the available evidence from in vitro and in vivo studies.

This chapter provides a detailed insight on the application of pigmented antioxidants e.g., carotenoids, chlorophylls and flavonoids, that are naturally occurring in food systems. Moreover, comprehensive information on the beneficial impact of these antioxidants on human health is described. Degradation vulnerability and low bioavailability of pigmented antioxidant compounds restrict their application in food systems. A wide range of technologies has been explored to encapsulate the antioxidants compounds. Emulsion-based encapsulation systems have been recognized as one of the most promising techniques for the protection and delivery of antioxidant compounds owing to their high entrapment efficiency, physical and chemical stability and controlled release. A wide range of emulsion formulations leads to the formation of systems with new characteristics and with great capability in controlled delivery and stabilization of antioxidant compounds. Several challenges are related to the effective incorporation of these natural pigments into food systems. Encapsulation of pigmented antioxidant compounds are elaborated in light of the current research findings with a special focus on nanoemulsions techniques (high-energy and low-energy) and associated challenges that may arise during food production processes are briefly discussed in the current chapter. Finally, conclusive remarks are made for industrial applications and future research directions in this field.

The higher prevalence of obesity and type-2 diabetes especially among the consumers in developed countries are demanding for prevention therapy through functional foods. Milk proteins, that is, whey proteins have gained much popularity in recent research and development due to their ability to regulate blood glucose and improve satiety. Moreover, whey proteins have been found to be effective in postexercise rehydration. It has been recently found that higher protein diets are effective in promoting fat losses in body while enhancing the feeling of greater satiety which is essential in maintaining lean body weight. From the technological function aspect whey proteins are excellent emulsifying and stabilizing agents that can play a crucial role in developing functional stable beverage emulsions. However, these product developments require extensive research and development which food manufacturing industry cannot perform owning to limited resources and technical know-how. Therefore, this chapter will focus on the development of whey protein-based sports and energy drinks covering technological and developmental issues along with highlighting potential health benefits.

Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) has been widely known as raw material for white sugar production. Sugarcane juice is relished as a refreshing drink as it is nutritious and rich in vitamins, carbohydrates, and amino acids. The status of sugarcane juice as a nutritional beverage is well established owing to the presence of variable contents of hydrophilic components. In addition, the chemical profile of the sugarcane juice indicates the presence of the several phytochemicals pertaining vast pharmacological research potential. It has been actively used in the traditional Ayurvedic medicines, moreover, the modern research is providing a clear evidence of therapeutic activity of the sugarcane crude extract. The potent biological activities have rendered this juice a promising therapeutic agent for future studies. Therefore, this chapter focused on explaining the physiochemical properties, nutritious value, and health benefits of the sugarcane juice.

An improved active packaging system was developed for fresh fruits using silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) coupled with calcium alginate (Ca-ALG). For the synthesis of AgNPs aqueous, ethanol and methanol extracts of Artemisia scoparia (AS) were used. These AgNP's were characterized using UV–Vis, SEM, EDS, AFM, FTIR and gel electrophoresis. Ethanol extract of AS (ASE) produced AgNPs with smallest size in comparison to aqueous AS (ASA) and methanol extract of AS (ASM). AgNPs synthesized from ASE had a size range of 12.0–23.3 nm and were tested on Human Corneal Epithelial Cells to evaluate their cytotoxicity. At 0.05 ng/mL of AgNP's concentration, no toxic effects were observed on the evaluated cell line. Therefore, 0.05 ng/mL of AgNPs mixed with edible coating of Ca-ALG were applied on strawberries and loquats as active coating to increase their shelf life. Significant improvement was observed in the quality parameters of strawberries and loquats such as microbial analysis, acidity loss, soluble solid content loss, weight loss and quality decay. Ca-ALG coating incorporated with AgNPs enhanced the shelf life of strawberries and loquats in comparison to no treatment and simple Ca-ALG coatings. This study provides an insight to food industry to extend the shelf life of fresh fruits using AgNP's formulated coatings.

Functional foods, being one of the major food categories of the global health and wellness market, are becoming a major focus of new product development (NPD) in the food industry. The development of functional foods is more complex than traditional food New Product Development (NPD), calling for a concerted effort from researchers and NPD experts to explore and understand the functional food product development (FFPD) process in more detail. The current research in this field has reported that there is a need to evolve from a traditional NPD approach, towards an integrative and innovative approach involving cooperative networks and techniques of commercialization. However, there is little practical evidence on how much progress has been made to date. Therefore, this research was designed to investigate the food product innovation process of food manufacturing in the Asia-Pacific region (Singapore) with reference to functional foods development. Results report on a comparative account of NPD practices between registered Singapore food companies that are doing some sort of functional food development (Group 1) and those that are not (Group 2). A significant difference (P

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to sketch a comparative account of NPD approaches between registered New Zealand food companies that are doing some sort of functional foods (FF) development (Group 1) and those that are not (Group 2); to generate a better understanding of differences and commonalities in their NPD approaches from resource-based view of competitive advantage. Design/methodology/approach – This paper opted an exploratory approach using a quantitative survey across food manufacturing companies in New Zealand. The primary foci of this empirical investigation were: orientation towards the NPD, innovation processes, collaborative NPD links and routes to commercialisation. Findings – The results (based on a 22 per cent response rate) show a significant difference (pp Research limitations/implications – This study was conducted in New Zealand and thus generalisability of the findings may have to be interpreted carefully. Practical implications – The traditional NPD approach (independent and closed NPD), with loose intellectual property protection practices, dominates the food manufacturing industry in New Zealand. Research-oriented collaborations need to be strengthened in their scope and content to develop the innovative capabilities and capacities of small and medium enterprises (SME's) within future value-added food productions. Originality/value – This research provides the comparative narration of innovation process of food manufacturing companies with reference to FFs development.

Functional foods, being one of the major food categories of the global health and wellness market, are becoming a major focus of new product development (NPD) in the food industry. Functional food product development (FFPD) is a complex process with success factors that are somewhat different from those of traditional new food product development. This review focuses on the need to evolve from a traditional NPD approach, toward an integrative and innovative approach involving cooperative networks and techniques of commercialization. Greater focus on a product-oriented NPD portfolio and diverse multiple external partners have been suggested as key factors for accelerating the progress of FFPD.

Honey is considered to be the emerging antibacterial agent that may take over the role of antibiotics in future. Effectiveness of Trigona honey was assessed against E. colicell culture growth using brain heart infusion medium. The antimicrobial activity was examined by agar well diffusion assays, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC), time-kill curve and biofilm formation in 96-well plates. Planktonic cells were cultivated in microtiter plates with varying concentrations of honey (10%, 20%, 30%, 40% and 50% w/v) for specific incubation time (24, 48, and 72 hours) at 37oC. The extent of cell growth was estimated by staining with crystal violet dye and taking measurements at 570nm. Agar diffusion assay showed thatTrigona honey to possess highest total antibacterial activity against E.coli, 18.2±0.6 mm, 17.2±0.4 mm, 15.2±0.3 mm, 13.5±0.4 mm, 9.0±0.2 mm at concentration 50%, 40%, 30%, 20% and 10% of honeyrespectively. The MIC value against E.coliwas 10% (w/v) and MBC was 30% (w/v). In time-kill curve Trigona honey was inhibited E.coli in a 4 log10 at 18 hours, and total viable counts (TVCs) were killed after 24 hours. It was found that even ≥30% Trigona honey dilution interfered significantly with E. coli cell culture growth. Moreover it was found that a difference of more than 10% honey concentration between the treatments was considered significant to produce inhibitory effects. This study has shown that Trigona honey has significant inhibitory effects on E. coli growth in vitro. Trigona honey may be used as an alternative to antibiotics in controlling infections caused by E. coli. However further investigation is required to strengthen this argument. Keywords: Trigona honey, Escherichia coli,Inhibitory effects,Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC), Minimum Bactericidal Concentration, Time Kill Curve