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Plant-based proteins have gained popularity in the food industry as a good protein source. Among these, chickpea protein has gained significant attention in recent times due to its high yields, high nutritional content, and health benefits. With an abundance of essential amino acids, particularly lysine, and a highly digestible indispensable amino acid score of 76 (DIAAS), chickpea protein is considered a substitute for animal proteins. However, the application of chickpea protein in food products is limited due to its poor functional properties, such as solubility, water-holding capacity, and emulsifying and gelling properties. To overcome these limitations, various modification methods, including physical, biological, chemical, and a combination of these, have been applied to enhance the functional properties of chickpea protein and expand its applications in healthy food products. Therefore, this review aims to comprehensively examine recent advances in Cicer arietinum (chickpea) protein extraction techniques, characterizing its properties, exploring post-modification strategies, and assessing its diverse applications in the food industry. Moreover, we reviewed the nutritional benefits and sustainability implications, along with addressing regulatory considerations. This review intends to provide insights into maximizing the potential of Cicer arietinum protein in diverse applications while ensuring sustainability and compliance with regulations.

γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), recognized as a primary inhibitory neurotransmitter within the brain, serves a crucial role in the aging process and in neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease. Research has demonstrated the beneficial effects of GABA, particularly for elderly individuals. Given that elderly individuals often encounter challenges with swallowing food, beverages designed to address dysphagia represent a preferable option for this demographic. Among the different processing techniques, the germination process triggers biochemical changes, leading to an increase in certain nutrients and bioactive compounds (e.g., GABA). Therefore, we attempted to develop a novel functional beverage utilizing germinated brown rice enriched with GABA and studied its nutritional and bio-functional characterization. The optimal conditions (X1, X2, X3 and X4.) were determined: powdered sugar (40 g), chocolate powder (20 g), sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (0.5 g), GBR (220 g), and water (440 mL). The results of storage studies indicated that the germinated-brown-rice-based beverage exhibited favorable nutritional attributes, including increased γ-oryzanol (52.73 ± 1.56%), total phenolic content (26.68 ± 1.56 mg GAE/100 g), niacin (5.17 ± 0.14%), and GABA (42.12 ± 0.63 mg/100 g) levels. Additionally, the beverage demonstrated notable antioxidant activity (74.23 ± 2.37 µmol TE/100 g), suggesting potential health-promoting effects. Sensory evaluation revealed satisfactory acceptability among consumers, highlighting its palatability. Overall, this study elucidates the development of a novel functional beverage utilizing germinated brown rice enriched with GABA, offering promising nutritional and bio-functional characteristics for health-conscious consumers.

Elephant apple, a fruit with numerous bioactive compounds, is rich in therapeutic qualities. However, its use in processed products is limited due to insufficient postharvest processing methods. To address this issue, an automatic core cutter (ACC) was developed to handle the hard nature of the fruit while cutting. The physical characteristics of the elephant apple were considered for designing and development of the cutter. The cutter is divided into four main sections, including a frame, collecting tray, movable coring unit, and cutting base with five fruit holders. The parts that directly contact the fruit are made of food-grade stainless steel. The efficiency of the cutter was analyzed based on cutting/coring capacity, machine efficiency, loss percentage, and other factors, and was compared to traditional cutting methods (TCM) and a foot-operated core cutter (FOCC). The ACC had an average cutting/coring capacity of 270–300 kg/h, which was significantly higher than TCM’s capacity of 12–15 kg/h and comparable to FOCC’s capacity of 115–130 kg/h. The ACC offered a higher sepal yield of 85.68 ± 1.80% compared to TCM’s yield of 65.76 ± 1.35%, which was equivalent to the yield obtained by FOCC. Therefore, the ACC outperforms TCM in terms of quality, quantity, and stress associated and is superior to FOCC in terms of higher efficiency of machine and labor.

This study investigated the quality characteristics of pasteurized and thermosonicated bor-thekera (Garcinia pedunculata) juices (TSBTJs) during storage at 4 °C for 30 days. Various parameters, including pH, titratable acidity (TA), total soluble content (TSSs), antioxidant activity (AA), total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), ascorbic acid content (AAC), cloudiness (CI) and browning indexes (BI), and microbial activity, were analyzed at regular intervals and compared with the quality parameters of fresh bor-thekera juice (FBTJ). A multi-layer artificial neural network (ANN) was employed to model and optimize the ultrasound-assisted extraction of bor-thekera juice. The impacts of storage time, treatment time, and treatment temperature on the quality attributes were also explored. The TSBTJ demonstrated the maximum retention of nutritional attributes compared with the pasteurized bor-thekera juice (PBTJ). Additionally, the TSBTJ exhibited satisfactory results for microbiological activity, while the PBTJ showed the highest level of microbial inactivation. The designed ANN exhibited low mean squared error values and high R2 values for the training, testing, validation, and overall datasets, indicating a strong relationship between the actual and predicted results. The optimal extraction parameters generated by the ANN included a treatment time of 30 min, a frequency of 44 kHz, and a temperature of 40 °C. In conclusion, thermosonicated juices, particularly the TSBTJ, demonstrated enhanced nutritional characteristics, positioning them as valuable reservoirs of bioactive components suitable for incorporation in the food and pharmaceutical industries. The study underscores the efficacy of ANN as a predictive tool for assessing bor-thekera juice extraction efficiency. Moreover, the use of thermosonication emerged as a promising alternative to traditional thermal pasteurization methods for bor-thekera juice preservation, mitigating quality deterioration while augmenting the functional attributes of the juice.

Minerals play an important role in maintaining human health as the deficiency of these minerals can lead to serious health issues. To address these deficiencies, current research efforts are actively investigating the utilization of protein-mineral complexes as eco-friendly, non-hazardous, suitable mineral fortifiers, characterized by minimal toxicity, for incorporation into food products. Thus, we reviewed the current challenges in incorporating the cereal-legume protein-inorganic minerals complexes’ structure, binding properties, and toxicity during fortification on human health. Moreover, we further reviewed the development of protein-mineral complexes, characterization, and their food applications. The use of inorganic minerals has been associated with several toxic effects, leading to tissue-level toxicity. Cereal- and legume-based protein-mineral complexes effectively reduced the toxicity, improved bone mineral density, and has antioxidant properties. The characterization techniques provided a better understanding of the binding efficiency of cereal- and legume-based protein-mineral complexes. Overall, understanding the mechanism and binding efficiency underlying protein-mineral complex formation provided a novel insight into the design of therapeutic strategies for mineral-related diseases with minimal toxicity.

Food by-products and waste are a boundless source of bioactives, nutraceuticals, and naturally occurring substances that are good for human health. In fact, a lot of by-products and wastes are generated by several food businesses. Therefore, waste management and by-product utilization are the most important aspects of the food sector. According to various studies, many bioactive compounds such as phenolics, carotenoids, and proteins can be recovered as feed stock from various industries’ by-products and wastes using potential technologies. As a result, current trends are shifting attention to the sustainable valorisation of food sector waste management and by-products utilization. Thus, the circular economy principles have been applied to the field of food science. The aim of the circular economy is to ensure environmental protection and promote economic development while minimizing the environmental impact of food production. All of these aspects of the circular economy, at present, have become a challenging area of research for by-product valorisation as well. Hence, this review aims to highlight the emerging trends in the efficient utilization of food industry waste and by-products by focusing on innovative encapsulation techniques and controlled release mechanisms of bioactive compounds extracted from food industry waste and by-products. This review also aims to suggest future research directions, and addresses regulatory and toxicity considerations, by fostering knowledge dissemination and encouraging eco-friendly approaches within the food industry. This review reveals the role of encapsulation strategies for the effective utilization of bioactive compounds extracted from food industry waste and by-products. However, further research is needed to address regulatory and toxicity considerations of encapsulated bioactive compounds and health-related concerns.

This study explored the effect of thermosonication on the nutritional properties of lapsi (Choerospondias axillaris) fruit juice. The intent of the present investigation was to process lapsi fruit juice using both thermosonication and thermal pasteurisation and to compare the effects of these treatments on the juice’s physicochemical, nutritional, and microbiological qualities. In order to maximise the retention of nutritional properties, enhance juice quality, and boost efficiency, an artificial neural network (ANN) model was also developed to forecast the optimisation of process parameters for the quality of lapsi fruit juice. This study establishes a novel experimental planning method using an ANN to multi-objectively optimise the extraction process and identify the ideal extraction conditions for thermosonication (50, 75, and 100% amplitude at 30, 40, and 50 °C for 15, 30, 45, and 60 min) to augment lapsi juice’s nutritional and microbiological properties by improving certain attributes such as ascorbic acid (AA), antioxidant activity (AOA), total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), total plate count, and yeast and mould count (YMC). The maximum values for AA (71.80 ± 0.05 mg/100 mL), AOA (74.60 ± 0.28%), TPC (187.33 ± 0.03 mg gallic acid equivalents [GAE]/mL), TFC (127.27 ± 0.05 mg quercetin equivalents [QE]/mL), total plate count (not detected), and YMC were achieved in thermosonicated lapsi juice (TSLJ) under optimal conditions. For AA and TFC, the optimal conditions were 100% amplitude, 40 °C, and 45 min. For AOA and TPC, the optimal conditions were 100% amplitude, 40 °C, and 60 min, and for YMC, the optimal conditions were 100% amplitude, 50 °C, and 60 min. According to the findings, thermosonicated juices have improved nutritional properties, making them an excellent source of bioactive elements for use in both the food and pharmaceutical sectors. According to this study, ANN has been identified as a valuable tool for predicting the effectiveness of lapsi fruit juice extraction, and the application of thermosonication as an approach for lapsi juice preservation could be a potential successor to thermal pasteurisation. This approach can help to minimise or hinder quality degradation while improving the juice’s functionality.

Elephant apple (Dillenia indica L.) grows wild in Southeast Asia’s forests, including in China, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. Elephant apples are considered essential fruit crops because of their high nutritional value, which includes high levels of vitamin C, carbohydrates, fats, fibre, protein, minerals, and fatty acids. It is important to understand the nutritional value and health benefits of elephant apples in order to increase fruit intake in people’s daily diets. The present review paper focuses on elephant apple’s phytochemistry, bioactive compounds, therapeutic value, and medicinal capabilities for designing and developing a wide range of food formulations. Proteins, minerals, fats, crude fibre, carbohydrates, vitamin C, tannins, malic acid, and glucose are abundant in the leaves, bark, and fruit of the elephant apple. In addition to nutritional components, many phytochemicals found in elephant apples have been identified as bioactive compounds with a broad range of biological activities, the most prominent of which are antioxidant, anticancer, antidiabetic, and anti-inflammatory properties. Overall, elephant apple is a rich, natural source of bioactive compounds with potential applications in the production of value-added foods and nutraceuticals for disease prevention and management.

The aim of this study was to compare the refractance window drying method (RWD) with the hot air oven drying (HD), vacuum drying (VD), and freeze-drying (FD) methods in order to analyze the outcomes of the qualitative properties of dragon fruit slices and pulp. Moreover, the impact of temperature on the phenolic content, antioxidant activity, color, and texture of the dragon fruit slices and pulp were studied. The results showed that the RWD samples exhibited a high nutritional quality in contrast to the other drying methods. The RWD method had a short drying time of 960 min to reach the final moisture content of 6.50% (dry basis), while the FD, VD, and HD methods had significantly higher drying times of 1320, 1200, and 1080 min, respectively, to reach the final moisture content. Higher values of TPC (182 mg GAE/100 g) and crude fiber (0.98%) were obtained in the RWD dragon fruit samples, indicating the potential of RWD to preserve the quality of dried samples. In conclusion, this study revealed that RWD provides an appropriate drying temperature as an alternative to freeze-drying. RWD may improve dragon fruit drying, adding value to the food industry.

Noodles are a popular snack mainly produced from wheat flour; however, the low contents of protein, minerals, and lysine are a concern. Therefore, this research developed nutri-rich instant noodles by using foxtail millet (FTM) (Setaria italic) flour to improve the contents of protein and nutrients and increase its commercial importance. FTM flour was mixed with wheat flour (Triticum aestivum) at a ratio of 0:100, 30:60, 40:50, and 50:40, and the samples were named as control, FTM30, FTM40, and FTM50 noodles, respectively. Mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) and rice bran (Oryza sativa L.) flour were added at a percentage of 5% to all the composite noodles (FTM30, FTM40, and FTM50 noodles). The contents of biochemicals, minerals, and amino acids, as well as the organoleptic properties of the noodles, were examined and compared with wheat flour as a control. The results revealed that the carbohydrate (CHO) content of FTM50 noodles was significantly lower (p < 0.05) than all the developed and five commercial noodles named A-1, A-2, A-3, A-4, and A-5. Moreover, the FTM noodles had significantly higher levels of protein, fiber, ash, calcium, and phosphorous than the control and commercial noodles. The percentage of lysine calculated protein efficiency ratio (PER), essential amino acid index (EAAI), biological value (BV), and chemical score (CS) of FTM50 noodles were also higher than that of the commercial noodles. The total bacterial count was nil for the FTM50 noodles, and the organoleptic properties were consistent with those of acceptable standards. The results could encourage the application of FTM flours for the development of variety and value-added noodles with enhanced level of nutrients.

The present study was aimed at developing whey-mango-based mixed beverages and characterizing their physicochemical properties. Three different formulations were prepared by varying proportions of whey and mango (sample-1 = 60:20 mL, sample-2 = 65:15 mL, and sample-3 = 70:10 mL). Prepared beverage samples during 25 days of storage revealed a significant increase in acidity (0.27 ± 0.02–0.64 ± 0.03%), TSS (17.15 ± 0.01–18.20 ± 0.01 °Brix); reducing sugars (3.01 ± 0.01–3.67 ± 0.01%); moisture (74.50 ± 0.02–87.02 ± 0.03%); protein (5.67 ± 0.02–7.58 ± 0.01%); fat (0.97 ± 0.01–1.39 ± 0.04%); and carbohydrate (18.01 ± 0.02–3.45 ± 0.02%). The sedimentation rate was only 1%. The total plate count for the prepared samples ranged from 3.32 ± 0.08 to 3.49 ± 0.15 log CFU/mL while yeast and mold counts varied between 0.48 ± 0.01 to 1.85 ± 0.11 Log CFU/mL. The coliform count was below the detection limit (

In the past couple of years, cellulose has attracted a significant amount of attention and research interest due to the fact that it is the most abundant and renewable source of hydrogels. With increasing environmental issues and an emerging demand, researchers around the world are focusing on naturally produced hydrogels in particular due to their biocompatibility, biodegradability, and abundance. Hydrogels are three-dimensional (3D) networks created by chemically or physically crosslinking linear (or branching) hydrophilic polymer molecules. Hydrogels have a high capacity to absorb water and biological fluids. Although hydrogels have been widely used in food applications, the majority of them are not biodegradable. Because of their functional characteristics, cellulose-based hydrogels (CBHs) are currently utilized as an important factor for different aspects in the food industry. Cellulose-based hydrogels have been extensively studied in the fields of food packaging, functional food, food safety, and drug delivery due to their structural interchangeability and stimuli-responsive properties. This article addresses the sources of CBHs, types of cellulose, and preparation methods of the hydrogel as well as the most recent developments and uses of cellulose-based hydrogels in the food processing sector. In addition, information regarding the improvement of edible and functional CBHs was discussed, along with potential research opportunities and possibilities. Finally, CBHs could be effectively used in the industry of food processing for the aforementioned reasons.

Environmental pollution brought on by xenobiotics and other related recalcitrant compounds have recently been identified as a major risk to both human health and the natural environment. Due to their toxicity and non-biodegradability, a wide range of pollutants, such as heavy metals, polychlorinated biphenyls, plastics, and various agrochemicals are present in the environment. Bioremediation is an effective cleaning technique for removing toxic waste from polluted environments that is gaining popularity. Various microorganisms, including aerobes and anaerobes, are used in bioremediation to treat contaminated sites. Microorganisms play a major role in bioremediation, given that it is a process in which hazardous wastes and pollutants are eliminated, degraded, detoxified, and immobilized. Pollutants are degraded and converted to less toxic forms, which is a primary goal of bioremediation. Ex situ or in situ bioremediation can be used, depending on a variety of factors, such as cost, pollutant types, and concentration. As a result, a suitable bioremediation method has been chosen. This review focuses on the most recent developments in bioremediation techniques, how microorganisms break down different pollutants, and what the future holds for bioremediation in order to reduce the amount of pollution in the world.

Currant tomato (Solanum pimpinellifolium), an underutilized wild species of modern tomato, was investigated to determine the physicochemical properties and understand the effect of cold- and hot-break heat treatments on physicochemical characteristics. Moreover, a new Arrhenius-type equation was used to model the temperature-dependent viscosity of currant tomato pulp and paste. The currant tomato’s porosity, surface area, and lycopene content were 40.96 ± 0.84%, 663.86 ± 65.09 mm2, and 9.79 ± 1.88 mg/100 g, respectively. Cold- and hot-break heat treatments had a significant (p < 0.05) effect on tomato pulp and paste color change (0.09 to 0.26; 0.19 to 1.96), viscosity (0.06 to 0.02 Pa.s; 0.85 to 0.37 Pa.s), and lycopene content (9.70 to 9.07 mg/100 g; 9.60 to 9.37 mg/100 g), respectively. An Arrhenius-type equation described the temperature-dependent viscosity of currant tomato pulp and paste with activation energy (Ea) ranging from 7.54 to 11.72 kJ/mol and 8.62 to 8.97 kJ/mol, respectively. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed a total of variance 99.93% in tomato pulp and paste as affected by the cold- and hot-break heat treatments. Overall, the findings may provide knowledge for design graders and process optimization to develop currant tomato-based products.

Curcumin has been demonstrated to have biological activities and its fortification in food products is an important strategy to deliver bioactive ingredients at target sites. However, studies have documented a curcumin low bioavailability and low intake. Hence, combining functional ingredients with food should be needed to prevent widespread nutrient intake shortfalls and associated deficiencies. Thus, curcumin was encapsulated in calcium-alginate and their characteristics as well as in vitro release behavior of curcumin hydrogel beads (CHBs) was studied. Moreover, CHBs were fortified in development of functional Kulfi and their quality characteristics were studied. The encapsulation efficiency was up to 95.04%, indicating that most of the curcumin was entrapped. FTIR shifts in the bands were due to the replacement of sodium ions to the calcium ions. In vitro release (%) for CHBs was found to be 67.15% after 2 h, which increased slightly up to 67.88% after 4 h. The average swelling index of CHBs was found to be 10.21 to 37.92 from 2 to 12 h in PBS (pH 7.40). Control and Kulfi fortified with CHBs showed no significant difference (p > 0.05) in colour (L = 73.03 and 75.88) and the melting rate (0.88 mL/min and 0.63 mL/min), respectively. Standard plate count was reduced in the Kulfi fortified with CHBs (13.77 × 104 CFU/mL) with high sensory score for overall acceptability (8.56) compared to the control (154.70 × 104 CFU/mL). These findings suggested the feasibility of developing CHBs to mask the bitterness, enhance the solubility, and increase the bioavailability in gastrointestinal conditions. Additionally, Kulfi could be a suitable dairy delivery system for curcumin bioactive compounds.