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In the present study, we isolated and identified a new fungus, Aspergillus sp VM-1 from banana pseudostem waste. The fungal strain, Aspergillus sp. VM-1 was grown on a substrate (banana pseudostem, cottonseed hulls and cottonseed meal in the ratio of 60:30:10, respectively) for 7 days and the crude enzyme was extracted from the fermented substrate. The pectinase activity in crude enzyme extract was 551 (U/ml). The crude enzyme extracted from Aspergillus sp. VM-1 was evaluated for bio-scouring of non-spinnable cotton. The non-spinnable cotton taken in the study was short staple cotton (SSC), cotton linters (CL) and non-woven cotton fabric (NWCF). The maximum absorbency (2 s) in non-spinnable cotton was achieved under optimized process conditions: enzyme extract level (40%), temperature (40 ± 2 °C) and time (40 min). The quality parameters of bio-scoured cotton meet the Indian Pharmacopoeia (IP) standards. A solid state fermenter was designed to scale-up the crude enzyme production up to 30 l. This is the first report on bio-scouring of under-utilized short cotton fibres at lower temperature (40 ± 2 °C). The present study offers a simple and eco-friendly bio-scouring process as an alternative to toxic chemical scouring of under-utilized short staple cotton fibres.

Use of cottonseed as protein source for food application and monogastric animals are restricted due to the presence of polyphenolic toxic content known as gossypol. Reduction of gossypol and improving crude protein content in cottonseed flour may increase its utility for feed and food industries. The present study aims to analyze the influence of three individual methods viz., sprouting method, enzymatic method and solvents method on free and total gossypol content, crude protein content, oil content and flour yield. Enzymatic treatments were performed using culture candida tropicalis, saccharomyces cerevisiae and combinations of both whereas for solvent treatments four different solvents namely acetone, ethanol, methanol and iso-propanol with their four different levels (70-100%) were applied. Results of this study revealed that 70% aqueous acetone showed maximum free gossypol reduction (97%), crude protein content (65.6%), oil content 31.3 % and 57% flour yield was observed. However, total gossypol reduction was only 51%. Other side, enzymatic treatment based on candida tropicalis found more effective in terms of total gossypol reduction (73%), however crude protein content was recorded only 39.4%.

Cottonseed is potential candidate to act as an important protein source but presence of toxic compound gossypol with concentration more than 0.045% is main hurdle in utilization of this protein. Optimized lyophilized protein powder constitutes 5.05% moisture, 93.1% crude protein, 0.03% free gossypol, 0.27% total gossypol, and total bacterial count of 1295 cfu/g with no presence of pathogenic bacteria. Cottonseed may be utilized as an ingredient for food industry as a supplement in various foods since it has surpassed all critical quality standards except lysine content as mentioned in Food Safety and Standards Regulations, 2011 (FSSR, version IV, 2017).

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.

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.

Graphic Abstract In the present study, we isolated and identified a new fungus, Aspergillus sp VM-1 from banana pseudostem waste. The fungal strain, Aspergillus sp. VM-1 was grown on a substrate (banana pseudostem, cottonseed hulls and cottonseed meal in the ratio of 60:30:10, respectively) for 7 days and the crude enzyme was extracted from the fermented substrate. The pectinase activity in crude enzyme extract was 551 (U/ml). The crude enzyme extracted from Aspergillus sp. VM-1 was evaluated for bio-scouring of non-spinnable cotton. The non-spinnable cotton taken in the study was short staple cotton (SSC), cotton linters (CL) and non-woven cotton fabric (NWCF). The maximum absorbency (2 s) in non-spinnable cotton was achieved under optimized process conditions: enzyme extract level (40%), temperature (40 ± 2 °C) and time (40 min). The quality parameters of bio-scoured cotton meet the Indian Pharmacopoeia (IP) standards. A solid state fermenter was designed to scale-up the crude enzyme production up to 30 l. This is the first report on bio-scouring of under-utilized short cotton fibres at lower temperature (40 ± 2 °C). The present study offers a simple and eco-friendly bio-scouring process as an alternative to toxic chemical scouring of under-utilized short staple cotton fibres. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12649-021-01621-9.

Annona squamosa L. (custard apple) belongs to the family Annonaceae and is an important tropical fruit cultivated in the West Indies, South and Central America, Ecuador, Peru, Brazil, India, Mexico, the Bahamas, Bermuda, and Egypt. Leaves of custard apple plants have been studied for their health benefits, which are attributed to a considerable diversity of phytochemicals. These compounds include phenol-based compounds, e.g., proanthocyanidins, comprising 18 different phenolic compounds, mainly alkaloids and flavonoids. Extracts from Annona squamosa leaves (ASLs) have been studied for their biological activities, including anticancer, antidiabetic, antioxidant, antimicrobial, antiobesity, lipid-lowering, and hepatoprotective functions. In the current article, we discussed the nutritional and phytochemical diversity of ASLs. Additionally, ASL extracts were discussed with respect to their biological activities, which were established by in vivo and in vitro experiments. A survey of the literature based on the phytochemical profile and health-promoting effects of ASLs showed that they can be used as potential ingredients for the development of pharmaceutical drugs and functional foods. Although there are sufficient findings available from in vitro and in vivo investigations, clinical trials are still needed to determine the exact effects of ASL extracts on human health.

Pectin is a plant-based heteropolysaccharide macromolecule predominantly found in the cell wall of plants. Pectin is commercially extracted from apple pomace, citrus peels and sugar beet pulp and is widely used in the food industry as a stabilizer, emulsifier, encapsulant, and gelling agent. This review highlights various parameters considered important for describing the inherent properties and biofunctionalities of pectins in food systems. These inherent descriptors include monosaccharide composition, galacturonic acid content, degree of esterification, molecular weight, structural morphology, functional group analysis, and functional properties, such as water and oil holding capacity, emulsification, foaming capacity, foam stability, and viscosity. In this study, we also delineate their potential as a nutraceutical, prebiotic, and carrier for bioactive compounds. The biofunctionalities of pectin as an anticancer, antioxidant, lipid-lowering, and antidiabetic agent are also conceptually elaborated in the current review. The multidimensional characteristics of pectin make it a potential candidate for use in food and biomedical science.

Psidium guajava (L.) belongs to the Myrtaceae family and it is an important fruit in tropical areas like India, Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and South America. The leaves of the guava plant have been studied for their health benefits which are attributed to their plethora of phytochemicals, such as quercetin, avicularin, apigenin, guaijaverin, kaempferol, hyperin, myricetin, gallic acid, catechin, epicatechin, chlorogenic acid, epigallocatechin gallate, and caffeic acid. Extracts from guava leaves (GLs) have been studied for their biological activities, including anticancer, antidiabetic, antioxidant, antidiarrheal, antimicrobial, lipid-lowering, and hepatoprotection activities. In the present review, we comprehensively present the nutritional profile and phytochemical profile of GLs. Further, various bioactivities of the GL extracts are also discussed critically. Considering the phytochemical profile and beneficial effects of GLs, they can potentially be used as an ingredient in the development of functional foods and pharmaceuticals. More detailed clinical trials need to be conducted to establish the efficacy of the GL extracts.

Guava processing industries generate peel and seeds as primary waste fractions. Guava seeds obtained after fruit processing possess untapped potential in the field of food science due to the presence of a diversity of nutritional and bioactive compounds. Along with offering a detailed understanding of the nutritional attributes of guava seeds, the present review comprehensively elaborates on the therapeutic activities of their bioactive compounds, their techno-functional properties, and their other edible and nonedible applications. The limited molecular and biochemical mechanistic studies outlining the antioxidant, immunomodulatory, anticancer, antimicrobial, neuroprotective and antidiabetic activities of guava seeds available in the literature are also extensively discussed in this review. The use of guava seed constituents as food additives and food functional and structural modulators, primarily as fat reducers, emulsifiers, water and oil holding agents, is also conceptually explained. Additional human intervention and molecular mechanistic studies deciphering the effects of guava seeds on various diseases and human health are warranted.

Proteins serve as an imperative macronutrient in human nutrition and well-being. Their nutritional quality substantially varies with their digestibility, amino acid profile, bioavailability, processing and purity. From a nutritional viewpoint, the ideal integration of proteins from diverse plant sources can supply an adequate amount of essential amino acids to fulfil human health needs. The use of plant-derived proteins has recently gained momentum due to their multifaceted edible and nonedible applications and their biodegradable nature. The use of plant proteins will be essential when animal-derived proteins fail to satisfy the requirements of the global population. Physicochemical properties, structural properties, amino acid composition and functional attributes of plant-based proteins are of great interest to the food and processing industries. This review presents various applications of plant-based proteins as food supplements in human nutrition, edible coating materials for fruits and vegetables, emulsifiers in numerous food products, sources of bioactive peptides in nutra- and pharmaceutical products, hydrogels in drug delivery and nonedible applications as wood adhesives. Distinct biological properties of proteins obtained from plant sources such as peanuts, soybeans, kidney beans, rice, quinoa, sunflowers, cottonseed, camelina, maize and others are also conceptually discussed based on their diverse applications in human health and nutrition.

Currently, the stalks generated after cotton harvest is burnt in the field itself which results in soil fertility deterioration and environmental pollution. ICAR-CIRCOT, Mumbai has developed technologies for on-farm utilization of cotton stalks to restore soil fertility and bring additional remuneration to farmers by preparation of bio-enriched compost and cultivation of oyster mushroom using cotton stalks. The chipped cotton stalks of 3-4 cm in length were used for compost preparation. The bio-enriched compost was prepared from cotton stalks using microbial consortium within two months. The NPK level of cotton stalks compost was three times higher than farm yard manure. The application of 2 tonnes of cotton stalks compost per acre could sufficiently replace the requirement of 5 tonnes of farm yard manure in integrated nutrient management practice. The cost of production of one tonne of cotton stalks compost was Rs. 3000/- while market cost of farm yard manure ranges from Rs. 3000 to 3500/-. Thus, on an average, a farmer can save Rs. 9000/- per acre by replacing farm yard manure with cotton stalks compost. The hot water treated chipped cotton stalks of 3-4 cm length were used for oyster mushroom ( Pleurotus florida ) cultivation. The mushroom was cultivated by hanging bag technique during July to September, 2016. The average cropping period of mushroom was 27 days. About 130 g of mushroom was harvested from one kg of cotton stalks. The cost of production of one kg of oyster mushroom is Rs. 50 including spawn cost. The market value of oyster mushroom is Rs. 150/-. As an entrepreneurial activity, a cotton farmer can earn minimum of Rs. 1000/- for compost preparation while, Rs. 10,000/- for oyster mushroom cultivation from one acre of land, besides utilizing stalks generated in the field.

Adequate nourishment and sustenance of human body rely on the intake and absorption of sufficient dietary nutrients. Proteins derived from plant source are recently gaining popularity due to its increased popularity among vegetarian diet. Moreover, the negative impact of animal protein production on the environment and awareness to produce protein through sustainable means are gaining pace. Plant proteins are mainly serve the purpose of providing good health/nutrition and is recommended in various disease conditions, including heart diseases, diabetes, obesity and cancer. This review aims to delineate the recent developments on the extraction of protein from plant sources using conventional (solvent and alkali-based) and advanced green extraction technologies viz. biochemical extraction (single and concoction of enzymes), and physical extraction (ultrasound-, pulse electric field-, microwave- and high pressure-assisted extraction). It is evident from the findings that novel cell disruptive techniques are proven to be more efficient with respect to protein recovery and posing minimal environmental pollution. Utilizing efficient, cost effective, and eco-friendly techniques for protein extraction can help to decipher the key challenges faced by food processing industries.