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Soybean is potentially a rich source of protein and lipids along with isoflavone. However, the use of soybean is limited due to presence of anti-nutritional factors such as trypsin inhibitor, phytic acid, etc. The present study aimed at evaluation of Harit soya seeds of different treatments such as soaking, dehulling, germination, soaking+roasting and roasting in order to enhance its quality.

Harit soya seeds were utilized were soaked overnight and subjected for dehulling, germination for 3 days as well as roasting followed by drying to obtain fine powder for quality evaluation.

Dehulling and germination produce significant (p < 0.01) increase in protein, crude fiber, total chlorophyll, ascorbic acid, total phenolics, flavonoids and isoflavones while fat was decreased non-significantly. The highest value of 12.4 mg/100g, 5.3 mgGAE/g and 6.6 mg/g for ascorbic acid, total phenolics and isoflavones was found in germinated seeds. Also, the effect of soaking, roasting and their combination lead to significant decrease in the functional properties of the seeds. Anti-nutritional factors were significantly (p < 0.01) reduced in all forms of treated seeds while pepsin and trysin digestibility was enhanced during soaking, dehulling and germination with maximum value of 72.6 and 25.8%, respectively in germinated seeds.

Improvement in quality of evergreen variety of soybean using cost effective traditional methods

This study systematically reviews the role of decentralized finance (DeFi) in enhancing the quality, affordability, access and usage of financial services, specifically targeting underserved populations. The aim is to investigate DeFi’s potential in addressing financial exclusion and promoting global financial inclusion.

A systematic literature review was conducted, analyzing 67 peer-reviewed articles. The review focused on extracting actionable insights and recommendations regarding DeFi’s impact on financial inclusion.

The study reveals that DeFi, through the utilization of blockchain technology, can significantly improve accessibility, affordability and usability of financial services. By eliminating intermediaries and reducing entry barriers, DeFi platforms democratize finance and support financial inclusion on a global scale. The research identifies specific mechanisms through which DeFi can enhance financial services for marginalized communities, including decentralized lending, digital wallets and blockchain-based remittances.

The study is constrained by the current literature and data availability on DeFi’s impact on financial inclusion. Future research should explore the scalability, sustainability and long-term effects of DeFi solutions in diverse contexts.

This research uniquely contributes to the literature by examining the intersection of DeFi and financial inclusion, providing innovative approaches to overcoming financial exclusion. The study highlights DeFi’s potential to transform financial services and empower underserved populations economically.

This study aims to encapsulate the crude carotene pigment isolated from waste portion of Cucurbita maxima with the help of different encapsulating agents through lyophilization to transform crude pigment into stable form for further utilization.

This paper opted for encapsulation of extracted carotene pigment by lyophilization using various carrier materials such as maltodextrin 20 dextrose equivalent (DE), maltodextrin 10 DE and tapioca starch along with emulsifier polysorbate-80. After encapsulation of crude carotene pigment, prepared encapsulated powder was subjected to chemical analysis. The data was analysed statistically by a complete randomized design.

Maximum encapsulation efficiency, carotene content, antioxidant activity and water solubility index were achieved when 0.06% of crude carotene pigment was emulsified with same quantity of polysorbate-80, followed by encapsulation with 20% of maltodextrin 20 DE during lyophilization.

Even though few researchers have worked on the encapsulation of colour pigments, no researcher has reported encapsulation of carotene pigment extracted from waste of C. maxima.

Internal fluffy portion along with fibrous strands of ripe pumpkin is considered as waste in processing industries though it contains sufficient amount of ß-carotene pigment. The purpose of this paper is to use the leftover fluffy portion of ripe pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima) after the use of its flesh for the purpose of processing.

The data were analyzed statistically by following a complete randomized design (CRD). All analysis were performed using the software OPSTAT.

One hour pre-enzymatic treatment before solvent extraction showed significant improvement in extraction yield in comparison to the isolation of ß-carotene pigment through solvent only. Temperature time combination was optimized as 40°C for 2 h during solvent extraction to obtain maximum yield irrespective of the type of extraction method used.

Extracted carotene pigment can further be used as a natural food colorant in processed food products not only to enhance the color appeal but also it improves the nutritional value of the product as ß-carotene acts as a precursor of vitamin A.

Coloring agents of natural origin are becoming famous among society due to their health benefits. Consumers are becoming reluctant to use synthetic colors because of the undesirable allergic reactions caused by them, so carotene bio-pigment produced is a natural coloring compound with wide application in the food sector.

Even though few researchers have worked on the extraction of carotene pigment from pumpkin, but no researcher has reported the use of a waste fluffy portion of C. maxima for extraction of ß-carotene pigment.

The main fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) retail formats that customers engage with in India are Kirana stores, neighborhood convenience stores (NCS), supermarkets and online retailers. However, there has been less research done on the variables or antecedents that could favorably affect consumers' engagement with these FMCG retail formats. To improve retail practices, this study looks at how female consumers perceive the performance of FMCG retail formats on different antecedents of consumer engagement. The status of consumer engagement with FMCG retail formats was also analyzed.

The present study used exploratory as well as descriptive research design. Previous studies were analyzed to identify the antecedents of consumer engagement. A structured questionnaire was used to collect the primary data from 400 female respondents of two major urban cities in north-western India. The descriptive analysis and one-way ANOVA test were performed to analyze the data.

Kirana stores’ performance on most of the antecedents was not satisfactory. Supermarkets and online retailers performed better on all antecedents. Customer marketing orientation and experiential marketing were the antecedents that required more attention from Kirana stores, NCS and supermarkets. Consumer engagement with online retailers was highest, whereas consumer engagement with Kirana stores was least.

This study offers a comprehensive examination of the antecedents of consumer engagement and consumer engagement with FMCG retail, which no prior research has studied in the context of FMCG retail businesses.