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Currently, there is a great demand for those food products that are easy to prepare or ready for direct consumption. Making pear fruit/juice available round the year is desirous owing to pears' high-nutritional value and specific pleasant taste. Pear is, however, a seasonal fruit and under ambient conditions has a limited shelf life rendering it available as fresh fruit for a specific period.

The study aimed to optimize the spray drying process parameters using response surface methodology for the development of pear juice powder. The process variables included the inlet air temperature of 140–210°C, maltodextrin levels of 4–25%, atomization speed of 11,400–28,000 rpm, feed flow rate of 180–630 mL/hr, and feed total soluble solids (TSS) of 13–30°Brix. The dependent responses were powder yield, solubility, antioxidant activity {% 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging capacity}, dispersibility, hygroscopicity and particle density.

Among independent variables, inlet air temperature showed a predominant effect. The optimum processing conditions for the development of pear juice powder with optimum quality were 163.02°C inlet air temperature, 13.50% maltodextrin, 28,000 rpm atomization speed, 390.94 mL/h feed flow rate, and 25.5°Brix feed TSS. Under these optimum conditions, pear powder with desirable properties could be produced. The experimental and predicted values were found to be in agreement, indicating the suitability of the model in predicting optimizing responses of pear powder. Glass transition temperature of pear powder was found to be 36.60 ± 0.40°C, which is much higher than that of ambient temperature, suggesting better shelf stability.

The processing of pear fruit has resulted in the increased demand for pear juice powder in both domestic and international markets as a primer of new food products. The optimum conditions obtained in the current study could provide a new insight to the food industry in developing spray-dried pear powder of optimum quality. This can open up a new horizon in the field of food industry for the common masses of Jammu and Kashmir, India.

This study aims to develop sweet chestnut incorporated corn-based extrudates by the optimization of process conditions.

The independent process variables for extrusion (blend ratio, barrel temperature, screw speed and feed moisture) were investigated to govern their impact on reliant variables, namely, bulk density, specific mechanical energy, water absorption index, water solubility index, color and hardness. Product and system responses were significantly (p < 0.05) affected by the independent variables. Experimental design with quadratic models experienced a high coefficient of determination (R² = 0.99).

Numerical optimization for the development of extrudates resulted in optimum conditions having corn flour: sweet chestnut flour (80:20), barrel temperature (120°C), screw speed (340 rpm) and feed moisture (12%). Fat, moisture and protein contents of the developed extrudates using optimum conditions were significantly (p < 0.05) lower compared to raw materials – corn and sweet chestnut. The packaging of extrudates in aluminum laminates revealed shelf stability of three months at room temperature without deterioration of quality.

Nutritionally rich sweet chestnut extruded products would be an exclusive option to already existing snacks in the market and can facilitate a new sphere in extruded product sector.

Throughout the world, there has been a dramatic increase in the demand for functional food products. Owing to the health benefits of barley, its utilization was explored for the development of β-glucan rich functional instant talbina (porridge). The present research was, therefore, undertaken with an aim to optimize the extrusion conditions for development of instant talbina premix and evaluate its functional and quality characteristics.

The independent variables i.e. barrel temperature (105–125°C) and feed moisture (12–20%) were studied to determine their influence on the system parameter i.e. specific mechanical energy and product characteristics i.e. bulk density, breaking strength, water absorption index, expansion ratio, water solubility index, L*, a* and b* by employing a central composite rotatable design.

All the quality parameters were significantly (p < 0.05) influenced by independent variables. The regression models obtained for all the responses showed higher coefficient of determination (R² = 0.99). The optimum extrusion conditions obtained by numerical optimization for development of extrudates used for making instant talbina were moisture content (12%) and barrel temperature (105°C). Various functional, pasting, complexing index and physicochemical properties of instant talbina were improved by the addition of honey and milk. The instant talbina prepared from barley flour with the addition of milk and honey showed increase in the β-glucan content, resistant starch, antioxidant activity and decrease in glycemic index with improved overall acceptability.

As far as we could possibly know that very limited or not many studies have been carried out wherein the possibility of developing instant talbina (porridge) have been carried out. As a result, the current study has a lot of potential for the food industry to manufacture β-glucan rich functional instant talbina with improved antioxidant characteristics and low glycemic index.

Apricots are not only nutritionally-rich but also possess pharmacological significance owing to their high antioxidant activity, and they are rich in vitamins, fibers, bioactive phytochemicals and minerals. Because of its immense organoleptic characteristics, apricot juice (AJ) is well accepted; however, it has a limited shelf-life, thereby demanding it to be converted into other shelf-stable form. One of the approaches is converting this juice into dehydrated powder. Amongst the various dehydration techniques available, spray drying is usually preferred; however, it involves the use of several independent variables, which need to be optimized, thus prompting to optimize the process to obtain spray dried apricot powder (SDAP) with improved quality.

The spray-drying process of apricot juice was done using the response surface approach. The process variables included the inlet air temperature of 135–220°C, gum arabic concentration of 4–25%, feed flow rate of 124–730 mL/h, feed total soluble solids (TSS) of 10-30°Brix and atomization speed of 11,400–28,000 rpm. The dependent responses were powder yield, hygroscopicity, solubility, moisture content, carotenoids (CT), ascorbic acid (AA), radical scavenging activity (RSA), lightness, wettability, bulk density, particle density and porosity.

Amongst all independent variables, inlet air temperature had most predominant impact on all the investigated responses. The optimum processing conditions for development of apricot powder with optimum quality were 190°C inlet air temperature, 18.99% gum arabic, 300.05 mL/h feed flow rate, 24°Brix feed TSS and 17433.41 rpm atomization speed. The experimental values were found to be in agreement with the predicted values, indicating the suitability of models in predicting optimizing responses of apricot powder. Flowability as Carr's index (CI) (22.36 ± 1.01%) suggests fair flow of powder. Glass transition temperature of powder was 57.85 ± 2.03°C, which is much higher than that of ambient, suggesting its better shelf stability.

To the best of author's knowledge, very limited or very few studies have been carried out on the spray-drying process for the manufacture of SDAP. The results of this investigation will open up new horizons in the field of food industry in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, India or elsewhere in the apricot-growing areas of India.

The purpose of this paper is to review the nutritional composition, phytochemicals and bioactive compounds of black rice such as flavonoids, phenolic compounds and their health benefits. Black rice has also been used in medicine and for curing diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Green technologies such as microwave-assisted extraction, supercritical fluid extraction and pulse electric field assisted extraction are very useful for the extraction of bioactive compounds as these reduce the use of energy and are environmental friendly. Black rice in different forms can be incorporated in various food products such as bakery, dairy and meat products.

Information and data were collected from different sources such as Google Scholar, Research Gate, online journals available at Banaras Hindu University library, Web of Science and Scopus. A database of more than 80 scientific sources from different sources was made as per the headings and subheadings of the paper.

Black rice is a type of rice species (Oryza sativa L.) and very good source of various nutrients and one of the nutritious varieties of rice. It is a good reservoir of essential amino acids such as lysine, tryptophan, minerals including iron, calcium, phosphorus, zinc and selenium; vitamins such as vitamin B1, vitamin B2 and folic acid. Various recent methods of extraction of bioactive compounds from black rice are suggested.

Researchers and scientists have considered black rice as a “Super Food” because of its nutritional profile. Black rice has antioxidant activity, anti-inflammatory activity, anticancer activity, antihyperlipidemia and antihyperglycemia and anti-allergic activity. There is a need to create awareness among the consumers about its nutritional profile and therapeutic properties.