This paper reviews an overview of microwave heating as one method of thermal food processing. The higher standard of living and soaring income of consumers have lead for the demand for the modern food processing application. The technological revolution and nutritional awareness have increased the popularity of the microwave heating. Microwave heating is known for its operational safety and nutrient retention capacity with minimal loss of heat-labile nutrients such as vitamins B and C, dietary antioxidants, phenols and carotenoids. This review aims to provide a brief update of microwave heating and its application for food processing applications, with special emphasis on its impact on food quality in terms of microbial and nutritional value changes.

Cellulose was extracted from coconut shell powder (CSP) as a source of natural fiber, and used as reinforcing material in casein composite films. Extraction was done by delignification and mercerization of CSP, with yield of 27.5% cellulose. The isolated cellulose was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray diffractometry (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The SEM micrographs revealed that the mean width of microfibrils was 5–20 µm, while AFM showed mean surface roughness of 1.37 nm. FTIR spectra revealed the absence of lignin and hemicellulose in the cellulose, indicating their successful removal from CSP during extraction of cellulose. XRD indicated crystallinity content of 65.4% in cellulose. The flow properties of extracted cellulose were compared with that of commercial grade cellulose. The bulk, tapped and true densities of extracted cellulose were 368.8, 493.8 and 1313 kg/m3, respectively, whereas Hausner ratio and Carr’s index were 1.34 and 25.3%, respectively. The reinforcing capacity of 3% cellulose was evaluated in casein films prepared by casting. Casein composite films with added cellulose increased their tensile strength and elastic modulus from 4.98 to 7.20 MPa and 9.91 to 83.42 MPa, respectively. However, the tensile strain decreased from 52.08 to 8.66% after incorporation of cellulose, indicating good toughness and resistance to deformation.

The present research was intended to develop a small scale butter churn and its performance by altering churning temperature and churn speed during butter making. In the present study, the cream was churned at different temperatures (8, 10 and 12°C) and churn speeds (35, 60 and 85 rpm). The optimum parameters of churning time (40 min), moisture content (16 %) and overrun (19.42 %) were obtained when cream was churned at churning temperature of 10°C and churn speed of 60 rpm. Using appropriate conditions of churning temperature and churn speed, high quality butter can be produced at cottage scale.

A survey of traditional butter making in India would reveal that butter production in rural areas is still not technically advanced.To overcome this problem, a skid mounted improved frustum cone shaped insulated butter churn of small size was developed. In the present improved butter churn,the churning time required is reduced by providing internal stirring wing, thus, the process becomes more efficient with reduced labour requirements.With this churn cream from about 100 litres of milk could be processed daily into butter. In India small capacity skid mounted improved butter churn would prove to be economic and efficient.

A novel small scale improved butter making unit called 'Frustum Cone Shaped Butter Churn was developed with working capacity of 5 liter curd/batch. This paper deals with development of parts of churn i.e. inner and outer frustum cone, stirring tube, head and closure and insulation etc. For better insulation foamed polyethylene was used to offset the effect of ambient on temperature of curd filled inside the churn. For controlling the speed of the motor, gear and pulley arrangement with v-belt was used. The highest overrun and yield of butter were recorded to be 24.41 per cent and 1.63 kg/5 l. curd at higher churning temperature of 12°C and higher churn speed of 85 rpm. However, the optimum speed of churn for good quality butter production was found to be 60 rpm at churning temperature of 10°C.