In response to the dynamic changes in current consumer demand and market trends, the area of Active Packaging is becoming increasingly significant. Unlike traditional packaging, which must be totally inert, active packaging is designed to interact with the contents and/or the surrounding environment. Active packaging refers to the incorporation of additives into packaging systems with the aim of maintaining or extending meat product quality and shelf-life. Active packaging systems discussed include oxygen scavengers, ethylene scavengers, flavor and odor absorber/releaser, antimicrobial and antioxidant packaging technologies. Intelligent packaging systems include time-temperature indicators, gas detectors and freshness and/or ripening indicators. Recognition of the benefits of active and intelligent packaging technologies by the food industry and increased consumer acceptance is necessary for commercial realization of these packaging technologies. Advances in nanotechnology will also enable the development of better and new active and intelligent packaging.

Menopause is a gradual three-stage process that concludes with the end of periods and reproductive life. The antioxidant enzyme system get affected in postmenopause due to deficiency of estrogen, which has got antioxidant properties. The objective of the present study was therefore, to analyze the effect of supplementation of drumstick and amaranth leaves powder on blood levels of antioxidant and marker of oxidative stress. Ninety postmenopausal women aged 45-60 years were selected and divided into three groups viz. Group I, II and III having thirty subjects in each group. The subjects of group II and III were supplemented daily with 7 g drumstick leaves powder (DLP) and 9 g amaranth leaves powder (ALP), respectively for a period of 3 months in their diet. The subjects of group I was not given supplementation. Serum retinol, serum ascorbic acid, glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase and malondialdehyde were analyzed before and after supplementation. Fasting blood glucose and haemoglobin level of the subjects were also analyzed. The data revealed that supplementation of DLP and ALP significantly increased serum retinol (8.8 % and 5.0 %), serum ascorbic acid (44.4 % and 5.9 %), glutathione peroxidase (18.0 % and 11.9 %), superoxide dismutase (10.4 % and 10.8) whereas decrease in marker of oxidative stress i.e. malondialdehyde (16.3 % and 9.6 %) in postmenopausal women of group II and group III, respectively. A significant (p≤0.01) decrease was also observed in fasting blood glucose level (13.5 % and 10.4 %) and increase in haemoglobin (17.5 % and 5.3 %) in group II and group III, respectively. The results indicated that these plants possess antioxidant property and have therapeutic potential for the prevention of complications during postmenopause.

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Ninety non-insulin dependent diabetic subjects were selected from Punjab Agricultural University and Civil hospitals of Ludhiana. The selected subjects were divided into three groups viz. Group I, II and III having thirty subjects each. The subjects of group I were not given any treatment. The subjects of group II and III were supplemented with 100 mg and 200 mg of Aloe vera L. gel powder respectively for a period of 3 months and supplementation was continued along with nutrition counselling for the next 3 months. The nutrition education was given for 3 months after 15 days interval to the subjects of group II and III through individual and group contact. The blood glucose and lipid profile were analyzed. The blood pressure of the subjects was also measured. It was seen that there was a significant (p≤0.01) reduction in fasting blood glucose level by 11.4% and 15.4% and post prandial glucose level 18.5% and 27.8% in the subjects of group II and III respectively after the study. Significant (p≤ 0.01) reduction in total cholesterol 8.6% and 10.1%, triglycerides 9.6% and 12.2%, low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) 12.8% and 14.6%, very low density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C) 9.6% and 12.2% and an increase in high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) 7.3% and 9.4% was observed in the subjects of group II and III respectively. The ratio of total cholesterol to HDL-C reduced from 5.6 to 4.8 and 6.1 to 5.0 and LDL-C to HDL-C from 3.7 to 3.0 and 4.1 to 3.1 in the subjects of group II and III respectively after the study. There was also a significant decrease (p≤0.01) in the blood pressure of the subjects of group II and III and a non significant decrease (p≤0.01) was seen in the subjects of group I. With the intervention of Aloe vera L., significant reduction was observed in blood glucose, lipid profile and blood pressure of the diabetic patients.

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The effect of supplementation of a powdered mixture of three traditional medicinal plants-bittergourd, jamun seeds, and fenugreek seeds-in raw and cooked form on blood glucose was studied in 60 non-insulin-dependent male diabetics. The patients were divided into two groups of 30 each. The patients of group I were given the raw powdered mixture in the form of capsules; the patients of group II were given this mixture in the form of salty biscuits. Daily supplementation of 1 g of this powered mixture for a 1.5-month period and then a further increase to 2 g for another 1.5 months significantly reduced the fasting as well as the postprandial glucose level of the diabetic patients. A significant decrease in oral hypoglycemic drug intake and decline in percentage of the subjects who were on hypoglycemic drugs were found after the 3-month feeding trial. It was concluded that 2 g of a powdered mixture of traditional medicinal plants in either raw or cooked form can be successfully used for lowering blood glucose in diabetics.

The thin-layer drying behavior of sprouted wheat (cv. PBW 550) was experimented at different drying periods, such as 24 h, 36 h and 48 h. The samples were dried in a tray dryer at 50–80οC at an interval of 10°C. The moisture ratio was fitted to the six thin-layer drying models, and the performance of the models was assessed by statistical parameters. The Wang and Singh model has accurately predicted the drying behavior of sprouted wheat for all sprouting periods and drying temperatures. In addition, the effective moisture diffusivity of grain sprouts at three drying periods (24 h, 36 h and 48 h) of sprouted wheat was increased from 1.79 × 10-9 to 2.58 × 10-9 m2 s-1, 1.921 × 10-9 to 2.781 × 10-9 m2 s-1 and 1.858 × 10-9 to 2.561 × 10-9 m2 s-1 with increase in drying temperature from 50oC to 80oC. Moreover, at the above-stated drying periods, the activation energy for sprouted wheat was 11.357 kJ mol-1, 11.428 kJ mol-1 and 9.427 kJ mol-1, respectively. Therefore, thin-layer drying of sprouted wheat was successfully simulated between 50°C and 80°C for various drying periods. This study provided imperative information to understand the drying behavior and relationship between various drying parameters of sprouted grains that could produce nutritive functional flour.

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