Plantain cultivar Nendran is popular as a staple food in many parts of India and deep fried chips made from raw matured Nendran are one of the popular snack items in India. This study aims to utilize peel from Nendran variety- the main byproduct of banana chips industry- to develop high fibre cookies with enhanced bioactive content. Proximate analysis indicated that peels are rich in total dietary fibre (64.33 g/100 g), vitamins (Folic acid- 33.12 mg/100 g) and minerals (Potassium- 35.61 mg/100 g). Nendran Peel Flour (NPF) was extracted with hexane, ethyl acetate and methanol. Phenolic and flavonoid content was high for ethyl acetate extract (15.21 and 9.39 mg QE/g dry weight). Methanol extract was more potent in reducing Copper ion (2.36 μM TR/g dry weight) and scavenging NO (IC50-381.71 μg/mL). Ethyl acetate extract was capable of scavenging DPPH and hydroxyl radical. HPLC profiling showed presence of gallic acid, protocatechuic acid, rutin hydrate and quercetin in ethyl acetate extract and gallic acid, chlorogenic acid and vanillic acid in methanol extract. Cookies prepared with NPF possess higher total dietary fibre content. There was a decrease in spread ratio, breaking strength and browning index of cookies as the percentage of NPF increased. NPF incorporation gradually increased the phenolic content from 4.36 to 5.28 mg GAE, compared to control cookie (3.21 mg GAE). DPPH scavenging activity also increased with increase in NPF. Hence NPF is a very good source of antioxidant dietary fibre and acceptable cookies can be produced by replacing wheat flour with 10 % NPF.

The kinetics of colour (measured as Hunter 'a/b' value) degradation in beetroot puree (Beta vulgaris L.) was studied over a temperature range of 50-120 °C (isothermal process), and also during normal open pan cooking, pressure-cooking and a newly developed and patented fuel-efficient 'EcoCooker' (non-isothermal heating process). The degradation of visual colour as measured as Hunter 'a/b' value was found to follow a first order kinetics, where the rate constant increased with an increase in the temperature. The temperature dependence of degradation was adequately modeled by Arrhenius equation. A mathematical model has been developed using the kinetic parameters obtained from the isothermal experiments to predict the losses of color in the non-isothermal heating/processing method based on the time-temperature data for each of the methods. The results obtained indicate a colour degradation of similar magnitude in all the three modes of cooking used in the study.

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The present study investigates the oxidative and thermal stability of flavoured oils developed by incorporating essential oils from black pepper and ginger to coconut oil (CNO) at concentrations of 0.1 and 1.0% (CNO P-0.1 , CNO P-1 , CNO G-0.1 , CNO G-1 ). The stability of oils were assessed in terms of free fatty acids, peroxide, panisidine, conjugated diene and triene values and compared with CNO without any additives and a positive control with synthetic antioxidant TBHQ (CNO T ). It was found that the stability of CNO P-1 and CNO G-1 were comparable with CNO T at both study conditions. The possibility of flavoured oil as a table top salad oil was explored by incorporating the same in vegetable salad and was found more acceptable than the control, on sensory evaluation. The synergetic effect of essential oil as a flavour enhancer and a powerful natural antioxidant that can slow down the oxidation of fats was established in the study.

The study investigates the antioxidant potential of commonly used vegetable oils viz., coconut (CNO), sunflower (SFO), rice bran (RBO), groundnut (GNO), sesame (SESO) and mustard oil (MO), where the oils were extracted with methanol; and these methanolic extracts were used for the antioxidant studies. Fatty acid composition by gas chromatography, physicochemical parameters such as specific gravity, refractive index, acid value, iodine value and peroxide value were also analysed. Total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant activities of the oils (DPPH, ABTS, superoxide and nitric oxide radical scavenging assays) were evaluated. Phenolic compounds were identified by high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). Percentage TPC was highest in groundnut oil with 3.09 mg/100 g oil followed by coconut oil, rice bran oil, mustard oil, sunflower oil and sesame oil with 1.8, 0.89, 0.56, 0.49 and 0.33 mg/100 g oil, respectively. The methanolic extracts of oils showed potential antioxidant activity in terms of super oxide and nitric oxide radical scavenging activity. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONSThe present study indicated that vegetable oils can contribute to the dietary intake of antioxidants, depending on the processing condition. This is the first study of its kind to investigate and compare the phenolic content by HPLC and also the radical scavenging activity (DPPH, ABTS, superoxide and nitric oxide) of different oils. It was observed that the unrefined oils posses better antioxidant activity than the refined oils, which imply the importance of optimizing and/or modifying the existing steps in the vegetable oil processing to retain the polyphenolic content in vegetable oil without compromising other physicochemical parameters. The study has brought out the importance of polyphenolic compounds in vegetable oil as radical scavenging agents that could be beneficial in the management of many degenerative diseases. This may provide vegetable oils a new dimension in health management other than its traditional uses.

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Spent cumin (SC) generated from the ayurvedic medicine industry was screened for essential oil, oleoresin and dietary fiber content; and compared with fresh cumin (FC). Significant amount of essential oil and oleoresin was retained in SC as compared to FC. The composition of essential oil from SC and FC were significantly different as evident from GC and GC/MS analysis. Percentage retention of the major flavor compound in cumin, cuminaldehyde, in SC was 80.05% with respect to that of FC. Essential oil from SC exhibited promising antimicrobial activities. Essential oil from SC inhibited C. tropicalis fungi (zone of inhibition 44 ± 2.25 mm), which was better than the standard drug clotrimazole. The oleoresin, soluble and insoluble dietary fiber contents of SC were 6.43, 5.36, and 66.1%, respectively. Soluble dietary fiber from SC exhibited potential water holding and swelling capacities and has better prebiotic properties, suggesting application as a functional food ingredient. Practical applications Value addition of agro‐industrial waste pertain great interest for research, as it is a probable source of bioactive phytochemicals. Spent cumin generated from the ayurvedic medicine industry was screened for bioactive components; and compared with fresh cumin. The study indicates that the cumin seed residue from industries could be utilized for further value addition for the recovery of essential oil, oleoresin, and antioxidant dietary fiber. The present work is of great significant to food/pharmaceutical industries in terms of better utilization of natural resources for sustainable development and to address the issue of environmental pollution by better management of industrial waste.