No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

Plai or cassumunar ginger (Zingiber montanum), mainly distributed in tropical Asia, is an essential oil-bearing rhizomatous crop belonging to the Zingiberaceae family. Rhizomes and essential oil of this herb are used in culinary as flavoring agents, traditional medicines, and aromatherapy. In this study, the effect of different postharvest drying methods (air-, oven-drying at 40 and 60 °C, sun-, microwave-, and freeze-drying) of its sliced rhizome on the essential oil yield, composition, and sensory quality was investigated. The major key odorants and phytotoxins in its essential oil were identified for the first time through sensory- or bioassay-guided fractionation. Although the drying methods did not alter the oil composition significantly, oven-drying at 40 °C and freeze-drying produced the highest oil yield (81.0% of fresh rhizome) while maintaining the sensory quality. 4-Terpineol was found to be the majorly abundant key odorant in its oil through detailed sensory analysis. This oxygenated monoterpene was also demonstrated to be the major phytotoxin negatively affecting seed germination and shoot and root growth of wheatgrass seeds with IC50 values of 0.67, 0.10, and 0.17 mM, respectively. The current study is beneficial for further value addition of this crop in food industries and the agricultural sector.

The bioflavors are of high demand in food and beverage industries. The current study identified reductive processes mediated by mushroom species to alter the aroma of aldehyde-rich essential oils in the submerged culture. Neofomitella polyzonata, a polypore mushroom, reduced citronellal and citral in the citronella oil into corresponding alcohols that altered the oil aroma, creating a new bioflavor. The screening with 43 aldehydes showed its broad substrate scope within aromatic and linear aldehydes, yet influenced by the electronic and steric factors. Under an optimized condition, it efficiently converted up to 1.5 g/L citrusy and sharp citronella oil into a terpene alcohol-rich (citronellol and geraniol) floral, sweet, fresh, and rosy oily product within 12 h. The preparative-scale fermentation in the shake flask followed by distillation, an organic solvent-free downstream process, furnished the product in 87.2% w/w yield. Detailed sensory analyses and volatile chemo-profiling established the uniqueness in the product aroma and identified citronellol and geraniol as the key odorants. The chemometric analysis found best compositional similarity of this product with Damask or Turkish rose oils. The preference test for the water flavored with the fermented product (0.001−0.005% v/ v) indicated its potential as a rosy bioflavor for the beverages.

Introduction Proton (1H) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy based analytical method for the quantification of capsaicin (major pungent principle of chili) has certain advantages including short data acquisition time and better structural authentication. Earlier NMR methods are associated with either of the bottlenecks such as low or lack of information on the sensitivity and scope for the quantification of total capsaicinoid. Objective To develop a sensitive 1H quantitative NMR (qNMR) technique for capsaicin and total capsaicinoid in dry chili and chili oleoresin and to demonstrate its applicability in a real sample set. Method A 1H qNMR method was developed using benzene as the internal standard for the quantification of capsaicin (terminal methyl signal) as well as total capsaicinoid (benzyl methylene signal) in dry chili and oleoresin and validated in terms of specificity, linearity, sensitivity, accuracy and precision. Results The developed 1H qNMR method was specific, sensitive (limit of detection 4.4 μg/mL and limit of quantitation 14.8 μg/mL), linear in the range 0.083–8.33 mg/mL of capsaicin, accurate and precise. The credibility of the developed method was showcased in the morpho‐chemical characterisation of commercially available 15 chili land races from northeast India. The analysis identified the land races with a wide range of capsaicin (trace to 1.49% in the dry fruit and trace to 6.21% in the oleoresin w/w) and oleoresin content (3.35–26.78% w/w). Conclusion The standardized 1H qNMR method facilitated the findings of chemical basis for the selection of chili land races from this region, capable of producing high‐yielding oleoresin with intended degree of pungency.

No abstract

Prized medicinal spice true nutmeg is obtained from Myristica fragrans Houtt. Rest species of the family Myristicaceae are known as wild nutmegs. Nutmegs and wild nutmegs are a rich reservoir of bioactive molecules and used in traditional medicines of Europe, Asia, Africa, America against madness, convulsion, cancer, skin infection, malaria, diarrhea, rheumatism, asthma, cough, cold, as stimulant, tonics, and psychotomimetic agents. Nutmegs are cultivated around the tropics for high‐value commercial spice, used in global cuisine. A thorough literature survey of peer‐reviewed publications, scientific online databases, authentic webpages, and regulatory guidelines found major phytochemicals namely, terpenes, fatty acids, phenylpropanoids, alkanes, lignans, flavonoids, coumarins, and indole alkaloids. Scientific names, synonyms were verified with http://www.theplantlist.org. Pharmacological evaluation of extracts and isolated biomarkers showed cholinesterase inhibitory, anxiolytic, neuroprotective, anti‐inflammatory, immunomodulatory, antinociceptive, anticancer, antimicrobial, antiprotozoal, antidiabetic, antidiarrhoeal activities, and toxicity through in‐vitro, in‐vivo studies. Human clinical trials were very few. Most of the pharmacological studies were not conducted as per current guidelines of natural products to ensure repeatability, safety, and translational use in human therapeutics. Rigorous pharmacological evaluation and randomized double‐blind clinical trials are recommended to analyze the efficacy and therapeutic potential of nutmeg and wild nutmegs in anxiety, Alzheimer's disease, autism, schizophrenia, stroke, cancer, and others.