Barley flour (0, 10 and 20% w/w), wet gluten (0, 7.5 and 15% w/w) and ascorbic acid (0, 10 and 20 ppm) were incorporated into wheat flour to prepare bread. The addition of barley flour alone tended to reduce bread volume whereas wet gluten and ascorbic acid improved loaf volume. Effect of staling on bread crumb texture was studied over a period of 72 h using an Instron universal testing machine. It was found that barley flour, ascorbic acid and wet gluten have antistaling effects and a synergistic effect was also observed since in combination the three ingredients had a greater antistaling effect. A regression model ( R2 > 0.8) is presented to predict the bread volume, cohesiveness and firmness of bread crumb.

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The texture of fresh and stored chapati was evaluated using a tensile deformation test. Chapaties were prepared by adding barley flour (0; 10 and 20% w/w), wet gluten (0; 15 and 30% w/w) and liquid shortening (0; 1.5 and 3% v/w). The extensibility, load to rupture, energy to rupture and deformation modulus for fresh control chapati was 8.2 mm, 2.3 N, 0.0297 J and 0.249 MPa which changed to 3.2 mm, 2.85 N, 0.0087 J and 0.790 MPa on storage for 24 h. Wet gluten, barley flour and liquid shortening in various combinations markedly improved the quality of fresh as well as stored chapati. A regression model (R2 0.83 ‐ 0.99) was developed and the coefficients can be used to estimate the textural behaviour of chapati.

Borax (Na 2 B 4 O 7 , 10.5% Boron) loaded CMC-g-cl-Poly(AAm) hydrogel composites were prepared by in situ grafting of acrylamide on to sodium carboxymethyl cellulose in the presence of borax by free radical polymerization technique to develop slow boron (B) delivery device. The composition, morphology, and mechanical properties of synthesized composites were studied by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, texture analyser, and dynamic shear rheometer. Characterization revealed formation of borate ion (BO 32 3 ) from borax during polymerization reaction leading to extensive crosslinking of cellulosic chains and generation of mechanically strong composite hydrogels. Dynamic release of BO 32 3 from the synthesized composites hydrogels followed Fickian diffusion mechanism and composites with high mechanical strength resulted in slow release of B.