Nutritional Significance of Wheatgrass: Cultivation Practices and Opportunities for its Processing and Preservation.

BACKGROUND: This paper aims to provide a comprehensive review of the nutritional composition and bioactive compounds found in wheatgrass, including chlorophyll, vitamins, minerals, flavonoids, and phenolic compounds, as well as their associated health benefits. The review focuses on various cultivation practices, preservation techniques, and the current utilization of wheatgrass as a whole. Additionally, the potential toxicity of wheatgrass has been discussed. Wheatgrass, a nutrient-rich grass, possesses significant pharmacological and therapeutic qualities. In the present scenario, wheatgrass is available in the form of juice, powder, and tablets, and is incorporated into various food products through different processing treatments. METHOD: Information and data regarding wheatgrass cultivation practices, processing, and preservation methods were collected from scientific sources, including Google Scholar, ResearchGate, ScienceDirect, fig, Web of Science, and Scopus databases. RESULT: Wheatgrass is a highly valuable source of diverse nutrient compounds. Various cultivation methods, such as indoor and outdoor techniques using different growing mediums, have been employed for wheatgrass production. Recent methods for wheatgrass preservation have been suggested to enhance the bioactive compounds present in wheatgrass. CONCLUSION: Numerous studies have demonstrated that the consumption of wheatgrass and wheatgrass- based products can help control diabetes, atherosclerosis, kidney and colon diseases, anemia, and certain types of cancer. The smaller size of wheatgrass allows for easier assimilation of its beneficial compounds. Creating awareness among consumers about the nutritional profile and therapeutic properties of wheatgrass is crucial in order to maximize its market potential.

Physical, chemical, sorption and microbiological characteristics of fennel fruits.

Fennel (Foeniculum officinale Mill. var. dulce Mill) is an annual aromatic plant of the Lamiaceae family. Its fruits are processed to obtain essential oil for use in the food industry and cosmetics. The physical parameters of the fruits, i.e. length (5.50-8.00 mm), width (1.50-2.00 mm), volume of 100 fruits (1.36 × 10-6 m3), density of 100 fruits (935.82 kg/m3), average volume of one fruit (1.36 × 10-8 m3), average equivalent diameter of one fruit (2.96 mm), angle of repose, stainless steel (from 16 to 22°), angle of repose, black steel (from 19 to 28°), angle of repose, plywood (from 18 to 24°), and their chemical parameters, i.e. moisture (13.49%), ash (6.49%), protein (18.25%), essential oil (8.38%), vegetable oil (10.52%), and total carbohydrates (51.04%) were determined for the fruits. The adsorption and desorption isotherms of the fennel fruits were obtained using the static gravimetric method at two temperatures, 20 and 40 °C. The Halsey model provided a good description of the sorption isotherms, which were of type II according to Brunauer's classification. The increase in the temperature led to a significant decrease in the monolayer moisture. The contamination on the fruit surface at three relative humidities (0.43, 0.59, and 0.76) at 20 °C was determined.

Recent insights into Nanoemulsions: Their preparation, properties and applications.

The ever-increasing demand for healthy diet by consumers has prompted the research adopting cutting-edge methods that can maintain the quality of fruits and vegetables without the use of preservatives. Emulsion based coating approach has been regarded as a viable way to extend the shelf life of fresh produce. New opportunities are being created in a number of industries, (medicines, cosmetics and food) because of new advancements in the developing field of nanoemulsions. Nanoemulsion based methods are efficient for encapsulating the active ingredients including antioxidants, lipids, vitamins and antimicrobial agents owing to the small droplet size, stability and improved biological activity. This review provides an overview of recent developments in preserving the quality and safety of fresh-cut fruits & vegetables with nanoemulsion as a carrier of functional compounds (antimicrobial agents, antibrowning/antioxidants and texture enhancers). In addition, material and methods used for fabrication of the nanoemulsion is also described in this review. In addition, material and methods used for fabrication, of the nanoemulsion is also present.

Nanoparticles: The Plant Saviour under Abiotic Stresses.

Climate change significantly affects plant growth and productivity by causing different biotic and abiotic stresses to plants. Among the different abiotic stresses, at the top of the list are salinity, drought, temperature extremes, heavy metals and nutrient imbalances, which contribute to large yield losses of crops in various parts of the world, thereby leading to food insecurity issues. In the quest to improve plants' abiotic stress tolerance, many promising techniques are being investigated. These include the use of nanoparticles, which have been shown to have a positive effect on plant performance under stress conditions. Nanoparticles can be used to deliver nutrients to plants, overcome plant diseases and pathogens, and sense and monitor trace elements that are present in soil by absorbing their signals. A better understanding of the mechanisms of nanoparticles that assist plants to cope with abiotic stresses will help towards the development of more long-term strategies against these stresses. However, the intensity of the challenge also warrants more immediate approaches to mitigate these stresses and enhance crop production in the short term. Therefore, this review provides an update of the responses (physiological, biochemical and molecular) of plants affected by nanoparticles under abiotic stress, and potentially effective strategies to enhance production. Taking into consideration all aspects, this review is intended to help researchers from different fields, such as plant science and nanoscience, to better understand possible innovative approaches to deal with abiotic stresses in agriculture.