Germination and probiotic fermentation: a way to enhance nutritional and biochemical properties of cereals and millets.

Probiotics have become increasingly popular as consumers demand balanced nutrition and health benefits from their diet. However, lactose intolerance and allergies to milk proteins may make dairy-based probiotics unsuitable for some individuals. Thus, probiotics derived from cereals and millets have shown promise as an alternative to dairy probiotics. Soaking, germination, and fermentation can reduce the anti-nutritional factors present in cereal grains and improve nutrient quality and bioactive compounds. Biochemical properties of probiotics are positively influenced by fermentation and germination. Thus, the current review provides an overview of the effect of fermentation and germination on the biochemical properties of probiotics. Further, probiotics made from non-dairy sources may prevent intestinal infections, improve lactose metabolism, reduce cholesterol, enhance immunity, improve calcium absorption, protein digestion, and synthesize vitamins. Finally, health-conscious consumers seeking non-dairy probiotic options can now choose from a wider variety of low-cost, phytochemically rich probiotics derived from germinated and fermented cereal grains.

Exploration of nutritional, pharmacological, and the processing trends for valorization of finger millet (Eleusine coracana): A review.

High nutrient variability and food security are the needs of the hour. Millets may be as effective as other cereal crops for dealing with severe malnutrition and increasing global population problems. Due to their physiologically active components, millets have attracted more research interest. Finger millet (FM), one of the climate-resilient and minor cereal crop species, is well known for several health benefits, primarily attributed to its nutritional value and polyphenolic content. FM seed coat phenolics exhibit excellent anti-diabetic, anti-oxidant, antimicrobial, anti-osteoporosis, wound healing, anti-lithiatic, inhibiting collagen glycation, cross-linking, and enzyme properties, which may serve well for the pharmacological purposes. Furthermore, the processing of FM is an important factor in its commercial use. It is necessary to invent some novel technologies to increase the productivity of FM by lowering the cost of processing and its effective utilization in the pharmaceutical and food industries. The literature presented will further explore the potential prospects of processing as well as value-added utilization and its nutritional and pharmacological aspects in view of initiating further research in the food industry to formulate ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook products, thereby acting as future crops for sustainability.

Microbial Diversity and Functional Potential of Keem: A Traditional Starter Culture for Alcoholic Beverage-Application of Next-Generation Amplicon and Shotgun Metagenome Sequences.

"Pakhoi" is an ethnic drink of the Tons valley, Uttarakhand, India produced by fermenting jaggery and barley with the help of a starter culture called "keem". In the present study, we investigated the microbial diversity and associated functional potential of "keem" using shotgun metagenome sequencing and amplicon sequencing. We also compared the taxonomic data obtained using these two sequencing techniques. The results showed that shotgun sequencing revealed a higher resolution of taxonomic profiling as compared to the amplicon sequencing. Furthermore, it was found that the genera detected by shotgun sequencing were valuable for facilitating the fermentation process. Additionally, to understand the functional profiling of the genera, different databases were used for annotation, resulting in a total of 13 metabolic pathways. The five most abundant KEGG functions were genetic information processing, metabolism, translation, cofactor and vitamin metabolism and xenobiotic degradation. In contrast, the top five COG were in order of highest frequency sequences belonging to transcription, followed by general function prediction, carbohydrate transport metabolism, amino acid transport and metabolism and translation and biogenesis. Gene ontology revealed many pathways, biochemical processes and molecular functions associated with the organisms forming the starter culture. Overall, the present study can help to understand the microbial diversity and its role in fermentation of traditional alcoholic beverages using "Keem".

Fluidized Bed Drying of Wheatgrass: Effect of Temperature on Drying Kinetics, Proximate Composition, Functional Properties, and Antioxidant Activity.

Wheatgrass is a valuable source of nutrients and phytochemicals with therapeutic properties. However, its shorter life span makes it unavailable for use. So, storage-stable products must be developed through processing in order to enhance its availability. Drying is a very important part of the processing of wheatgrass. Thus, in this study, the effect of fluidized bed drying on the proximate, antioxidant, and functional properties of wheatgrass was investigated. The wheatgrass was dried in a fluidized bed drier at different temperatures (50, 55, 60, 65, 70 °C) using a constant air velocity of 1 m/s. With increasing temperature, the moisture content was reduced at a faster rate, and all drying processes took place during the falling rate period. Eight mathematical models under thin layer drying were fitted into the moisture data and were evaluated. The Page model was the most effective in explaining the drying kinetics of wheatgrass, followed by the Logarithmic model. The R2, chi-square, and root mean squared value for Page model was 0.995465-0.999292, 0.000136-0.0002, and 0.013215-0.015058, respectively. The range of effective moisture diffusivity was 1.23-2.81 × 10-10 m2/s, and the activation energy was 34.53 kJ/mol. There was no significant difference in the proximate composition of was seen at different temperatures. The total phenolic content (117.16 ± 0.41-128.53 ± 0.55 mgGAE/g), antioxidant activity (33.56 ± 0.08-37.48 ± 0.08% (DPPH), and FRAP (1.372 ± 0.001-1.617 ± 0.001 mgAAE/g) increased with the rise in temperature. A significant increase was observed in functional properties, except for the rehydration ratio, which decreased with rising temperature. The current study suggests that fluidized bed drying improves the nutritional retention of wheatgrass with good antioxidant activity and functional properties that can be used to make functional foods.

Detoxification of Meghalayan cherry (Prunus nepalensis) kernel and its effect on structural and thermal properties of proteins.

Valorizing food wastes and by-products can improve economic and environmental sustainability of the food production chain. In this regard, Meghalayan cherry kernels are a good source of proteins, but the presence of toxic compounds like amygdalin, makes them underutilized. Therefore, the present study was focused on detoxifying Meghalayan cherry kernel using thermal, soaking and ultrasound treatments and studying their impact on the structural and thermal characteristics of protein isolate. The results showed that all three treatments significantly reduced amygdalin content, with complete detoxification achieved after 30 and 60 min at 70 °C and 60 °C, respectively, in ultrasound, and after 90 and 120 min at 70 °C and 60 °C, respectively, in soaking + thermal treatment. The detoxification treatments significantly affected the protein content and weight-loss of Meghalayan cherry kernel. Fluorescence spectroscopy and FTIR showed alterations in Meghalayan cherry kernel protein isolate (MCKPI) secondary and tertiary structure. The fluorescence intensity was observed at 340 nm for native and detoxified protein isolate, and the lowest peak for MCKPI-US depicts conformational changes. The fading of bands in SDS-PAGE confirms structural changes due to thermal and sonication effects. SEM images demonstrated that more cracks and porous structures were seen in treated MCKPI than native MCKPI. Detoxification treatment increased thermal stability, resulting in lesser weight loss and higher denaturation temperature than native MCKPI. In this study, ultrasound treatment demonstrated the most pronounced effects on the detoxification of MCKPI and its thermal and structural properties, suggesting that Meghalayan cherry kernel is one of the most promising substrates for zero-waste bioprocess development.

Exploring the antioxidant potential of fermented turmeric pulp: effect of extraction methods and microencapsulation.

Curcumin is one of the major constituents of turmeric which possess multifarious therapeutic properties. However, owing of its limited solubility in water its bioavailability is poor. Thus, attempts have been made to increase the solubility of curcumin by fermenting turmeric followed by extraction and encapsulation. Lactobacillus fermentum was used for the fermentation of raw turmeric pulp. The influence of Lactobacillus fermentation and different extraction methods (conventional solvent extraction (CSE), ultrasound (UAE) and microwave-assisted extraction (MAE)) on total phenolic content (TPC), flavonoid content, antioxidant activity and curcumin content were analyzed. Further, to increase the stability of extract, different concentrations of maltodextrin were used to microencapsulate the curcumin extract. The results showed that, Lactobacillus fermentation increased the TPC and antioxidant activity from 5.59 ± 0.20 to 6.27 ± 0.28 mg GAE/g and 67.49 ± 1.51 to 79.00 ± 2.20%, respectively. MAE showed highest TPC (7.88 ± 0.08 mg GAE/g), antioxidant activity (94 ± 1.57%) and curcumin content (0.866 ± 0.05 mg/g) followed by UAE and CSE. Maximum yield of curcumin extract was observed in MAE, UAE and CSE as 59.93, 47.09 and 29.44% respectively, higher than non-fermented turmeric pulp. Maltodextrin percentage showed a significant influence on bio-functional properties of encapsulated powder. However, 20% maltodextrin exhibited better bio-functional properties as compared to other concentrations.

In Silico Evaluation of Natural Flavonoids as a Potential Inhibitor of Coronavirus Disease.

The recent coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Wuhan, China, has led to millions of infections and the death of approximately one million people. No targeted therapeutics are currently available, and only a few efficient treatment options are accessible. Many researchers are investigating active compounds from natural plant sources that may inhibit COVID-19 proliferation. Flavonoids are generally present in our diet, as well as traditional medicines and are effective against various diseases. Thus, here, we reviewed the potential of flavonoids against crucial proteins involved in the coronavirus infectious cycle. The fundamentals of coronaviruses, the structures of SARS-CoV-2, and the mechanism of its entry into the host's body have also been discussed. In silico studies have been successfully employed to study the interaction of flavonoids against COVID-19 Mpro, spike protein PLpro, and other interactive sites for its possible inhibition. Recent studies showed that many flavonoids such as hesperidin, amentoflavone, rutin, diosmin, apiin, and many other flavonoids have a higher affinity with Mpro and lower binding energy than currently used drugs such as hydroxylchloroquine, nelfinavir, ritonavir, and lopinavir. Thus, these compounds can be developed as specific therapeutic agents against COVID-19, but need further in vitro and in vivo studies to validate these compounds and pave the way for drug discovery.

Plant derived antimicrobial peptides: Mechanism of target, isolation techniques, sources and pharmaceutical applications.

Antimicrobial resistance is a global health and development threat which is caused by the excess and prolonged usage of antimicrobial compounds in agriculture and pharmaceutical industries. Resistance of pathogenic microorganisms to the already existing drugs represent a serious risk to public health. Plant sources such as cereals, legumes, fruits and vegetables are potential substrates for the isolation of antimicrobial peptides (AMP) with broad spectrum antimicrobial activity against bacteria, fungi and viruses with novel immunomodulatory activities. Thus, in the quest of new antimicrobial agents, AMPs have recently gained interest. Therefore, AMP can be used in agriculture, pharmaceutical and food industries. This review focuses on various explored and unexplored plant based food sources of AMPs, their isolation techniques and antimicrobial mechanism of peptides. Therefore, the literature discussed in this review paper will prove beneficial the research purposes for agriculture, pharmaceutical and food industries. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Isolation of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) can be done on industrial scale. AMP isolated from food sources can be used in pharmaceutical and agriculture industries. AMP from natural sources mitigate the problem of antimicrobial resistance. AMP isolated from food products can be used as nutraceutical.

Bioactive compounds, bio-functional properties, and food applications of Garcinia indica: A review.

Garcinia indica Choisy (kokum), a plant from Clusiaceae family, is an underexplored fruit tree in the Western Ghats region. Kokum has been studied for its health benefits, associated with numerous bioactive compounds, including phenolic acids, flavonoids, citric acids, and others. Among all, garcinol, hydroxycitric acid, and anthocyanins (cyanidin-3-glucoside and cyanidin-3-sambubioside) are major bioactive compounds. G. indica fruit and fruit rinds have been reported to possess numerous therapeutic applications in various health conditions such as cancer, inflammation, diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, and neurologic disorders. In this review, information has been provided on the bioactive compounds present in kokum and their significant health benefits. In vitro and In vivo studies of bioactive components on various diseases have also been reported. The limited information about human studies and G. indica fruit and fruit rinds is also presented. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Bioactive compounds present in Garcinia indica can be utilized for nutraceutical preparations. G. indica can be added to food products to make them functional foods. Extraction of bioactive compounds can be done on an industrial scale. Bioactive compounds can be extracted and used to commercialize lifesaving drugs.

Recent Advances in Drumstick (Moringa oleifera) Leaves Bioactive Compounds: Composition, Health Benefits, Bioaccessibility, and Dietary Applications.

Based on the availability of many nutrients, Moringa oleifera tree leaves have been widely employed as nutrients and nutraceuticals in recent years. The leaves contain a small amount of anti-nutritional factors and are abundant in innumerable bioactive compounds. Recently, in several in vivo and in vitro investigations, moringa leaves' bioactive components and functionality are highlighted. Moringa leaves provide several health advantages, including anti-diabetic, antibacterial, anti-cancer, and anti-inflammatory properties. The high content of phytochemicals, carotenoids, and glucosinolates is responsible for the majority of these activities as reported in the literature. Furthermore, there is growing interest in using moringa as a value-added ingredient in the development of functional foods. Despite substantial study into identifying and measuring these beneficial components from moringa leaves, bioaccessibility and bioavailability studies are lacking. This review emphasizes recent scientific evidence on the dietary and bioactive profiles of moringa leaves, bioavailability, health benefits, and applications in various food products. This study highlights new scientific data on the moringa leaves containing nutrient and bioactive profiles, bioavailability, health benefits, and uses in various food items. Moringa has been extensively used as a health-promoting food additive because of its potent protection against various diseases and the widespread presence of environmental toxins. More research is needed for utilization as well as to study medicinal effects and bioaccesibility of these leaves for development of various drugs and functional foods.

Functionality of apigenin as a potent antioxidant with emphasis on bioavailability, metabolism, action mechanism and in vitro and in vivo studies: A review.

Numerous diseases such as cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular, neurodegenerative diseases, etc. are linked with overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and oxidative stress. Apigenin (5,7,4'-trihydroxyflavone) is a widely distributed flavonoid, responsible for antioxidant potential and chelating redox active metals. Being present as glycosides or polymers, the apigenin degrades to variable amount in the digestive tract; during processing, its activity is also reduced due to high temperature or Fe/Cu addition. Although its metabolism remains elusive, enteric absorption occurs sufficiently to reduce plasma indices of oxidant status. Delayed clearance in plasma and slow liver decomposition enhance its systematic bioavailability. Antioxidant mechanism of apigenin includes: oxidant enzymes inhibition, modulation of redox signaling pathways (NF-kB, Nrf2, MAPK, and P13/Akt), reinforcing enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidant, metal chelation, and free radical scavenging. DPPH, ORAC, ABTS, and FRAP are the major in vitro methods for determining the antioxidant potential of apigenin, whereas its protective effects in whole and living cells of animals are examined using in vivo studies. Due to limited information on antioxidant potential of apigenin, its in vitro and in vivo antioxidant effects are, therefore, discussed with action mechanism and interaction with the signaling pathways. This paper concludes that apigenin is a potent antioxidant compound to overcome the difficulties related to oxidative stress and other chronic diseases.