Food Science and Agriculture: Research Highlights Vol. 4

Unraveling Yield Determinants: Correlation and Path Coefficient Studies in Aromatic Short-Grain Rice (Oryza sativa L.)

2025-09-24T08:59:26+00:00

Rice (Oryza sativa L.), an ancient grass of the family Gramineae, is not only the staple food of Chhattisgarh but also the lifeblood of its culture and sustenance. Each grain is a fragment of history, embodying the dialogue between soil, climate, and the farmer’s patience. To study rice is to study both biology and philosophy—an inquiry into balance, trade-offs, and harmony within nature.

In the present study, aromatic short-grain rice genotypes were evaluated under Advanced Varietal Trial-Two (AVT-2) at Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, during kharif 2013. The analysis of variance revealed significant diversity among genotypes, each plant carrying its own story of strengths and limitations.

The results unveiled a paradox: days to 50% flowering and days to maturity—symbols of life’s progress—showed a negative association with productive tillers, grain weight, and grain yield per plant. In contrast, plant height (cm) and panicle length (cm) appeared as benefactors, positively linked with tiller number and grain weight, yet their excess betrayed yield with a negative correlation. The flag leaf length (cm), modest yet powerful, stood out: its length (cm) not only mirrored photosynthetic capacity but also exerted the highest direct positive effect on yield, followed by maturity, panicle length (cm), and tillers per plant.

Path analysis, like a lens revealing hidden cause beneath correlation, separated illusion from truth. It showed that while flowering time and plant height (cm) weighed heavily with negative direct effects, traits such as productive tillers per plant, days to maturity, panicle length (cm), and 1000-grain weight (g) emerged as the true pillars of yield improvement in aromatic rice.

Thus, the study concludes that yield is not the gift of a single trait but the harmony of many—some lifting, others restraining—together creating the symphony of productivity. In this, rice mirrors life itself: growth is a balance between forces, and true abundance lies in the right proportion of all parts.

Composting: An Eco-friendly Approach to Kitchen Waste Recycling

2025-09-24T09:03:27+00:00

Management of kitchen waste is a critical issue affecting both rural and urban areas, with significant daily generation posing environmental threats and resource overexploitation. Proper disposal is essential; thus, composting emerges as a prime solution. It is eco-friendly, cost-effective, and socially acceptable, offering a sustainable way to handle waste while benefiting the environment. Composting is the biological decomposition of organic kitchen waste by microorganisms with air and moisture, resulting in nutrient-rich compost for plants. Composting begins by separating degradable kitchen wastes from non-degradable materials like paper, plastics, metals, and harmful items such as meat, fish, and dairy products. Composting is then conducted in a large earthen pot with holes using a standard method. Compost materials serve as effective alternatives to chemical fertilisers, enhancing soil fertility and health while providing organic matter and nutrients, and promoting employment and rural development through composting technology. The chapter describes the importance of composting and its method for managing kitchen waste, promoting environmental conservation and soil health.

Understanding Emerging Perceptions of Cultured Meat: A Mind Genomics Approach

2025-09-24T09:05:37+00:00

Cultured meat is part of the emerging field of cellular agriculture, produced by growing tissue from original animal cells. The issues involved in cultured meat emerge from technological development and consumer knowledge and acceptance. This study explores the reaction of consumers to different concepts about cultured meat. The objective is to determine whether it is possible to form a coherent picture of the concept of cultured meat by presenting respondents with different combinations of phrases pertaining to cultured meat and measuring which phrases drive agreement. Using the Mind Genomics approach, 100 respondents evaluated 24 unique vignettes each, composed of combinations of statements about cultured meat. Respondents evaluated combinations of messages about the emerging technology of cultured meat; these were created to be meaningful to a non-technical person, and dealt with the sensory, technical, and sociological aspects of cultured meat. The findings suggest that the respondent does not understand what cultured meat “means, and may agree with statements which directly negate each other. There are three poorly defined mind-sets underlying the study. Mind-Set 1-focuses on ingredients and on product form; Mind-Set 2-focuses on sustainability and ingredients; Mind-Set 3- focuses on ethical and social issues as well as on product form. These three mind-sets are intertwined within the population, and cannot be separated by conventional geo-demographics. These data present a unique opportunity to understand the formation of a new technology in food design, cultured meat. This study highlights the need for future research to be conducted periodically, perhaps annually, to monitor changes in public understanding and perceptions as the technology matures and in vitro products move toward market entry and commercial success.

Evaluating the Sensory Qualities of Chevon from Konkan Kanyal Goat Supplemented with Azolla Meal and Fish Meal

2025-09-24T09:09:31+00:00

Background: Azolla meal and fish meal are rich sources of protein and essential nutrients that can contribute to a well-balanced diet for male goats. Studying the incorporation of Azolla meal and fish meal in the diet of male goats becomes essential to ensure optimal nutrition, cost-effective feeding strategies, improved health and performance of the goats and the promotion of sustainable livestock farming practices.

Aims: Nutritional benefits of supplementation of Azolla meal and fish meal to Konkan Kanyal goat were exploited in the present study by feeding Azolla meal and fish meal through concentrate along with basal feed. The aim of the study was to evaluate the sensory qualities of the meat samples through respondent tasting at room temperature, assessing attributes such as tenderness, flavour, juiciness and overall acceptance.

Methodology: This experimental field study was conducted at Instructional Livestock Farm, Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairy Science, College of Agriculture, Dr. BSKKV, Dapoli, Maharashtra, India, during 2023-24. The concentrate feed was prepared by supplementation of Azolla meal and fish meal with basal feed (Hybrid napier grass + Red gram straw + concentrate) with supplementation of 4 gm fish meal (A0F1), 8 gm fish meal (A0F2), 4 gm Azolla meal (A1F0), 4 gm Azolla meal and 4 gm fish meal (A1F1), 4 gm Azolla meal and 8 gm fish meal (A1F2), 8 gm Azolla meal (A2F0), 8 gm Azolla meal and 4 gm fish meal (A2F1) and 8 gm Azolla meal and 8 gm fish meal (A2F2) in concentrate, respectively and the experimental goats were slaughtered and the chevon of all treatment combinations were analyzed for sensory attributes i.e; tenderness, flavour, juiciness, appearance and overall acceptance of chevon by using 9-point Hedonic scale. A Factorial Randomised Block design was employed using three replications.

Results: Statistical perusal of the data showed that results with respect to tenderness, flavour, juiciness and overall acceptance of chevon of treatment combinations are statistically significant for both the factors under study, i.e. fish meal and Azolla meal at (P<0.05) level of significance. In this study, the optimum level of treatment combination of 4 gm Azolla meal and 8 gm fish meal (A1F2) supplementation through concentrate feed was found in obtaining maximum score for tenderness, flavour, juiciness, appearance and overall acceptance of chevon.

Conclusion: The study concludes that supplementing upto 4 g of Azolla meal and 8 g of fish meal (A1F2) through concentrate to experimental goats adds a nutritious boost to the chevon. The most acceptable quality of chevon can be obtained by supplementing 4 g of Azolla meal and 8 g of fish meal (A1F2) through concentrate to Konkan Kanyal goats.

Effects of Acacia Gums Enriched with Gallic Acid and Clove Oil on Physicochemical and Physiological Changes of Solanum lycopersicum during Storage

2025-09-24T09:14:30+00:00

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is an annual herbaceous crop with berries that belongs to the Solanaceae family. It produces fruits of various sizes and shapes with a smooth epicarp. It originated as wild forms in the Peru-Ecuador-Bolivia area of South America. It is among the perishable horticultural products affected by the postharvest practices during the production chain. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of acacia gums incorporated with gallic acid and clove oil on physiological and physicochemical changes in tomatoes during storage at different treatment ratios and storage conditions. Fresh tomato fruits, harvested at the ripening stage, were collected from the Iringa municipal market. Gum Arabic particles were collected from Acacia trees in the Iringa region. Whereby treatment solutions made of acacia gum incorporated with gallic Acid and clove oil in combination ratios of T1 (0:0:100), T2 (0.5:0.5:100), T3 (1.0:1.0:98), and T4 (1.5:1.5:97) as gallic acid, clove oil, and acacia gum solution, respectively, were used as organic coatings to preserve tomatoes. Samples of 120 coated tomatoes per treatment were then left to dry at ambient temperature, followed by storage at ambient, in the cold room (16°C), and in a refrigerator (8°C) for observation for 35 days of the experiment. The Diphenyl-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical degradation method was used to estimate the antioxidant activity. The firmness of all fruit samples was measured with a fruit Texture analyser Brookfield model CT3 10K (0-50 Kgf). All the data were interpreted by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) with Duncan’s multiple-range test using the SPSS (IBM SPSS Statistics version 26) software package for expressing the statistical significance. From the results, it was observed that the antioxidant activity percentage was increased from a value of 19.66±0.000 % to 42.77±5.436 % on average within the initial 14 days of storage; thereafter, it started decreasing. Meanwhile, the firmness of the tomatoes was maintained until 28 days of storage, after which it started changing due to respiration. Treatment T3 (1.0:1.0:98) performed well in maintaining the firmness of tomato fruits in all storage conditions compared to treatments T1 (0:0:100), T2 (0.5:0.5:98), and T4 (1.5:1.5:97), with an average maximum firmness of T3 (0.24±0.00 N/mm), T1 (0.17±0.00 N/mm), T2 (0.20 ±0.00N/mm), and T4 (0.21±0.00 N/mm), respectively. This indicates the best quality attribute towards the marketability for preserving the shape and size of the tomato fruits when it comes to shelf life and customer perception. The study concluded that post-harvest treatments containing a mixture of Acacia gum, gallic acid, and clove oil indicated significant effectiveness in preserving the quality of tomato fruits compared to a solution of only acacia gum in all storage conditions.

Effect of Drying Method on Chemical Properties, Water Activity (aw), and Total Microbial Count of 'Daddawa' Powder from Parkia biglobosa Seeds

2025-10-14T10:26:27+00:00

Drying has been used as a method of reducing post-harvest losses in many agricultural products for a long time. Drying of foods reduces the moisture content to preserve the foods and prolong their storage life. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of different drying methods on the chemical properties, water activity (aw), and total microbial count of ‘Daddawa’ powder produced from Parkia biglobosa seeds. The study provided valuable insights into the drying methods that will help in optimising the process of drying fermented ‘daddawa’ vis-à-vis nutritional and other quality properties of the product. The seeds were processed using a slight modification of the traditional method. Fermented seeds (27⁰C for 96h) were divided into four portions, three parts were dried using a cabinet (80⁰C for 24h), oven (80⁰C for 24h) and sun (30⁰C – ambient for 72h), giving samples CB1, OC2 and SD3 respectively. Dried samples were comminuted using an attrition mill and packaged. The fermented (27⁰C for 96h) undried seeds (UA0 - control) were milled into paste and refrigerated (4⁰C) before analysis. Portions of samples CB1, OC2 and SD3 were stored at ambient temperature (24-27⁰C for 3 months). The stored samples were drawn and analysed monthly for water activity (aw) and total microbial count – bacteria and fungi. The samples were subjected to chemical analysis using standard procedures. The data obtained were subjected to analysis of variance using the GenStat Statistical Software (17.1). Results of proximate composition revealed that the moisture content of CB1 (13.04b±0.00), OC2 (12.64bc±0.47) and SD3 (12.03c±0.00) were within the range of flour (10-14%). Protein content showed that SD3 (25.17a±0.09) was significantly (P<0.05) different to the rest samples. The result of the vitamin content of ‘daddawa’ powder shows that SD3 (8.88a±0.00) was highest in vitamin B1, followed by UA0 (8.67a±0.15), with no significant (P<0.05) difference. The results show an array of mineral content, including calcium, potassium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, manganese and sodium. The pH value was highest in OC2 (6.9) and SD3 (6.9) and least in CB1 (6.2). The study revealed that cabinet dried samples could be more stable owing to their lowered pH value and colour, thus proving their advantage over the others. Also, both water activity and microbial counts of bacteria and fungi increased with storage time. Significant differences (P<0.05) were observed in L* colour values (degree of lightness from black to white), ranging from 18.17 (OC2) to 28.50 (SD3), indicating varying lightness levels among samples. Overall, ‘daddawa’ powder dried by various methods exhibited better quality in proximate composition than the control. It is recommended that further studies should be carried out to determine the invitro and invivo digestibility of the protein for both the dried and undried (control) samples. Also, to ameliorate losses of nutrients during drying, a lower temperature should be adopted. The findings have implications for optimising drying techniques to preserve nutritional and microbial qualities, making the study relevant for food scientists and technologists working on sustainable food preservation.

Rising Obesity in India: Challenges in Achieving Nutrition-related SDGs

2025-10-14T10:30:07+00:00

India bears a disproportionate share of the world’s malnutrition burden. Alongside continuing undernutrition and micronutrient gaps, a rapidly rising epidemic of overweight and obesity is making progress toward SDG-2 difficult. NFHS-5 (2019–21) reports that 24% of women, 23% of men and 3.4% of children under five are overweight or obese. Once concentrated in high-income countries, obesity is now escalating in low- and middle-income countries as well; globally, the share of 5–19-year-olds with obesity grew from 7% to 16% between 1990 and 2022, while adult obesity rose from 2% to 8% over the same period. Projections suggest that by 2050, India could be among the nations with the largest absolute numbers of people living with obesity, which will intensify the risk of non-communicable disease (NCD) and slow progress toward SDG-3. The consequences of obesity in terms of morbidity, disability and premature mortality contribute substantially to the overall disease burden. This surge reflects an interplay of socio-economic, cultural and environmental forces such as rapid urbanisation; rising incomes and increasingly sedentary, screen-centric work; a dietary shift toward aggressively marketed, ultra-processed, calorie-dense foods; and digital platforms that enable effortless, frequent access to high-calorie meals. Despite flagship efforts such as Poshan Abhiyaan, Fit India, and Eat Right India, the problem of overnutrition remains insufficiently addressed. A comprehensive, multi-sector response is needed. Priority actions include fiscal and regulatory measures (higher taxes on high-fat, high-salt, high-sugar foods and subsidies for fruits, vegetables and whole grains), clear front-of-pack nutrition labels, restrictions on unhealthy food marketing, especially targeting children and healthier food environments in schools, workplaces and public institutions. Urban planning that supports active living, women-centred health initiatives, community nutrition literacy and the revitalisation of diverse traditional food systems can further shift demand toward healthier choices. A coordinated, evidence-led approach is essential to protect India’s demographic dividend, curb the NCD surge and achieve SDG-aligned, sustainable nutrition outcomes.

Qualitative Analysis of Flours from Five Varieties of Yam: A Study in Benue State Nigeria

2025-10-17T11:49:54+00:00

Huge post-harvest losses of yams are a recurring experience of stakeholders in Nigeria, particularly Benue State, which produces yams in the largest quantities. The need to reduce post-harvest losses of Benue yams birthed this research. The study investigated the functional, pasting properties and nutritional composition of high-quality flours produced from five Yam varieties in Benue State, Nigeria. Their bulk density (0.70-0.84 g/cm³), dispersibility (23.17-39.33g/mL), water (0.87-2.53mL/g) and oil (0.93-2.03mL/g) absorption capacities, swelling index (0.92-2.07mL/g) and capacity ranged from 146.30-265.82%. The peak viscosity, trough, breakdown, final viscosity, set back, peak time and pasting temperature ranged from 1285.00-4586.33 RVU, 1102.00-4035.00 RVU, 57.07-1046.00 RVU, 1878.33-6428.00 RVU, 688.00-2393.33 RVU (Rapid Viscometric Unit), 5.40-7.20 mins and 81.50 - 88.85 ^oC. The moisture content, ash, crude fiber, protein, fat, carbohydrates and energy values ranged from 7.61-9.70%, 0.05-3.80%, 0.10-4.82%, 7.77-9.27%, 1.19-1.51%; 75.09-79.55% and 326.50-343.52 kcal. The Vitamins: A (0.66.41-807.55 mg/100 g), C (23.40-28.73mg/100 g), E (0.08-1.24 mg/100 g), K (0.12-0.74 mg/100 g) and B₁ ranged from 0.73-0.83 mg/100 g, while vitamin D was negligible in all samples. The Minerals sodium, potassium, Calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, manganese and zinc ranged from 47.42-59.73 mg/100 g, 69.01-123.51 mg/100 g, 25.28-33.01 mg/100 g, 39.18-58.02 mg/100 g, 0.04-0.12 mg/100 g, 2.95-5.43 mg/100 g and 0.79-1.25 mg/100 g, respectively. Results revealed that sample AR (Amura yam flour) had the best quality of all parameters evaluated compared to all the other yam flours. Generally, the physico-chemical properties of the yam flours compared favourably with the wheat flour used as control; therefore, they all exhibited good qualities of flours for baking of confectioneries. Thus, it can be concluded that the sample Amura yam flour had higher values of most of the minerals, the highest values of all vitamins and protein content, along with retaining flavor more than the other flours.

Proximate Composition and Nutritional Profiling of Vegetables Consumed by Lactating Mothers to Improve Their Dietary Intake in a Peri-urban Area of Nairobi Metropolitan

2025-10-17T11:53:35+00:00

Background: African leafy vegetables have been found to have high levels of micronutrients, which makes them good vehicles for micronutrient intervention. The vegetables are easy to grow, and they possess familiar tastes to many African communities. Vegetable plants are all plants whose leaves, fruits and roots are used in the preparation of sauces. For this purpose, spontaneous leafy vegetables play an important role in the diets of all the populations of the world, particularly in Africa. Many of them are resilient, adaptive, and tolerate adverse climatic conditions more than the exotic species. Spontaneous leafy vegetables represent high-quality nutritional sources, for the poor segment of the population, especially where malnutrition is widespread. They are valuable sources of nutrients, especially in these areas where they contribute substantially to protein, minerals, vitamins, fibres and other nutrients which are usually in short supply in daily diets.

Aim of the Study: This study was therefore designed to analyse the vegetables that were used for nutritional intervention in lactating mothers for proximate composition and micronutrient contents, so as to be able to calculate their contribution to dietary micronutrient intake.

Materials and Methods: The micronutrients analysed were beta-carotene for vitamin A, iron and zinc. The vegetables, such as Amaranthus (A. dubius), black nightshade (Solanum nigrum) and cow pea leaves (Vigna unguiculata), were grown and consumed by the mothers in a periurban area of Nairobi Metropolis. Vegetables were sampled over a four-week harvest period. The analyses were done on raw, boiled and stewed vegetables. Proximate composition was assessed by standard AOAC methods. Vitamin A was analysed as beta-carotene using a colourimetric method. Data analysis was done using one way-ANOVA at P≤0.05.

Results: The results showed that there is a statistically significant difference in beta-carotene, iron and zinc between the three vegetable groups and no statistically significant difference in the micronutrients in the method of cooking of each vegetable. There is a statistically significant difference in the amount of total ash, moisture, soluble carbohydrates and energy between the three vegetables; however, there is no statistically significant difference in the amounts of lipids, crude protein and crude fibre between the three vegetables. The three leafy vegetables were found to manifest high levels of beta carotene, iron and zinc, and the levels did not reduce very much after boiling and stewing. Amaranth contributed to the lactating mothers' mean RDA intake of vitamin A, iron and zinc than any other vegetable.

Conclusion: In view of this, studied leafy vegetables constitute good sources of nutrients and could contribute to preventing diseases and remedy rural population diets' deficiency. This therefore means that green leafy vegetables can be used to improve the dietary intake of lactating mothers, children and other vulnerable populations nutritionally. Planting of such vegetables should be encouraged in all settings, including people living in concrete jungles. They can grow their vegetables in multistory gardens, hanging bags and organophosphates.

Bamboo Shoots as an Alternative Source of Functional Food

2025-10-17T12:03:58+00:00

Bamboo shoots, the young sprouts of bamboo plants, have long been consumed as traditional food in many Asian countries. Beyond their culinary appeal, they are rich in essential nutrients such as dietary fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals and are increasingly recognized as a promising source of functional food. This book chapter explores the nutritional composition, bioactive compounds, and health benefits of bamboo shoots, particularly their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and hypocholesterolemic properties. It also addresses the presence of cyanogenic compounds in raw shoots and emphasizes the importance of proper processing methods, such as boiling, soaking, and fermentation, to ensure food safety. The chapter discusses the future potential of bamboo shoots in functional food innovation, highlighting their applications in ready-to-eat meals, supplements, probiotic beverages, and healthy snacks. Case studies from India and Japan illustrate the real-world development of bamboo shoot-based products, demonstrating their commercial and health-promoting value. From a multidimensional perspective, the sustainable utilization of bamboo shoots aligns with goals in nutrition, economic empowerment of local communities, and ecological conservation. This review aims to bridge scientific insight and practical development pathways to support bamboo shoots as a viable component of the functional food industry.