Abstract An investigation was carried out to extract polyphenols from mango and kinnow mandarin peels for the development of functional fruit bars and their storage stability. Solvent ethanol at 50%, 80% and 100% concentration was employed for polyphenols extraction from mango and kinnow peels through ultrasound assisted extraction technique. Higher polyphenols were extracted from mango peels with comparatively more antioxidant activity than kinnow peels. Fruit bars fortified with different levels of mango and kinnow peel polyphenolic extracts subjected to ambient and refrigerated storage conditions revealed a gradual decline in total polyphenols, antioxidant activity and sensory attributes score during storage period. Microbiological parameters though increased during storage but remained well within the permissible limits. Ambient temperature storage fruit bars were discarded after three months whereas at refrigeration temperature conditions remained sensory acceptable for five months. Overall, 2% mango peel extract fortified fruit bars scored highest by the sensory panelists while 3% kinnow peel extract fortified fruit bars scored lowest. It was concluded that mango and kinnow peel extract could be utilized as ingredient for the preparation of functionl foods.

Abstract Pectin is a very important ingredient in food processing. The present study was designed to find out the changes taken place in pectin content during development and ripening phases of banana fruit. The expression of gene (pectin esterase) was also observed during development and ripening. Five exotic cultivars namely William, Brazilian, G-Naine, Basrai and Pisang were selected for this study. Sampling were carried out after every 2 weeks during development and there was 6 sampling stages (from emergence to harvesting stage). After harvesting the fruit of all cultivars were subjected to natural ripening in the lab and sampling during ripening were carried out according to the colour changes in the fruit skin. 5 ripening stages were studied. Hence total number of 11 stages were studied during development and ripening. The sequence of pectin esterase were obtained from NCBI, primers were designed and procured. RNA was extracted from each cultivar and expression analysis of pectin esterase was carried out. It was found that the expression of gene is variable during the development and the ripening stages in each cultivar. Similarly, the pectin content were also significantly variable during development and ripening of fruit. The variation was also found among the cultivars. It was concluded that unripe banana have more pectin content then ripe banana and the pectin content of the fruit is associated with expression of the gene.

Resumo Além de nutrição básica, os alimentos baseados em plantas fornecem quantias substanciais de compostos bioativos que fornecem benefícios de saúde desejáveis. Durante a última década, metabólitos secundários, também conhecidos como fitoquímicos, obtidos de plantas, têm chamado muito a atenção dos pesquisadores. Entre estas plantas, o nabo contém alguns componentes valiosos que não apenas endossam os benefícios à saúde, mas também fornecem propriedades de cura. Uma variedade de componentes bioativos − por exemplo, peroxidase, kaempferol, compostos fenólicos, sulforafano, ácidos orgânicos, vitamina K, glicosinolatos etc. − são ressaltados neste manuscrito. Da mesma forma, numerosos minerais, como cobre, manganês e cálcio, e ácidos orgânicos, tais como os ácidos sinápico e ferúlico e seus derivados, presentes em quantias diferentes em folhas verdes frescas e raízes de nabo, são também discutidos brevemente. Este artigo foca nos compostos fenólicos, que agem como compostos benéficos à saúde humana e podem ser isolados de plantas comestíveis, especialmente de nabo. Devido à presença de constituintes bioativos, o nabo tem um papel positivo com respeito às injurias hepáticas causadas por diabetes, alta atividade antioxidante e um bom papel como protetor hepático. Os impactos das condições ambientais e dos mecanismos de processamento na composição dos compostos fenólicos de legumes Brassica, com referência especial ao nabo, foram também brevemente discutidos.

Abstract In addition to basic nutrition, plant-based foods provide substantial amounts of bioactive compounds which deliver desirable health benefits. During the last decade, secondary metabolites, also known as phytochemicals, obtained from plants, have aroused special attention by researchers. Amongst such plants, the turnip contains a few valuable components which not only endorse health benefits but also provide healing properties. Various bioactive components, for example peroxidase, kaempferol, phenolic compounds, sulforaphane, organic acids, vitamin K, glucosinolates etc are highlighted in this manuscript. Likewise, numerous minerals, such as copper, manganese and calcium, and organic acids, such as sinapic and ferulic acids and their derivatives, found in different amounts in fresh greens and turnip roots, are also discussed briefly. The current paper is focused on the phenolic compounds, which act as beneficial compounds for human health and can be isolated from plant foods, especially turnip. Due to the presence of bioactive constituents, turnip imparts a positive role with respect to the hepatic injury caused by diabetes, high antioxidant activity and a good hepatoprotective role. The impact of environmental conditions and processing mechanisms on the phenolic compound composition of Brassica vegetables, with special reference to turnip, was also briefly discussed.