F.A. Masoodi

University of Kashmir · Department of Food Science & Technology

This study explored the effects of pullulan and pullulan-chitosan composite edible coatings on the post-harvest quality of sweet cherries over 20 days of storage. We evaluated weight loss, total soluble solids (TSS), decay percentage, color value, texture and biochemical content, including ascorbic acid, total phenolic content (TPC), flavonoids, an...

Crocus sativus L. yields substantial by-products especially petals which are abundant in bioactive compounds that have valuable nutritional potential. The aim of this study is to analyse the techno-functional, antioxidant, antimicrobial and antidiabetic activity of saffron petal extracted by ultrasound, microwave and conventional extraction techniq...

Brassicaceae encompasses the important genus-Brassica with about 37 species, including major vegetable species, cultivated globally and consumed worldwide as a part of diet, either raw or processed. They are rich in nutritional, antioxidant, and bioactive compounds, and their intake has often been linked to positive health benefits. Glucosinolate,...

Fat plays a key role in the manufacturing of processed meat products with desired quality characteristics. However, due to the recent concern over the negative health implications of high fat meat products, by various health organizations (WHO/FAO/NHLBI); consumers are very much conscious about their nutrition and health and choose low fat meat pro...

The susceptibility of meat products to oxidation and microbial contamination poses a risk to quality and shelf life of products as well as threat to consumer health and economic losses. On the other hand use of synthetic preservatives in food products has been the subject of toxicological studies. Therefore, safety of meat products has become an in...

Meat industries across the globe are focusing on the development of novel meat products to meet the demand of health conscious consumer. Nanotechnology a novel and an emerging alternative to enhance the shelf-life, quality, functional value and safety of meat and meat products acting all along the production chain from processing, preservation to p...

In present scenario, much of the attention has been put on the production and utilization of Pickering emulsions deciphering enhanced stability and applicability over wide environmental conditions. In this context the present study was carried out to elaborate effect of different wall materials and pH systems on the physicochemical, structural and...

In this research, saffron petal anthocyanin extract was encapsulated using wall matrices consisting of sodium alginate (SA), maltodextrin (MD), and combination of sodium alginate and maltodextrin (SA:MD) at various ratios by freeze-drying method. The microcapsules were characterized in relation to moisture content, water activity, hygroscopicity, p...

The isothiocyanates (ITCs) derived from the precursor glucosinolate molecules present in Brassica vegetables are bioactive organo‐sulfur compounds with numerous pharmacologically important properties such as antioxidant, antiinflammatory, antimicrobial, and anticancer. Over the years, ITCs have been the focus of several research investigations asso...

This research includes recovery of hydroxytyrosol (HT) rich bioactive raffinates from olive oil through supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) using CO2 and polarity modifiers including ethanol (EtOH) and methanol (MeOH) at 6% each. The raffinates left after 120 min of SFE (<1%) at 40 °C and 150 bar were subjected to minor phenolic analysis through R...

Bioactive peptides are unique, low molecular weight peptide sequences generally consisting of 2–20 amino acid residues. These peptide sequences are inactive within the parent protein but they become physiologically active once released from the native polypeptide sequence via hydrolysis. There are multiple methods for producing bioactive peptides f...

Pectin with varying degree of esterification (DE) obtained from apple pomace was investigated for its functional application in encapsulating probiotics and promoting gut health. High (HM) and low methoxyl (LM) pectin emulsions at varying concentrations (HM 1.5, HM 2.5, LM 1.5, LM 2.5) were used to encapsulate Lactobacillus salivarius inside the co...

Apricots have restricted marketability and commercial viability due to their high degree of perishability, which generally leads to huge post-harvest losses. A study was conducted to evaluate the physical and geometrical characteristics of different cultivars of apricots (CITH-1, CITH-2, Erani, Harcot, and Tilton) and to assess the effect of post-h...

The present study was carried out for the extraction of bioactive compounds from saffron stigma using the ultrasound-assisted extraction. Process parameters were optimized by using response surface methodology (RSM). The percentage of methanol (0–100%), duration of sonication (min), and varied holding temperatures (°C) were kept as independent vari...

Apple pomace, a by-product of the apple juice processing industry, is significant agro-based waste in the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir, India. A considerable amount of apple is processed for juice production, resulting in a surplus of apple pomace, which is generally underutilized. This study utilized apple pomace as a substrate matrix for pr...

Vacuum frying has proven to be the most feasible technique to obtain safe and nutritious deep‐fried food without compromising its organoleptic and textural properties. This frying system has a lot of benefits over conventional frying such as reduced acrylamide content, lower oil content and better preservation of nutritious compounds. The most prom...

Cabbage being a highly imported product is often subjected to long term cold storage to maintain product quality and in order to retain its freshness it is kept in cold chambers for a long time. Being highly infested by pests during storage, cabbages are often treated with insecticides having active ingredients such as carbofuran in them. Also, lar...

Demand for safe and nutritionally rich fried products is gaining a momentum among consumers, leading to the increased consumption of vacuum fried products. The impact of vacuum frying (VF)(110 °C, 40 kPa) on chemical composition of food, fatty acid profile, microstructure, oxidative stability and sensory attributes was assessed and differentiated w...

In the present experiment nanoencapsulation of pomegranate peel extract using maltodextrin (MD), whey protein isolate (WPI) and combination of maltodextrin and whey protein isolate (1:1) (MD/WPI) was carried out. Homogenisation followed by ultrasonication was performed to reduce the particle size to nanoscale range and improve functional properties...

Production of solid fats without the formation of undesirable trans-fats is an interesting area to be focussed upon, as these fats have been correlated with the development of various health risks. In this study, a trans-fats fat analogue to shortening was produced by lipase catalysed inter-esterification using mustard oil (MO) and palm stearin (PS...

The present study was done to monitor the degradation pattern of chlorpyrifos on Golden Delicious apples in the Kashmir valley under storage conditions. The dissipation pattern was studied for three application rates of chlorpyrifos (Dursban 20 EC) by dipping the samples in T1 (first dose) 2 ml/1000 ml, T2 (second dose) 1 ml/1000 ml, and T3 (third...

A study was carried out to evaluate the physicochemical and phytochemical characteristics of various apricot cultivars (CITH-1, CITH-2, and Tilton) as well as the effect of gamma irradiation on their quality and shelf life. After harvesting at the pre-climacteric stage from the Central Institute of Temperate Horticulture, J & K (UT), apricot cultiv...

Natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES) coupled with ultrasound assisted extraction (UAE) was evaluated as extraction techniques for bioactive compounds from apple pomace. Seven natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES) with different molar ratios were explored as green extraction solvents to evaluate extraction efficiency in terms of total flavonoid c...

The processed meat product industry is showing a full bloom and is witnessing an increasing trend in consumption due to worldwide popularity of these products. However, a high content of detrimental saturated and trans-fats are present in them, exposing the consumer to several health risks. Increased demand of safe and high-quality meat products by...

Nanoemulsion systems were employed to encapsulate the orange peel extract obtained from conventional maceration and novel ultrasound assisted extraction technology. Different wall materials maltodextrin (MD), whey protein isolate (WPI) and complex maltodextrin and whey protein isolate (MD/WPI) (1:1) were used in order to enhance the nanoemulsion st...

Repetitive use of same oil for deep-frying over a prolonged time period is a common practice followed by street vendors across various developing countries. This practice usually results in generation of harmful compounds imposing serious health threats to consumers. Frying oil samples (fresh, in-use and discarded) and commonly consumed fried stree...

Monitoring of pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables and their processed products like jams, pickles, juices, ketchup, dried products and canned products was undertaken. The study was conducted to assess the effect of washing, peeling, heating and cooking on concentration of various pesticides. The stability of various pesticides in samples an...

Repetitive use of same oil for deep-frying over extended period results in the production of various harmful compounds thus posing a serious health threat to consumers. Apple pomace, a by-product of apple processing industry is considered a rich source of various bioactive compounds, thus would be of great interest to the frying industry. The aim o...

Nowadays Pickering emulsions have attracted immense attention due to their enhanced stability and numerous food applications. In this context, the present study was aimed to introduce Pickering emulsions stabilized by soy protein isolate (SPI)-maltodextrin (MD)-pectin complex incorporated with Himalayan walnut oil (HWO) for development of novel may...

Production of harmful compounds during deep frying in repeatedly used oils is a serious concern faced by the food industry. In this study, apple pomace-based antioxidants (crude apple pomace extract and quercetin) were evaluated to check the stability of high oleic mustard oil during deep frying of French fries. Apple pomace extract (APE) obtained...

The basic aim of the study was to utilise Himalayan Walnut oil (HWO) encapsulated in soy protein isolate (SPI)–maltodextrin (MD)–pectin (Pec) complex as a potential source of omega fatty acids for bread fortification. Encapsulated HWO was integrated with bread for enhanced quality and technological aspects compared to control: it contained protein...

Apple (Malus domestica) belongs to the family Rosaceae. It is one of the most commonly cultivated fruit in all temperate zones of the world and holds an equally important place in the global economy. Apple is a climacteric fruit and undergoes metabolic changes even after the harvest and thus prone to post-harvest losses. The packaging of apples pla...

Repetitive use of the same oil for deep-frying over a prolonged period is a common practice followed by street vendors across various developing countries. This practice usually results in the generation of harmful compounds imposing serious health threats to consumers. Frying oil samples (fresh, in-use, and discarded) and commonly consumed fried s...

In this study pomegranate peel extract was evaluated as source of antioxidants encapsulated by nano-emulsions in soybean oil. Encapsulating agents maltodextrin (MD), whey proteins isolate (WPI) and complex of maltodextrin and whey protein isolate (MD/WPI) (1:1) were used as wall material. Average droplet size of primary W/O and double W/O/W nanoemu...

Xanthan gum, a microbial exopolysaccharide produced commercially by a gram-negative bacterium Xanthomonas campestris. Xanthan gum is a branched heteropolysaccharide, comprising of pentasaccharide units (d-glucose, d-mannose, and d-glucuronic acid residues in the molar ratio 2:2:1). Xanthan gum is an important industrial biopolymer having vast appli...

In this work the different varieties of oats were subjected to three pre-treatments such as germination, sand roasting and γ-irradiation. The pretreated oat grains were evaluated for phenolic content, flavonoid content and antioxidant activity. RP-HPLC displayed that the amount of ferulic acid, chlorogenic acid, kaempferol, ellagic acid and epicate...

Increased concerns over intake of harmful transfats and saturated fats in the diet pose a new challenge to the scientific community, to come up with viable alternatives replacing detrimental fats without affecting organoleptic properties of the food product. Out of various strategies aimed to reduce/replace transfats and saturated fats in foods, ol...

Nano-particles of green tea extract were prepared by ultrasonication, encapsulated in maltodextrin and were subjected to freeze drying to produce nanoencapsulated powders. Different proportions of 30 % solution of maltodextrin and dry tea extract (1:5; 1:10, 1:15) were combined with a small molecule surfactant (Tween 40). Average particle size of 1...

Rosemary oil (EE, 72%) and mint oil (EE, 58%) were separately microencapsulated in sodium alginate and tested on cholesterol oxidation and fatty acid profile of γ-irradiated (1 kGy) meat emulsions over 30 day storage. The fatty acids (SFAs, MUFAs, PUFAs and TFAs) showed non-significant (p > 0.05) variation in irradiated and non-irradiated emulsions...

Rutin was nano-encapsulated in date [En-Ru(D)] and mushroom [En-Ru(M)] β-glucan matrix to protect it from the harsh gastrointestinal environment and to enhance its bioavailability and biological activity upon digestion. The encapsulation was carried using green technology i.e., ultra-sonication. The En-Ru(D) and En-Ru (M) showed the hydrodynamic di...

This research includes production of chitosan nanocapsules through ionic gelation with sodium bisulfate for nanoencapsulation of hydroxytyrosol (HT) using ultrasonication in tandem. The resulting nanocapsules encapsulating HT were analyzed for particle size, ζ-potential, packaging characteristics, FESEM, ATR-FTIR, XRD, DSC, in vitro release, antiox...

Pullulan is an important exopolysaccharide commercially obtained from ubiquitous fungi Aureobasidium pullulans. Pullulan has unique physicochemical properties, due to which it has wide applications in the food, pharmaceutical and biomedical industries. Various synthetic media and agro-industrial wastes have been utilized for the production of pullu...

This study aimed at investigating the influence of different postharvest treatments with oxalic acid (OA) and salicylic acid (SA) on quality attributes and postharvest shelf life of temperate grown apricot varieties stored under controlled atmosphere (CA) storage conditions. After each treatment was given, the samples were stored in CA store mainta...

The preparation of salted green tea has not been examined scientifically to optimize extraction techniques. In the present study, the green tea sample was collected at the beginning of the first and second harvest seasons in 2019, and the extraction was optimized using response surface methodology. The effects of brewing conditions (temperature, ti...

Olive oil extracted from four exotic olive cultivars was subjected to subcritical treatment using green and organic solvents. The minor phenolic compounds were identified and quantified by RP–HPLC–DAD. Significant (p ≤ 0.05) variation in the phenolic compounds and antioxidant properties was observed with respect to cultivar, solvent and the extract...

The present study was conducted to evaluate the combined effect of low-dose γ-irradiation (1.0 kGy), antioxidants (rosemary and BHT) and antimicrobials (nisin and sodium nitrate) on physicochemical, oxidative and microbial quality of mutton meat emulsions. Irradiated samples treated with rosemary extract and BHT exhibited significantly (P ≤ 0.05) h...

This study explored the valorisation of apple pomace by extracting pectin with both high and low degrees of esterification (DM). Two types of pectin were extracted with a DM of 43.29% being low methoxyl (LM) pectic polysaccharide and high methoxyl (HM) pectin with a DM of 65.88%. HM pectin was characterised by a WHC and OHC of 1.3 g g⁻¹ and 0.4 g g...

In the present study, LAB (Lactic acid bacteria) were isolated and identified from Kradi cheese. Results revealed presence of five dominant LAB viz. Lb. curvatus, Lb. sake, Lb. planatrum, Pediococcus pentosaceous and Enterococcus faecium. Among these probiotic strains, Lb. planatrum showed highest hydrophobicity and antimicrobial activity against d...

β-Glucans are polysaccharides generally obtained from the cell wall of bacteria, fungi, yeasts, and aleurone layer of cereals. β-Glucans are polymers, with β-1,3 glucose as core linear structure, but they differ in their main branch length, linkages, and branching patterns, giving rise to high and low-molecular-weight β-glucans. They are well-known...

Chitosan flakes (CF) were modified to chitosan nanopowder (CP), using planetary ball milling for 8 h. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) revealed and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) confirmed the nano size of CP. Least gelation capacity (LGC) of CF (3%) and CP (4%) was manipulated to fabricate gels with 1.5, 2, and 3 fold incre...

Pectin obtained from apple pomace was employed to protect fresh‐cut apple from quality deterioration arising after cutting. Pectin edible coatings were formulated as emulsion and nanoemulsion carrying cinnamon essential oil (CEO) as antimicrobial, conferring the capability of active packaging to these coatings. Pectin nanoemulsion (PNE) was found t...

β-glucan can be viewed as one of the most important bioactive polysaccharides, which is generally isolated from cereals, bacteria, moulds and fungi. The β-glucans extracted from mushrooms consist of glucopyranose molecules linked through β (1→3) and β (1→6) linkages and in cereals via β (1→3) and β (1→4) linkages. Various methods have been develope...

This study was aimed at development of freeze drying powders from three types of honeys viz. Robinia pseudoacacia (RSA), Plectranthus rugosus (PR) and multifloral honey (MF) from Kashmir Himalayas of India using whey protein isolate (WPI) and maltodextrin (MD) as drying carriers. The powders were evaluated for physical, morphological and structural...

A fundamental principle of proteins is to act as enzymes-biocatalysts working as highly efficient machines at the molecular level by accelerating the conversion of substrates into products. Although RNAs are also capable of catalyzing some biochemical reactions, but most are catalyzed by proteins. A variety of experimental and computational techniq...

Arabinoxylans are non-starch polysaccharides mainly originated in the endosperm cell walls of cereal grains. They are the pentose sugars made of arabinose and xylose and hence are often referred to as Pentosans. The pentosan structure mainly consists of β-(1→4)-D-xylopyranose units which forms the backbone to which arabinofuranose units are attache...

Over the last two to three decades, the consumption rate of dietary fibre has effectively increased owing to its health promoting properties including prevention of various non communicable bowel diseases and various other ailments. Resistant starch nowadays is an important diet ingredient of staple foods consumed globally that has caught attention...

Four rice cultivars (SR‐4, K‐39, Mushq Budij and pigmented) grown in Kashmir selected for starch extraction and characterization. Rice starches observed for physicochemical, functional properties and in‐vitro digestibility studies for estimation of their glycemic indices. Compositional analysis revealed that moisture, crude fat, ash and protein con...

β-Glucan nanoparticles were produced from cereal and fungal sources viz: oats, barley, and yeast using ball milling which is considered as a green technology. The β-glucan nanoparticles were evaluated using dynamic light scattering (DLS) and Fourier transform infra-spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR). The particle size, zeta potential, polydispersity index, an...

Three types of honeys viz. Robinia pseudoacacia (RSA), Plectranthus rugosus (PR) and multifloral honey (MF) from Kashmir Himalayas of India were characterized on the basis of physicochemical, antioxidant and FTIR-ATR spectroscopic features. The physicochemical parameters indicated that ash content, electrical conductivity, redness (a*) and yellowne...

Nano-materials hold great promise regarding their application in the food industry due to their size-dependent properties, high surface area, longer retention, easy absorption, and unique optical properties. The role of nanomaterials have been extended for increasing the stability and bioavailability of nutrients, encapsulation of flavors, bioactiv...

Fermented foods have a profound probiotic value and share an integral part of age-old wisdom from ancient civilizations across the globe. Over decades of human history the pioneering practice of food fermentation has added taste to cultural ethos and has expanded significantly from household level to gradually improve the available food resources c...

The present study was conducted to optimize the operational conditions for development of spray dried ginger oleoresin powder by using response surface methodology (RSM). The carrier agent concentration (15-30 %), gingerol concentration (10-30 %), inlet temperature (155-175 °C and feed flow rate (300-500 ml/hr) were kept as independent variables. W...

A delicious fruit, Litchi chinensis, is commercially grown for food consumption and has numerous health benefits. Since it has numerous biological functions, this fruit has increasingly gained huge amount of popularity. Every part be its seed, pulp or coat equally is nutritionally important and valuable since it contains benefits like antioxidant,...

Mosambi (sweet lime) belonging to the family Rutaceae is a citrus fruit grown mostly in the Southeast Asia. Mosambi is popular in India and usually bears fruit within 5–7 years. It is a rich source of water-soluble vitamin, vitamin C, minerals and total polyphenols and has good antioxidant properties. Mosambi (sweet lime) possesses several health b...

Sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa) is one of the most interesting foods in the modern world offering a great diversity in cultural values, production, consumption, functions, economy and environmental aspects particularly of the developed countries. After having originated from the Mediterranean regions, sweet chestnut was brought into Europe by the...

The effects of thermal processing/canning and storage on fatty acids (FAs) contents and cholesterol oxidation of traditional low-fat meat product (goshtaba) of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), India were studied. Goshtaba is a restructured traditional meat product of J&K; India prepared from meat emulsion with added fat (20–30%), salt, spices and condiment...

This study evaluated the impact of xanthan gum (XG), canning and storage on fatty acids (FAs) contents and formation of cholesterol oxidation products (COPs) in low-fat meat product of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), India. The FAs composition i.e. saturated FAs, monounsaturated FAs, polyunsaturated FAs and trans FAs during processing and storage showed n...

In this study, the influence of various processing techniques (canning, freezing, and drying) and storage period on polyphenols and antiproliferative activity of different apricot varieties were evaluated. Evaluation of phenolic compounds by HPLC revealed that amongst various processed samples, canned apricots recorded highest ellagic acid(15.8 mg/...

Apricots are a rich source of phytochemicals such as carotenoids and phenolic compounds which contribute to their health promoting properties. Apricots are processed by several methods which include thermal treatment, drying etc. However, processing results in significant changes in the chemical composition of foods. This study was carried out to e...

In this work, nanoreduction of β-glucan by emulsion diffusion method and its effect on structural, rheological and antioxidant properties were studied. Dynamic light scattering confirmed the formation of the β-glucan particles in the nanosize range with an average size of 78.5 nm. FTIR revealed a difference in the intensity of peaks between β-gluca...