
Indira WickramasingheUniversity of Sri Jayewardenepura · Department of Food Science and Technology
Indira Wickramasinghe
Doctor of Philosophy
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198
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Introduction
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December 2004 - June 2019
December 2004 - present
Publications
Publications (198)
Lycopene is responsible for red colour development in tomatoes. Since locally grown tomatoes have less lycopene content, it negatively affects the production of tomato sauce at required quality. The aim of this study was to determine the best post-harvest practices to improve the lycopene content in locally grown tomato (Solanum lycopersicon) varie...
The global concern about environmental pollution caused by conventional packaging materials has driven governments to restrict certain polythene types. Interest in biodegradable packaging has arisen as a result of its potential to reduce the impacts of pollution. The present study developed packaging materials using cassava pomace, a major waste fr...
Researchers are becoming more interested in biodegradable packaging materials as a result of the harmful effects generated by conventional materials. There is a growing trend of incorporating oils into biodegradable packaging materials to improve their barrier and functional properties. Surfactants are required to create an emulsion between mixture...
Plant leaves, especially from bananas, have been used in food packing for a long time, and it has been proven that banana leaves possess the best attributes in developing bio-degradable packaging materials. The current study aims to determine the effects of four types of chemical treatments on the mechanical properties of banana leaves and to optim...
The pollution of the environment caused by conventional packing materials such as plastic has driven the need for biodegradable alternatives. Although starch is an important component in the development of such materials, starch is not suited for use as a biodegradable packaging material due to global hunger challenges. The current study successful...
The environmental pollution caused by conventional packaging materials like plastic and polythene has led to the exploration of biodegradable alternatives. Starch is a key component in developing such materials, but due to global hunger-related issues, starch is not suitable for use as a biodegradable packaging material. In the present study, the m...
The importance of Resistant Starch
Resistant starch (RS) has been shown to manipulate food digestion and nutrient metabolism as well as being important in promoting gut health. However, the presence of RS varies across diverse food systems depending upon process conditions. To investigate this, chickpeas, potatoes, arrowroots, unripe bananas and oats were subjected to boiling and pr...
Many countries, including Sri Lanka, regulate plastic, polythene, and other non-biodegradable packaging materials to reduce environmental pollution. As a result, both industry and researchers are focusing on alternatives for plastic packaging materials. Corn and cassava starch are key ingredients in biodegradable packaging. However, due to global h...
Plastic pollution, mainly due to single-use food packaging materials, has become a drastic environmental issue around the world. As a consequence of their accumulation, naturally balanced ecosystems may undergo various types of vulnerabilities, and eventually, it may lead to the annihilation of flora, and fauna. Hence, there is an urgent need to fi...
Sri Lankan black tea is renowned for its high quality and regarded as a brand that is chemically safe, ozone-friendly, and ethically acceptable with accountable stakeholders in the supply chain. Meantime, food safety has become one of the mandated food attributes that is heavily concern by stakeholders even at the estate level. Hence, this study ai...
Hands are the primary way to spread microorganisms, thus hand washing is the primary defence and an essential element of personal hygiene for infection control. Hand sanitizers that contain ethanol as their main constituent are used to kill a broad range of microbes. Bioethanol production has relied heavily on the use of first-generation feedstock....
Increasing human population and extreme consumption of fossil fuels create the potential to generate alternative energy sources. Bioethanol is an alternative and renewable energy resource for fossil fuels, which can be generated from low-cost raw materials. The objective of the study is to optimize pretreatment and culture conditions to enhance bio...
Starch-based biodegradable packaging materials are gaining popularity as an alternative to the adverse environmental effects caused by conventional packaging materials. Despite the fact that cassava can withstand harsh environmental conditions and convert a greater quantity of solar energy into carbohydrates, its postharvest shelf life is extremely...
Haematococcus microalga is a unicellular biflagellate organism which distributes worldwide in freshwater resorts. The speciality of this organism is to produce large quantities of astaxanthin under stress conditions. Astaxanthin is a carotenoid, one of the most expensive and important industrial pigments. Due to its antioxidative properties and hea...
The rising population, depletion of petroleum-based fossil fuel and atmospheric contaminations by combustion of fossil fuel have opened avenues for alternative, eco-friendly and renewable energy sources. Bioethanol is an alternative and renewable source that has drawn attention due environmental concerns and energy security with non-renewable sourc...
A significant percentage of the world population suffers from non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, cancers, and obesity due to unhealthy food habits. There is an association between the ingestion of carbohydrate-dense food products and diabetes and obesity. Resistant (RS) starch is chemically tolerable to the...
A significant percentage of the world population suffers from noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, cancers, and obesity due to unhealthy food habits. There is an association between the ingestion of carbohydrate-dense food products and diabetes and obesity. Resistant (RS) starch is chemically tolerable to the d...
Virgin coconut oil (VCO) is a functional oil extracted from fresh mature coconut kernels. Various coconut breeds are available globally, but not all are used for the production of VCO. The objective of the study is to identify potential sources of VCO from selected traditional (Bodiri, Red dwarf, and Green dwarf) and hybrid (CRISL-2013, CRISL-2014,...
Foods consumed by living organisms contain antioxidants of different antioxidant capacities. In a mixture of antioxidants, the resultant antioxidant potential can be different from the mathematical sum of antioxidant activities exerted by individual components. The possible interactions include synergism, antagonism, and additivity between the bioa...
Virgin coconut oil (VCO) is an emerging functional food produced from fresh, mature coconut kernels through natural mechanical methods. The physicochemical properties of 16 VCO samples in Sri Lanka were evaluated. The samples were detected with peroxides (0.2, 0.4, and 0.4 meq O2/kg), though the resulting values were below the SLS 32:2017 standard...
Overproduction of jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) in harvesting seasons and its short post-harvest shelf life make it an underutilized fruit species. The present study was conducted to analyze the feasibility of preparing processed jackfruit products to enhance utilization and reduce wastage. Jackfruit bulbs were cut into 4.5 cm ± 0.5 cm in le...
Edible algae, including seaweeds, are a source of functional food, dietary supplements, metabolites and bioactive compounds. Algal-based functional foods have potential health benefits, and their commercial value depends on their applications in the food and nutraceutical industries.
This book covers several aspects of algal-based functional foods....
Edible algae, including seaweeds, are a source of functional food, dietary supplements, metabolites and bioactive compounds. Algal-based functional foods have potential health benefits, and their commercial value depends on their applications in the food and nutraceutical industries.
This book covers several aspects of algal-based functional foods....
Cassava is considered as a low-risk crop due to the ability of adaptability to various
agrochemical constituents. The postharvest shelf life of cassava is reduced due to the accumulation of cyanogenic glucosides and microbial actions. Cassava starch production is one of the major industrial utilization of cassava. A solid residual called cassava p...
This study aimed to develop an easy-to-cook jackfruit seed product by demonstrating the effect of drying and frying operations on jackfruit seeds. Four different formulations were developed by jackfruit seeds following a two-factor factorial design, with soaking (in water) and case hardening (drying and frying) as the variables. Sensory evaluation...
Postharvest illumination with light-emitting diodes (LEDs) is an emerging, non-chemical, residue-free technique used to preserve plant commodities. This paper aimed to review current knowledge on postharvest LED illumination on vegetables while focusing on their effect on the physical, nutritional, and microbial quality of vegetables. Most of the s...
Researching on potential biopolymer sources with the aim of developing edible films with better mechanical and barrier properties has become innovative as it would be a key factor to minimize the use of synthetic polymers in food packaging. Therefore, different biopolymers such as galactomannan have been gaining attention recently. Fenugreek seed g...
Fish and its products are a major part of the human diet because they are rich in highquality proteins and key nutrients for brain development. Maintaining freshness, quality and hygiene are essential in the supply chain. The purpose of this study was to assess how marketers are adopting hygienic practices in a particular fish market. A random samp...
When considering the production process of edible oils, physiochemical quality features such as oxidation stability, susceptibility to rancidity, shelf life, viscosity, melting point, and oil unsaturation are imperative parameters. Coconut oil is one of the most widely used vegetable oils in South Asia. The Iodine Value (IV) is calculated using the...
Veganism or vegetarianism is a trending topic in the modern world. Natural disasters, climate change, and pandemics lead people towards healthier and plant-based diets and nature-friendly lifestyle. Higher meat consumption has led the world into a huge struggle resulting in global warming, rising sea levels, disease spreading like swine flu, bird f...
Roots and tuber crops are prominent sources of edible carbohydrates with the ability to grow in diverse soil and environmental conditions with minimum agricultural inputs. The purpose of this study was to investigate the nutritional composition and functional properties of crude flour prepared by two underutilized tuber crops available in Sri Lanka...
Researching novel biopolymer sources of biodegradable and edible films has become a recent trend as a potential alternative for plastic packaging films which highly cause environmental pollution. Among the biopolymers used in edible film making, galactomannan is identified as a good film-forming agent. Caesalpinia pulcherrima seed gum is a rich sou...
Recently, many researchers have focused on investigating novel biopolymer sources of biodegradable and edible films as a successful alternative for synthetic polymers that leads to environmental pollution. Galactomannan is identified as a potential source of film making material. Fenugreek seed gum (FSG) is a rich source of galactomannan, which can...
Postharvest illumination is an emerging nonthermal preservation technique used to preserve the quality of vegetables. This review aimed to provide an insight into the effect, importance, and limitations of postharvest illumination by fluorescent and ultraviolet (UV) light on the physical and nutraceutical properties of vegetables. It presents the c...
Arrowroot (Maranta arundinacea) is an underutilized gluten-free tuber crop available in Sri Lanka with a rich nutritional and therapeutic profile. The purpose of this study was to develop muffins supplemented with Arrowroot flour and to evaluate its nutritional and sensory qualities. Fresh tubers of Arrowroot were cleaned, peeled and cut into thin...
Sri Lanka is a leading country for the production and export of the world's finest quality orthodox black teas. This exclusively branded Ceylon Tea represents the symbol of quality of black teas in the global market. In the meantime, unsafe food contaminated with harmful substances has driven a growing public health concern across the world. Theref...
Investigation of potential biopolymers for developing edible films as alternatives for plastic packaging is a recent trend. Among the biopolymers used in edible film making, galactomannan is a good film-forming agent. Caesalpinia pulcherrima seed gum is a rich source of galactomannan and could be used as an edible film making material. The main obj...
Hydrocolloids can act as gluten substitutes to form the structural equivalents of the gluten network in gluten-free bakery products. “Purple yam” (Dioscorea alata) is one of the underutilized yams in Sri Lanka with high nutritional potential. The overall objective of this study was to develop gluten-free muffins using “Purple yam” (Dioscorea alata)...
Cassava starch extracted from cassava roots (Manihot esculanta) is a highly used ingredient for most commercial food products and has a high viscosity, water holding capacity, and binding abilities. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of replacing composite flour mixture with cassava starch on the nutritional and physical proper...
ABSTRACT
Several studies have been carried out in coastal areas of the globe, from which it was revealed that a common genus from red algae, Sargassum (Pheophyceae), has high nutritive and functional properties. Although they have long been used in the food diet as well as for traditional remedies in Asian countries like China, Japan and Korea, edi...
Green leafy vegetables (GLVs) are abundant in bioactive compounds and constitute a crucial part of a balanced diet. Sri Lankan green leafy vegetables which are edible and available for consumption have not been thoroughly investigated, whilst their consumption can deflate the risk of arising several degenerative diseases, such as cancer and cardiov...
Banana (Musa acuminata) is grown abundantly in tropical and subtropical countries, and it is consumed as raw or processed. Banana is a significant source of nutrients, and it has been found to contain carbohydrates and other nutritional components. The present study was conducted to evaluate the proximate composition, antioxidant composition, and p...
Purpose of the conducted study was to evaluate the possibility of using underutilized seaweed (Sargassum sp.) to encapsulate prebiotics in dairy food applications. This will enable dairy based industries to utilize local materials instead of imports, whereas direct crude exports of the seaweeds can also be consumed for more valued added purposes. F...
In the modern world, people are moving towards vegan, vegetarian or healthy lifestyles as excessive consumption of meat and processed meat have increased the incidence of non-communicable diseases such as cancers, cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, and high blood pressure, and communicable diseases like bird flu, swine flu, and COVID 19. Cou...
Background: Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) is a tropical Asian tree which is called the miracle for the vegan sensation. To fulfill the gap between the utilization and the wastage of jackfruit, a range of processed jackfruit products were prepared in a convenient way for consumers.
Objective: To identify the nutritional composition concernin...
Background: The excessive formation of Advanced Glycation End-products (AGEs) by non-enzymatic glycation mediates many health complications in the human body and the formation of AGEs largely accelerated under the hyperglycaemic condition. Objective: The prospect of the study to assess the strength of inhibiting the rapid AGE formations in four Ayu...
The perishable nature and seasonality of fruits make them harder to use in the food industry. Hence, the aim of this study is to preserve antioxidant-rich Syzygium caryophyllatum (L.) fruit using different drying techniques and evaluate the efficiency of drying methods in terms of antioxidant capacity. Fruits were dried using five different drying...
Seaweeds are considered as a functional food across many regions of the world and has an increasing consumption trend due to its health benefits. However, there is a concern regarding the amount of heavy metals and metalloids present in seaweeds. Therefore, the study aimed to assess the levels of metals present in specific seaweeds and its potentia...
Nutritional quality of rice flakes was enhanced by incorporating Syzygium caryophyllatum fruit pulp while binding it with rice flour by Neolitsea cassia mucilage. Four rice flakes formulations were prepared by altering two variables namely adding with and without leavening agent (Sodium bicarbonate) into the dough and extruded dough flaxes subjecte...
Antioxidant activity and physicochemical properties of Melastoma malaba-thricum (L.) and Syzygium caryophyllatum (L.) fruit were determined in line with the progressive color development in three maturity stages (MS) such as unripe (MS1-green), intermediate (MS2-light purple) and ripe (MS3-blackish-purple). Antioxidant values in terms of total phen...
Presence of cyanogen and low post-harvest life of cassava caused to limit utilization and high waste generation. The study designed to increase economic value and minimize environmental impact of cassava, through applying Cleaner Production Technologies along life cycle.
In the study, mitigation techniques to reduce cyanide content in cassava pro...
Veganism is a concept that is highly trending in the modern world, especially with natural disasters and pandemic situations. The concept moves people towards a lifestyle that is more connected with nature including flora and fauna. With higher meat consumption, the world has faced many struggles like global warming, rising sea levels, climate chan...
Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) is a tropical Asian tree which is called as a miracle for the vegan sensation. To fulfill the gap between the utilization of jackfruit and the wastage of jackfruit, it is an imagined need to prepare a range of processed jackfruit products with a convenient way for the customers. The objective of this study was t...
Macroalgae or seaweeds are rich sources of structurally diverse bioactive compounds with various biological activities. Seaweeds are rich sources of sulfated polysaccharides. The major sulfated polysaccharides found in marine algae include fucoidan from brown algae, carrageenan from red algae, and ulvan from green algae. Based on stereochemistry, s...
Sea cucumbers are considered healthy and high in nutritive value. Conversely however, limited consumption of sea cucumbers has been reported in many parts of the world. This study was done to produce a ready-to-prepare soup mix incorporating the sea cucumber aiming to popularize the sea cucumber consumption. The highly abundant low-value Bohadschia...
Reverse spherification is a common technique used in molecular gastronomy to produce innovative products with an improved texture by shaping a liquid into an edible semisolid sphere that gives a burst in the mouth sensation. In this study, liquid‐core hydrogel beads (LHBs) were prepared using Syzygium caryophyllatum fruit pulp adapting reverse‐phas...
Global trends moved towards fast food consumption due to the busy lifestyle of humans. Hence, the intake of fat-related food has exceeded the daily dietary reference intake (DRI) of fat, which caused multiple diseases. Analysis of the fatty acid profile plays a vital role in nutritional labelling and helps to understand the availability of diverse...
Bubble tea is a trending food product around the globe and capture a high demand in the high-end market in Asian region as well. This product contains a chewy bubble in enhancing the palatability and the acceptability of the final bubble tea product, which is made with cassava starch. Cassava is an important high caloric tropical food crop, yet has...
The core purpose of the current study is to explore the use of Moringa oleifera leaves, to produce a herbal tea with acceptable sensory properties and nutritional properties by utilizing the steam blanching technique, different dehydration temperatures and time, which can be accepted in the Sri Lankan market. Six sets of samples were prepared where...
Bubble tea is a trending food product around the globe and capture a high demand in the high-end market in Asian region as well. This product contains a chewy bubble in enhancing the palatability and the acceptability of the final bubble tea product, which is made with cassava starch. Cassava is an important high caloric tropical food crop, yet has...
With the urbanization and changing food habits, most of these underutilized yams have lost their significance. However, the study of their nutritional value is insufficient. The overall objective of this study was to evaluate the nutritional composition, functional properties and phytochemical composition of four selected underutilized yam varietie...
Detection freshness quality of the selected two tuna varieties
“Yellowfintuna – Kelawalla(S) (Thunusalbacares)” and “Frigate tuna- Alagoduwa (S)
(Auxisthazard)” along the supply chain
Beta (β) carotene is a natural antioxidant which is omnipresent in yellow, green vegetables and fruits. The main objective of this study was to develop a β carotene enriched drinking yoghurt by incorporating carrot pulp and orange juice. The mixing ratio of carrot pulp, orange juice and yoghurt base was selected by analyzing the data gathered from...
Fruit based beverages are one of the foremost categories of beverages that are consumed globally. Since fruit beverages are easily digestible, health conscious, highly refreshing, thirst quenching, appetizing and nutritionally far superior to most of the synthetic beverages available in the market, consumption of fruit based beverages have been inc...
Fruit based beverages are one of the foremost categories of beverages that are consumed globally. Since fruit beverages are easily digestible, health conscious, highly refreshing, thirst quenching, appetizing and nutritionally far superior to most of the synthetic beverages available in the market, consumption of fruit based beverages have been inc...
Tea concentrate is a one of major ingredient in trending food product bubble tea, which has a high demand in around the globe, and even in Sri Lankan high end market, yet do not produce its raw ingredients in Sri Lanka. The refused black tea is a waste product made in the black tea production, which has the ability to impart almost same sensory qua...
Sugarcane bagasse is a by-product of sugarcane processing and it is rich in insoluble dietary fibers. The objective of this study was to develop cookies enriched with sugarcane bagasse as a fiber source with no added sugars. Bagasses with or without peel were collected from a jaggery manufacturing plant and they were dried, grinded, and sieved to o...
A novel value-added sea cucumber powder incorporated ready to drink soup mix was developed by utilizing the powder prepared from Bohadschia vitenesis, low-value sea cucumber species. The method includes sub-processes before formulating the final product; the preparation of sea cucumber powder, preparation of tomato powder, preparation of spice powd...
Muffins from traditional yam Dioscorea spp.