CSIR-Central Food Technological Research Institute (CSIR-CFTRI), is one of the constituent laboratory under the aegis of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). It was established on 21 October 1950 in Mysore, Karnataka. C.F.T.R.I. also has its resource centers in Hyderabad, Lucknow and Mumbai, rendering technical assistance to numerous entrepreneurs.CSIR-CFTRI is a large and diversified laboratory presently headed by Dr. Sridevi Annapurna Singh, Director, CSIR-CFTRI. There are nearly 200 scientists, technologists, and engineers, and over 100 technicians, skilled workers, and support staff. There are sixteen research and development departments, including laboratories focusing on food engineering, food biotechnology, microbiology, grain sciences, sensory science, Biochemistry, Molecular Nutrition and food safety.The institute has developed over 300 products, processes, and equipment types. It holds several patents and has published findings in reputed journals. India is the world's second largest food grain, fruit and vegetable producer, and the institute is engaged in research in the production and handling of grains, pulses, oilseeds, along with ahty spices, fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, and poultry.The institute develops technologies to increase efficiency and reduce post-harvest losses, add convenience, increase export, find new sources of food products, integrate human resources in food industries, reduce costs, and modernize.CSIR-CFTRI has developed over 300 products, processes including equipment designs, and most of these technologies have been released to over 4000 licensees for commercial exploitation.
This study developed pre-cooked plantain semolina through controlled steaming (20 and 40 min at 100°C), convective drying (12 h at 50°C), and hammer milling, followed by size fractionation into ultrafine (US), fine (FS), and coarse (CS) semolina. Processing variables and particle size significantly influenced the physicochemical, functional, and engineering properties. Particle size distribution (D50 = 201.6–699.9 µm) governed the proximal composition, with lipids (up to 11.65
India is bestowed with a wide array of seaweeds, yet its application as an alternative dietary protein is highly neglected. The present study aimed to extract and characterize proteins from red seaweeds of the southeast coast of India, namely, Gracilaria corticata (GC), Hypnea valentiae (HV), and Acanthophora spicifera (AS). GC protein extract (GCPE) exhibited the highest protein yield with 64.56% protein content and 73.68% in vitro protein digestibility compared to HV and AS protein extracts (HVPE and ASPE, respectively). GCPE presented a higher total phenolic (14.39 mu g GAE/mg), flavonoid (7.75 mu g QE/mg) content, and essential amino acid index (105.42%). Further, GCPE and HVPE showed distinct bands of alpha (20 kDa), beta (23 kDa), and gamma (34 kDa) sub-units of R-phycoerythrin (R-PE) and RuBisCO (10-18 kDa and 50 kDa) proteins, with smear bands noticed in ASPE at 10-15 kDa and 25 kDa, respectively. GCPE had beta-sheet secondary structure, whereas HVPE and ASPE showed unordered secondary structures. GCPE displayed higher a* color value (13.11) close to R-PE (19.66), suggesting intense red color in comparison to other red seaweed protein extracts (RSPEs). GCPE exhibited higher DPPH, ABTS (IC50: 1.24 and 0.48 mg/ml, respectively) and FRAP (EC50: 8.24 mg/ml) antioxidant and moderate anti-obesity (IC50 of pancreatic lipase inhibition: 2.69 mg/ml) activities. All RSPEs exhibited good protein solubility (>60%) above pH 6. HVPE demonstrated excellent emulsifying capabilities, while GCPE displayed good foaming characteristics across all pH levels. Therefore, GC can be explored as a sustainable protein source, and GCPE can serve as functional protein components in food and beverage formulations.
Microgreens are known for their dense nutritional content and quick growth cycles, and represent a promising avenue for sustainable food production. However, conventional cultivation practices face challenges related to the risk of contamination, high production costs, short shelf life, and postharvest quality. The food system of consuming fresh produce directly from the field can be achieved by adopting advanced strategies to grow them in urban setups with a minimum input and maximum output approach. To improve the growth and development of plant species, sprouts, and microgreens, the cold plasma (CP) is being advocated. Similar to CP, the plasma-activated water (PAW) offers a green perspective and exhibits a broad-spectrum biological activity with enhanced safety. This review systematically evaluates the current state of CP applications in microgreens and elaborates on their potential contribution to achieving the United Nations sustainable development goals (UN-SDGs). Findings covered in this review include the multifaceted impact of CP on seed germination, yield, nutritional fortification, and microbial safety of diverse microgreen species and conclude up to a 4.6-fold increase in germination, 39-56% higher biomass accumulation, a two-fold increase in isothiocyanate (ITC) content, besides up to 59% greater antioxidant activity across various microgreens. In the future, the applications of precise nutrient delivery, customizable hydrogels as well as other microbial-free growth media, and the industry transformation via IoT-enabled microgreen production environments will be promising in achieving desired yield efficiency, resource sustainability, and data-driven quality control.
Whole wheat flour (atta) is susceptible to microbial contamination, pesticide residues, and quality deterioration, which can affect product safety and shelf stability. Although wheat debranning is a promising pre-milling intervention, its optimal intensity for balancing safety and quality remains unclear. This study evaluated the effects of debranning intensity (0.2-5.0
Abstract Biodegradable poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT)/starch blends are promising alternatives to conventional plastics, although poor interfacial compatibility limits their applications. In this study, PBAT/starch and PBAT/thermoplastic starch (TPS) films containing glycerol, polyethylene glycol, and epoxidized safflower oil (ESFO) were prepared via direct melt blending and a two-step TPS process. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and solid-state 13C CP-MAS NMR analyses confirmed reactive compatibilization between ESFO, starch/TPS, and PBAT phases. The TPS-assisted route generated finer and more homogeneous morphologies, while ESFO reduced phase separation and improved interfacial adhesion. Consequently, ESFO-modified films exhibited superior tensile strength (∼26 MPa), elongation at break (∼655%), seal strength (∼14 N/in), lower water vapor permeability (∼2.2–2.5 mg mm/m2 day Pa), and improved viscoelastic behavior and thermal stability. Soil degradation studies further demonstrated the environmental compatibility of the developed films. The results provide valuable insights into the role of additives and processing routes in designing biodegradable PBAT/starch-based packaging materials.
