Background: The growing demand for plant-based functional foods due to lactose intolerance, health consciousness and ethical concerns is accelerating the development of dairy-free fermented foods. This study aimed to develop probiotic vegan shrikhand using soy milk, coconut milk, pulp and jaggery as a nutritional replacement for regular milk shrikhand. Soy milk and coconut milk were used for their nutritional and functional properties, while mango and papaya pulps improved taste, color and overall acceptability. Methods: Probiotic vegan shrikhand was prepared by mixing coconut milk with different proportions of soy milk (40%, 30%, 20%, 10%), jaggery and pulp. The formulation were named T1, T2, T3 and T4. The milk preparation was pasteurized, inoculated with probiotic cultures (Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus lactis and Streptococcus thermophilus) and incubated to form curds. The resulting curd was strained to prepare chakka, followed by addition of jaggery and pulp to produce probiotic vegan shrikhand. Sensory evaluation, viscosity measurements, color measurements and texture profile analysis were performed to determine the quality of the products. Result: Among all formulations, the T3 sample had the highest overall acceptability score (8.25) compared to the control sample (7.25), indicating better consumer preference. Probiotic vegan shrikand also showed slightly higher viscosity (234±1.63 cP) than the control (230±1.12 cP). Color analysis revealed increased redness and yellow color due to pulp and jaggery incorporation. Texture profile analysis showed that the optimized probiotic vegan shrikhand had improved hardness, cohesion and elasticity. This study concludes that probiotic vegan shrikhand prepared from soy milk, coconut milk and fruit pulp acts as a nutritious, functional and delicious dairy-free dessert with enhanced sensory and textural properties.
Background: Spirulina is widely used as a dietary additive due to its rich nutrient profile, safety and associated health benefits. Its potential to influence growth performance and physiological health in livestock, particularly lambs. Methods: This study involved forty Awassi lambs aged 3-4 months with an average body weight of 20.36±0.40 kg BW. The lambs were randomly divided into four groups of ten. The control group (T1) received a standard diet without Spirulina extract, while the experimental groups (T2, T3, T4) were fed the same diet supplemented with aqueous extract of Spirulina at concentrations of 1%, 2% and 3%, respectively, administered via oral gavage daily for 12 weeks. Result: Supplementation with Spirulina aqueous extract significantly enhanced feed intake, weight gain and feed conversion efficiency. Blood parameters improved, showing increased hemoglobin levels, red blood cell counts, packed cell volume, total blood protein, serum albumin and globulin levels compared to the control Urea levels decreased with higher Spirulina doses and liver enzyme levels (ALT and AST) declined as the dosage increased. The findings suggest that Spirulina supplementation positively influences growth performance and blood health in awassi lambs, indicating its potential as a natural supplement to improve sheep health and productivity.
Background: Ready-to-eat foods are widely consumed due to their convenience; however, improper handling and unhygienic practices may predispose these foods to contamination by food-borne pathogens. The study investigated the prevalence, biofilm-forming ability, antimicrobial resistance and molecular characterization of S. aureus isolated from RTE foods and serving environment samples collected from Mathura and Delhi, India. Method: A total of 264 samples comprising RTE vegetarian foods (n = 144), RTE non-vegetarian foods (n = 72) and serving environment samples including hand swabs and utensils (n = 48) were analyzed. Isolation and identification of S. aureus were performed using conventional bacteriological methods and confirmed by detection of the nuc gene. Biofilm production was evaluated using Congo Red Agar, tube method and tissue culture plate assay. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was carried out against twelve antibiotics and minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were determined for selected strong biofilm-forming isolates using E-test strips. Result: Overall, S. aureus was detected in 20.45% of samples, with higher prevalence in RTE vegetarian foods (25.0%) compared to RTE non-vegetarian foods (15.27%) and serving environment samples (14.58%). All confirmed isolates harbored the nuc gene. The TCP assay revealed the highest proportion of biofilm-forming isolates (77.7%). High resistance was observed against penicillin, methicillin and oxacillin, while all isolates remained sensitive to vancomycin. Multidrug resistance was observed in 57.14% of biofilm-forming isolates. Phylogenetic analysis suggested possible cross-contamination between food handlers and RTE foods.
Background: Natural pigment-based indicators are increasingly developed for food quality monitoring. Curcumin, the main pigment in turmeric has strong chromatic properties and can be incorporated into edible coatings as a visual indicator. This study compared CIELAB and RGB-based color analyses of gelatin-glycerol edible coatings containing curcumin extract for sliced cheese. Methods: Curcumin extract was obtained from turmeric rhizomes using Microwave-Assisted Extraction with ethanol. The extract was incorporated into gelatin-glycerol coating and applied to sliced cheese using pneumatic spray. Color was evaluated using CIELAB parameters (L*, a*, b*, Hue, Chroma, Whiteness Index, Browning Index and ΔE), RGB-based metrics (ΔRGB and HEX), pH and viscosity. Data were analyzed using correlation analysis and the De Garmo method. Result: The 2% curcumin treatment showed the strongest color response with the highest b*, Chroma, ΔE and ΔRGB values. Its HEX color was #DCBC3D (Strong Marigold Yellow). Color changes were associated with lower pH and higher viscosity. CIELAB and RGB analyses showed consistent trends, while De Garmo analysis selected 2% curcumin as the optimal formulation. These findings indicate the potential of curcumin-based edible coating as a natural colorimetric indicator for sliced cheese.
Background: The Mexican oregano essential oil (MOEO) (Lippia graveolens Kunth) has documented antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and cytotoxic activity. The objective of this study was to determine the chemical composition of MOEO from plants grown in greenhouses and of natural origin (wild) in northern Mexico, by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry and to evaluate its effect on the viability of 3T3-L1 cells by the bromide assay of 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazole-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium. Methods: The aerial part of L. graveolens plants developed in greenhouse and wild conditions was collected. The MOEO was extracted and analyzed by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. Cytotoxicity was determined in the 3T3-L1 preadipocytes cell line exposed to concentrations between 0.0 and 15.00 μg mL-1 of MOEO, after 24 and 48 hours of exposure. The statistical analysis included an analysis of variance and Tukey’s HSD post hoc test (P≤0.05) in the SPSS v. 20 software. Result: The extraction of the MOEO presented a yield of 45.63±5.21 mL kg-1 dry weight and a density of 995±2.98 μg mL-1 . The chromatographic analysis identified 34 chemical components, of which the highest relative proportions corresponded to thymol (59.45% in greenhouse and 47.53% in wild) and carvacrol (9.27% in greenhouse and 12.14% in wild). At 24 hours of exposure, concentrations below 1.00 μg mL-1 registered average cell viabilities of 99.02% (greenhouse) and 90.98% (wild), while concentrations above 1.00 μg mL-1 registered 69.80% (greenhouse) and 79.62% (wild). Regarding the 48 hours, concentrations below 1.00 μg mL-1 showed viabilities of 25.81% (greenhouse) and 21.87% (wild), while concentrations above 1.00 μg mL-1 registered 61.09% (greenhouse) and 64.64% (wild).
