The present study was aimed at utilization of underutilized crops such as sorghum, maize and sweet potato in development of nutritious convenience foods. Home scale atta chakki was used to mill sorghum (PSC-4) and maize (PMH-1) to obtain whole flours. Method for obtaining flour from sweet potato (PSP-21) was standardized. Formulation for ready-to-eat extrudates (RTE) was optimized using response surface methodology (RSM). Feed moisture (FM) was the most significant (p≤0.01) independent variable that affected the expansion ratio, bulk density, hardness and overall acceptability of the RTE extrudates. The optimized formulation was 50.0 g SPF, 5.71 g SF per 100 g blend along with maize flour and 12.00 per cent (v/w basis) FM at 91.10 per cent desirability. The optimized extrudates were subjected analysis of physico-chemical and functional properties. Shelf-life studies revealed that the extruded snacks were acceptable for up to 90 days under ambient conditions. Overall, incorporation of SPF in extrudates increased the vitamin-C and potassium contents while incorporation of maize increased the beta carotene content.

Consuming fermented rice water (FRW) is claimed to improve digestion and skin health, prevent diseases, and meet some of minerals dietary requirements. However, not enough studies have been conducted to prove such nutritional aspects of FRW. This investigation examined some major factors that can contribute to then utritional value and the shelf life of FRW. The study involved white and brown rice water collected after cooking the rice. Rice water was inoculated with L. plantarum (2%) and subject to 48 h of traditional fermentation at 37°C. Results showed that LAB counts in both brown inoculated (BI) and white inoculated (WI) samples were >7 log CF/mL after 48 h of fermentation. Hence, the counts in BI were consistently higher (p < 0.05) than those in white rice water (inoculated and uninoculated) during fermentation. Additionally, fermented and freeze-dried BI revealed significantly (p < 0.05) the highest niacin (308.59 ± 20.2 µg/g) and folic acid (718.36 ± 7.3 µg/g) contents. Furthermore, the highest ash (17.31%), Fe (4.47 ± 0.44 mg/g) and Phosphorous (17.04 ± 0.22 mg/g) were detected in freeze-dried FRW samples prepared using inoculated brown rice.

Open sun drying (OSD) is most common method of sapota drying in Western Ghats of India. Crop temperature, around the crop, solar temperature and rate of moisture evaporation are the important parameters of OSD of sapota. In this paper, an attempt has been made to study the OS drying characteristics of sapota slices, i.e., moisture content versus time, drying rate versus moisture content and moisture ratio versus drying time. The convective heat transfer coefficient operating in open sun drying conditions (natural convection) of sapota slices has also been determined based on the values of constants, C and n, which were obtained by linear regression analysis from experimental data for sapota slices. The quality parameters of sapota slices, i.e., acidity, pH, reducing sugar, non-reducing sugar, protein, carbohydrates, ash, colour (L, A and B value) before OSD and after OSD of sapota slices have also be determined.

Wood apple (Limonia acidissima L.) is belonging to the Rutaceae family. Wood apple pulp rich source of Beta carotene, a precursor of vitamin-A. The study was conducted to analysis of physico-chemical properties of wood apple. Proximate composition of wood apple fresh pulp moisture content (79.26 to 79.58 %), protein (8.31 to 8.35 %), fat (1 to 2.010%), ash (0.986 to 1.82 %), total soluble solids (17.60 to 17.80%), total sugar (6.41 to 6.43%), reducing sugar (5.2 to 5.6 %), ascorbic acid (5.12 to 5.121%), acidity (4.5 to 4.7%) respectively.

Fermented cereal-based beverages made from Maize, Sorghum, Pear millet and Finger millet play a crucial role in attaining food and nutrition security in Sub-Saharan Africa. Many such different spontaneously fermented beverages have been processed and consumed for a long time in Africa. They have received attention as energy beverages in social gatherings but also recommended as weaning beverages in rural communities. Munkoyo and Chibwantu are administered for health benefits in children. This is because they contain diverse microbial community, some of which are probiotics beneficial in the Gut Intestinal tract (GIT). Munkoyo and Chibwantu are also

used to induce lactation (as galactogogues) in mothers with difficulties to produce breast milk. This is possibly because of nutrition composition of Munkoyo and Chibwantu after fermentation and presence of phytochemicals in Rhynchosia roots. This review investigates Munkoyo and Chibwantu beverages to provide probiotics, galactogogues as health benefits and medicinal application of Rhynchosia roots.