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This article focuses on some of the reported medicinal values of bitter melon, an exotic vegetable forming part of the cuisine of various countries.

Available data in the literature strongly support the anti‐hypoglycaemic properties of Bitter melon. A literature view was carried out and the data were used to validate our findings regarding the effects of extracts of Momordica charantia on uptake of sugar.

Our work adds on to the growing evidence of the anti‐diabetic properties of bitter melon.

In view of evidence reported in the literature regarding the medicinal properties of vegetables, the importance of vegetables in a well balanced diet should therefore be strongly advocated.

This paper adds on to the evidence of the use of Momordica charantia as a medicinal plant in traditional medicine in the control of blood sugar level.

Pickling or salt curing is one of the major traditional processes to increase the shelf life of bitter gourd in India. No information is available about optimization of salt curing of bitter gourd and the related changes in its quality. Moreover, specific investigations are needed to evaluate individual susceptibility of fruit and vegetables to osmotic dewatering with pre-treatment to obtain new minimally processed food products. The purpose of this study is to optimize the salt curing process with blanching as pretreatment for bitter gourd.

A study was conducted to optimize the blanching and other process factors of salt curing (solution concentration and treatment time) based on mass transfer and quality factors of bitter gourd using response surface methodology. Experimental design was made using central composite rotatable design with different time of blanching, solution concentration and treatment time. The colour, firmness, water activity and other mass transfer kinetic parameters were used for optimization.

Blanching had significant effect (p < 0.001) on water loss (WL), weight reduction (WR), solid gain (SG), water activity and firmness of bitter gourd. Mass transfer kinetic parameters like WL, SG and normalized solid content increased and normalized moisture content was found to decrease with increase in solution concentration and curing time. Relationships between process variables and quality factors were established in either quadratic or linear form with higher R² values. A 15 per cent solution concentration for the period of 5 h with the blanched samples at 800°C for 5.26 min was found to be the optimum condition for osmotic dehydration to achieve maximum WL and SG, minimum water activity and minimum changes in firmness.

The optimized combinations for the salt curing process would be more helpful for the processors and other stakeholders involved in the pickling process by reducing energy and other input resources.

Mostly in India, the pickling process is carried out at micro- and small-scale level and in an unorganized way. This study would help those involved to reduce their input resources and to organize the process, thus leading to more dividends to the stakeholders and optimum price to the end-users. For the medium- and large-scale processing units, this study would give insight to automate the whole process in an efficient manner.

This study was performed using sophisticated and higher-end instruments. The data were observed meticulously and analysed with proper statistical tools, increasing the credibility of the study. This study gives concrete results which are directly useful to the stakeholders.

Polymorphisms in taste receptor genes may be associated with taste sensitivity and possibly with food consumption and body weight. Previous studies relating bitter taste sensitivity to body mass index (BMI) had inconsistent findings. This paper aims to investigate the weight and body composition indicators among the TAS2R38 bitter taste receptor genotype groups.

Adults participating in the STEPS study (steps to the healthy development and well-being of children) cohort in Southwest Finland have been investigated. DNA has been extracted from buccal cell samples, and alleles of the gene TAS2R38 have been determined. Measurements at the follow-up visit include weight and height to calculate BMI, waist circumference (WC) and body composition with bioimpedance (women n = 757, men n = 714).

The mean BMI was 25.3 (SD 5.4) kg/m² among women and 26.7 (SD 3.9) kg/m² among men. BMI, WC and body fat percentage did not differ significantly between the TAS2R38 genotype groups in either gender. The proportion of subjects classified as overweight (BMI ≥ 25) did not vary significantly between the genotype groups.

The TAS2R38 genotype is not associated with being overweight in this cohort. Determinants of body weight are complex, and the role of other taste genotypes and phenotypes should be investigated in the future.

•Commander Whitehead, can you tell me how it was that Schweppes first came to consider launching bitter lemon in the USA? What overall company strategy was involved?

The health benefits of whole grains are well established, yet intake remains below recommendations. Knowledge and familiarity with whole grains may increase short-term intake, but sensory properties can limit consumption. These factors usually are researched separately, thus, this study aims to explore the relationships among sensory liking, knowledge, attitudes and intake.

This cross-sectional study had 69 college students participate in four tasks: sensory liking of whole vs refined grain bread, rice, pasta and tortillas; bitter taster status; knowledge and attitudes; and intake of whole grains.

Whole wheat bread and tortillas were liked, as well as their refined grain counterparts. However, white rice and pasta were liked significantly more than the whole grain products (p < 0.05), which are less familiar to most people. Higher consumers of whole grain foods preferred those samples to the refined product for some sensory attributes (p < 0.05). Bitter taster status was not related to sensory preferences. Understanding and recognition of whole grains was low, but attitudes were generally positive. Whole grain intake was overestimated by the food frequency questionnaire because of problems with the instrument and also subjects’ lack of understanding about these foods.

The link between preference and consumption warrants further study. The survey used to measure whole grain intake was a limitation and demonstrates the need for an accurate and efficient tool. Although knowledge about whole grains is limited, the positive attitudes expressed by participants can strategically inform outreach. If people believe that they consume more whole grains than they actually do, they may have a false sense of security. Further research with different age groups and a wider variety of foods is needed.

Participants overestimated their consumption of whole grain foods, indicating that consumers may think that they are meeting recommended amounts but they are actually deficient in whole grain intake; thus, improved education and promotional efforts are needed.

Few studies examine the inter-relationships among sensory preference, bitter taster status, knowledge, attitude and intake of whole grains.

A lack of available literature exists about sensory data on lucerne (which is mainly used for animal feed) as an underutilised protein source for human consumption in South Africa (SA). Developing tasteless lucerne products is meaningless. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to determine the descriptive sensory profile and consumers’ acceptability of lucerne.

Three lucerne cultivars and one spinach beet (Beta vulgaris var. cicla L.) cultivar were used: first, to determine sensory descriptive attributes by generic descriptive analysis; and second, to determine consumers’ acceptance of lucerne, which were evaluated for degree of liking for aroma, taste, mouthfeel and overall acceptability with a nine-point hedonic scale. Principal component analysis of attributes for all the lucerne cultivars was applied to identify any factors differentiating between these cultivars.

“SA Standard” showed the lowest value, of the lucerne samples, for fibrous appearance, chewy and fibrous mouthfeel, bitter taste and bitter and metallic aftertaste. “SA Standard” was the most acceptable lucerne cultivar, indicating its application in future studies to profile new emerging cultivars.

No sensory analysis studies have been performed on South African lucerne cultivars to determine their sensory acceptability. These cultivars could have potential for food nutritionists, food scientists and food product developers and the commercial market.

Non-communicable diseases such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, cancers and cardiovascular diseases have become a major health concern globally. As literature claims that frequent consumption of fruits and vegetables can delay the onset of type 2 diabetes and its complications, this paper aims to evaluate the potential hypoglycemic properties in five types of non-leafy vegetables (pumpkin, sweet potato, bitter gourd, onion and lady’s finger), which are commonly available in Malaysia.

Articles were identified through several main search engines, including Pubmed, Google Scholar, Taylor and Francis Online, EDS, Wiley, ScienceDirect and Scopus. The search was limited to selected keywords to refine the outcome.

All the five types of non-leafy vegetables demonstrate hypoglycemic properties to some extent. Emerging findings indicate that there are several phytonutrients in the non-leafy vegetables contributing to the hypoglycemic effects. To date, the underlying mechanism of action remains to be elucidated, although a number of potential mechanisms of action have been proposed in the literature.

This review provides some insights into the hypoglycemic properties in non-leafy vegetables. In addition, phytonutrients that are responsible for the hypoglycemic effects and their mechanism of action are also highlighted.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the prospects and limitations of consumer acceptance towards food products that have been enriched with rapeseed protein in the form of fermented rapeseed presscake.

In total, 16 different food products with up to 18 per cent fermented rapeseed presscake were developed. Three types of vegetarian spreads and one type of bread were formulated, and consumer acceptance was assessed by sensory evaluation, questionnaires and in a focus group.

The fermentation of the rapeseed presscake by using the tempeh mould, Rhizopus oligosporus, had little if any effect on the bitterness of the presscake, and the bitter taste and aftertaste of the fermented presscake limited its use in food products. However, promising results were obtained when the breads and vegetarian spreads that were prepared with 5–6 per cent dried fermented rapeseed presscake were presented to sensory panels and to consumers, provided that the bitterness was masked, to some degree, by appropriate formulations and processes.

Responders consisted mainly of younger people open to sustainable, plant-based nutrition, and may not represent the general population. Nevertheless, the results have implications for further research on utilization of rapeseed proteins.

It is possible to use the fermented rapeseed presscake to enrich various foods with protein or to replace other proteins, e.g. from animals or soybeans, provided that the degree of degradation of undesired compounds can be better standardized.

This study provides useful information for how to increase the use of underutilized plant proteins for human nutrition.

Local marketing decisions are too often made on a dichotomous basis, either standardize or fully adapt. However, similarities are too substantial and differences go too deep to be ignored. This article aims to articulate similarities and differences in local consumer experience across multiple contexts.

Language, being used daily in local contexts, reflects local knowledge (Geertz). This paper shows how translation/back‐translation can be used as a discovery tool, along with depth interviews and checks of researcher interpretations by informants, to generate cognitive mapping of consumption and taste experiences. Local words, used as emic signals, are combined into full portraits of the local experiences as narratives linking people to products and taste. Local portraits can then be merged to derive commonalities emergent from within the contexts studied. The comparative thick description framework is applied to the bitterness and crunchiness taste experiences in ten countries (China, Croatia, El Salvador, France, Germany, Japan, Mexico, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey) and nine languages.

Local experiences in several different languages and countries in different areas of the world can be surveyed, compared, and organized into cognitive maps (Eden), which highlight commonalities and differences between contexts. In essence, differences are qualitative, dealing with creolization patterns, local consumption experience, local preferences, perceptions, and associations.

This approach can be considered as interpretive and, although driven by a systematic approach, depends on researcher and informant expertise and rigor.

Cognitive maps help evaluate cross‐national differences and similarities in local markets. The emergent similarities and differences are highly meaningful for glocalizing marketing strategies, in terms of advertising, branding, and packaging.

Significant insights derived from this method can be tested in a more traditional and applied manner. This allows quicker insights into new local marketplaces and a progressive enrichment of cognitive maps with new languages and countries.