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The purpose of this study was to determine the sweetness and antioxidant profile‐based nutritional quality of non‐netted orange fleshed muskmelon (cv Maduri) fruit during its development and ripening.

The important nutritional quality determining parameters like sugars, ascorbic acid, carotenoids, phenolics and total antioxidant activity were quantitatively analyzed at five sequential stages of development and ripening of muskmelon. The activities of sugar metabolizing enzymes such as sucrose phosphate synthase and sucrose synthase were evaluated. Further, antioxidant enzymes like peroxidase, polyphenol oxidase and superoxide dismutase which played a significant role in scavenging reactive oxygen species were also assayed.

The results of the present study demonstrated that the sugars got accumulated in high amount in the ripened muskmelon fruit, indicating it as a high sucrose accumulating genotype. However, sucrose phosphate synthase and sucrose synthase exhibited inconsistency in their activities. Phenolics also got accumulated initially with their maximum quantity in the pre‐ripened stage, but thereafter they decreased. Superoxide dismutase and polyphenol oxidase exhibited a progressive synergetic relationship of scavenging of reactive oxygen species with the development and ripening of fruit.

This study revealed that non‐netted muskmelon is a nutritionally rich fruit with significant accumulation of antioxidants and having an added potential source of sweetness.

The debate on the metabolic effects of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) continues. The deterioration of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) homeostasis is called ER stress. Glucose-regulated protein-78 (GRP-78) and X-box binding protein-1 (XBP-1) are key markers of ER stress and the therapeutic targets of diseases. Sterol regulatory element binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c) is the most important transcription factor that regulates the expression of enzymes for fatty acid synthesis. The purpose of this paper is to research the effects of L-carnitine and trans-chalcone on ER stress and oxidative stress parameters, and to explore the therapeutic potential of L-carnitine and trans-chalcone molecules.

Forty male wistar albino rats randomly selected were divided into five groups. All groups are fed with standard chow (ad libitum). While Group I was fed with drinking water, Group II, III, IV and V were fed with water containing 15% HFCS. L-carnitine was given to Group IV and trans-chalcone to Group V, and both were dissolved with DMSO and given intraperitoneally. Group III was not given anything additional.

While the amount of water consumption of HFCS-fed rats has increased, the amount of feed consumption has decreased. The weights of rats in Group II and Group III have increased significantly compared to Group I (p = 0.001, p = 0.001 respectively). In Group III, GRP78, XBP-1; malondialdehyde level (p < 0.001, p = 0.001, p = 0.041); total cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL levels (p = 0.001, p < 0.001, p = 0.009, p = 0.001, respectively) have increased significantly.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first report to show that excessive HFCS consumption causes oxidative stress and ER stress. The antioxidant and antiobesity properties of trans chalcone have been demonstrated. Extensive experimental and clinical studies should be conducted.

This paper aims to update with information about edible coating on minimally processed and fresh fruits, focussing on the composition, active ingredients, antimicrobial concentration and their effect on ripening rate, phytonutrients retention and shelf-life of fruits. In future, the data will be helpful for the processors to select the best coating material and its effective concentration for different fresh and minimally processed fruits.

Major scientific information was collected from Scopus, Web of Science, Mendeley and Google Scholar. Several key words such as postharvest, edible coating, phytonutrients, shelf-life enhancement, bioactive compounds, minimally processed fruits and antimicrobial compounds were used to find the data. Relevant information was collected by using 90 recent research and review articles.

The main findings of this comprehensive review are to improve the quality of fruits, to meet the next-generation food security needs. However, in the process of achieving the goal of improving quality of food produce, embrace of synthetic, non-biodegradable packaging materials have increased, creating serious pollution problem. Amidst several alternatives for replacement of synthetic packaging, the option of biodegradable films and coatings showed promising results.

The paper represents recent information about the edible coating used for the enhancement of shelf-life of fresh and minimally processed fruits.

Whey is a by-product of paneer, cheese and casein industry and considered as a dairy waste. Worldwide, approximately 180–1,900 million tons of whey is produced annually. Whey is classified as a high pollutant due to its organic matter level. Owing to its high chemical oxygen demand and biological oxygen demand, it is a big threat to the environment. Whey contains 4.5%–5.0% lactose, 0.6%–0.7% protein, 0.4%–0.5% lipids, vitamins and minerals. Due to its high nutritional profile, it is a good substrate for the microorganisms for production of natural pigments. The purpose of this paper is to review the utilization of low cost substrate (whey) for production of various types of pigments and their applications in different sectors.

The databases for the search included: Scopus, PubMed, Science Direct, Web of Science, Research gate and Google. The main search was directed towards different types of natural pigments, stability, technologies for enhancing their production and contribution towards circular economy. Approximately 100 research papers were initially screened. A global search was conducted about natural pigments. Research articles, review papers, books, articles in press and book chapters were the type of search for writing this review paper.

Production of natural pigments using whey and their addition in food products not only improves the colour of food but also enhances the antioxidant properties of food products, helping the health benefits by chelating free radicals from the body. The sustainable use of whey for production of natural pigments can improve the bio-based economy of different industries and thereof the national economy.

Efficient utilization of whey can bring a lot more opportunities for production of natural pigments in a sustainable manner. The sustainable approach and circular economy concepts will benefit the dependent industries and health conscious consumers. The potential uses of whey for the production of natural pigments using diverse organisms are highlighted in this paper.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of a 15-week dietary intake of cactus flour on metabolic parameters, body weight and dietary intake of rats.

Male Wistar rats were divided into four experimental groups (n = 8-10): control or westernized diets added or not of cactus flour. The following parameters were evaluated during the period of dietary manipulation: body weight, food intake, glycemic and lipid profile (oral glucose tolerance test, metabolic parameters, hepatic and muscular glycogen dosage), visceral and body fat (relative weight to body weight). Data were analyzed using Graphpad Prism®5, p = 0.05.

Animals fed on a Western-style diet together with flour cactus presented lower weight gain (335.7 ± 20.0, p = 0.05) over the evaluated period, even when the volume of food intake was not different among the groups. The addition of cactus flour to a Western-style diet appears to lower glucose levels at 30 and 60 min (p = 0.05), as shown in the glucose tolerance curve. There was a downward trend does fat stores, cholesterol levels and triglycerides. Therefore, it was concluded that this addition cactus flour is effective even when the diet is hyperlipidic, demonstrating its ability to attenuate risk parameters for the occurrence of metabolic syndromes such as sub fraction high cholesterol levels and glucose tolerance.

The addition of functional foods to diets may work to improve the harmful effects of this type of diet. Opuntia ficus indica has high nutritional value and has hypoglycemic and hypolipemic properties besides being antioxidant.

Diabetes is one of the most prevailed chronic diseases in the world. Pro-inflammatory cytokines play a key role in the type 2 diabetes mellitus. Pomegranate seed oil (PSO) has potential anti-inflammatory properties. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the antidiabetic effects of the use of PSO on the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPAR-γ), pro-inflammatory biomarkers and lipid profile levels in obese type 2 diabetic patients.

In total, 52 patients were randomly assigned to the PSO (n = 26) and placebo (n = 26) groups. Subjects received daily PSO 3 g placebo (paraffin) in 1 g soft-gel capsules (along with breakfast, lunch and dinner meals) for eight weeks.

Serum levels of fasting blood sugar (FBS) decreased from 161.46 ± 34.44 to 143.50 ± 24.2 mg/dL (p = 0.008), IL-6 decreased from 5.17 ± 2.25 to 4.52 ± 1.90 (p = 0.049) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) significantly decreased from 9.17 ± 4.13 to 7.74 ± 2.44 pmol/mL in PSO group (p = 0.030). However, changes in the expression of PPAR-γ gene, serum levels of hs-CRP and lipid profile levels were not significant.

Lack of PSO concentration measurements and the short duration of the study were the key limitations. Future randomized clinical trials with a longer period of follow-up are needed to assess the potential anti-diabetic effects of PSO.

Administration of PSO in obese type 2 diabetic patients reduced the levels of FBS, interleukin 6 and TNF-α; nevertheless, changes in the insulin, lipid profiles and hs-CRP were not significant.

This paper aims to investigate the in vivo hypocholesterolemic property of fenugreek proteins (FP), Purafect-fenugreek protein hydrolysate (PFPH) and Esperase-fenugreek protein hydrolysate (EFPH) on high cholesterol (HC)-fed rats.

Rats were randomized into five groups: four were fed for four weeks a hypercholesterolemic diet and the tested products were given by gavage. The fifth group was taken as control (C) receiving the same diet without cholesterol.

Results showed that the elevated aspartate aminotransferase activity in HC group plasma was significantly corrected by FP and EFPH administration (−33 per cent; p = 0.0003). HC liver lipids and total cholesterol (TC) contents were not markedly affected by FP and EFPH. However, liver triglycerides (TG) contents trended to decrease in FP rats vs HC (p = 0.07), while, the TG decrease was significant in groups fed the proteins hydrolysates (p = 0.02). On the other hand, serum TC and TG decreased by 53 per cent (p = 0.0003) and 20 per cent (p = 0.04), respectively, in FP treated rats compared to HC group. This decrease was associated with a high fecal cholesterol excretion (2.5-fold higher in FP vs HC; p = 0.0001). Likewise, EFPH-treated rats exhibited lower TC compared to HC rats (p = 0.004). The very low density lipoprotins was the main affected fraction in these two groups, while there were no significant difference in apolipoproteins (Apo) B, A-I and A-IV contents between the different groups, except in FP group, where Apo A-I and A-IV decreased by 26 and 17 per cent, respectively, compared to C rats (p = 0.02). The high density lipoproteins (HDL) of rats treated with proteins hydrolysates showed a better antioxidant property compared to those of HC rats, which was accompanied with an increase in paraoxonase activity when compared to HC group.

Unlike PFPH which had almost no effect, FPs and EFPH could constitute a nutraceutical ingredient in cardiovascular disease management.