Abstract Fenugreek leaves contains bioactive compounds, which are helpful in maintaining human health. These compounds are adversely affected in conventional drying methods. Therefore, this study was carried out to retain maximum amount of these components through microwave-assisted drying and extraction technique. The technique was optimized for simultaneous drying and extraction process for fenugreek leaves. The drying rate and drying time were influenced by the level of microwave power; time was reduced from 21 to 5 minutes, when microwave power was changed from 30 to 100 W. Unlikely, the drying rate increased from 1.79 to 4.56 ± 0.05 g/(100 g.min) with the change in power (30 to 100 W). Moreover, moisture ratio analysis determined that two term model was the best to demonstrate the fitness with experimental values. The energy consumption was lowest for 100W compared to other powers. Furthermore, comparison between microwave-based extraction and methanol-extraction indicated that the antioxidant activity was better preserved compared to conventional ones even at higher microwave power levels.

Abstract The objective of this study was to optimize the extrusion processing for production of maximum peptides spectra in multigrain flakes. The results showed that maximum peptides spectra were produced at extrusion condition of 160 °C temperature and 100 rpm screw speed and minimum peptides spectra were observed at 120 °C temperature and 300 rpm. Among proximal composition, highest changes were observed in fat content and thus, significantly affected the atherogenicity and thrombogenicity indices of products. The products with higher peptides spectra (16) showed higher 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) (48.63%), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) (48.63 ± 4.81 mmol Fe+2/g protein) and superoxide radical-scavenging activity (SRSA) (39.05 ± 4.51%). Similarly, higher peptides spectra product showed higher angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) (86.01 ± 5.22%) inhibition and inhibition of protein denaturation (IP) (38.12 ± 2.89%). Thus optimization of extrusion process for bioactive peptides can be used for production of biological active products and healthily production system.

This study aimed to examine the effect of composting techniques of municipal organic solid waste (MSW) for (i) total carbon (C), nitrogen (N) losses, and changes in its chemical characteristics during composting phase and (ii) value of the composted materials as fertilizer when applied to vegetables. Treatments included: aerobic composting (AC), anaerobic composting (ANC), co-composting (CC) and open dumping (OD) for 4 months. During the composting phase, about 61, 50, 35, and 13% of the initial N was lost from CC, AC, OD, and ANC, respectively. The respective values in case of total C loss were 17, 13, 14 and 11%. After field application, about 41% of the applied organic N was mineralized from ANC material, whereas the respective values for OD, CC and AC were 25-26, 15-16, and 12-19%. Consequently, dry matter (DM) yield and vegetable N uptake from the resultant compost were in the order ANC>OD>CC>AC. Moreover, vegetable apparent N recovery (ANRf) was the highest from ANC (spinach: 36 and carrot: 45%) followed by OD (26 and 34%), CC (18 and 26%) and AC (18 and 24%) material. When composting N losses were taken into account during calculations, about 31-39, 17-22, 9-10, and 7-12% of the N collected from filth depots ended up in plants from ANC, OD, CC and AC, respectively. We concluded that ANC results in least C and N losses during the composting phase and greatest N mineralization in the soil, which enhances vegetable yield, N recovery and thereby the N cycling through waste-soil-plant continuum.