Standardisation of RTS beverage from reconstituted cashew apple-based blended juice powder along with Sugandi

Cashew has commercial value for its nut and peduncle (false fruit), known as cashew apple. Requirements of consumers considering convenience, food safety, health benefits and sensory quality have increased demand for fruit juices, but most consumers don’t get time for the ready to use products. Instant juice powders can meet consumer requirements being cheap to transport and with prolonged shelf life. Then the blended juice was mixed with maltodextrin @15 per cent, i.e., 15 g for 100 mL of blended juice by proper homogenisation. The roots of the sugandi (Swallow root - Decalepsis hamiltonii) were collected, cleaned thoroughly and discarded the central white portion of the roots. Among the blended juice treatment combinations, the highest pH of 3.45 was recorded in B3 (75% cashew apple juice + 25% pineapple juice powder at 150°C inlet temperature with a flow rate of 10 mL min-1). The ready-to-serve (RTS) beverage, along with sugandi stored under refrigerated condition, were free from microbial proliferation till the end of the storage period (60th day of storage), indicating its fitness for consumption with maximum flavour, taste and overall acceptability.

Optimization of Media Constituents for Shoot Regeneration from Leaf Callus Cultures of Decalepis hamiltonii Wight. & Arn.

Response surface methodology was utilized in statistical optimization of three quality factors (the number of multiple shoots, shoot length, and number of leaves) pertaining to regeneration of plantlets from leaf calli of Decalepis hamiltonii Wight. & Arn. (swallow root). The variables evaluated were the levels of sucrose, BA, and NAA each at two different concentrations. Response surfaces for shoot length and multiple shoot number were useful in achieving optimal levels of media constituents and in understanding their interactions, but response surfaces for number of leaves were not. The data indicate that sucrose, BA, and NAA levels may be manipulated to increase or decrease quality factors chosen. This approach may be useful in developing a micropropagation protocol for D. hamiltonii. Chemical names used: benzyladenine (BA); napthaleneacetic acid (NAA).