Development and characterization of functional food from selected Indian edible seaweeds

Abstract

newline This thesis includes research studies undertaken by Ms Nidhi Kaushik for her doctoral degree. Studies were conducted to achieve targeted deliverables of main objectives as per proposed plan which was duly approved as synopsis of this thesis by research committee of NIFTEM. newlineFirst of all, review of literature was carried out, covering all important aspects of millets. The focus was to find out the reasons due to which farmers shifted away from growing millets and adopted other crops like wheat and rice. This was to find answers to questions such as: What needs to be done to ensure that farmers adopt millets as a preferred crop again? What are the options available for technology-intervention to be rendered to farmers? Can popular foods of masses be designed using millets? Are consumers ready to accept foods based on Kodo and Kutki? newlineBesides, understanding the research already done in different areas, relevant to the scope of this thesis, aim was also to prepare a state-of-the-art of topics such as: radiation processing technology for value addition (shelf-life improvement, de-husking etc.) of crops; technologies tried and tested for post-harvest processing of grains like Kodo and Kutki; key functional and nutraceutical properties of millets and comparison with others; types of foods for masses that can be designed based on millets and evaluation of Kodo and Kutki for anti-diabetic and anti-hyperlipidemic potential through in-vivo studies. Emphasis was to comprehend: a) virtues which make them superior to other staple crops; b) functional properties necessary to design popular foods; c) possibility of designing composite flours; d) nutraceutical properties by in-vivo studies. newlineLiterature review on radiation processing was done to know: regulatory aspects associated with food irradiation; studies required for getting approvals for irradiation of a food product; effects of irradiation on shelf-life as well as on post-harvest processing e.g. germination and de-husking of grains. The leads from review helpe