Objective: The aim of the study was to prepare jaggery from sugarcane variety Co86032 using plants mucilage as clarificants and to determine the effect of plant mucilage on jaggery processing. Methods:Production of jaggery using five plant clarificants namely Aloe vera, Flax seeds, Fenugreek, Purslane and Malabar spinach at three different concentrations i.e., 0.1%, 0.2% and 0.4% of raw sugarcane juice and the jaggery prepared without any clarificants serves as control. During production, the processing parameters such as quantity of scum removed, total time taken for processing and jaggery yield was determined.Results: It was found that the jaggery prepared using plant mucilage at concentration of 0.4% found superior when compared to 0.2%, 0.1% and control respectively. Aloe vera at 0.4% removed maximum scum (4.07%), taken minimum processing time (72.33 min) and recorded maximum jaggery yield (10.92 kg). The efficacy of Aloe vera as mucilage clarificants in jaggery production was followed by fenugreek, flax seeds, purslane and Malabar spinach in the order respectively. Conclusion:The application of plants mucilage as clarificants in the jaggery production removed significant level of scum, reduced processing time and improved yield of jaggery. Therefore the selected plant mucilages can be used as clarificants in the jaggery production and can be considered as potential alternative to chemical clarificants.

Vacuum impregnation of sugar syrup into subbaric fried Gulabjamun was evaluated as a technological approach to prepare a product of most acceptable quality. Sugar syrup concentrations (40, 50 and 60°Brix) in combination with process time (2, 4 and 6 min) were analyzed for their effect on product quality in terms of its overall acceptability, expansion ratio, hardness, juiciness and sugar content. The effect of the process conditions on the five listed responses during the vacuum impregnation process was evaluated using response surface methodology and modelled using a second order polynomial equation. The optimum combination was obtained as soaking in a syrup of 55°Brix for 5 min and was experimentally validated for its real time adequacy. The experimental values of the quality parameters thus obtained were found to be in close agreement with the predicted values.

Vogue of drinking beverages and liquid foods (BLFs) with ice is embedded and ever increasing in our hasty busy life. Direct use of unsafe ice and/or food ice containing pathogens in BLFs is threat to human health. In the current study, as an alternate to ice, a reusable cooling device was developed to cool some widely consumed BLFs.The device engineered with phase change materials (PCM), namely, portable water (PW), distilled water (DW), and PW + DW and the effect of solutes (salt and sugar @2%, 4%, and 6%) in PW and DW was demonstrated for its ability to store total cool energy before evaluating its cooling performance in BLFs. The PCMs, namely, DW and DW + 2% salt taken 195 and 240 min, respectively to reach target À19 C storing highest cool energy than other PCMs evaluated. Cooling of BLFs by the device containing different PCMs was significantly different with cooling time and PCM type while highest cooling performance was exhibited by DW followed by DW + 2% salt. It was found that 6.6-17.0 C and 17.7-23.3 C drop in temperature (ΔT) range within 5 and 30 min of cooling process, respectively using the device with DW inside.The ΔT (maximum temperature drop) was in the order for potable water-> beer > soft drink > whisky > butter milk/flavored milk > orange juice > apple juice > lassi during cooling using the device. The developed PCM-based device could be used as an alternate to ice for cooling 200 mL of beer, whisky, soft drink, orange juice, apple juice, butter milk, flavored milk, and lassi in drinking glass. Practical applicationsThe reusable device is engineered with phase change material (PCM) inside safely. It would replace ice for cooling by reducing 23 C in a drinking glass of beverages and liquid foods (BLFs) because of its simple in design, compact and safe. It can be sterilized and washed easily and quickly because of its hygienically engineered mirror finish surface. It can be used for years in hotels, retails and catering premises, road side shops, local open markets, eateries retail shops, pubs and bars because of its durable material of construction. It can easily be recharged in refrigerators and even using ice. The data and research findings on sensible cooling, phase change, and cooling capacity of PCM generated with the device would be very useful for Food Process Disclaimer: Drinking alcohol beverages cause injurious to health. The authors of this manuscript neither support nor encourage drinking alcohol beverages. Alcohol beverages samples used in the present investigation were for research purpose only.

A sub-baric thermal processor (SBTP) was conceptualized, designed by 3D modeling and simulation for von mises stress analysis, deformation, and factor of safety. The auxiliary system components like electrical heater, surface condenser, vacuum pump, and frying cage with tiered trays were selected based on the design for a flexible capacity to prepare fried snack products and were integrated into the system for smooth functioning. Essential mechanical movements of the frying cage were controlled by frequency-controlled planetary gear motor along with pneumatic system for rotary and vertical movements. The design concept was transformed into process, instrumentation, and manufacturing drawings. The fully automatic, microcontroller based, skid mounted, mobile SBTP was fabricated asper c-GMP and 3-A hygiene fabrication standards. Based on von mises stress analysis (135.79 MPa), the SBTP was fabricated from 4-mm thick, food grade, acid-resistant AISI-316 stainless steel to withstand high vacuum environment. The factor of safety obtained was 1.50, which implies that vacuum vessel can practically withstand a stress up to 205 MPa. The operating process parameters of SBTP, temperature, process time, and pressure were controlled by custom-made microcontrollers, programmed to work in auto mode. The rotation of frying basket was varied by inverter-controlled variable frequency gear motor. The basket hoist mechanism was automated and controlled by microcontroller. Results showed that the sub-baric product had lower oil content (22.74%) and the use of leavening agent could be eliminated due to the development of adequate porosity during sub-baric frying. Sub-baric fried Gulab jamun balls at 118 C, 5 min and 48 kPa had a color comparable to the conventional fried balls (140 C, 5 min, 101 kPa) with a browning index of 164/94 and 169/103, respectively, for crust/ crumb. From the above results, it concluded that sub-baric thermal process is a potential alternative technique, which could be adopted by the dairy and food industry for the production of low-fat dairy and food products.

Gulabjamun, a popular Indian dairy sweet, is characterised with a brown crust and a soft, slightly spongy core with a uniform granular texture and a pleasant cooked flavour. Sub-baric processing is a novel technology which uses low temperature, low pressure and minimal exposure to oxygen which ultimately improves the quality parameters of fried foods. An attempt was made to compare conventional and sub-baric processed Gulabjamun in terms of its sensory, physical, chemical and microbial attributes. The processing conditions for frying were 118°C/5min/80kPa vacuum and 140°C/8min (under atmospheric pressure) for sub-baric frying and conventional frying, respectively. The soaking conditions were 60°Brix at 30°C for 5min for sub-baric soaking and 63°Brix/60°C/4 h for conventional soaking. The sub-baric frying of Gulabjamun resulted in reduced oil and moisture content in the final product. Microbial enumeration also indicated a lower count in sub-baric fried product when compared to conventionally fried Gulabjamun. The colour of both samples was comparable while the textural properties were found to be better for sub-baric processed product. Sensory score for overall acceptability based on 9 point hedonic scale were 8.2 and 7.14 for sub-baric processed and conventional product, respectively. Apart from these advantages, sub-baric processing recorded significantly less processing time than the conventional method.