To explore the potentiality of cereal brans for preparation of fiber enriched pasta, various cereal brans (Wheat, Rice, Barley and Oat) were added at 0, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 per cent to durum wheat semolina. The effect of cereal bran enrichment on the colour, cooking, sensory quality and shelf life of enriched pasta was assessed at ambient temperature. Pasta prepared with added fiber at 25 per cent level had the highest protein and dietary fiber content as compared to control. Enrichment with variable fiber sources improved the brightness of pasta, as colour of pasta enhanced significantly. Addition of cereal brans resulted an increase in the water absorption and cooking losses of pasta. This effect was dependent on the level and type of cereal brans. Significant correlation (r=0.80) was obtained between water absorption and volume expansion in all types of bran enriched pasta. At 25 per cent level of supplementation, maximum solids were leached into cooking water. Bran enriched pasta required less cooking time for complete gelatinization of starch. Increasing level of cereal brans had significantly affected the overall acceptability of enriched pasta. Cooking quality of pasta remained constant during storage. Non significant effect of storage was found on water activity, free fatty acids.Enriched pasta (15 per cent level of wheat, rice and oat bran and 10 per cent barley bran) was highly acceptable upto 4 months of storage with respect to quality.

Germination can be used as a bio-processing practice to enhance the digestibility of nutrient and improve the bioactive compounds and rheological properties of food grains. In the present study, effect of germination time 12, 24, 36 and 48 h and temperature 25, 30 and 35°C on carbohydrate profile, enzyme activity, in vitro nutrient digestibility, antioxidant activity, bioactive components and rheological characteristics of sorghum was examined. As time and temperature for germination progressed, it considerably enhance the activity of diastase enzyme and also the sugar content by hydrolysis of starch and further enhance the in vitro digestibility of starch by 10.50-36.25%. Germinated sorghum had high in vitro protein digestibility and it ranges from 57.50 to 77.91% as compared to native sorghum (54.09%). Germination of sorghum for longer time period at elevated conditions appreciably improve the antioxidant activity by 4.24-52.96%, total phenolic content and flavonoid content by 1.60-4.09 mgGAE/g and 60.30-94.03 mgQE/100 g, respectively Similarly reducing power increased from 29.27 to 47.19 lg AAE/g and metal chelating activity enhanced 19.48-52.09% as period for germination goes from 12 to 48 h and temperature from 25 to 35°C. Increased enzyme activity during germination degrades the starch and thus lowers down the peak and final viscosity of sorghum. Increased enzymatic activity and higher antioxidant activity also lower down the lightness value by 12.48% while a* was increased by 6.78%. Germination of sorghum thus offers a tool to increase the nutrient digestibility and bioactive potential of sorghum without any chemical or genetic engineering.

Background Grief following stillbirth and child death are one of the most traumatic experience for parents with psychosomatic, social and economic impacts. The grief profile, severity and its impacts in Indian context are not well documented. This study documented the grief and coping experiences of the Indian parents following stillbirth and child death. Methods This exploratory qualitative study in Delhi (India) included in-depth interviews with parents (50 mothers and 49 fathers), who had stillbirth or child death, their family members (n = 41) and community representatives (n = 12). Eight focus group discussions were done with community members (n = 72). Inductive data analysis included thematic content analysis. Perinatal Grief Scale was used to document the mother’s grief severity after 6–9 months of loss. Results The four themes emerged were grief anticipation and expression, impact of the bereavement, coping mechanism, and sociocultural norms and practices. The parents suffered from disbelief, severe pain and helplessness. Mothers expressed severe grief openly and some fainted. Fathers also had severe grief, but didn’t express openly. Some parents shared self-guilt and blamed the hospital/healthcare providers, themselves or family. Majority had no/positive change in couple relationship, but few faced marital disharmony. Majority experienced sleep, eating and psychological disturbances for several weeks. Mothers coped through engaging in household work, caring other child(ren) and spiritual activities. Fathers coped through avoiding discussion and work and professional engagement. Fathers resumed work after 5–20 days and mothers took 2–6 weeks to resume household chores. Unanticipated loss, limited family support and financial strain affected the severity and duration of grief. 57.5% of all mothers and 80% mothers with stillbirth had severe grief after 6–9 months. Conclusions Stillbirth and child death have lasting psychosomatic, social and economic impacts on parents, which are usually ignored. Sociocultural and religion appropriate bereavement support for the parents are needed to reduce the impacts.

Starch is one of the most abundant biopolymers in nature and is typically isolated from plants in the form of micro-scale granules. Raw starch has limited applications due to its innate disadvantages such as poor solubility in cold water, tendency to retrograde and high viscosity once it is gelatinized. Therefore, some degree of modification is required to enhance its functionality. Starch nanoparticle is one of the products of such modification. Chemical, enzymatic, and physical treatments are used for the preparation of starch nanoparticles and to study their granular and molecular structures. Characterization of starch nanoparticles on the size distribution, crystalline structure, and physical properties in relation to the starch sources and preparation methods can be done using various characterization tools e.g. Scanning Electron Microscopy, Transmission Electron Microscopy, Atomic Florescence Microscopy, etc. Starch nanoparticles can be used as a food additive as it has adverse range of uses in food such as emulsion stabilizer, fat replacer, Thickener, or rheology modifier etc.

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