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Fenugreek is one of the oldest medicinal plants with exceptional medicinal and nutritional profile. Fenugreek seeds contain a substantial amount of fiber, phospholipids, glycolipids, oleic acid, linolenic acid, linoleic acid, choline, vitamins A, B1, B2, C, nicotinic acid, niacin, and many other functional elements. It may grow well under diverse and a wide range of conditions; it is moderately tolerant to drought and salinity, and can even be grown on marginal lands in profitable way. Owing to these characteristics and heavy metal remediation potential, fenugreek may well fit several cropping systems. In addition to its medicinal uses, it may serve as an excellent off-season fodder and animal food supplement. However, efforts should be initiated to develop strategies for improving its biomass production; genetic diversity among different accessions may be mapped, breeding and crop improvement programs may be initiated to improve the biomass and nutritional and functional elements. This review highlights the morphology, adaptability, nutritional constituents and associated functionality and medicinal significance of fenugreek; its ethno-historical uses, pharmacological assumptions have also been discussed. Researchable areas are also indicated to improve its production and adaptability.

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Seedless okra pods were extracted in 0.05 M NaOH, freeze-dried (OE) and added to pudding formula at 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8%. The effect of OE on the quality of pudding was investigated using rapid visco-analyzer (RVA), Brookfield viscometer and texture analyzer, in addition to sensory evaluation. The RVA data showed that samples with higher OE exhibited higher peak viscosity, lower breakdown and greater setback. However, lower flow behavior index (n) signifies higher pseudoplastic nature of the pudding systems. The activation energy (E a ) exhibited a wide range of values depicting great impact on pudding thermal stability. The texture profile indicated decreasing hardness at higher OE levels. The sensory testing showed that 2% OE was closer to the control in terms of overall acceptability. In summary, although OE influenced the thermal and viscous properties of pudding, it delivered the minimum FDA requirement for soluble fiber and a fairly acceptable product. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONSThe outcome of this work can be a basis for making use of okra gum in producing high soluble-fiber pudding. Pudding was chosen for this project because it is consumed by almost all age groups, it is fairly simple food system to process and it can be prepared by adding different types of flavors and other additives to meet consumer's preference. The formulation presented here can also meet the FDA recommendation for soluble fiber daily intake while maintaining reasonable consumer acceptability. Finally, okra is a low cost source of soluble fiber and can grow in a wide range of climate.