Clitoria ternatea (L.) (Bunga Telang), is a well-known plant used as food colouring through its flowers. The plant’s leaves are also being used as medicinal ingredients to cure several diseases. However, the medicinal properties were not being explored extensively which could diversify the plant’s usage. The research was conducted on the inclusion of C. ternatea leaves to enhance the physicochemical properties and sensory acceptability of herbal pastille. Five different formulations of C. ternatea leaves pastille were developed with different percentages of C. ternatea leaves namely 2.5%, 5.0%, 7.5%, 10.0% and 12.5%. Physicochemical properties (antioxidant properties, colour profile, texture, moisture, sugar, fat, protein, ash, calorie and texture profile) and the sensory acceptability of C. ternatea leaves pastille was observed. The results show that the highest °Brix value was observed in sample D (74.20°) while water activity was higher in sample B (0.73). The analysis showed that the control sample exhibited a high hardness value (2641.70 N), springiness and cohesion values (0.87 N), gumminess value (2338.75 N), chewiness value (2089.71 N) and resilience value (0.44 N) to that of C. ternatea leaves herbal pastille. Sample E was found to contain a high TFA value (1.45), TPC value (23.32 GAE mg/g), and DPPH value (27.72%). Based on overall acceptance, the sensory analysis showed that the products were accepted by the panellists. Thus, the study revealed that the physicochemical properties of developed herbal pastille were being enhanced and found to be rich in antioxidants and accepted by the panellists.

Musa paradisiaca cv Lang belongs to cooking banana group, and it has high potential to be used in banana chips production. Like other cultivars, M. paradisiaca cv Lang is susceptible towards water shortage, therefore affecting banana growth and productivity. In this study, to mimic the drought condition, pseudo-drought stress was given to in vitro Lang banana seedlings by adding polyethylene glycol (PEG). Overall, decrement of roots length and chlorophyll (Chl) content was displayed by the seedlings exposed to 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, and 5% (w/v) of PEG after three weeks of exposure. The proline content, total soluble protein content, and antioxidant capacity in leaf and roots, however, countered differently towards different levels of drought. Proline content showed the highest in leaf of 2% (w/v) PEG-treated seedling (12.66±0.38 µmoles/g) while the total soluble protein content showed the highest in roots of 5% (w/v) of PEG-treated seedling (30.65±1.07 mg/g FW). Antioxidant capacity of stressed seedlings revealed the catalase (CAT), guaiacol peroxidase (POD), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) activities were the highest in the leaf of 1% (w/v) (10.69±5.06 µmol/min/mg), 4% (w/v), (0.079±0.03 µmol/min/mg), and 5% (w/v) (9.11±8.47 µmol/min/mg) of PEG- treated seedlings, respectively. Meanwhile, the highest CAT, POD, and APX activities in the roots were determined in 3% (w/v) (0.49±0.04 µmol/min/mg), 2% (w/v) (0.03±0.02 µmol/min/mg), and 3% (w/v) (16.69±0.5 µmol/min/mg) of PEG-treated seedlings, respectively. These data show that PEG can be a priming agent to induce defense system at seedling stage of banana, which could enhance their survivability during ex vitro acclimatization.