In last few decades, indigestible carbohydrates as dietary fiber have attracted interest of food scientists and technologists due to its several physiological benefits. Dietary fibers are generally of two types based on their solubility, i.e. soluble and insoluble dietary fiber. Significant physicochemical properties of dietary fiber include solubility, viscosity, water holding capacity, bulkin...

Sicklepod (Senna obtusifolia L., Fabaceae) is a leguminous plant that thrives unwanted in crop fields such as soybean farms and is therefore described as a weed especially in many Southeastern States in the US. Although the recent introduction of “round-up-ready” soybeans mitigates infestation of the beans by sicklepod, the latter is so prolific that even volunteer stands yield over a 1120 kg/h...

Rudrakasha is the dried bead obtained from the ripe fruit of Elaeocarpus ganitrus Roxb. (Family: Elaeocarpaceae). Microscopic studies revealed the presence of a hard endocarp with lignified isodiametric sclereids, seeds with membranous seed coat, which enclosed a dense cellular endosperm comprising of calcium oxalate druses. Physicochemical parameters showed that total ash was 1.36 times and 1....

Effects of soaking and cooking methods on physicochemical characteristics, nutrients and antinutrients in twenty soybean genotypes were studied. Batches of seeds were soaked for 18 h in distilled water, 1% citric acid and 2% sodium bicarbonate solutions at room temperature and then boiled in water. Raw soybean genotypes exhibited 36.5-43.2% protein, 20.7-22.2% oil, 2.58.3% total soluble sugars,...