Aegle marmelos (L.) Correa (Bael) fruit, a member of the Rutaceae family, is a major cultivated fruit plant in tropical and subtropical regions in countries of southeast Asia. Bael fruit has been a major topic for studies in recent years mainly due to its high nutritional (carbohydrates, proteins, minerals, and vitamins) value and presence of various phytochemicals, which attributed to its high medicinal value. These phytochemicals include various compounds, e.g., alkaloids, flavonoids, and phenolic acids (protocatechuic acid, gallic, and ellagic acid). The fruit extract of bael has been also an important study area for its pharmacological activities, including antidiarrheal, antioxidant, antidiabetic, hepatoprotective, radioprotective, anticancer, antiulcer properties. The current review mainly highlighted the nutritional and pharmacological activities of bael fruit. The nutritional profile and phytochemical profile were discussed in the review, along with their concentration in the fruit. Moreover, the experiments carried out in vivo and in vitro of bael fruit extracts with respect to their pharmacological activities were also discussed in the article. The recent literature based on nutritional and pharmacological values of bael fruit showed its high potential as a food and pharmaceutical product. Despite having high nutritional and pharmacological value, research related to molecular mechanisms of bael fruit is still limited, and clinical trials are needed to ensure its safety as a product in the food and pharma industries.

With the advent of pandemics and infectious diseases, numerous research activities on natural products have been carried out to combat them. Researchers are investigating natural products for the treatment and/or management of various infectious diseases and/or disorders. Acacia catechu (L.f.) Willd. belongs to the family Fabaceae (subfamily Mimosoideae) known as Khair or Cutch tree, possesses diverse pharmacological actions, and has been widely used in Asia and different parts of the world. The purpose of the present study is to highlight the phytochemical profile of different parts of A. catechu, the different biological activities of A. catechu extract, and the utilization of A. catechu as food and beverage. The present work constitutes a review of A. catechu; we performed searches (books, Google, Google Scholar, and Scopus publications) to compile the work/investigations made on A. catechu to the present. From our survey, it was concluded that the main phytochemicals compounds in A. catechu are protocatechuic acid, taxifolin, epicatechin, epigallocatechin, catechin, epicatechin gallate, procyanidin, phloroglucin, aldobiuronic acid, gallic acid, D-galactose, afzelchin gum, L-arabinose, D-rhamnose, and quercetin. The whole plant of A. catechu possesses a comprehensive variety of medicinal potentials such as antimicrobial, antidiarrheal, antinociceptive, antihyperlipidemic, antiulcer, antioxidant, antidiabetic, antiproliferative, haemolytic, and anti-inflammatory properties due to the presence of bioactive compounds like flavonoids, alkaloids, and tannins. However, even though the plant’s metabolites were reported to have many different pharmacological uses, there is limited information about their toxicity or clinical trials. Further research on diverse metabolites of A. catechu should be carried out to ensure the safety or utilization of this plant in the pharma or food industries and in the development of potent plant-based drugs.

Jamun (Syzygium cumini L. Skeels) is highly perishable with a very short shelf life, hence, jamun fruit is either consumed fresh as soon as it is harvested or converted to value-added products such as jam, wine, juice, and jellies. The processing of jamun fruit generates a large quantity of seeds as the primary waste. Jamun seeds are a rich source of macronutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, minerals, and vitamins, thus making them an important ingredient in the food industry. The valorization of underutilized, nutritionally rich byproducts of the food processing industry has been providing new ways for unlocking their potential in the functional food industry or therapeutic food formulations. This review presents a detailed nutritional profile of jamun seeds and its potent application in the food industry as a possible functional ingredient. Along with its beneficial nutritional profile, the review also throws light upon the safety aspects associated with jamun seed consumption along with its acceptable daily intake. Safety and toxicity studies have motivated researchers and industrialists to search for possible applications in the food industry. Jamun seeds with array of nutritional benefits can be an important functional ingredient; however, further extensive research is necessary to find suitable levels of application of jamun seed in food products for harnessing its nutritional potential without affecting the products’ sensory palatability.

The Journal retracts the article “Jamun (Syzygium cumini (L