Carrot is one of the most consumed vegetables worldwide and the production of juices generates high amounts of valuable by-products such as pomace. In order to minimize the environmental effects and to optimize the production costs, carrot pomace can be considered as an ingredient in various food products. The aim of this study was to characterize carrot pomace powders from four varieties (Baltimore, Niagara, Belgrado, and Sirkana) and, from a chemical, functional, chromatic, microstructural, and molecular point of view, highlight the possibility of using them as food ingredients. The results obtained showed that the chemical composition, functional properties, color, and molecular structures of carrot pomace powders depend on the variety. Carrot pomace powders had high contents of fibers (20.09–33.34%), carbohydrates (46.55–58.95%), ash (5.29–5.89%), and proteins (6.87–9.14%), with the Belgrado variety being the richest in fibers and ash, while the Sirkana variety had the greatest protein and the smallest carbohydrate content. With respect to the functional properties, significant differences among the samples were recorded for water absorption and retention capacities, with the Baltimore carrot pomace presenting the highest values (16.99% and 7.64 g/g, respectively). All of the samples exhibited high foaming stability (FS > 94%), with the hydration capacity being higher than 57.96%, the oil absorption capacity being greater than 34.33%, and the bulk density comprised between 0.45 and 0.56 g/cm³. The highest luminosity was obtained for the Baltimore sample (73.30), while the Niagara variety exhibited the most yellowish (19.61), reddish (13.05), and intense (23.55) color. The microstructure of all the samples were compact, while the FT-IR spectra depicted the presence of beta carotene, fibers, carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins. These results could be helpful for processors and researchers interested in reducing their carbon foot print in the fruit processing industry and/or in creating food products with enriched nutritional and functional values.

This review aims to measure the different aspects of summer savory including biological activity, medicinal properties, nutritional value, food application, prospective health benefits, and its use as an additive in broiler feed. Furthermore, toxicity related to this is also overviewed. Summer savory leaves are abundant in total phenolic compounds (rosmarinic acid and flavonoids) that have a powerful antioxidant impact. Rosmarinic (α-O-caffeoyl-3,4-dihydroxy-phenyl lactic) acid has been identified in summer savory as a main component. According to phytochemical investigations, tannins, volatile oils, sterols, acids, gums, pyrocatechol, phenolic compounds, mucilage, and pyrocatechol are the primary compounds of Satureja species. Summer savory extract shows considerable biological potential in antioxidant, cytotoxic, and antibacterial assays. Regarding antioxidant activity, summer savory extract displays an inhibitory effect on lipid peroxidation. Summer savory also has Fe (III) reductive and free radical scavenging properties and contains minerals and vitamins. Summer savory has important biological properties, including antimicrobial activity and antioxidant activity, and protective effects against Jurkat T Cells, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, infection, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and cholesterol. The leaves and stems of this plant are employed in the food, feed, and pharmacological industries due to their antioxidant properties and substantial nutritional content. Conclusively, summer savory is widely considered beneficial for human health due to its versatile properties and medicinal use.

Carrot pomace is a valuable, underutilized by-product suitable for obtaining novel foods. The durum wheat dough and pasta network structure is affected by fiber-rich ingredients like carrot pomace, leading to changes in rheological and texture parameters. In this context, this paper aimed to evaluate the rheological, textural, and color properties of durum wheat dough and pasta as affected by different varieties and addition levels of carrot pomace. For this purpose, oscillatory dynamic rheological tests, compression mechanical texture evaluation, cooking behavior observation, and reflectance color measurements were made. The results indicated that carrot pomace has a strengthening effect on the durum wheat dough protein–starch matrix, while the maximum creep compliance decreased with the addition level increase. A delay in starch gelatinization was suggested by the evolution of visco-elastic moduli during heating. Dough hardness and gumminess increased (from 2849.74 for the control to 5080.67 g for 12% Baltimore, and from 1073.73 for the control to 1863.02 g for 12% Niagara, respectively), while springiness and resilience exhibited a reduction trend (from 100.11% for the control to 99.50% for 12% Sirkana, and from 1.23 for the 3% Niagara to 0.87 for 12% Belgrado respectively) as the amount of carrot pomace raised. An increasing tendency of pasta solids loss during cooking and fracturability was observed with carrot pomace addition level increase. Color properties changed significantly depending on carrot pomace variety and addition level, indicating a reduction in lightness from 71.71 for the control to 63.12 for 12% Niagara and intensification of red nuance (0.05 for the control vs. 2.85 for 12% Sirkana). Cooked pasta elasticity, chewiness, gumminess, hardness, and resilience increased, while adhesiveness and stickiness decreased as the level of carrot pomace was higher. These results can represent a starting point for further industrial development of pasta enriched with fiber-rich ingredients like carrot pomace. The study highlights the possibility of using a fiber-rich waste stream (carrot pomace) in a staple product like pasta, providing a basis for clean-label pasta formulations. In addition, the novelty of the study consists in highlighting how compositional differences of different carrot pomace varieties lead to distinct effects on dough rheology, texture, color, and cooking behavior.

Terminalia chebulais a valuable medicinal plant that can be used in human nutrition. The current study was conducted on different varieties ofTerminalia chebula(Harad) and aimed to investigate their proximate composition, antioxidant activity (DPPH and FRAP assay), and total phenolic content (TPC) by using different solvents (ethanol, acetone, hexane, and distilled water) for further use in the development of functional muffins. Wheat flour was supplemented with the Harad varieties (at 5%, 7.5%, 10%, or 15%) for the preparation of muffins. The color tonality (L*, a*, b*, C*, and h*) of the final product was measured with a digital colorimeter, and the sensory analysis was performed by using a 15-point scale. The results showed that the DPPH values of the Harad samples varied from 22.16 ± 1.27 to 84.33 ± 1.29, while the FRAP values ranged from 18.65 ± 1.73 to 113.4 ± 2.1 mmol FeSO4/g, depending on the solvent type. TPC in different Harad varieties ranged from 10.77 ± 2.35 to 107.20 ± 1.80 mg GAE/100 g, whereas the total flavonoid content ranged from 3.78 ± 0.03 to 47.91 mg QE/100g. Among Harad varieties, the Kabuli variety contains the highest amount of Ca, Na, and K, namely 95.58, 2.16, and 113.66 mg/kg, followed by the black variety with 89.58, 1.83, and 105.08 mg/kg respectively. The muffins prepared with black Harad give the highest values of the color parameters compared to other samples. According to the consumer’s choice, the sensory profile assessment revealed that the muffins supplemented with 7.5% of different Harad varieties (green, black, and Kabuli) were the most acceptable. Therefore, Harad varieties could partially replace the white flour in muffins to improve their nutritional value. These results can be useful for the bakery industry interested in developing new functional foods.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of incorporating carrot pomace from different varieties (Baltimore, Belgrado, Niagara, and Sirkana) into pasta formulations made from durum and common wheat flours, as well as to optimize the addition level and characterize the resulting products. To this end, dough rheological properties, pasta chemical composition, cooking behavior, color, texture, sensory attributes, and microstructure were evaluated. Increasing levels of carrot pomace significantly influenced flour functionality, dough rheology, pasta texture, cooking behavior, and color characteristics. Higher pomace addition resulted in increased flour water absorption, dough complex modulus and hardness, pasta fracturability, cooking losses, and contents of crude fiber and total yellow pigments, while reducing dough deformation resistance, pasta color intensity, and chewiness. The magnitude of these changes was dependent on the carrot variety used. Process optimization allowed the determination of variety-specific optimal inclusion levels of carrot pomace for both flour types. For durum wheat flour, optimal levels ranged from 6.34% to 9.25%, while for common wheat flour they ranged from 8.12% to 11.17%. At these levels, cooking losses remained within acceptable limits (<8%), yellow coloration was enhanced, and dough structure rigidity increased, accompanied by delayed starch gelatinization. Pasta samples containing Niagara and Sirkana pomace showed the highest contents of dietary fiber and yellow pigments, reflecting their elevated β-carotene levels. Sensory evaluation indicated improved overall acceptability compared with control samples. These results demonstrate the potential of carrot pomace as a functional ingredient for the development of nutritionally enriched, value-added pasta products.