The demand for ethical foods is rising, with halal foods playing a significant role in this trend. However, halal standards vary globally, which can have substantial implications. Multiple Halal Certification Bodies (HCBs) can approve food products but they often prioritize national regulations over international alignment. To explore the similarities and differences in halal standards, we conducted a critical analysis of various standards, including Pakistan’s halal standards, the Standards and Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries, Majlis Ugama Islam Singapore, Majelis Ulama Indonesia, GCC Standardization Organization, Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia, ASEAN General Guideline, and the halal standards of Thailand, Iran, and Brunei, through a literature survey. While some commonalities exist, differences stemming from various Islamic schools of thought pose challenges for regulators, consumers, and food producers. Controversial issues include stunning, slaughtering, aquatic animals, insects, and labeling requirements. For example, all standards except the GSO allow non-Muslim slaughterers, and stunning is permitted in all standards except those of Pakistan. These disparities underscore the need for standardization and harmonization in the halal food industry to meet the growing demand for ethical foods.

Purpose of current study was to determine physicochemical, triglyceride composition, and functional groups of wild adlay accessions (brown, black, yellow, grey, green, off white, and purple) to find out its scope as cereal crop. Triglycerides, minerals and functional groups were determined through Gas chromatography, spectrophotometer and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectrophotometer respectively. Results revealed variation among bulk densities, specific densities, percent empty spaces, and corresponding grain counts per 10 g of sample are useful in distinguishing brown, black, yellow, grey, green, off white, and purple wild adlay accessions. Specific density and grain count per 10 g sample was significantly related. No statistical relationship exists among the pronounced physical characteristics. Brown adlay expressed the highest protein, fat, and fiber contents 15.82%, 4.76% and 2.37% respectively. Protein, fat, ash, and fiber percent contents were found comparable to cultivated adlay. Spectrophotometric analysis revealed macro elements including phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and sodium in the range 0.3% - 2.2% and micro elements boron, iron, copper, zinc, and manganese in the range 1.6 mg/kg - 20.8 mg/kg. Gas chromatography showed polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) constitute the primary fraction (39% ± 7.2) of wild adlay triglycerides. Linoleic and palmitic acids were present as prominent fatty acids, 43.5% ±1.4 and 26.3% ±1.4 respectively. Infra-red frequencies distinguished functional groups in narrow band and fingerprint region of protein in association with out of plane region leading to structural differences among adlay accessions. Comparison of major distinguishing vibrational frequencies among different flours indicated black adlay containing highest functional groups appeared promising for varietal development.

Haloxylon persicum is a well-known plant of sandy deserts, but yet, its allelopathic and phytochemical potential has not been explored. In the present study, we evaluated the effects of different concentrations (1, 2, 4, and 8%) of the aqueous extract of H. persicum shoots on seed germination and seedling growth of wheat crop and black mustard weed. The effects of the same extract on the biochemical parameters (chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, carbohydrates content, and proline content) of wheat seedlings were also investigated. Low and moderate concentrations (1, 2, and 4%) of H. persicum aqueous extract nonsignificantly affected seed germination, shoot length, root length, fresh weight, and dry weight of wheat seedlings, whereas these parameters were negatively affected by the application of the highest extract concentration (8%). The results revealed a significant increase in proline content in wheat seedlings under all the applied concentrations of H. persicum extract. Low and moderate concentrations (1–4%) of H. persicum extract significantly enhanced chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and total chlorophyll content in wheat seedlings, whereas these parameters were significantly reduced when the highest extract concentration (8%) was applied. Only the lowest concentration (1%) of H. persicum extract reduced the carbohydrates content of wheat seedlings, while other concentrations showed nonsignificant effects. Concentrations of 4 and 8% of H. persicum extract reduced the seed germination percentage of black mustard. The root length, shoot length, and fresh weight of black mustard seedlings were significantly decreased by the application of 1 and 2% extract concentrations and completely inhibited in response to treatment with 4 and 8% concentrations. The dry weight of black mustard seedlings was not affected by 1 and 2% extract concentrations but completely inhibited at 4 and 8% concentrations. The methanol extract of H. persicum contains high contents of bioactive secondary metabolites, such as phenolics, flavonoids, flavonols, anthocyanins, tannins, saponins, as well as proved to has a very strong antioxidant activity of the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity (DPPH). Based on our results, we recommend the potential application of the aqueous extracts of H. persicum to control black mustard weed in wheat crops. Furthermore, H. persicum revealed an interesting phytochemical pattern with sound antioxidant activity that assigns this plant as a promising candidate to explore its detailed metabolomics profile along with potential bioactivities.

Adhatoda vasica (L.), Nees is a widespread plant in Asia. It is used in Ayurvedic and Unani medications for the management of various infections and health disorders, especially as a decoction to treat cough, chronic bronchitis, and asthma. Although it has a diverse metabolomic profile, this plant is particularly known for its alkaloids. The present study is the first to report a broad range of present compounds, e.g., α-linolenic acid, acetate, alanine, threonine, valine, glutamate, malate, fumaric acid, sucrose, β-glucose, kaempferol analogues, quercetin analogues, luteolin, flavone glucoside, vasicine and vasicinone, which were identified by NMR spectroscopy-based metabolomics. Multivariate data analysis was used to analyze ¹H-NMR bucketed data from a number of Adhatoda vasica leave samples collected from eight different regions in Pakistan. The results showed large variability in metabolomic fingerprints. The major difference was on the basis of longitude/latitude and altitude of the areas, with both primary and secondary metabolites discriminating the samples from various regions.