The objective of this study was to examine the bioactive flavonoids and carotenoids concentration in fifteen south Indian spice and two tree nut species using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Among four flavonoids, catechin concentration was the highest in all spices and nuts and ranged between 97.1 and 1745.4 µg g⁻¹. Quercetin concentration was the greatest in cinnamon, followed by garlic and cumin and ranged from 0.4 to 65 µg g⁻¹ in other spices and nuts. Lutein concentration ranged from 0.1 to 102.8 µg g⁻¹. Of the spices and nuts studied, β-carotene concentration was highest in coriander leaves (74.7 µg g⁻¹), followed by red pepper (12.5 µg g⁻¹) and curry leaves (8.5 µg g⁻¹). This research shows that consumption of south Indian spices and nuts could substantially benefit consumers living in regions experiencing Vitamin A and other micronutrient deficiencies. Graphical Abstract

A series of α,β-unsaturated-β-C-glycosidic ketones was synthesized starting from D-glucose in three steps. 4,6-O-Butylidene-β-C-glycosidic ketones on aldol condensation with aromatic and heteroaromatic aldehydes in the presence of a suitable organocatalyst led to the stereoselective formation of the products in good yield. Hydrogen bonding and π–π stacking of these derivatives were established by single-crystal XRD. The soft material derived from this method had a diameter of 10–200 nm with a three-dimensional network, as determined by SEM and HR-TEM. In the present study, we discuss the mechanism of formation of these self-assembled nanostructures, the morphology of the soft material and its thermal stability. We also demonstrate the utility of these soft materials in the field of plant tissue culture.