Food authenticity is crucial for ensuring consumer trust, public health and market integrity with particular importance in the context of religious and cultural practices. For the global Muslim population, halal food adherence is not merely a dietary preference but a fundamental aspect of faith, necessitating rigorous verification of halal status. Traditional methods of halal food authentication such as sensory evaluation basic chemical analysis, electrophoresis and ionizing radiation often fall short in addressing the complexities of modern food production and supply chains leading to potential cross‐contamination and mislabeling. These limitations underscore the urgent need for advanced techniques in halal food authentication. This paper explores technologies such as DNA‐based methods, spectroscopy, chromatography, immunological assays, and emerging innovations like blockchain and artificial intelligence. By providing a comprehensive overview of these advanced techniques, this paper aims to highlight their potential in enhancing the accuracy, reliability and efficiency of halal food authentication thereby supporting industry stakeholders, regulators and consumers in upholding halal integrity.

The management of wastewater generated by various sectors is a critical global challenge. Significant efforts have been made to ensure access to clean water and sanitation, facilitate the reuse of treated wastewater, and develop valuable products through the adoption of circular bioeconomy principles. Wastewater, a byproduct generated in substantial quantities across multiple industries, varies in composition depending on the type of industry and the specific applications for which the water was used. Wastewater from the agricultural and food industries is particularly rich in nutrients, making it a valuable substrate for microbial activity and the production of commercially significant products. This review highlights previous advancements in the utilization of agro-food wastewater for the generation of high-value products, thereby valorizing this abundant and readily available resource. Agro-food wastewater has been explored as a feedstock for the production of biofuels such as biogas, biohydrogen, and biodiesel. It has also been utilized in the development of biofertilizers to support agricultural productivity. Furthermore, it serves as a substrate for the production of single-cell protein and other protein-rich biomasses for human food supplementation and animal feed. In addition, agro-food wastewater exhibits significant potential for the synthesis of enzymes, fatty acids, and various other industrially relevant additives, underscoring its versatility and importance in sustainable industrial processes.

The increasing environmental implications of conventional plastic packaging has led to a raising interest in bio-degradable packaging materials as sustainable alternatives. Biodegradable materials, derived from sustainable resources such as plant-based biopolymers and natural fibers, offer significant environmental benefits, including reduced reliance on fossil fuels and decreased pollution. Various techniques can be employed for forming bio-degradable packaging films, including extrusion, solvent casting, compression molding and electrospinning. To address the limitations of biodegradable materials compared to traditional plastics, modification techniques such as esterification, etherification, and grafting can be employed. Innovative advancements like active and intelligent packaging technologies can enhance the functionality and consumer engagement. This review explores the key properties, advancements, applications and challenges associated with biodegradable packaging materials, focusing on their effectiveness and sustainability in the food packaging industry.

Malnutrition has a serious impact on the health of infants over the weaning period. Complementary foods that are nutritionally balanced should be given to ensure perfect growth and development. This study was meant to come up with both nutrient-enriched and taste-acceptable weaning foods using banana and beetroot due to their high nutritional content. Banana and beetroot were dried through a hybrid oven (60 °C) and a hot air oven (607 0C), respectively, and turned into powder. Six weaning food formulations were prepared using different proportions of whole wheat flour, banana powder, and beetroot powder (T-T6). They were researched on sensory properties, phytochemicals composition, and proximate composition. It has been noted that T6 contained the highest amounts of ash and fiber, and T1 contained the most amounts of fat, protein, and hydration. While T5 was the most sensory acceptable with a score of 8.3 due to its balanced banana content. Based on these findings, the nutritional value and attractiveness of weaning foods may be boosted by the incorporation of powdered banana and beetroot into the foods.