Each cheese type has a unique flavor. A variety of compounds of various concentrations and different chemical classes contribute to this flavor. In the present study, the effect of processing techniques (ultrasonication (US), high pressure processing (HPP), microwave (MW)) on the flavors and sensory properties of milk and cheese was investigated. Samples of treated and untreated milk and cheese were analyzed for volatile compounds (including aldehydes, ketones, alcohols, fatty acids, and hydrocarbons). Significant variation was observed, and the results of sensory evaluation showed that cheese prepared from HPP and US-1 (21 J/g) secured higher sensory scores when compared to cheese prepared from US-2 (41 J/g), MW treatment, and the control. Variations in volatile profiles of milk and cheese were also evident according to the treatment process i.e., dodecanoic acid, octanoic acid, heptanoic acid, and nonanoic acid. Valeric acid was present only in US-1- (21 J/g) and US-2- (41 J/g) treated cheese, which is responsible for burnt and metallic flavors in milk and cheese. Butanoic acid, heptanal, heptanone, and butanediol were present in HPP, while ethyl butanoate, decanone, and 2,3-butanedione were present in microwave-treated milk. In a nutshell, the results of volatile compounds and sensory scores of cheeses are analogous, which shows that ultrasonication with high power output has some drawback because of the burnt and metallic flavor.

The high amount of starch in fruits is responsible for its post-processing cloudiness. In the current study, α-amylase from porcine pancreases was immobilized onto carboxymethyl cellulose/polyacrylamide (CMC/PAM) hydrogel. This in-house-built CMC/PAM-Amy hydrogel offers a more efficient and sustainable solution for apple juice clarification. To acquire the best immobilization efficiency, the concentration of glutaraldehyde crosslinker was optimized. Biocatalytic characterization studies were brought into consideration for free and immobilized α-amylase. The synthesized native and immobilized CMC/PAM-Amy hydrogels were also characterized using SEM, FTIR and XRD. Under ideal circumstances, the activity of CMC/PAM-Amy was up to 604 μmolmin⁻¹, and its immobilization efficiency was 96.29 ± 1.15%. A kinetic parameters study resulted in a conspicuously lowered Km value for immobilized amylase, signifying its higher affinity for its substrate. CMC/PAM-Amy showed a half-life (t_1/2) 3.5 times higher than free-Amy at 50, 55 and 60 °C. The higher values of the inactivation rate constant (k_d), free energy of inactivation (ΔG*), enthalpy of inactivation (ΔH*) and change in entropy (ΔS*) of CMC/PAM-Amy manifested the enhanced thermal stability of amylase after immobilization. A reusability study revealed that immobilized amylase retained roughly 70% of its initial catalytic activity after six successive repetitions of the process. CMC/PAM-Amy displayed improved recycling ability operational stability and biocatalytic activity, rendering it an auspicious tool in decreasing the starch content of crude apple juice to about 61% of its total starch content before treatment. Moreover, the values of Brix, viscosity, acidity and turbidity were also decreased in CMC/PAM-Amyclarified apple juice. Therefore, immobilized amylases with other industrial enzymes could be an efficient tool for potential industrial application.

| Water chestnut ( Trapa natans L.) is one of Pakistan’s most overlooked fruits; despite its high nutritional value, it fails to capture the attention of food processors in Pakistan due to its seasonal availability. Many types of products can be made because of its starchy taste, firm and crispy texture. In the present study, three treatments (T 0 , T 1 and T 2 ) of date bar of approximately 36±2g weight with high nutritional value were prepared on the basis of water chestnut supplementation. For this purpose, water chestnut powder and date paste were used in different proportion. These bars were analyzed for physico-chemical, microbial and sensory analysis characteristics. The proximate analysis of date bars supplemented with water chestnut indicated that the moisture, crude protein, fat, fiber, ash and NFE contents for treatments ranges from 5.45-7.27%, 4.02-5.25%, 1.77-2.81%, 1.48-2.97%, 1.28-1.93% and 82.69-83.09%, respectively. The microbial analysis of fruit bars showed that mean values of TPC changed gradually from 1.64 to 2.31 log 10 CFU / g during 90 days of storage. The mean values for sensory assessment indicated that T 1 was preferred over the other treatments in terms of overall acceptability, color, taste, flavor, and texture. The bars received a favorable sensory score and remained stable over a 90-day storage period. Additionally, the study discovered that water chestnut powder can be used to boost the nutritional value and health benefits of date fruit bars.