Background: Fresh microgreens are nutrient dense crops with high moisture content, thus have a short life span. Application of different drying techniques enhanced its shelf life but leads to nutrient losses. There is permanent need to enhance the nutrient retention in dried microgreen. Methods: The research study of microgreens investigated during 2019-2020 at Punjab Agricultural University. Broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. Palam Samridhi) seeds were soaked overnight and grown in outdoor setting and harvested at 10th day after germination. The harvested broccoli microgreens were dried using shade drying, tray drying and microwave drying. Dried samples were analyzed for nutritional parameters. Result: Microgreens contain significantly higher nutrients (Ca, Fe, Zn, Mg, K, ascorbic acid and b carotene), bioactive compounds (chlorophyll, total flavanoids and total phenols) and antioxidant activity as compared to their sprouts and mature counterparts. These are excellent sources of Fe, Ca, Zn, Mg, Vitamin C and beta carotene (pro-vitamin A), meeting per cent estimated average requirements (EAR) of 536%, 373%, 264%, 228%, 38%, 20% for Indian adult. To address the problem of perishability, there is a need to prolong their shelf life while retaining the nutritional quality. The present research has identified the optimum drying technique, on basis of nutrient retention, from a set of alternate techniques. Significant higher content of ascorbic acid (16.80 mg/100 g), chlorophyll (3.63 g/100 g), antioxidant activity (67.55%), Zn (35.23 mg/100 g), Fe (57.66 mg/100 g), Ca (2857 mg/100 g), K (334.23 mg/100 g) and Mg (706.43 mg/100 g) were observed in microwave dried microgreens. Incorporation of dried microgreen powder in food sprinkler resulted in a significant increase in vitamins, minerals, bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity as compared to the control.

The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping nutrition science, offering groundbreaking ways to refine how we assess diets, tailor nutrition plans, monitor food quality, and enhance public health strategies. Traditional methods—often plagued by unreliable self-reporting, generic recommendations, and slow feedback loops—are being outpaced by AI’s ability to process complex, multidimensional data. By harnessing machine learning, deep learning, and computer vision, AI integrates insights from genetics, metabolism, lifestyle, and environmental factors, unlocking precision nutrition tailored to individuals and communities alike. This review explores AI’s expanding role in nutrition, from smart diet-recommendation systems that craft hyper-personalized meal plans with near-dietitian-level accuracy, to wearable tech and mobile apps that eliminate guesswork in food tracking. Advanced algorithms now analyze real-time biometric data and multi-omics profiles to adjust dietary advice dynamically, bridging the gap between lab research and real-world eating habits. AI also acts as a high-tech food inspector, using spectral imaging and pattern recognition to detect adulterants, optimize nutrient content, and ensure safety from farm to fork. On a broader scale, AI empowers public health initiatives by identifying dietary trends, forecasting disease risks, and enabling data-driven interventions. Yet these innovations aren’t without hurdles: privacy concerns, "black box" algorithms, and disparities in access demand urgent attention. For AI to fulfill its potential, the field must prioritize ethical frameworks, robust validation, and inclusive design. Ultimately, this review argues that AI’s true power lies in collaboration—melding cutting-edge tech with human expertise to deliver nutrition solutions that are as equitable as they are revolutionary.

Objective: Emigrants face a high level of food insecurity. There is a wide research gap in the domain of identifying the determinants and problems of dietary acculturation in the context of emigrant students. This article attempts to study the factors affecting the dietary acculturation of African emigrant students in India.Design: For conducting a first-of-its-kind study for African emigrant students in India, we used field survey method, and the primary data were collected using a pre-structured questionnaire.Setting: This was a field survey conducted in Punjab (a state of India).Participants: One hundred and twenty African emigrant students participated in the survey.Results: Results of logistic regression indicated that food awareness (P= 0·027) and food suitability (P= 0·043) were the major determinants of dietary acculturation. Lack of familiarity and lack of proximity to food access points are the major problems faced by the African emigrant students. African emigrant students prepared for dietary acculturation largely only after coming to India. There is a significant positive correlation (P= 0·013) between problems faced by the respondents and tendency to prepare for acculturation after coming to India.Conclusions: Information regarding local food environment plays a significant role in dietary acculturation. There is a pertinent need to educate emigrant students regarding food availability and access by developing suitable educational content.

Malnutrition and sarcopenia are prognostic indicators of overall survival in patients and it has a serious effect on the prognosis of people with liver cir

The incorporation of biofortified vegetables into bakery products offers a promising approach for developing nutrient-dense functional foods with enhanced health-promoting properties. This study investigated the potential of biofortified red (PC-161), yellow (PCY-2), and purple (PCP-2) carrot powders as functional ingredients in cookies (10–30%) and muffins (20–40%). The products were evaluated for physicochemical, nutritional, mineral, phytochemical, antioxidant, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), colour, and sensory characteristics. Drying significantly concentrated nutrients in carrot powders, resulting in crude protein contents of 7.92–9.00%, crude fibre of 13.47–17.33%, calcium of 587.15–822.90 mg/100 g, iron of 22.25–38.93 mg/100 g, and zinc of 5.72–8.45 mg/100 g. Purple carrot powder exhibited the highest total phenolic content (25.90 mg/100 g), flavonoid content (16.19 mg/100 g), anthocyanin content (1214.82 mg/100 g), and antioxidant activity (87.18%), whereas yellow carrot powder contained the highest lutein content (3610.01 μg/100 g). Fortification significantly improved the nutritional and phytochemical quality of cookies and muffins while maintaining desirable sensory properties. Products containing 20% carrot powder in cookies and 30% in muffins achieved the highest overall acceptability, with yellow carrot formulations receiving the best sensory scores and purple carrot formulations providing superior antioxidant potential. These findings demonstrate that biofortified carrot powders are effective functional ingredients for the development of nutritionally enhanced bakery products with improved phytochemical composition, antioxidant capacity, and consumer acceptability, highlighting their potential for commercial functional food applications.