Moinuddin, Ateeq Khan, Girish Chandra, Shagun, Shahista Parveen, Sarthak Verma, Niyaj Ahamad and Belal Ahmad

Microgreens young seedlings harvested 7 – 21 days after germination have emerged as a nutrient-dense, resource-efficient crop with significant potential to address global food and nutritional security challenges. Their exceptional concentrations of vitamins (A, C, K, and E), minerals (Iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), and selenium (Se)), carotenoids, phenolics, and bioactive phytochemicals position them as next-generation functional foods capable of combating micronutrient deficiencies in both urban and rural populations.

William Tchabo, Spéro Ulrich Koba Edikou, Moriken Sangaré, Mamadou Lamarana Souare, Ibrahima Kaba, Robert Patrick Lekane Tchabo and Joseph Dossou

Sequential thermal priming, retrogradation, and fermentation were combined to transform unripe banana flour (UBF) into a resistant starch (RS) rich ingredient with reduced glycemic impact suitable for pasta manufacture. Three factors: Box- Behnken design (BBD) assessed thermal priming temperature (TPT) (70 – 90 °C), retrogradation temperature (RT) (12 – 38 °C), and fermentation time (FT) (2 – 12 h), with lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strain (Lactiplantibacillus plantarum and Levilactobacillus brevis) as a categorical factor.

Jagadeeswar Reddy M, Renuka Gudepu, Yuvaraj Sampathkumar and Vikram Godishala

This study investigates the phytochemical profile and in vitro bioactivities of a Tinospora cordifolia methanolic leaf extract (TCMLE) to evaluate its potential for drug development and functional food applications. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis identified 37 distinct compounds, revealing a complex profile dominated by alkaloids, esters, and phenolic derivatives.

Rumaina Rehman Khan, Rattandeep Singh and Suhel Mehandi

This study investigates whether plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), melatonin (MEL), and strigolactone (STR), alone or in combination, counteract carbendazim (CAR) induced stress and restore pigment integrity, electron transport efficiency, and redox and osmotic equilibrium in chickpea seedlings. Certified chickpea seeds (Punjab Agricultural University, India), Pseudomonas putida strain (MTCC3315), and CAR (0.6 mM; inhibitory concentration).

Bhasker Rao Kodati, Renuka Gudepu, Yuvaraj Sampathkumar and Vikram Godishala

Cyanobacteria represent a promising but underexplored source of novel bioactive compounds for food and therapeutic applications. This study investigated the chemical profile and bioactivities of a methanolic extract from Phormidium species isolated from the Marakkanam salt pan (Tamil Nadu, India).

Shamsedin Mahdi Hassan, Tilahun Abera Teka, Markos Makiso Urugo, Mahamed Abdi Muhumed and Maslah Mahamed
Duale

Food insecurity is most severe in dryland regions, where climate stress and limited resources exacerbate nutritional deficiencies and undermine livelihoods. Functional foods enriched with natural bioactive compounds offer a pathway to improve health while supporting sustainable food systems. This review addresses the gap in understanding how traditional dryland food systems can be integrated with modern innovations to enhance food and nutrition security.