Research Projects

Sohiong fruit is widely available in the Meghalaya state of India and is a rich source of phytochemicals. However, due to the lack of proper value addition techniques, the fruit remains underutilized. There is an urgent need to develop a process to utilize Sohiong fruit. Processing and preservation significantly add value and extends the shelf life. Probiotic fermentation and vacuum freeze dehydration are such preservation technique which protects probiotic bacteria and increases the shelf life of and also enhances its nutritional value. Probiotics can be considered functional foods because they provide health benefits beyond the traditional nutrition function. Consumer interest in non-dairy based functional foods also significantly increased due to lactose intolerance, casein allergy, and associated cholesterol risks with dairy products. For the present work, vacuum freeze dehydration of probiotic Sohiong juice was explored to develop a process for a possible non-dairy based product.

Grafting results at Meghalaya were better compared to other regions. Survival of 96% seed propagation method and 89%tongue grafting method. The study demonstrated thatindole-3-butyric acid (IBA) at an optimal concentration of 800 ppm and fixed GA3 (200 ppm) greatly enhanced root initiation, elongation, and post-transplant establishment across all methods. Enzyme-assisted extraction, when combined with microwave technology, offers a unique and more efficient approach. Juice yield more than65% with enhanced phytochemicals. Phytochemicals retained over the period of 6 months without any significant degradation.