Browsing by Author "Yograj Bist"

Now showing 1 - 3 of 3

Cultivation to consumption: strengthening bacterial safety in plant-based nutraceuticals
(Frontiers Media SA, 2025) Ashish Gaur; Nishant Singhal; Harsh Vardhan; Rajul Jain; Yograj Bist; Naresh Kumar Wagri
Plant-based nutraceuticals are increasingly recognized for their bioactive compounds that promote health and assist in preventing chronic diseases. However, the rising demand has raised concerns about microbial safety, as contamination can occur at multiple stages of the production process-ranging from cultivation and harvesting to processing, storage, and distribution. Pathogens such as Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, and toxin-producing fungi pose risks to product quality, threaten consumer health, and contribute to antimicrobial resistance. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the sources and types of microbial contamination, associated health risks, and the shortcomings of conventional control methods. It highlights recent advancements in safety techniques, including cold plasma, ultraviolet light treatment, high hydrostatic pressure, nanocoatings, probiotic biocontrol, and AI-driven microbial monitoring. Additionally, the analysis addresses the role of regulatory frameworks, quality assurance practices, and consumer education as integral elements of a unified safety approach. It integrates technological progress, regulatory perspectives, and consumer behavior to offer a detailed guide for ensuring the microbial safety of plant-derived nutraceuticals, thereby fostering confidence in these products from production through to consumption. © © 2025 Gaur, Singhal, Vardhan, Jain, Bist and Wagri.
Polysaccharide-based functional materials for flexible electronics: A comprehensive review of synthesis strategies, functionalization, and applications
(Elsevier Ltd, 2025) Rajul Jain; Nishant Singhal; Harsh Vardhan; Piyush Vashistha; Yograj Bist; Aaysha Pandey; Naresh Kumar Wagri; Ashish Gaur
Polysaccharides, as abundant and renewable biopolymers, have increasingly attracted attention for their potential uses in flexible electronics due to their sustainability, adaptability, and versatile functionality. Natural polymers, including cellulose, chitosan, alginate, starch, and hemicellulose, exhibit key characteristics such as biodegradability, biocompatibility, and tunable mechanical properties, making them attractive choices for advanced technological applications. Advances in chemical modification, blending, and nano structuring have led to improvements in conductivity, durability, and flexibility, broadening their use in areas such as wearable sensors, medical devices, energy storage solutions, and smart packaging. Recent research highlights strategies to overcome inherent challenges like low conductivity and sensitivity to environmental changes through innovative composite designs and hybrid systems. This review provides a comprehensive examination of synthesis methods, functionalization techniques, and application pathways for materials derived from polysaccharides within the flexible electronics domain. It also addresses challenges related to scalability, stability, and regulatory considerations. Ultimately, this review illustrates how systems based on polysaccharides can bridge sustainability with technological advancement, establishing them as crucial materials for the creation of eco-friendly, high-performance, and commercially viable flexible electronic solutions. © 2025
Starch–biomacromolecule complexes: A comprehensive review of interactions, functional materials, and applications in food, pharma, and packaging
(Elsevier Ltd, 2025) Harsh Vardhan; Nishant Singhal; Piyush Vashistha; Rajul Jain; Yograj Bist; Ashish Gaur; Naresh Kumar Wagri
Starch, a plentiful and biodegradable polysaccharide, has become a flexible platform material due to its renewability, affordability, and ability to improve functionality by complexing with biomacromolecules. Even with its inherent benefits, native starch faces drawbacks like low mechanical strength, high moisture susceptibility, and limited thermal stability, which impede its effectiveness in challenging applications. To address these limitations, starch is progressively blended with proteins, lipids, and polysaccharides, resulting in starch-biomacromolecule complexes (SBCs) that exhibit altered physicochemical and functional characteristics. These interactions-spanning hydrogen bonding, hydrophobic association, covalent crosslinking, and thermodynamic stabilization-enhance viscosity, gelation behavior, structural stability, and barrier properties. This analysis methodically explores the molecular processes involved in starch-biomacromolecule interactions, emphasizing how these complexes can be designed to customize functional attributes. It also consolidates recent progress in the use of SBCs in food systems (texture alteration, nutritional improvement, and preservation), pharmaceuticals (medicine delivery, controlled release, and biomedical frameworks), and packaging (biodegradable films, barrier layers, and active systems). New strategies like nano structuring, bioactive encapsulation, and hybrid composites are also thoroughly examined regarding their capability to tackle processing difficulties, environmental pressures, and scalability concerns. This article highlights the significance of SBCs as next-generation biomaterials for sustainable innovations in the food, health, and packaging sectors by connecting essential insights with technological applications. © 2025