The work presented in this research communication was carried out to prepare low calorie synbiotic milk beverage by optimizing water and sugar level and to investigate the effect on its storage ability of different packaging materials (polypropylene, high impact polystyrene, high-density polyethylene and glass). Addition of both water and sugar significantly (P < 0.05) affected the viscosity, probiotic count and sensory properties. Based on the findings, 40% water and 8% sugar level were optimized for the preparation of the beverage. Apparent viscosity and acidity increased whilst pH and probiotic counts declined during storage, irrespective of packaging materials. The prepared beverage remained most acceptable at refrigeration temperature up to a period of 15 and 12 d when packaged in glass and high impact polystyrene, respectively. Furthermore, it retained a minimum recommended level of probiotic (7 log cfu/ml) during storage for 15 d at 4 °C.

Osmotic priming in a polyethylene glycol solution (300 g/kg water) for 48 h resulted in a partial loss of desiccation tolerance for seeds of Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek (mung bean). The percentage of germination began to decrease after primed seeds were dried down to water contents less than 0.06 g/g DW. As compared with control seeds, primed mung bean seeds also had poorer storage stability. The decline of storage stability after osmotic priming was correlated with the modifications of seed water sorption properties. Priming significantly increased the amount of water associated with the weak water-binding sites, and reduced the amount of water associated with the strong binding sites and multi-molecular binding sites in seed tissues. The enhancement of molecular mobility in seeds, as a result of such water redistribution, probably accelerates seed deterioration and decreases storage stability.