RESUMEN
Theobroma cacao L. beans have long been used for food and medicinal purposes. However, up to 52%-76% of Theobroma cacao L. fruit comprises its husk, which are regarded as waste and oftentimes thrown away. In fact, cocoa pod husks actually possess a high antioxidant capacity. Antioxidants can be used to fight free radicals that are produced by environmental pollution. In order to simulate the effects of pollution, H2O2 and cigarette smoke extract models were used respectively. However, the antioxidant properties are limited on the skin due to poor penetration. Hence, in order to increase the topical penetration, cocoa pod husk extract (CPHE) was also formulated into niosomes thereafter. CPHE was characterised using total phenolic content, total flavonoid content and three antioxidant assays. After that, cytotoxicity and cytoprotective assay were conducted on HaCaT cells, which represent the skin epidermis. CPHE was then formulated into niosomes subjected to stability and penetration studies for three months. CPHE was shown to contain 164.26 ± 1.067 mg GAE/g extract in total phenolic content and 10.72 ± 0.32 mg QCE/g extract in total flavonoid content. In addition, our results showed that CPHE possesses similar antioxidant capacity through 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay, around eight-fold less through ABTS assay and approximately twelve-fold less through Ferric reducing power (FRAP) assay. The extract also showed comparable cytoprotective properties to that of standard (ascorbic acid). The niosome formulation was also able to increase the penetration compared to unencapsulated extract, as well as possess a good stability profile. This showed that CPHE, in fact, could be repurposed for other uses other than being thrown away as waste.
RESUMEN
The chemical composition and sensory profile of cocoa beans are essential factors determining the quality of cocoa-based products. In this study, cocoa bean samples were collected from various regions of Indonesia, including Aceh, Banten, Bali, East Java, West Sumatra, West Sulawesi, East Kalimantan, and Yogyakarta. The cocoa beans were fermented and sun-dried according to the producers' protocols and local practices. The sensory profile, fat content, total phenolic content, and the composition of sugars, organic acids, and amino acids of the cocoa bean samples were analyzed. The results revealed that the chemical composition and sensory profiles of the samples were diverse. The sensory profiles of cocoa liquor samples were described by low intensities of cocoa notes with the occurrence of fruity, floral, spicy, and sweet notes. The concentration of acetic acid, lactic acid, and some amino acids (glutamic acid, proline, and methionine) was associated with fresh fruit, browned fruit, and roasted note of the cocoa liquor, respectively. The variation in the environmental conditions and postharvest practices contributed to the diversity of cocoa beans' chemical and sensory characteristics.
RESUMEN
Acidic and chemical inhibitor stresses undermine efficient lactic acid bioproduction from lignocellulosic feedstock. Requisite coping treatments, such as detoxification and neutralizing agent supplementation, can be eliminated if a strong microbial host is employed in the process. Here, we exploited an originally robust yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae BTCC3, as a production platform for lactic acid. This wild-type strain exhibited a rapid cell growth in the presence of various chemical inhibitors compared to laboratory and industrial strains, namely BY4741 and Ethanol-red. Pathway engineering was performed on the strain by introducing an exogenous LDH gene after disrupting the PDC1 and PDC5 genes. Facilitated by this engineered strain, high cell density cultivation could generate lactic acid with productivity at 4.80 and 3.68 g L-1 h-1 under semi-neutralized and non-neutralized conditions, respectively. Those values were relatively higher compared to other studies. Cultivation using real lignocellulosic hydrolysate was conducted to assess the performance of this engineered strain. Non-neutralized fermentation using non-detoxified hydrolysate from sugarcane bagasse as a medium could produce lactic acid at 1.69 g L-1 h-1, which was competitive to the results from other reports that still included detoxification and neutralization steps in their experiments. This strategy could make the overall lactic acid bioproduction process simpler, greener, and more cost-efficient.