Effects of drying methods on oxidative stability of roselle seed oil (Hibiscus Sabdariffa): an optimization approach.

The objective of this study was to optimize the extraction of oil from pre-dried roselle seeds using response surface methodology (RSM). We also determined the oxidative stability of oil extracted from oven and freeze-dried roselle seed in terms of iodine value (IV), free fatty acid (FFA) value, peroxide value (PV), P-anisidine and total oxidation values (TOTOX value). The RSM was designated based on the central composite design with the usage of three optimum parameters ranged from 8 to 16 g of sample weight, 250-350 mL of solvent volume, and 6-8 h of extraction time. The highest oil yielded from roselle seed using the optimization process was 22.11% with the parameters at sample weight of 14.4 g, solvent volume of 329.70 mL, and extraction time of 7.6 h. Besides, the oil extracted from the oven dried roselle seed had the values of 89.04, 2.11, 4.13, 3.76 and 12.03 for IV, FFA, PV, P-anisidine, and TOTOX values, respectively. While for the oil extracted from freeze-dried roselle seed showed IV of 90.31, FFA of 1.64, PV of 2.47, P-anisidine value of 3.48, and TOTOX value of 8.42. PV and TOTOX values showed significant differences whereas; IV, FFA, and P-anisidine values showed no significant differences between the oven and freeze-dried roselle seed oils.

Effect of various food processing and handling methods on preservation of natural antioxidants in fruits and vegetables.

Bioactive compounds from plant sources are generally categorized as natural antioxidants with well-known health benefits. The health-promoting characteristics of natural antioxidants include anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, and hepatic effects as well as free radical scavenging. Herein, a comprehensive and comparative review are presented about the effects of conventional (thermal and mechanical) and relatively new (non-thermal) processing methods on phytochemicals and discussed the importance of implementing the use of those methods that could be of very helpful retaining the quality of the bioactive compounds in plant-based foods. Plant-based foods rich in phenolics, vitamin C, carotenoids, and other compounds undergo a range of processing operations before they are consumed. Most of these methods involve thermal treatments of fruits, stems, leaves, and roots. These techniques have varying effects on bioactive compounds and their activities, and the magnitude of these effects depends on process parameters such as temperature, time, and the food matrix. Thermal processing can be detrimental to bioactive compounds while nonthermal procedures may not cause significant deterioration of important health-promoting phytochemicals and in some cases can improve their bio-activity and bio-availability. The detrimental effects of conventional processing on the quality of natural antioxidants have been compared to the effects of innovative nonthermal food treatments such as gamma and ultraviolet irradiation, ultraviolet light, pulsed electric fields, and high hydrostatic pressure.

In vitro antioxidant and, α-glucosidase inhibitory activities and comprehensive metabolite profiling of methanol extract and its fractions from Clinacanthus nutans.

BACKGROUND: This study was aimed to evaluate antioxidant and α-glucosidase inhibitory activity, with a subsequent analysis of total phenolic and total flavonoid content of methanol extract and its derived fractions from Clinacanthus nutans accompanied by comprehensive phytochemical profiling. METHODS: Liquid-liquid partition chromatography was used to separate methanolic extract to get hexane, ethyl acetate, butanol and residual aqueous fractions. The total antioxidant activity was determined by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazy (DPPH) radical scavenging and ferric reducing antioxidant power assay (FRAP). The antidiabetic activity of methanol extract and its consequent fractions were examined by α-glucosidase inhibitory bioassay. The chemical profiling was carried out by gas chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC Q-TOF MS). RESULTS: The total yield for methanol extraction was (12.63 ± 0.98) % (w/w) and highest fractionated value found for residual aqueous (52.25 ± 1.01) % (w/w) as compared to the other fractions. Significant DPPH free radical scavenging activity was found for methanolic extract (63.07 ± 0.11) % and (79.98 ± 0.31) % for ethyl acetate fraction among all the fractions evaluated. Methanol extract was the most prominent in case of FRAP (141.89 ± 0.87 µg AAE/g) whereas most effective reducing power observed in ethyl acetate fraction (133.6 ± 0.2987 µg AAE/g). The results also indicated a substantial α-glucosidase inhibitory activity for butanol fraction (72.16 ± 1.0) % and ethyl acetate fraction (70.76 ± 0.49) %. The statistical analysis revealed that total phenolic and total flavonoid content of the samples had the significant (p < 0.05) impact on DPPH free radical scavenging and α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. CONCLUSION: Current results proposed the therapeutic potential of Clinacanthus nutans, especially ethyl acetate and butanol fraction as chemotherapeutic agent against oxidative related cellular damages and control the postprandial hyperglycemia. The phytochemical investigation showed the existence of active constituents in Clinacanthus nutans extract and fractions.

The effect of flow rate at different pressures and temperatures on cocoa butter extracted from cocoa nib using supercritical carbon dioxide.

The effects of flow rate, different pressures and temperatures on cocoa butter extracted from cocoa nib using supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2) were investigated. The yield was analyzed for total fat content, triacylglycerol (TG) profile, and fatty acid (FA) profile. Extractions were carried out at pressures of 20 and 35 MPa, temperatures of 50 and 60 °C, and CO2 flow rates of 0.5, 1, 2, 4 mL min(-1). The result shows that the yield of cocoa butter extract increased with increasing pressure, temperature, and flow rate and the optimum conditions for the maximum cocoa butter extraction were 35 MPa, 60 °C and 2 mL min(-1), repectively. TGs and FAs were found to be similar in composition to those of cocoa butter obtained by conventional methods. The lower molecular weight TGs and FAs showed higher selectivity compared to higher molecular weight TGs and FAs.

Multivariate analysis of PRISMA optimized TLC image for predicting antioxidant activity and identification of contributing compounds from Pereskia bleo.

Multivariate analysis of thin-layer chromatography (TLC) images was modeled to predict antioxidant activity of Pereskia bleo leaves and to identify the contributing compounds of the activity. TLC was developed in optimized mobile phase using the 'PRISMA' optimization method and the image was then converted to wavelet signals and imported for multivariate analysis. An orthogonal partial least square (OPLS) model was developed consisting of a wavelet-converted TLC image and 2,2-diphynyl-picrylhydrazyl free radical scavenging activity of 24 different preparations of P. bleo as the x- and y-variables, respectively. The quality of the constructed OPLS model (1 + 1 + 0) with one predictive and one orthogonal component was evaluated by internal and external validity tests. The validated model was then used to identify the contributing spot from the TLC plate that was then analyzed by GC-MS after trimethylsilyl derivatization. Glycerol and amine compounds were mainly found to contribute to the antioxidant activity of the sample. An alternative method to predict the antioxidant activity of a new sample of P. bleo leaves has been developed.

Suitable coating material for microencapsulation of spray-dried fish oil.

This study was conducted to screen the most suitable coating material for the production of microencapsulated fish oil powder using ternary blends of maltodextrin (15, 25 % w/w), Arabic gum (2.5, 7.5 % w/w), and methylcellulose (0.5, 1.5 % w/w). The physical properties of fish oil emulsion and encapsulated powders were evaluated. Arabic gum (5 % w/w) showed the most significant (p < 0.05) effect on the surface mean diameter of the droplets in the emulsion. Maltodextrin had the most significant (p < 0.05) effect on the centrifuge stability of the emulsion and the amount of surface oil of the powder at 15 and 20 % (w/w) respectively, whereas methylcellulose (0.5 % w/w) had the most significant (p < 0.05) effect on the width distribution of the droplets in the emulsion. The total optimal area leading to the formation of coating material with desirable physical properties was expected to be obtained by the combination of 16 % (w/w) maltodextrin, 6.5 % (w/w) Arabic gum, and 0.88 % (w/w) methylcellulose respectively.

Use of prebiotics in oral delivery of bioactive compounds: a nanotechnology perspective.

The oral route is considered the most patient-convenient means of drug administration. In recent years there has been a tendency to employ smart carrier systems that enable controlled or timed release of a bioactive material, thereby providing a better dosing pattern and minimizing side effects. Nano-encapsulation systems (nanocarriers) offer important advantages over conventional drug delivery techniques. Nanocarriers can protect the drug from chemical/enzymatic degradation and enhance bioavailability. Prebiotics are ideal ingredients for the nano-encapsulation and oral drug delivery due to their natural ability to protect the encapsulated compound in the upper gasterointestinal (GI) tract. Here the potential of prebiotics for oral delivery of drugs and other bioactives is reviewed.

Dataset on applying HPMC polymer to improve encapsulation efficiency and stability of the fish oil: In vitro evaluation.

Data examines the effect of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) HPMC15 cP, and HPMC 5 cP polymer composition on the physicochemical traits of encapsulated oil made using lab scale spray drying (180 °C). The data found showed that the properties of the reconstituted fish oil powder are significantly affected by the polymer's composition and ratio (p < 0.05). In this experiment, powder with the particle sizes below 60 µm was produced and it was observed that HPMC is a good emulsifier for all formulations and the encapsulation efficiency is high with 75.21% for AF1 formulation. It was also observed that the process of fish oil encapsulation employed by HPMC 5 cP produce a more volatile oil powder, while encapsulation with HPMC 15 cP produced a more stable fish oil powder. These finding shows that the utilisation of HPMC as a polymer to encapsulate fish oil can produce a more efficient and stable compound.

Thermal Behavior of Selected Starches in Presence of Other Food Ingredients Studied by Differential Scanning Calorimetery (DSC)-Review.

This review article highlights the thermal behaviors of selected starches that were studied using differential scanning calorimetery (DSC) with data shown in various research publications. The starches of sago, potato, sweet potato, cassava, yam, and corn are included in this overview. Our examinations indicate that thermal properties are highly affected by the type of starch, its amylose/amylopectin content, and the presence of other food ingredients such as sugar, sodium chloride, water, milk, hydrocolloids, and meat. When the heating temperatures of the starches were increased, the DSC measurements also showed an increase in the temperatures of the gelatinization (onset [To ], peak [Tp ], and conclusion [Tc ]). This may be attributed to the differences in the degree of crystallinity of the starch, which provides structural stability and makes the granule more resistant to gelatinization.

Valuable components of bambangan fruit (Mangifera pajang) and its co-products: A review.

Fruits are important food commodities that can be consumed either raw or processed and are valued for their taste, nutrients, and healthy compounds. Mangifera pajang Kosterm (bambangan) is an underutilized fruit found in Malaysia (Sabah and Sarawak), Brunei, and Indonesia (Kalimantan). It is highly fibrous and juicy with an aromatic flavour and strong smell. In recent years, bambangan fruit has been gaining more attention due to its high fibre, carotenoid content, antioxidant properties, phytochemicals, and medicinal usages. Therefore, the production, trade, and consumption of bambangan fruit could be increased significantly, both domestically and internationally, because of its nutritional value. The identification and quantification of bioactive compounds in bambangan fruit has led to considerable interest among scientists. Bambangan fruit and its waste, especially its seeds and peels, are considered cheap sources of valuable food and are considered nutraceutical ingredients that could be used to prevent various diseases. The use of bambangan fruit waste co-products for the production of bioactive components is an important step towards sustainable development. This is an updated report on the nutritional composition and health-promoting phytochemicals of bambangan fruit and its co-products that explores their potential utilization. This review reveals that bambangan fruit and its co-products could be used as ingredients of dietary fibre powder or could be incorporated into food products (biscuits and macaroni) to enhance their nutraceutical properties.

α-glucosidase inhibitors isolated from Mimosa pudica L.

The aim of the study was to isolate digestive enzymes inhibitors from Mimosa pudica through a bioassay-guided fractionation approach. Repeated silica gel and sephadex LH 20 column chromatographies of bioactive fractions afforded stigmasterol, quercetin and avicularin as digestive enzymes inhibitors whose IC50 values as compared to acarbose (351.02 ± 1.46 µg mL-1) were found to be as 91.08 ± 1.54, 75.16 ± 0.92 and 481.7 ± 0.703 µg mL-1, respectively. In conclusion, M. pudica could be a good and safe source of digestive enzymes inhibitors for the management of diabetes in future.

Comparison of phenolic compositions between common and tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum) sprouts.

The phenolic compositions of non-germinated/germinated seeds and seed sprouts (at 6-10 day-old) of common (Fagopyrum esculentum Möench) and tartary (Fagopyrum tataricum Gaertn.) buckwheats were investigated. Phenolic compounds, including chlorogenic acid, four C-glycosylflavones (orientin, isoorientin vitexin, isovitexin), rutin and quercetin, were determined in the seed sprouts by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). In the edible parts of common buckwheat sprouts, individual phenolics significantly increased during sprout growth from 6 to 10 days after sowing (DAS), whereas in tartary buckwheat sprouts they did not. While the sum contents of phenolic compounds in the edible part (mean 24.4mg/g DW at 6-10 DAS) of tartary buckwheat sprouts were similar to those of common buckwheat sprouts, rutin contents in the non-germinated/germinated seeds (mean 14.7mg/g DW) and edible parts (mean 21.8mg/g DW) of tartary buckwheat were 49- and 5-fold, respectively, higher than those of common buckwheat. Extracts of the edible parts of both species showed very similar free radical-scavenging activities (mean 1.7µmol trolox eq/g DW), suggesting that the overall antioxidative activity might be affected by the combination of identified phenolics and unidentified (minor) components. Therefore, buckwheat seed sprouts are recommended for their high antioxidative activity, as well as being an excellent dietary source of phenolic compounds, particularly tartary buckwheat sprouts, being rich in rutin.

Factors affecting the digestibility of raw and gelatinized potato starches.

The enzymatic digestibilities of raw and gelatinized starches in various potato starches, as well as sweet potato, cassava, and yam starches, were estimated, along with other starch properties, such as the phosphorus content, median granule size, and rapid visco analyzer (RVA) pasting properties. Furthermore, correlation coefficients were calculated between the hydrolysis rates (HR) by amylase and other starch quality parameters. A larger granule size was closely associated with a lower HR in raw starch, while the HR in gelatinized starch did not correlate with the median granule size. An increase in phosphorus content resulted in a definitely lower HR in raw starch and tended to decrease the HR in gelatinized starch for the composite of potato and other starches. In contrast, no correlation coefficients of the phosphorus content with the HRs in raw and gelatinized starches were observed within potato starches. Starches with higher peak viscosity and breakdown showed a lower HR in raw starch, while few or no effects of these RVA parameters on the HR in gelatinized starch were observed for the composite of potato and other starches or among potato starches, respectively.

Starch from the Sago (Metroxylon sagu) Palm Tree-Properties, Prospects, and Challenges as a New Industrial Source for Food and Other Uses.

The common industrial starches are typically derived from cereals (corn, wheat, rice, sorghum), tubers (potato, sweet potato), roots (cassava), and legumes (mung bean, green pea). Sago (Metroxylon sagu Rottb.) starch is perhaps the only example of commercial starch derived from another source, the stem of palm (sago palm). Sago palm has the ability to thrive in the harsh swampy peat environment of certain areas. It is estimated that there are about 2 million ha of natural sago palm forests and about 0.14 million ha of planted sago palm at present, out of a total swamp area of about 20 million ha in Asia and the Pacific Region, most of which are under- or nonutilized. Growing in a suitable environment with organized farming practices, sago palm could have a yield potential of up to 25 tons of starch per hectare per year. Sago starch yield per unit area could be about 3 to 4 times higher than that of rice, corn, or wheat, and about 17 times higher than that of cassava. Compared to the common industrial starches, however, sago starch has been somewhat neglected and relatively less attention has been devoted to the sago palm and its starch. Nevertheless, a number of studies have been published covering various aspects of sago starch such as molecular structure, physicochemical and functional properties, chemical/physical modifications, and quality issues. This article is intended to piece together the accumulated knowledge and highlight some pertinent information related to sago palm and sago starch studies.

Universal mini COI barcode for the identification of fish species in processed products.

Species substitution, the use of a low value fish in place of a high value fish, is the biggest problem in international trade and the leading cause of fraud in the fisheries arena sector. Current DNA barcoding systems have partly solved this problem but also failed in many instances to amplify PCR targets from highly processed products because of the degradation of a longer barcode marker (~650bp). In the present study, a novel mini barcode marker (295bp) was developed to discriminate fish species in raw and processed states forms. The barcode primers were cross-tested against 33 fish species and 15 other animal species and found to be universal for all the tested fish varieties. When 20 commercial fish products of five different categories were screened, all commercial fish sample yielded positive bands for the novel fish barcode. PCR product was sequenced to retrieve the species IDs that reflected 55% (11/20) of Malaysian fish products were mislabeled.

Lab-on-a-Chip-Based PCR-RFLP Assay for the Detection of Malayan Box Turtle (Cuora amboinensis) in the Food Chain and Traditional Chinese Medicines.

The Malayan box turtle (Cuora amboinensis) (MBT) is a vulnerable and protected turtle species, but it is a lucrative item in the illegal wildlife trade because of its great appeal as an exotic food item and in traditional medicine. Although several polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays to identify MBT by various routes have been documented, their applicability for forensic authentication remains inconclusive due to the long length of the amplicon targets, which are easily broken down by natural decomposition, environmental stresses or physiochemical treatments during food processing. To address this research gap, we developed, for the first time, a species-specific PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) assay with a very short target length (120 bp) to detect MBT in the food chain; this authentication ensured better security and reliability through molecular fingerprints. The PCR-amplified product was digested with Bfa1 endonuclease, and distinctive restriction fingerprints (72, 43 and 5 bp) for MBT were found upon separation in a microfluidic chip-based automated electrophoresis system, which enhances the resolution of short oligos. The chances of any false negative identifications were eliminated through the use of a universal endogenous control for eukaryotes, and the limit of detection was 0.0001 ng DNA or 0.01% of the meat under admixed states. Finally, the optimized PCR-RFLP assay was validated for the screening of raw and processed commercial meatballs, burgers and frankfurters, which are very popular in most countries. The optimized PCR-RFLP assay was further used to screen MBT materials in 153 traditional Chinese medicines of 17 different brands and 62 of them were found MBT positive; wherein the ingredients were not declared in product labels. Overall, the novel assay demonstrated sufficient merit for use in any forensic and/or archaeological authentication of MBT, even under a state of decomposition.

Double Gene Targeting Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism Assay Discriminates Beef, Buffalo, and Pork Substitution in Frankfurter Products.

Beef, buffalo, and pork adulteration in the food chain is an emerging and sensitive issue. Current molecular techniques to authenticate these species depend on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays involving long and single targets which break down under natural decomposition and/or processing treatments. This novel multiplex polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism assay targeted two different gene sites for each of the bovine, buffalo, and porcine materials. This authentication ensured better security, first through a complementation approach because it is highly unlikely that both sites will be missing under compromised states, and second through molecular fingerprints. Mitochondrial cytochrome b and ND5 genes were targeted, and all targets (73, 90, 106, 120, 138, and 146 bp) were stable under extreme boiling and autoclaving treatments. Target specificity and authenticity were ensured through cross-amplification reaction and restriction digestion of PCR products with AluI, EciI, FatI, and CviKI-1 enzymes. A survey of Malaysian frankfurter products revealed rampant substitution of beef with buffalo but purity in porcine materials.

Duplex real-time PCR assay using SYBR Green to detect and quantify Malayan box turtle (Cuora amboinensis) materials in meatballs, burgers, frankfurters and traditional Chinese herbal jelly powder.

The Malayan box turtle (Cuora amboinensis) (MBT) is a vulnerable and protected species widely used in exotic foods and traditional medicines. Currently available polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays to identify MBT lack automation and involve long targets which break down in processed or denatured tissue. This SYBR Green duplex real-time PCR assay has addressed this research gap for the first time through the combination of 120- and 141-bp targets from MBT and eukaryotes for the quantitative detection of MBT DNA in food chain and herbal medicinal preparations. This authentication ensures better security through automation, internal control and short targets that were stable under the processing treatments of foods and medicines. A melting curve clearly demonstrated two peaks at 74.63 ± 0.22 and 78.40 ± 0.31°C for the MBT and eukaryotic products, respectively, under pure, admixed and commercial food matrices. Analysis of 125 reference samples reflected a target recovery of 93.25-153.00%, PCR efficiency of 99-100% and limit of detection of 0.001% under various matrices. The quantification limits were 0.00001, 0.00170 ± 0.00012, 0.00228 ± 0.00029, 0.00198 ± 0.00036 and 0.00191 ± 0.00043 ng DNA for the pure meat, binary mixtures, meatball, burger and frankfurter products, respectively. The assay was used to screen 100 commercial samples of traditional Chinese herbal jelly powder from eight different brands; 22% of them were found to be MBT-positive (5.37 ± 0.50-7.00 ± 0.34% w/w), which was reflected through the Ct values (26.37 ± 0.32-28.90 ± 0.42) and melting curves (74.63-78.65 ± 0.22°C) of the amplified MBT target (120 bp), confirming the speculation that MBT materials are widely used in Chinese herbal desserts, exotic dishes consumed with the hope of prolonging life and youth.

Mango (Mangifera indica L.) by-products and their valuable components: a review.

The large amount of waste produced by the food industries causes serious environmental problems and also results in economic losses if not utilized effectively. Different research reports have revealed that food industry by-products can be good sources of potentially valuable bioactive compounds. As such, the mango juice industry uses only the edible portions of the mangoes, and a considerable amount of peels and seeds are discarded as industrial waste. These mango by-products come from the tropical or subtropical fruit processing industries. Mango by-products, especially seeds and peels, are considered to be cheap sources of valuable food and nutraceutical ingredients. The main uses of natural food ingredients derived from mango by-products are presented and discussed, and the mainstream sectors of application for these by-products, such as in the food, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and cosmetic industries, are highlighted.

Optimisation of the supercritical extraction of toxic elements in fish oil.

This study aims to optimise the operating conditions for the supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) of toxic elements from fish oil. The SFE operating parameters of pressure, temperature, CO2 flow rate and extraction time were optimised using a central composite design (CCD) of response surface methodology (RSM). High coefficients of determination (R²) (0.897-0.988) for the predicted response surface models confirmed a satisfactory adjustment of the polynomial regression models with the operation conditions. The results showed that the linear and quadratic terms of pressure and temperature were the most significant (p < 0.05) variables affecting the overall responses. The optimum conditions for the simultaneous elimination of toxic elements comprised a pressure of 61 MPa, a temperature of 39.8ºC, a CO2 flow rate of 3.7 ml min⁻¹ and an extraction time of 4 h. These optimised SFE conditions were able to produce fish oil with the contents of lead, cadmium, arsenic and mercury reduced by up to 98.3%, 96.1%, 94.9% and 93.7%, respectively. The fish oil extracted under the optimised SFE operating conditions was of good quality in terms of its fatty acid constituents.