Land in limbo: Nearly one third of Indonesia's cleared old-growth forests left idle.

Indonesia has experienced rapid primary forest loss, second only to Brazil in modern history. We examined the fates of Indonesian deforested areas, immediately after clearing and over time, to quantify deforestation drivers in Indonesia. Using time-series satellite data, we tracked degradation and clearing events in intact and degraded natural forests from 1991 to 2020, as well as land use trajectories after forest loss. While an estimated 7.8 Mha (SE = 0.4) of forest cleared during this period had been planted with oil palms by 2020, another 8.8 Mha (SE = 0.4) remained unused. Of the 28.4 Mha (SE = 0.7) deforested, over half were either initially left idle or experienced crop failure before a land use could be detected, and 44% remained unused for 5 y or more. A majority (54%) of these areas were cleared mechanically (not by escaped fires), and in cases where idle lands were eventually converted to productive uses, oil palm plantations were by far the most common outcome. The apparent deliberate creation of idle deforested land in Indonesia and subsequent conversion of idle areas to oil palm plantations indicates that speculation and land banking for palm oil substantially contribute to forest loss, although failed plantations could also contribute to this dynamic. We also found that in Sumatra, few lowland forests remained, suggesting that a lack of remaining forest appropriate for palm oil production, together with an extensive area of banked deforested land, may partially explain slowing forest loss in Indonesia in recent years.

Dietary palm oil enhances Sterol regulatory element-binding protein 2-mediated cholesterol biosynthesis through inducing endoplasmic reticulum stress in muscle of large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea).

Sterol regulatory element-binding protein 2 (SREBP2) is considered to be a major regulator to control cholesterol homoeostasis in mammals. However, the role of SREBP2 in teleost remains poorly understand. Here, we explored the molecular characterisation of SREBP2 and identified SREBP2 as a key modulator for 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase and 7-dehydrocholesterol reductase, which were rate-limiting enzymes of cholesterol biosynthesis. Moreover, dietary palm oil in vivo or palmitic acid (PA) treatment in vitro elevated cholesterol content through triggering SREBP2-mediated cholesterol biosynthesis in large yellow croaker. Furthermore, our results also found that PA-induced activation of SREBP2 was dependent on the stimulating of endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) in croaker myocytes and inhibition of ERS by 4-Phenylbutyric acid alleviated PA-induced SREBP2 activation and cholesterol biosynthesis. In summary, our findings reveal a novel insight for understanding the role of SREBP2 in the regulation of cholesterol metabolism in fish and may deepen the link between dietary fatty acid and cholesterol biosynthesis.

Meta-analysis contrasting freshwater biodiversity in forests and oil palm plantations with and without riparian buffers.

The expansion of oil palm plantations has led to land-use change and deforestation in the tropics, which has affected biodiversity. Although the impacts of the crop on terrestrial biodiversity have been extensively reviewed, its effects on freshwater biodiversity remain relatively unexplored. We reviewed the research assessing the impacts of forest-to-oil palm conversion on freshwater biota and the mitigating effect of riparian buffers on these impacts. We searched for studies comparing taxa richness, species abundance, and community composition of macroinvertebrates, amphibians, and fish in streams in forests (primary and disturbed) and oil palm plantations with and without riparian buffers. Then, we conducted a meta-analysis to quantify the overall effect of the land-use change on the 3 taxonomic groups. Twenty-nine studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria. On average, plantations lacking buffers hosted 44% and 19% fewer stream taxa than primary and disturbed forests, respectively. Stream taxa on plantations with buffers were 24% lower than in primary forest and did not differ significantly from disturbed forest. In contrast, stream community composition differed between forests and plantations regardless of the presence of riparian buffers. These differences were attributed to agrochemical use and altered environmental conditions in the plantations, including temperature changes, worsened water conditions, microhabitat loss, and food and shelter depletion. On aggregate, abundance did not differ significantly among land uses because increases in generalist species offset the population decline of vulnerable forest specialists in the plantation. Our results reveal significant impacts of forest-to-oil palm conversion on freshwater biota, particularly taxa richness and composition (but not aggregate abundance). Although preserving riparian buffers in the plantations can mitigate the loss of various aquatic species, it cannot conserve primary forest communities. Therefore, safeguarding primary forests from the oil palm expansion is crucial, and further research is needed to address riparian buffers as a promising mitigation strategy in agricultural areas.

Metaanálisis contrastando la biodiversidad de agua dulce en los bosques y las plantaciones de palma de aceite con o sin bosques ribereños Resumen La expansión de las plantaciones de palma de aceite ha derivado en cambios en el uso de suelo y deforestación en los trópicos, afectando a la biodiversidad. Existe una revisión extensa del impacto de este cultivo sobre la biodiversidad terrestre, pero sus efectos sobre la biodiversidad de agua dulce todavía no están muy documentados. Revisamos las investigaciones que han evaluado el impacto de la conversión de bosque a plantación de palma de aceite sobre la biota de agua dulce y el efecto mitigante que tienen los bosques ribereños sobre este impacto. Buscamos estudios que compararan la riqueza de taxones, abundancia de especies y composición comunitaria de los macroinvertebrados, anfibios y peces en los riachuelos de los bosques (primarios y perturbados) y los sembradíos de palma de aceite con y sin bosques ribereños. Después realizamos un metaanálisis para cuantificar el efecto del cambio de uso de suelo en los tres grupos taxonómicos. Veintinueve estudios cumplieron con el criterio de inclusión. En promedio, las plantaciones carentes de bosques ribereños albergaron 44% y 19% menos taxones que los bosques primarios y perturbados. Los taxones en los sembradíos con bosques ribereños fueron 24% menos que en el bosque primario y no difirieron significativamente del bosque perturbado. Como contraste, la composición comunitaria del riachuelo difirió entre los bosques y los sembradíos sin importar la presencia de los bosques ribereños. Atribuimos estas diferencias al uso de agroquímicos y las condiciones ambientales alteradas en las plantaciones, incluidas los cambios térmicos, condiciones hidrológicas alteradas, pérdida de microhábitats y reducción de alimentos y refugios. En general, la abundancia no difirió significativamente entre los usos de suelo porque el incremento de especies generalistas en las plantaciones contrarresta la declinación poblacional de los especialistas de bosque vulnerables. Nuestros resultados revelan un impacto significativo de la conversión de bosque a plantación sobre la biota de agua dulce, particularmente la riqueza de taxones y la composición (pero no la abundancia agregada). Aunque mantener los bosques ribereños en las plantaciones puede mitigar la pérdida de varias especies acuáticas, no puede conservar las comunidades del bosque primario. Por lo tanto, es crucial salvaguardar los bosques primarios de la expansión del aceite de palma, además de que se necesitan más investigaciones para abordar los bosques ribereños como una estrategia prometedora de mitigación en las áreas agrícolas.

Upcycling crab shell waste into biochar for treatment of palm oil mill effluent via microwave pyrolysis and activation.

The escalating consumer demand for crabs results in a growing amount of waste, including shells, claws, and other non-edible parts. The resulting crab shell waste (CSW) is disposed of via incineration or landfills which causes environmental pollution. CSW represents a potential biological resource that can be transformed into valuable resources via pyrolysis technique. In this study, microwave pyrolysis of CSW using self-purging, vacuum, and steam activation techniques was examined to determine the biochar production yield and its performance in treating palm oil mill effluent (POME). The biochar produced through microwave pyrolysis exhibits yields ranging from 50 to 61 wt%, showing a hard texture, low volatile matter content (≤34.1 wt%), and high fixed carbon content (≥58.3 wt%). The KOH-activated biochar demonstrated a surface area of up to 177 m2/g that is predominantly composed of mesopores, providing a good amount of adsorption sites for use as adsorbent. The biochar activated with steam removed 8.3 mg/g of BOD and 42 mg/g of COD from POME. The results demonstrate that microwave pyrolysis of CSW is a promising technology to produce high-quality biochar as an adsorbent for POME treatment.

Tropical oils consumption and health: a scoping review to inform the development of guidelines in tropical regions.

BACKGROUND: Tropical oils such as palm and coconut oils are renowned for their high saturated fat content and culinary versatility. However, their consumption has sparked debate regarding their health benefits and production concerns. The purpose of this review was to map existing evidence on the health benefits and challenges associated with the consumption of tropical oils. METHOD: The recommendations for conducting a scoping review by Arksey and O'Malley were followed. PubMed, Dimensions AI, Central, JSTOR Google, Google Scholar, and ProQuest databases were searched for relevant papers. The predetermined keywords used were Consumption" AND "Tropical oil," as well as "Health benefits" OR "Health challenges" AND "Tropical Countries." Peer-reviewed and grey literature published in English were eligible for this review. RESULT: Tropical oils, such as palm and coconut oils, provide health benefits including essential vitamins (A and E) that enhance ocular health, boost immunity, and support growth. They are also recognised for their role in managing high blood sugar, obesity, and cholesterol levels, while offering antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. These oils have wound-healing abilities and are commonly used in infant nutrition and traditional cooking. Nevertheless, prolonged and repeated use of tropical oils to high temperature can degrade vitamin E, whereas excessive intake may result in overdose. Health concerns include oxidative risks, diabetes, cancer, coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, and acrylamide formation due to production challenges excessive consumption. Additional issues include obesity, suboptimal oil production, misconceptions, regulatory obstacles, and preferences for alternative fats. CONCLUSION: This review suggest that tropical oils provide essential health benefits, including vitamins and antioxidant properties, but pose significant health risks and production challenges, particularly when exposed to high temperatures and through excessive intake. Guidelines on the consumption of tropical oils in the tropical regions are necessary to regulate their consumption.

Cellulase production by Aspergillus fumigatus A4112 and the potential use of the enzyme in cooperation with surfactant to enhance floating oil recovery and methane production from palm oil mill effluent.

This research performed cellulase production by Aspergillus fumigatus A4112 and evaluated its potential use in palm oil mill effluent (POME) hydrolysis to recover oil simultaneously with the generation of fermentable sugar useful for biofuel production under non-sterilized conditions. Empty fruit bunch (EFB) without pretreatment was used as carbon source. The combination of nitrogen sources facilitated CMCase production. The maximum activity (3.27 U/mL) was obtained by 1.0 g/L peptone and 1.5 g/L (NH4)2SO4 and 20 g/L EFB at 40 °C for 7 days. High level of FPase activity (39.51 U/mL) was also obtained. Interestingly, the enzyme retained its cellulase activities more than 60% at ambient temperature over 15 days. In enzymatic hydrolysis, Triton X-100 was an effective surfactant to increase total oil recovery in the floating form. High yield of reducing sugar (50.13 g/L) and 21% (v/v) of floating oil was recoverable at 65 °C for 48 h. Methane content of the raw POME increased from 41.49 to 64.94% by using de-oiled POME hydrolysate which was higher than using the POME hydrolysate (59.82%). The results demonstrate the feasibility of the constructed process for oil recovery coupled with a subsequent step for methane yield enhancement in biogas production process that benefits the palm oil industry.

Underutilised palm stearin as hard stock for deep-frying medium and its performance for oil uptake in instant noodles.

BACKGROUND: As a by-product of the palm oil industry, palm stearin is often overlooked despite having several beneficial properties, such as excellent stability, which is critically essential to meet the demand of the global food trend in producing safer processed food. Specifically, deep frying of food is often associated with the production of toxic compounds that could potentially migrate into the food system when oils are degraded under continuous heating. The incorporation of palm stearin is regarded as a cost-effective and efficient method to modify the fatty acid composition of oils, enhance the frying qualities and lower the degradation rate. RESULTS: This study blended 5% and 10% palm stearin into palm oil to investigate the deep-frying performance and impact on food quality. Increasing the palm stearin content improved the frying oil's oxidative and hydrolytic stability, evidenced by reduction of total polar material, free fatty acid and total oxidation value. Addition of palm stearin increased the slip melting point which improved the oil's oxidative stability but no significant increase in oil content of instant noodles was observed. Scanning electron microscopy and fluorescence microscopy showed the formation of larger pores in the noodle structure that facilitated oil retention. CONCLUSION: Blending palm stearin into frying oil enhanced the frying stability and minimally affected the oil uptake in instant noodles. This article presents the viability of blending palm stearin into frying oils to develop longer-lasting frying oils. © 2024 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Effects of substitution of crude palm oil with palm-pressed fibre oil on the laying hen's performance, egg production and egg quality traits.

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of substituting a crude palm oil (CPO) diet with palm-pressed fibre oil (PPFO) on laying hens' performance, egg production, carcass characteristic and egg quality. A total of 150 Hisex Brown laying hens were randomly assigned to five treatments: a basal diet containing 4% CPO (T1-control) and basal diets in which CPO was substituted by 25% (T2), 50% (T3), 75% (T4) or 100% (T5) PPFO. These diets were fed to laying hens ad libitum for 16 weeks. Compared to the T1 diet, dietary treatments T2, T3 and T4 had no significant effect (P > 0.05) on the feed intake, body weight gain, feed conversion ratio, egg number, egg production, egg weight and egg mass of the laying hens during the entire experimental period. Nonetheless, a significant (P < 0.05) reduction in feed intake, egg number, egg production and egg mass were observed in hens fed T5 compared to those fed the T1 (control) diet. Except for heart and spleen weights, other carcass characteristics were not affected by treatment (P < 0.05). Skin yellowness and breast meat redness increased significantly (linearly, P < 0.05) with increasing proportions of PPFO. Likewise, yolk colour scores increased in proportion to the dietary level of PPFO (linearly, P < 0.05). These findings suggest that PPFO can be used as a novel, cost-effective lipid source at a level of 3% in layer diets as a substitute for CPO to improve eggs' quality parameters without any harmful effects on laying performance.

Histopathological manifestations of liver tissue affected by heated and unheated palm oil in male Wistar rats.

Palm oil is the most widely used type of oil in the world, which is oxidized by exposure to heat and leads to damage to body tissues and the creation of free fatty acids. This study aimed to show the harm of palm oil in both heated and non-heated states on liver tissue. For this purpose, twenty-four male Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups and treated for 90days as follows: control (rats treated with their normal chew), palm oil (rats treated with 7.5% w/w of palm oil added to their normal chew), and heated palm oil (rats treated with 7.5% w/w of palm oil into their normal chew, which had been heated repeatedly 10 times at 180°C for 10min). After experimental treatments, the animals were euthanized. Liver samples were collected for histopathological assessment by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining. In the groups treated with heated and unheated palm oil, In the groups that were treated with heated and unheated palm oil, the accumulation of fat droplets in hepatocytes, their ballooning and the infiltration of inflammatory cells around the hepatocytes were observed in different proportions. Histological evidence is an indication that heated and unheated palm oils can cause various degrees of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Therefore, palm oil consumption, especially when heated, may not be completely safe.

Microbial granules on reactors performance during organic butyrate digestion: clean production.

This critical review for anaerobic degradation of complex organic compounds like butyrate using reactors has been enormously applied for biogas production. Biogas production rate has a great impact on: reactor granulation methanogenesis, nutrient content, shear velocity, organic loading and loss of nutrients taking place in the reactor continuously. Various technologies have been applied to closed anaerobic reactors to improve biogas production and treatment efficiency. Recent reviews showed that the application of closed anaerobic reactors can accelerate the degradation of organics like volatile fatty acid-butyrate and affect microbial biofilm formation by increasing the number of methanogens and increase methane production 16.5 L-1 CH4 L-1 POME-1. The closed anaerobic reactors with stable microbial biofilm and established organic load were responsible for the improvement of the reactor and methane production. The technology mentioned in this review can be used to monitor biogas concentration, which directly correlates to organic concentrations. This review attempts to evaluate interactions among the: degradation of organics, closed anaerobic reactors system, and microbial granules. This article provides a useful picture for the improvement of the degradation of organic butyrate for COD removal, biogas and methane production in an anaerobic closed reactor.

Recent reviews showed that the application of closed anaerobic reactors can accelerate the degradation of organic compounds, such as volatile fatty acid-butyrate, and affect microbial biofilm formation by increasing the number of methanogens, thus enhancing biogas production. The closed anaerobic reactors with stable microbial biofilm established the organic load and improved the performance of the reactor for methane production. The technology used involves monitoring biogas concentrations which correlates with organic concentrations. This review attempts to evaluate interactions among: the degradation of organics, closed anaerobic reactors system, and microbial granules. This review, therefore, provides a useful picture for the improvement of butyrate degradation for COD removal and methane production with the help of various anaerobic closed reactors. The performance of UASBR depends on granulation. The granulation process in UASB reactors can be divided into four steps: (1) Transport of cells to the surface of other cells; (2) Initial reversible adsorption by physicochemical forces; (3) Irreversible adhesion of the cells by microbial appendages and/or polymers; and (4) Multiplication of the cells and development of the granules. Any factor which can complement any one of the four steps will be able to accelerate the granulation process and shorten the startup time of UASB reactors.

Insights into bacterial community metatranscriptome and metabolome in river water influenced by palm oil mill effluent final discharge.

AIMS: This study aimed to investigate the effect of palm oil mill effluent (POME) final discharge on the active bacterial composition, gene expression, and metabolite profiles in the receiving rivers to establish a foundation for identifying potential biomarkers for monitoring POME pollution in rivers. METHODS AND RESULTS: The POME final discharge, upstream (unpolluted by POME), and downstream (effluent receiving point) parts of the rivers from two sites were physicochemically characterized. The taxonomic and gene profiles were then evaluated using de novo metatranscriptomics, while the metabolites were detected using qualitative metabolomics. A similar bacterial community structure in the POME final discharge samples from both sites was recorded, but their composition varied. Redundancy analysis showed that several families, particularly Comamonadaceae and Burkholderiaceae [Pr(>F) = 0.028], were positively correlated with biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5) and chemical oxygen demand (COD). The results also showed significant enrichment of genes regulating various metabolisms in the POME-receiving rivers, with methane, carbon fixation pathway, and amino acids among the predominant metabolisms identified (FDR < 0.05, PostFC > 4, and PPDE > 0.95). This was further validated through qualitative metabolomics, whereby amino acids were detected as the predominant metabolites. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that genes regulating amino acid metabolism have significant potential for developing effective biomonitoring and bioremediation strategies in river water influenced by POME final discharge, fostering a sustainable palm oil industry.

Techno-economic assessment of hydrotreated vegetable oil as a renewable fuel from waste sludge palm oil.

To date, the development of renewable fuels has become a normal phenomenon to solve the problem of diesel fuel emissions and the scarcity of fossil fuels. Biodiesel production has some limitations, such as two-step processes requiring high free fatty acids (FFAs), oil feedstocks and gum formation. Hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) is a newly developed international renewable diesel that uses renewable feedstocks via the hydrotreatment process. Unlike FAME, FFAs percentage doesn't affect the HVO production and sustains a higher yield. The improved characteristics of HVO, such as a higher cetane value, better cold flow properties, lower emissions and excellent oxidation stability for storage, stand out from FAME biodiesel. Moreover, HVO is a hydrocarbon without oxygen content, but FAME is an ester with 11% oxygen content which makes it differ in oxidation stability. Waste sludge palm oil (SPO), an abundant non-edible industrial waste, was reused and selected as the feedstock for HVO production. Techno-economical and energy analyses were conducted for HVO production using Aspen HYSYS with a plant capacity of 25,000 kg/h. Alternatively, hydrogen has been recycled to reduce the hydrogen feed. With a capital investment of RM 65.86 million and an annual production cost of RM 332.56 million, the base case of the SPO-HVO production process was more desirable after consideration of all economic indicators and HVO purity. The base case of SPO-HVO production could achieve a return on investment (ROI) of 89.03% with a payback period (PBP) of 1.68 years. The SPO-HVO production in this study has observed a reduction in the primary greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide (CO2) emission by up to 90% and the total annual production cost by nearly RM 450 million. Therefore, SPO-HVO production is a potential and alternative process to produce biobased diesel fuels with waste oil.

Isolation and screening of microorganisms for high yield of succinic acid production.

This study involves the isolation of succinic acid (SA)-producing microorganisms from different samples, including the rumen, sludge, soil, and wastewater. For primary screening, 29 isolates exhibited a zone of clearance around the colony, indicating acid production. For secondary screening using thin-layer chromatography, only two isolates symbolized SA production according to their Rf values. These two isolates were further identified as Bacillus velezensis and Enterococcus gallinarum by phylogenetic analysis using the neighbor-joining method. The high SA concentrations of 50.2 and 66.9 g/L were produced by B. velezensis and E. gallinarum with an SA yield of 0.836 and 1.12 g/g glucose, respectively. The high SA concentration from these newly isolated strains was achieved with a low formation of unwanted acids compared with those from Actinobacillus succinogenes ATCC 55618. Moreover, E. gallinarum was cultured in palm oil mill wastewater (POMW) and molasses, which were cheap substrates. The high SA production of 73.9 g/L with low other acids (the ratio of SA to total acids = 0.917) was achieved using POMW and molasses (80:20) as substrates.

Exploring the potential of thermophilic anaerobic co-digestion between agro-industrial waste and water hyacinth: operational performance, kinetic study and degradation pathway.

Anaerobic co-digestion (co-AD) of agro-industrial waste, namely, palm oil mill effluent (POME) and sugarcane vinasse (Vn), with water hyacinth (WH) as co-substrate was carried out in two separate Anaerobic Suspended Growth Closed Bioreactors (ASGCBs) under thermophilic (55 °C) conditions. The highest chemical oxygen demand (COD) and soluble COD reduction in co-AD of POME-WH (78.61%, 78.86%) is slightly higher than co-AD of Vn-WH (75.75%, 78.24%). However, VFA reduction in co-AD of POME-WH (96.41%) is higher compared to co-AD of Vn-WH (85.94%). Subsequently, biogas production peaked at 13438 mL/day values and 16122 mL/day for co-AD of POME-WH and Vn-WH, respectively. However, the methane content was higher in the co-AD of POME-WH (72.04%) than in the co-AD of Vn-WH (69.86%). Growth yield (YG), maximum specific substrate utilization rate (rx,max) and maximum specific biomass growth rate (µmax) are higher in co-AD of POME-WH, as supported by the higher mixed liquor volatile suspended solids (MLVSS) and COD reduction efficiency compared to co-AD of Vn-WH. However, methane yield ([Formula: see text]) reported in the co-AD of POME-WH and Vn-WH are 0.2748 and 0.3112 L CH4/g CODreduction, respectively, which suggests that WH is a more suitable co-substrate for Vn compared to POME.

The role of free-from symbols on consumer perceptions of healthiness, quality and intention to buy baked food products.

Little is known about the impact of "free-from" symbols on people's consumption choices - particularly for controversial ingredients such as palm oil. We investigated how "free-from" symbols influence consumers' perceptions of food products and whether the absence of an ingredient, whether real or fabricated, is seen as a sign of improved healthiness or quality. We conducted an experiment with a sample of 1215 adults representing the Italian population, showing them two products - crackers and sweet snacks - each with four different symbols. We created the "free-from CO2" and "free-from polyunsaturated fats" symbols, while "palm oil-free" and blank symbols were used for comparison. "free-from" symbols influence consumers' perceptions of the food as being of better quality and healthiness, regardless of the ingredient removed. This symbol also influenced purchasing intentions. Consumers' perceptions of the product were influenced by the "free-from" wording, rather than the type of ingredient or product presented.

Molecular Interplay between Non-Host Resistance, Pathogens and Basal Immunity as a Background for Fatal Yellowing in Oil Palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) Plants.

An oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) bud rod disorder of unknown etiology, named Fatal Yellowing (FY) disease, is regarded as one of the top constraints with respect to the growth of the palm oil industry in Brazil. FY etiology has been a challenge embraced by several research groups in plant pathology throughout the last 50 years in Brazil, with no success in completing Koch's postulates. Most recently, the hypothesis of having an abiotic stressor as the initial cause of FY has gained ground, and oxygen deficiency (hypoxia) damaging the root system has become a candidate for stress. Here, a comprehensive, large-scale, single- and multi-omics integration analysis of the metabolome and transcriptome profiles on the leaves of oil palm plants contrasting in terms of FY symptomatology-asymptomatic and symptomatic-and collected in two distinct seasons-dry and rainy-is reported. The changes observed in the physicochemical attributes of the soil and the chemical attributes and metabolome profiles of the leaves did not allow the discrimination of plants which were asymptomatic or symptomatic for this disease, not even in the rainy season, when the soil became waterlogged. However, the multi-omics integration analysis of enzymes and metabolites differentially expressed in asymptomatic and/or symptomatic plants in the rainy season compared to the dry season allowed the identification of the metabolic pathways most affected by the changes in the environment, opening an opportunity for additional characterization of the role of hypoxia in FY symptom intensification. Finally, the initial analysis of a set of 56 proteins/genes differentially expressed in symptomatic plants compared to the asymptomatic ones, independent of the season, has presented pieces of evidence suggesting that breaks in the non-host resistance to non-adapted pathogens and the basal immunity to adapted pathogens, caused by the anaerobic conditions experienced by the plants, might be linked to the onset of this disease. This set of genes might offer the opportunity to develop biomarkers for selecting oil palm plants resistant to this disease and to help pave the way to employing strategies to keep the safety barriers raised and strong.

Deforestation, certification, and transnational palm oil supply chains: Linking Guatemala to global consumer markets.

Although causal links between tropical deforestation and palm oil are well established, linking this land use change to where the palm oil is actually consumed remains a distinct challenge and research gap. Supply chains are notoriously difficult to track back to their origin (i.e., the 'first-mile'). This poses a conundrum for corporations and governments alike as they commit to deforestation-free sourcing and turn to instruments like certification to increase supply chain transparency and sustainability. The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) offers the most influential certification system in the sector, but whether it actually reduces deforestation is still unclear. This study used remote sensing and spatial analysis to assess the deforestation (2009-2019) caused by oil palm plantation expansion in Guatemala, a major palm oil source for international consumer markets. Our results reveal that plantations are responsible for 28% of deforestation in the region and that more than 60% of these plantations encroach on Key Biodiversity Areas. RSPO-certified plantations, comprising 63% of the total cultivated area assessed, did not produce a statistically significant reduction in deforestation. Using trade statistics, the study linked this deforestation to the palm oil supply chains of three transnational conglomerates - Pepsico, Mondelez International, and Grupo Bimbo - all of whom rely on RSPO-certified supplies. Addressing this deforestation and supply chain sustainability challenge hinges on three measures: 1) reform of RSPO policies and practices; 2) robust corporate tracking of supply chains; and 3) strengthening forest governance in Guatemala. This study offers a replicable methodology for a wide-range of investigations that seek to understand the transnational linkages between environmental change (e.g. deforestation) and consumption.

Enhancing bio-hydrogen and bio-methane production of concentrated latex wastewater (CLW) by Co-digesting with palm oil mill effluent (POME): Batch and continuous performance test and ADM-1 modeling.

This study aimed at investigating the biohydrogen and biomethane potential of co-digestion from palm oil mill effluent (POME) and concentrated latex wastewater (CLW) in a two-stage anaerobic digestion (AD) process under thermophilic (55 ± 3 °C) and at an ambient temperature (30 ± 3 °C) conditions, respectively. The batch experiments of POME:CLW mixing ratios of 100:0, 70:30, 50:50, 30:70, and 0:100 was investigated with the initial loadings at 10 g-VS/L. The highest hydrogen yield of 115.57 mLH2/g-VS was obtained from the POME: CLW mixing ratio of 100:0 with 29.0 of C/N ratio. While, the highest subsequent methane production yield of 558.01 mLCH4/g-VS was achieved from hydrogen effluent from POME:CLW mixing ratio of 70:30 0 with 21.8 of C/N ratio. This mixing ratio revealed the highest synergisms of about 9.21% and received maximum total energy of 19.70 kJ/g-VS. Additionally, continuous hydrogen and methane production were subsequently performed in a series of continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) and up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor (UASB) to treat the co-substate. The results indicated that the highest hydrogen yield of POME:CLW mixing ratio at 70:30 of 95.45 mL-H2/g-VS was generated at 7-day HRT, while methane production was obtained from HRT 15 days with a yield of 204.52 mL-CH4/g-VS. Thus, the study indicated that biogas production yield of CLW could be enhanced by co-digesting with POME. In addition, the two-stage AD model under anaerobic digestion model no. 1 (ADM-1) framework was established, 9.10% and 2.43% of error fitting of hydrogen and methane gas between model simulation data and experimental data were found. Hence, this research work presents a novel approach for optimization and feasibility for co-digestion of POME with CLW to generate mixed gaseous biofuel potentially.

Discrimination and authentication of lard blending with palm oil in cosmetic soap formulations.

BACKGROUND: The employment of Fourier transforms infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy combined with chemometrics for determination and quantification of lard in a binary blend with palm oil in a cosmetic soap formulations. OBJECTIVE: To determine and quantify lard as an adulterant in a binary blend with palm oil in a cosmetic soap formulations by FT-IR and multivariate analysis. METHODS: Fatty acids in lard, palm oil and binary blends were extracted via liquid-liquid extraction and were subjected to FTIR spectrometry, combined with principal component analysis (PCA) and discriminant analysis (DA) for the classification of lard in cosmetic soap formulations via two DA models: Model A (percentage of lard in cosmetic soap) and Model B (porcine and non-porcine cosmetic soap). Linear regression (MLR), partial least square regression (PLS-R) and principal components regression (PCR) were used to assess the degree of adulteration of lard in the cosmetic soap. FINDINGS: The FTIR spectrum of palm oil slightly differed from that of lard at the wavenumber range of 1453 cm -1 and 1415 cm -1 in palm oil and lard, respectively, indicating the bending vibrations of CH2 and CH3 aliphatic groups and OH carboxyl group respectively. Both of the DA models could accurately classify 100% of cosmetic soap formulations. Nevertheless, less than 100% of verification value was obtained when it was further used to predict the unknown cosmetic soap sample suspected of containing lard or a different percentage of lard. The PCA for Model A and Model B explained a similar cumulative variability (CV) of 92.86% for the whole dataset. MLR and PCR showed the highest determination coefficient (R2) of 0.996, and the lowest relative standard error (RSE) and mean square error (MSE), indicating that both regression models were effective in quantifying the lard adulterant in cosmetic soap. CONCLUSION: FTIR spectroscopy coupled with chemometrics with DA, PCA and MLR or PCR can be used to analyse the presence of lard and quantify its percentage in cosmetic soap formulations.

CONTEXTE: Combinée à la chimiométrie, la spectroscopie infrarouge à transformée de Fourier (SI-TF) permet de déterminer et de quantifier la présence du saindoux dans un mélange binaire avec de l'huile de palme parmi des formulations de savon cosmétique. OBJECTIF: Déterminer et quantifier le saindoux comme adultérant dans un mélange binaire avec de l'huile de palme parmi des formulations de savon cosmétique par SI-TF et analyse multivariée. MÉTHODES: Les acides gras dans le saindoux, l'huile de palme et les mélanges binaires ont été extraits par extraction liquide-liquide, puis ont été soumis à une SI-TF. Ils ont également fait l'objet d'une analyse en composantes principales (ACP) et d'une analyse discriminante (AD) pour la classification du saindoux dans les formulations de savons cosmétiques via deux modèles d'AD : le modèle A (pourcentage de saindoux dans le savon cosmétique) et le modèle B (savon cosmétique de porc et non de porc). Le degré d'altération du saindoux dans le savon cosmétique a été évalué selon une régression linéaire (régression L), une régression des moindres carrés partiels (régression PLS) et une régression sur composantes principales (régression CP). RÉSULTATS: Le spectre SI-TF de l'huile de palme différait légèrement de celui du saindoux sur la plage de nombre d'ondes de 1 453 cm −1 et 1 415 cm −1 dans l'huile de palme et le saindoux, respectivement, et indiquait les vibrations de flexion des groupes aliphatiques CH2 et CH3, et du groupe carboxyle OH, respectivement. Les deux modèles d'AD ont permis de classer avec précision 100 % des formulations de savon cosmétique. Néanmoins, la valeur de vérification obtenue s'est avérée inférieure à 100 % une fois les modèles utilisés pour prédire l'échantillon de savon cosmétique inconnu suspecté de contenir du saindoux ou un pourcentage de saindoux différent. L'ACP du modèle A et du modèle B expliquait une variabilité cumulée (VC) similaire de 92,86 % pour l'ensemble de l'ensemble des données. La régression L et la régression PLS ont montré le coefficient de détermination le plus élevé (R2), soit 0,996, ainsi que l'erreur type relative (ETR) et l'erreur carrée moyenne (EMM) les plus faibles, indiquant que les deux modèles de régression ont été efficaces pour quantifier le saindoux adultérant dans le savon cosmétique. CONCLUSION: Couplée à la chimiométrie avec une AD, une ACP et une régression L ou une régression PLS, la SI-TF permet d'analyser la présence de saindoux et de quantifier son pourcentage dans les formulations de savon cosmétique.

Characterization of P(3HB) from untreated raw palm oil mill effluent using Azotobacter vinelandii ΔAvin_16040 lacking S-layer protein.

The production of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) [P(3HB)] from untreated raw palm oil mill effluent (urPOME), the first wastewater discharge from crude palm oil extraction, is discussed. The mutant strain Azotobacter vinelandii ΔAvin_16040, which lacks the S-layer protein but has a better P(3HB) synthesis capability than the wild type strain ATCC 12,837, was chosen for this study. UrPOME substrate, with high biological oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD) and suspended solids, was used without pre-treatment. DSMZ-Azotobacter medium which was devoid of laboratory sugar(s) was used as the basal medium (BaM). Initially, Azotobacter vinelandii ΔAvin_16040 generated 325.5, 1496.3, and 1465.7 mg L-1 of P(3HB) from BaM with 20% urPOME, 2BaM with 20% urPOME and 20 g L-1 sucrose, and 2BaM with 20% urPOME and 2 mL L-1 glycerol, respectively. P(3HB) generation was enhanced by nearly tenfold using statistical optimization, resulting in 13.9 g L-1. Moreover, the optimization reduced the compositions of mineral salts and sugar in the medium by 48 and 97%, respectively. The urPOME-based P(3HB) product developed a yellow coloration most possibly attributed to the aromatic phenolics content in urPOME. Despite the fact that both were synthesised by ΔAvin_16040, thin films of urPOME-based P(3HB) had superior crystallinity and tensile strength than P(3HB) produced only on sucrose. When treated with 10 and 50 kGy of electron beam irradiation, these P(3HB) scissioned to half and one-tenth of their original molecular weights, respectively, and these cleavaged products could serve as useful base units for specific polymer structure construction.