Antioxidant properties of rice bran oil from different varieties extracted by solvent extraction methods

Antioxidant properties of rice bran oil from different rice bran varieties; Rice Bran-Bario (RB-Bario), Rice bran-Lowland (RB-Low) and Rice Bran- Upland rice (RB-Up), collected from different cultural plots, were assessed. Measurement of antioxidant properties was evaluated by TPC (total phenolic content), DPPH scavenging activities and reducing power of extracts.. The study shows that antioxidant efficacy of rice bran was found the highest in RB-Up, followed by RB- Low and RB-Bario. The antioxidant properties were related to the rice bran origin and water irrigation demand by particular variety. RB –Up has a unique plantation condition which takes least amount of water retention which contribute to the highest antioxidant activity. Extraction solvents used shows that Upland (16.15%) and Lowland (16.16%) yielded the highest amount in conserving the crude fat oil in rice bran extract compared to Bario

Investigation of Unequal Planar Wireless Electricity Device for Efficient Wireless Power Transfer

This article focuses on the design and investigation of a pair of unequally sized wireless electricity (Witricity) devices that are equipped with integrated planar coil strips. The proposed pair of devices consists of two different square-shaped resonator sizes of 120 mm × 120 mm and 80 mm × 80 mm, acting as a transmitter and receiver, respectively. The devices are designed, simulated and optimized using the CST Microwave Studio software prior to being fabricated and verified using a vector network analyzer (VNA). The surface current results of the coupled devices indicate a good current density at 10 mm to 30 mm distance range. This good current density demonstrates that the coupled devices’ surface has more electric current per unit area, which leads to a good performance up to 30 mm range. Hence, the results also reveal good coupling efficiency between the coupled devices, which is approximately 54.5% at up to a 30 mm distance, with both devices axially aligned. In addition, a coupling efficiency of 50% is achieved when a maximum lateral misalignment (LM) of 10 mm, and a varied angular misalignment (AM) from 0° to 40° are implemented to the proposed device

Optimization of sweet potato pectin extraction using hydrochloric acid

Pectin has been used widely as thickener, stabilizer and gelling agent. However, the sources of pectin industrially are still limited. This study aims to optimize the extraction of pectin from sweet potato residue using hydrochloric acid. In this study, proximate analysis of the sweet potato residues were performed and the extraction of pectin from sweet potato residues using hydrochloric acid was optimized to maximize its yield using response surface methodology (RSM). Three parameters were manipulated and optimized which were temperature (°C), pH and extraction time (min). The extracted pectin was further analyzed for its degree of esterification (DE) using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). The sweet potato residue sample obtained moisture content of 79.7±1.7%, ash content of 1.08±0.09% and carbohydrate content of 34.3±2.7%. The optimum condition to extract pectin from sweet potato residues using hydrochloric acid was at extraction temperature 60 °C, pH 1 and extraction time 60 min with 23.48 % pectin yield. The pectin has 57.48% of DE which indicates high methoxyl pectin. The results show that hydrochloric acid can be used as one of the solvents to extract pectin from sweet potato

Integrated Open Loop Resonator Filter Designed with Notch Patch Antenna for Microwave Applications

This paper presented the design of integrated open loop resonator bandpass filter with notch type antenna for the use in microwave applications. Chebyshev type filter is selected as the filter characteristics and cascaded design with the antenna to produce a single module, Integrated Filter Antenna (IFA). Special feature of the antenna is the implementation of notch on the patch antenna to improve the efficiency. IFA is then simulated in electromagnetic simulation tool, Agilent Advance Design System (ADS) version 2016 and measured using R&S Vector Network Analyzer. It shows that the proposed IFA produced good measured return loss >-30dB with both vertical and horizontal gain of 9.11dBi and 8.01dBi respectively

Integrated Open Loop Resonator Filter Designed with Notch Patch Antenna for Microwave Applications

This paper presented the design of integrated open loop resonator bandpass filter with notch type antenna for the use in microwave applications. Chebyshev type filter is selected as the filter characteristics and cascaded design with the antenna to produce a single module, Integrated Filter Antenna (IFA). Special feature of the antenna is the implementation of notch on the patch antenna to improve the efficiency. IFA is then simulated in electromagnetic simulation tool, Agilent Advance Design System (ADS) version 2016 and measured using R&S Vector Network Analyzer. It shows that the proposed IFA produced good measured return loss >-30dB with both vertical and horizontal gain of 9.11dBi and 8.01dBi respectivel

Optimization of Plectranthus amboinicus (Lour.) Spreng Extraction Process using Microwave-Assisted Technique

Plectranthus amboinicus (Lour.) Spreng is a medicinal herb with bioactive compounds and known to have pharmacological properties. To obtain the extract of this herb, efficient extraction technique with high extraction rates is needed. Microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) is a green extraction technique with shorter irradiation time, less solvent used and lower CO2 emission compared to other conventional extraction methods. The objective of the study was to determine the optimum operating extraction condition of P. amboinicus using MAE by varying the irradiation time, solvent concentration and solvent-to-solid ratio to obtain optimum yield extract and conducted using response surface methodology (RSM). The extract obtained at optimum condition was characterized for its antioxidant properties. The RSM results show that the optimum condition of P. amboinicus extraction was at 2 min, 30 % ethanol concentration and solvent-to-solid ratio at 30 mL/g with yield extract obtained at 39.81 wt %. The result antioxidants activity of the P. amboinicus extract showed IC50 value of 4.63 mg/mL while the inhibition of DPPH radical scavenging activity from the trolox standard was 5.48 ± 0.77 mg trolox equivalents (TEQ)/g extract. The study proved MAE is a better alternative compared to conventional extraction method with 16.8 % higher yield and the extract of P. amboinicus can be potentially applied in healthcare and pharmaceutical industry

Optimisation of microwave-assisted encapsulation of black mulberry (morus nigra) extract

Black mulberry (Morus nigra) fruit extract contains high amounts of a bioactive compound known as anthocyanin. However, this compound is very sensitive to heat and light. Encapsulation is the most efficient method to protect the anthocyanin from harsh environments. In this study, a combination of gum Arabic and maltodextrin was used as wall materials to encapsulate black mulberry extract using a microwave-assisted technique. The main objective of this study was to optimise the microwave-assisted encapsulation of black mulberry to achieve an extract with the highest encapsulation efficiency (EE), total anthocyanin content (TAC), and antioxidant capacity (DPPH inhibition). The factors studied were material core-to-wall ratio (1:3-1:10), microwave power (450-630 W), and encapsulation time (2-4 min). The experiment followed a Face-Centred Central Composite Design. Based on the ANOVA results, only the core-to-wall ratio had a significant effect on EE, TAC, and DPPH while power only had a significant effect on DPPH. Based on the desirability function, the optimum encapsulation of black mulberry extract was 90.14 % EE, 23.03 mg/g dry basis TAC, and 85.37 % DPPH inhibition, obtained using the following microwave-assisted encapsulation parameters: core-to-wall ratio of 0.19 mL/mL, microwave power of 450 W, and time of 2.94 min

Microwave-assisted encapsulation of blue pea flower (clitoria ternatea) colourant: maltodextrin concentration, power, and time

Blue pea flower (BPF) is one of the natural anthocyanin colourant sources in the world used in food and cosmetic products. Natural colourants are unstable and thus must be encapsulated. The BPF colourant could retain its colour during storage via microwave-assisted encapsulation. This study evaluated the effect of maltodextrin concentration, microwave power, and encapsulation time on the stability of encapsulated BPF colourant. The colourant was extracted from the BPF via microwave-assisted extraction at 770 W for 1 min. For encapsulation, the concentration of the coating material, maltodextrin, was varied from 20 % to 50 %, a microwave power from (550 to 1100) W, and an encapsulation time from (6 to 8) min. The quality of the encapsulated BPF colourant powder was characterised by total anthocyanin content (TAC), the colour parameter index b* value, and the water activity value. A TAC of 27.03 mg/L, a colour parameter index b* value of -9, a water activity of 0.4941, and an encapsulation efficiency of 73.24 % were obtained when the microwave-assisted encapsulation process was performed using 40 % MD at 770 W for 7 min. With pH adjustment, the blue BPF colourant can be turned into other pigments. The findings of this study can be used as a future reference for developing BPF colourant powder using the microwave-assisted method