Comparison of liberica and arabica coffee: Chlorogenic acid, caffeine, total phenolic and DPPH radical scavenging activity

Information on the composition of chlorogenic acid, caffeine and antioxidant activity of Coffea liberica is scarce, albeit the importance of this species in some parts of the world. This study assessed the composition of chlorogenic acid, total phenolic, caffeine and free radical scavenging activity in green and roasted C. liberica in comparison to C. arabica. The compositions of these compounds were also investigated in C. liberica at different roasting degree. We found a comparable amount of chlorogenic acid in green C. liberica and C. arabica. However, roasted C. arabica had a significantly higher chlorogenic acid content than roasted C. liberica (p\u3c0.05). Chlorogenic acid content significantly reduced in C. liberica after roasting when compared to green beans (p\u3c0.05). There was an insignificant difference of caffeine content between the green and roasted beans of both coffee varieties. Total phenolic content were of comparable value between C. liberica and C. arabica for both green and roasted beans. There was a trend for higher total phenolic content in roasted C. liberica when compared to green beans, although significant difference was observed only in medium-dark roast (p\u3c0.05). DPPH scavenging activity was comparable between C. arabica and C. liberica for both green and roasted beans, and was significantly reduced in C. liberica after roasting (p\u3c0.05). Both green C. arabica and C. liberica had similar DPPH scavenging activity to the standards (BHT and a-tocopherol). These data can aid in promoting the production of C. liberica alongside C. arabica that has been regarded as a premium quality coffee

Antibiotic susceptibility, antibacterial activity and probiotic characterisation of isolated Lactobacillus brevis strains from Heterotrigona itama honey

Heterotrigona itama (Family: Apidae, Tribe: Meliponini, Genus: Trigona) is one of the stingless bee in Meliponiculture in Malaysia. H. itama honey is reported to be a good reservoir for novel lactic acid bacteria (LAB) with probiotic properties. In this study, five Lactobacillus brevis strains (strain Ibr-42, strain 37901, strain ATCC 367, strain NJ42 and strain KLDS) were previously isolated and identified from H. itama honey obtained from local stingless beekeepers in the coastal areas in Kelantan and Terengganu, were evaluated for antibiotic resistance, antibacterial activity, resistance to low pH, tolerance to bile salts and haemolytic activity. The results indicated that all five strains of L. brevis were susceptible to chloramphenicol, ampicillin, erythromycin, and tetramycin, but resistant to kanamycin. In terms of antagonistic activity among L. brevis, it was found antagonistic activity was minimum. For antibacterial activities of these strains against selected foodborne pathogenic bacteria by well diffusion method, L. brevis strain NJ42 exhibited the highest inhibition (24 mm) against Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 15442. All Lactobacillus strains from H. itama honey were able to survive in pH 2 and 0.3% (w/v) bile salts concentration that mimic the conditions in the gastrointestinal system. The inability of L. brevis strains to exhibit β- haemolytic activity showing that haemolysis is not the virulence factor for these strains. These findings proved the isolated L. brevis in H. itama honey could be used as potential probiotic, envisaging its potential as one of functional foods for food industry

Sustainable aquafeed development: Incorporating select fruit wastes into Zebrafish diets using mathematical model-based approach

Expensive aquafeed is a major problem in aquaculture, creating the need for a low-cost feed that provides ideal nutritional requirement to maximize growth performances. This study aims to formulate and evaluate two new optimized Zebrafish feeds (F1 and F2) using linear programming mathematical model, one of which incorporates two pigment rich fruit wastes (Pitaya peel and Roselle calyx) in the formulation. The model represents nutritional content and cost of each ingredient into linear equations, with the goal of finding ideal combination that satisfies the specific nutrient requirements. By systematically evaluating ingredient proportions, linear programming ensures that Zebrafish receives adequate nutrients at the lowest possible cost, making the feed development process more efficient and cost-effective. The novel feed formulations derived from the mathematical model were tested on the growth and pigmentation of Zebrafish in comparison to a commercial feed (control). Feed intake of F1 and F2 were generally found to be similar to the control feed, indicating the acceptability of the formulated feeds by the Zebrafish. Body weight and length of Zebrafish fed with F1 and F2 were comparable to Zebrafish fed with control feed (p > 0.05). Similarly, Zebrafish fed with F1 and F2 showed no significant differences in pigment intensity compared to Zebrafish fed with control feed (p > 0.05). The survival rate of fishes in all feeding groups were greater than 70 % with no significant differences (p > 0.05). Results obtained in this study illustrated the potential of mathematic linear programming and effectiveness of utilising pigment-rich fruit wastes in formulating an optimized economic aquafeed

Cheese containing probiotic Lactobacillus brevis NJ42 isolated from stingless bee honey reduces weight gain, fat accumulation, and glucose intolerance in mice

Background: The high occurrence of metabolic syndrome has driven a growing demand for natural resource-based therapeutic strategies, highlighting their potential efficacy in addressing the complexities of this condition. Probiotics are established to be useful in the prevention and treatment of diabetes and obesity. However, limited exploration exists regarding the application of the isolated Lactobacillus strain from stingless bee honey as a probiotic within dairy products, such as cheese. This study investigated the effect of a high-fat diet supplemented with cheese containing probiotic bacteria (Lactobacillus brevis strain NJ42) isolated from Heterotrigona itama honey (PCHFD) on the symptoms of metabolic disorder in C57BL/6 mice. Methods and results: Body weight, glucose intolerance, insulin resistance, and fat accumulation were measured during 12 weeks of feeding and compared to mice fed with a normal chow (NC) and high-fat diet (HFD). Over a 12-week feeding period, PCHFD-fed mice exhibited substantial reductions in several metabolic syndrome-associated features. They had a lower rate of weight gain (p = 0.03) than the HFD-fed mice. Additionally, they displayed a notable 39.2% decrease in gonadal fat mass compared to HFD-fed mice (p = 0.003). HFD-fed mice showed impaired glucose tolerance when compared to NC-fed mice (p = 0.00). Conversely, PCHFD-fed mice showed a reduction in glucose intolerance to a level close to that of the NC-fed mice group (p = 0.01). These positive effects extended to reductions in hepatic steatosis and adipocyte hypertrophy. Conclusion: These results indicated that L. brevis strain NJ42, isolated from H. itama honey, is a prospective probiotic to lower the risk of developing metabolic syndrome features induced by a high-fat diet. These positive findings suggest the prospect of enriching commonly consumed dietary components such as cheese with probiotic attributes, potentially offering an accessible means to alleviating the symptoms of metabolic diseases