Effect of fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.) and coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) on microbial quality and sensory acceptability of frozen paratha

Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.) and coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) are known to possess good antimicrobial properties. In the present work, spice-infused frozen parathas were formulated to investigate the effect of fennel and coriander on microbial (aerobic mesophilic bacteria, yeast and mould, and Bacillus cereus) reduction and sensory acceptability of frozen paratha throughout the storage at -18°C. The present work was also aimed at determining the relationship between spice concentrations and storage durations on microbiological quality of the samples. Fennel and coriander seed powder were used at concentrations of 2, 4 and 6% of wheat flour (w/w). The microbiological analysis was performed by total plate count, yeast and mould count, and Bacillus cereus count after 9, 12 and 15 weeks of storage. Sensory evaluation was conducted using hedonic scales at the end of storage durations. Results showed that spice infusion in frozen paratha significantly delayed the growth of aerobic mesophilic bacteria, yeasts and moulds, and Bacillus cereus during storage. The lowest log count was demonstrated by coriander at 6% in total plate count (3.85, 3.90 and 3.91 log10 CFU/g), and yeast and mould count (2.54, 2.59 and 2.60 log10 CFU/g) after 9, 12 and 15 weeks, respectively. Bacillus cereus was not detected throughout the storage durations. Fennel exhibited minimum activity against Bacillus cereus with no significant difference on log count reduction when compared with control. Coriander showed the highest decrease in both total plate count and Bacillus cereus count during the storage duration. Sensory evaluation result indicated that control sample exhibited the highest preference over all attributes when compared with fennel and coriander. Coriander-infused paratha was slightly darker in colour due to high concentration of 6%. Fennel yielded the lowest score in terms of taste among all samples. Fennel and coriander showed no significant difference for sensory acceptability. Overall, all frozen parathas were in good quality after 15 weeks of frozen storage. It can thus be concluded that fennel and coriander can be used as potential natural preservatives to inhibit the growth of microorganisms in paratha during frozen storage. Nevertheless, the optimum spice concentration should be determined to minimise the effects on the sensory attributes

The Effects of Sintering Temperature on Densification and Mechanical Properties of Hydroxyapatite/Sodium Alginate Biocomposites

Hydroxyapatite (HA) has been studied for their excellent performances which are suitable for use in bone defects or regeneration of bone. Hydroxyapatite (HA) has poor mechanical properties which make it limited used in a load bearing area. In this case, sodium alginate (SA) was used to be mixed with hydroxyapatite (HA) by using precipitation method to increase the mechanical and physical properties. The mixing of hydroxyapatite/sodium alginate effectively increases the densification and hardness of hydroxyapatite. It could contribute to the development of the artificial implants of hydroxyapatite (HA) for bone implants applications in load bearing area. The behaviors during densification were studied together with the mechanical properties of samples. The influence of mixed powder and the sintering temperature on densification, microstructure and mechanical properties of hydroxyapatite (HA)/sodium alginate (SA) composite were studied. The maximum density were attained by 99.5/0.5% (HA/SA) at 1.47g/cm3 and 1.82g/cm3 for both temperature 1000°C and 1100°C respectively while, the maximum values of hardness were also attained by 99.5/0.5% for temperature 1000°C and 1100°C at 0.053GPa and 0.266GPa respectively

The Effects of Sintering Temperature on Densification and Mechanical Properties of Hydroxyapatite/Sodium Alginate Biocomposites

Hydroxyapatite (HA) has been studied for their excellent performances which are suitable for use in bone defects or regeneration of bone. Hydroxyapatite (HA) has poor mechanical properties which make it limited used in a load bearing area. In this case, sodium alginate (SA) was used to be mixed with hydroxyapatite (HA) by using precipitation method to increase the mechanical and physical properties. The mixing of hydroxyapatite/sodium alginate effectively increases the densification and hardness of hydroxyapatite. It could contribute to the development of the artificial implants of hydroxyapatite (HA) for bone implants applications in load bearing area. The behaviors during densification were studied together with the mechanical properties of samples. The influence of mixed powder and the sintering temperature on densification, microstructure and mechanical properties of hydroxyapatite (HA)/sodium alginate (SA) composite were studied. The maximum density were attained by 99.5/0.5% (HA/SA) at 1.47g/cm3 and 1.82g/cm3 for both temperature 1000°C and 1100°C respectively while, the maximum values of hardness were also attained by 99.5/0.5% for temperature 1000°C and 1100°C at 0.053GPa and 0.266GPa respectively