Characterization and Antioxidant Activity of Phenolic Extracts from Oil Palm (Elaeis Guineensis) Fruits

The extracted oil palm fruit phenolics were analysed using spectrophotometry methods to obtain information on the different types of oil palm phenolics and their antioxidative activities. Different methods were used to extract soluble free (SFP), insoluble-bound (ISBP) and esterified (EFP) phenolics for a better understanding of the types of phenolics present. TPC, TFC, ODPI and DPPH of oil palm phenolics were also monitored to investigate the possible relationships between these variables and the degree of maturity/ripeness of the oil palm fruit from 16 to 24 weeks. The antioxidant activities of oil palm phenolic extracts were analysed using different antioxidant assays, namely the 2,2-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) assay, 2,2-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay, the ferric-reducing ability (FRAP) assay, β-carotene bleaching assay (BCB) and the oxidative stability index (OSI). Results showed that oil palm phenolic extracts contained high antioxidant activities in the order of ISBP > EFP > SFP. Eight different phenolic acids were identified and quantified using a simple reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with a diode array detector (DAD) and liquid chromatography/ tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS). Gallic, protocatechuic, p-hydroxybenzoic, vanillic, caffeic, syringic, p-coumaric and ferulic acids were detected in oil palm phenolic extracts. Ferulic, p-hydroxybenzoic and p-coumaric acid were the dominant phenolic acids found in oil palm fruit extracts and ranged from 55 - 376 μg/g of DW. The results suggested the potent antioxidant activities of oil palm phenolic extracts and the presence of phenolic acids in palm fruits

Fatty acid composition of five Malaysian biscuits (cream crackers) with special reference to trans-fatty acids

The fatty acid composition and trans fatty acids (TFA) contents of samples of five Malaysian cream crackers biscuit brands were determined by gas-liquid chromatography, using a 60 m Supelco SP2340 fused silica capillary column and flame ionization detection. The identities of the fatty acids were established by comparing their retention times with authentic standards from Supelco. The results were expressed as relative percentages. The total saturated fatty acids (SFA) in the samples ranged from 48.90% to 54.87% of total fatty acids. As for the polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), the total PUFA in the samples ranged from 9.97% to 11.73% of total fatty acids. Total trans fatty acids (TFA) ranged from 0.17% to 0.77% of total fatty acids. The monotrans 18:2 tc or 18:2 ct isomer content ranged from 0.07% to 0.10% of total fatty acids and the ditrans 18:2 isomer (9t, 12t) was not detected. The results indicate that all the fat sources of the 5 sample crackers biscuit brands were palm oil based

Beneficial Effects of Jujube Juice Fermented by Lactobacillus plantarum NXU19009 on Acute Alcoholic Liver Injury in Mice

Red jujube (Ziziphus jujuba Mill.) is an important fruit that has the concomitant function of both medicine and food. It has been proven to be rich in various bioactive components. In the present study, jujube juice was fermented by Lactobacillus plantarum NXU19009 to enhance the flavor and nutritional benefits. Its potential for the prevention and treatment of acute alcohol induced-liver injury in mice was examined in this study. The results showed that the administration of the fermented jujube juice along with alcohol significantly decreased (p < 0.01) the liver indices, as well as the levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), total triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), and liver malondialdehyde (MDA) in the serum. In contrast, the levels of liver superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione (GSH) in mice administered with fermented jujube juice were found to increase significantly (p < 0.01). Furthermore, the administration of fermented jujube juice in mice was found to alter their intestinal microbiota and an improvement was observed based on the results obtained in the histopathology examination. Therefore, Jujube juice fermented by Lactobacillus plantarum NXU19009 protects against liver injury and may prove to be an effective supplement to attenuate acute alcoholic liver injury

Beneficial Effects of Jujube Juice Fermented by <i>Lactobacillus plantarum</i> NXU19009 on Acute Alcoholic Liver Injury in Mice

Red jujube (Ziziphus jujuba Mill.) is an important fruit that has the concomitant function of both medicine and food. It has been proven to be rich in various bioactive components. In the present study, jujube juice was fermented by Lactobacillus plantarum NXU19009 to enhance the flavor and nutritional benefits. Its potential for the prevention and treatment of acute alcohol induced-liver injury in mice was examined in this study. The results showed that the administration of the fermented jujube juice along with alcohol significantly decreased (p p Lactobacillus plantarum NXU19009 protects against liver injury and may prove to be an effective supplement to attenuate acute alcoholic liver injury

Extraction and characterization of gelatin derived from acetic acid-treated black soldier fly larvae

Gelatin is a low-cost and widely used soluble protein compound derived from collagen. Black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae (BSFL) are a potential alternative source of gelatin due to their high nutritional value. This study investigated the effect of acetic acid pretreatment concentration, time, and centrifugation speed on the yield of BSFL gelatin and characterized its physicochemical properties. BSFL gelatin extracted with 0.05 mol/L acetic acid for 3 h and centrifuged at 3000 × g (BSFL3) had the highest yield of 1.085%±0.2%. The BSFL3 gelatin had lower protein content and amino acids than commercial porcine gelatin, specifically proline and hydroxyproline. It also had a high melting temperature of 135.12±1.04 °C, viscosity of 1.69±0.05 mPa·s, and rough microstructure with low foaming properties. The BSFL gelatin is high in K (680/01 mg/kg) and contains less Na, Mg, Ca, and P. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) revealed that BSFL3 gelatin has high potassium content. The results suggest that BSFL gelatin can be used as a novel techno-functional ingredient in the food industry

Strategies to Enhance l‑Isoleucine Synthesis by Modifying the Threonine Metabolism Pathway in Escherichia coli

l-threonine as an important precursor substance of l-isoleucine and improving its accumulation in Escherichia coli became an important idea to construct a chassis strain with high l-isoleucine production. Meanwhile, the effect of l-threonine metabolic pathway disruption in E. coli for the improved production of l-isoleucine remains unrevealed. In the present study, a mutant strain of E. coli was engineered by inactivating specific metabolic pathways (e.g., Δtdh, ΔltaE, and ΔyiaY) that were associated with l-threonine metabolism but unrelated to l-isoleucine synthesis. This was done with the aim to reduce the breakdown of l-threonine and, thereby, increase the production of l-isoleucine. The results obtained demonstrated a 72.3% increment in l-isoleucine production from 4.34 to 7.48 g·L–1 in the mutant strain compared with the original strain, with an unexpected 10.3% increment in bacterial growth as measured at OD600. Transcriptome analysis was also conducted on both the mutant strain NXU102 and the original strain NXU101 in the present study to gain a comprehensive understanding of their physiological attributes. The findings revealed a notable disparity in 1294 genes between the two strains, with 658 genes exhibiting up-regulation and 636 genes displaying down-regulation. The activity of tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle-related genes was found to decrease, but oxidative phosphorylation-related genes were highly up-regulated, which explained the increased activity of the mutant strain. For instance, l-lysine catabolism-related genes were found to be up-regulated, which reconfigured the carbon flow into the TCA cycle. The augmentation of acetic acid degradation pathway-related genes assisted in the reduction in acetic acid accumulation that could retard cell growth. Notably, substantial up-regulation of the majority of genes within the aspartate pathway could potentially account for the increased production of l-isoleucine in the present study. In this paper, a chassis strain with an l-isoleucine yield of 7.48 g·L–1 was successfully constructed by cutting off the threonine metabolic pathway. Meanwhile, transcriptomic analysis revealed that the cutting off of the threonine metabolic pathway induced perturbation of genes related to the pathways associated with the synthesis of l-isoleucine, such as the tricarboxylic acid cycle, glycolysis, and aspartic acid pathway

A comparative evaluation of nutritional composition and antioxidant properties of six Malaysian edible seaweeds

Agriculture in the 21st century faces challenges in adopting efficient and sustainable production methods to feed the growing population. In this context, seaweed offers greater advantages over terrestrial plants. This study investigated the nutritional composition and antioxidant properties of six edible seaweeds found in Malaysia. The seaweeds studied were brown (Padina australis, Sargassum binderi, Sargassum polycystum), green (Caulerpa racemosa, Caulerpa sertularioides), and red (Garcilaria changgi) seaweeds. The moisture, ash, protein, fat, and total dietary fibre contents of the seaweeds were analysed according to the Association of Official Analytical Chemists methods. Total available carbohydrate content was assessed using the Clegg-anthrone method. Mineral, amino acid, and fatty acid contents were determined through atomic absorption spectroscopy, high-performance liquid chromatography, and gas chromatography methods, respectively. Results revealed that the seaweeds were all high in total dietary fibre (53.96–76.97 g/100 g dried weight, dw) and ash (4.46–18.53 g/100 g dw) whereas their fat (0.05–4.62 g/100 g dw) content was generally low. The brown seaweeds were good sources of calcium. Red seaweed G. changii had the highest content of essential amino acids whereas brown seaweed S. binderi had the highest polyunsaturated fatty acid and lowest saturated fatty acid contents. Fucoxanthin could only be detected in brown seaweeds. Methanolic extracts of seaweeds showed good antioxidant activities measured using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity (DPPH-RSA), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and trolox equivalent antioxidant activity (TEAC) assays. Overall, this study contributed knowledge on underexploited Malaysian seaweeds and proposed them as an alternative source of nutrients for humans to meet food security challenges

Clinical Characteristics and Long-Term Outcomes of Patients With Differing Haemoglobin Levels Undergoing Semi-Urgent and Elective Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in an Asian Population.

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to investigate the impact of anaemia on long-term clinical outcomes in patients who underwent semi-urgent and elective percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in an Asian population. Although the effects of anaemia on outcomes in Asian patients are well studied for acute coronary syndrome, its impact on Asian patients undergoing semi-urgent and elective PCI is unclear. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study of patients who underwent semi-urgent and elective PCI from January 1, 2014, to December 31, 2015, at a tertiary academic centre. A total of 1,685 patients were included. They were stratified into three groups: normal (≥12 g/dL), intermediate (10-11.9 g/dL), and low (<10 g/dL) haemoglobin levels. Demographics, risk factors, and end-points including the 5-point major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) (all-cause death, subsequent stroke, myocardial infarction, congestive cardiac failure, and target lesion revascularisation), cardiovascular death, and bleeding events were analysed. RESULTS: Patients in intermediate and low haemoglobin level groups were older with more comorbidities. Compared to the normal haemoglobin level group, low haemoglobin level group patients were associated with an increased risk of composite endpoints of all-cause death, subsequent stroke, myocardial infarction, congestive cardiac failure, and target lesion revascularisation [adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) 1.89, 95% confidence interval (CI):1.22, 2.92; p = 0.004]. This was driven by the increased risk of target lesions revascularisation observed in the low haemoglobin level group compared to the normal haemoglobin level group (aHR 17.74, 95% CI: 1.74, 180.80; p = 0.015). The patients in the low haemoglobin level group were also associated with a higher risk of bleeding events compared to the normal haemoglobin level group (aHR 7.18, 95% CI: 1.13, 45.40; p = 0.036). CONCLUSION: In our Asian cohort, patients with anaemia undergoing PCI were associated with a higher comorbid burden. Despite adjustments for comorbidities, these patients had higher mortality and worse cardiovascular outcomes following contemporary PCI