Metal toxicity and environmental effects on health: a study report on mineral and heavy metal contents of different Malaysian fish species

Abstract: This paper discusses effects of metal toxicity and environmental on health and followed by a study report on mineral and heavy metal contents of fish conducted in Malaysia as an example. Fish, a part of being a good source of digestible protein vitamins, minerals and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), are also an important source of heavy metals. Some of the metals found in the fish might be essential as they play important role in biological system of the fish as well as in human being, some of them may also be toxic as might cause a serious damage in human health even in trace amount at certain limit. A comprehensive study was conducted to fishes collected in Langkawi Island, a popular tourism destination in Malaysia and the overall findings revealed that from the human health point of view, fin fish found in the coastal areas of the island are safe for the consumption. The mineral and heavy metal contents are within the allowable limit of consumption

Fish gelatin nanoparticles and their food applications: a review

Considerable attention has been directed to nanoparticles based on gelatin biopolymer due to its numerous available active group sites for attaching target molecules and acting as a drug or nutraceutical delivery system aiming to improve the therapeutic effects and also to reduce the side effects of formulated drugs as gelatin is a natural biodegradable biocompatible polymer, nontoxic, readily available, cheap and is used in parental formulations. With mammalian gelatin (pig and cow) as the major source of gelatin production, alternatives are required due to socio cultural and health concerns to maintain halal status. This paper aims at reviewing fish skin gelatin from warm water species which can provide a potential alternative source of gelatin with almost the same rheological properties as mammalian gelatin and is a beneficial way to use fish waste such as skin, bones and fin which is generally discarded. The study also entails a lot of research being done in the field of nanoencapsulation of gelatin with various nutraceuticals as well as drug and gene therapy. There is an especially increasing interest in encapsulating biopeptides within gelatin nanoparticles in the functional food industry due to their role in preventing or delaying the onset of various diseases, food fortification, improvement of food quality, increase in shelf life, targeted peptide delivery and hence can be used as additives in food products. This review also attempts to provide an overview of the application of gelatin nanoparticles in nanoencapsulation in food industr

An overview of the current analytical methods for halal testing

The objective of this paper is to review all the methods that have been developed in the authentication of halal food products, including those developed in our institute. The need for proper control and monitoring of authenticity of food is a serious matter to the authority and the food manufacturers. Strong commitment and continuous support from the government through various agencies would ensure the integrity of the food itself, in terms of both safety and quality. Islamic food laws are based on cleanliness, sanitation, and purity. Hence, the importance of establishing laboratories and using analytical techniques (methods) of authenticity in food for ensuring food safety and protecting consumers from fraud and deception as well as for product recall purposes. Laboratory data may help define the overall scope of work, levels of worker protection, and remediation and disposal methods. Instrumental methods in detection of contamination and/or adulterants in food would clarify any doubt to Muslims, and information can be disseminated for consumer transparency giving better trust and confidence to the authority

Rapid detection of ethanol in beverages using IIUM-fabricated electronic nose

This study has been successfully conducted to develop a method for rapid detection of ethanol (EtOH) concentration in beverages using portable electronic nose (E-Nose) developed by International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM). E-Nose is widely used in food analysis. However, E-Noses used in food industry are big and not portable. The very recently-developed portable device used in this study is very handy and practical for use. Results from this study revealed that the device could be used for rapid detection of ethanol concentration in various beverages such as alcoholic beverages, isotonic drinks, soft drinks and fruit juices from different brands sold in Malaysia. From the result obtained, it was shown that the device has high accuracy and reliability where it could detect ethanol concentration as low as 0.1% (v/v). The analytical condition for the detection was achieved with the lowest voltage output of 0.43V. While for optimization analysis using Response Surface Methodology (RSM), optimum Headspace Generated Time (HGT) and bottle’s volume (mL) obtained are 0.66h and 100mL, respectively

Optimization of essential oil and fucoxanthin extraction from Sargassum binderi by Supercritical Carbon Dioxide (SC-CO2 ) extraction with ethanol as co-solvent Using Response Surface Methodology (RSM)

Supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2) extraction of fucoxanthin is more advantageous over conventional solvent extraction as it is less toxic, less hazardous to the environment and preserves the bioactivity of fucoxanthin. A face-centered central composite design (FCCCD) based on response surface methodology (RSM) was employed for SC-CO2 extraction of oils and fucoxanthin from the brown seaweed Sargassum binderi, with ethanol as a co- solvent. Three independent parameters namely, extraction temperature (A: 40, 50, 60oC), pressure (B: 2900, 3625, 4350 psig and particle size (C: 90, 500 and 1000 µm) were investigated to optimize extraction oil yields (EOY) and fucoxanthin yields (FY). A regression model was developed, tested for quality of fit (R2) and expressed in the form of 3D response surface curve and 2D contour. The optimum extraction conditions were obtained at extraction temperature (A) 50oC, pressure (B) 3625 psig and particle size (C) 500 µm. Under these conditions, optimal EOY and FY were 10.04 mg/g and 3188.99 µg/g, respectively. The difference between the lowest and the highest response in EOY and FY were 5.44 – 10.04 mg/g and 2109.10 - 3188.90 µg/g, respectively. The lowest yields were identified at 60oC, 2900 psig and 1000 µm. The regression models generated showing interactions between the variables and EOY and FY response were significant as tested by ANOVA (p < 0.0005 and p < 0.0007, respectively) with high R2 values (0.9848 and 0.9829, respectively). Interactions between the parameters had a strong synergistic effect on EOY and FY values, as indicated by the 3D response surface curve and 2D contour. The experimental results matched the predicted results closely. This indicated the suitability of the models developed and the success of FCCCD under RSM in optimizing the S. binderi extraction conditions

Structural characteristics of camel-bone gelatin by demineralization and extraction

Camel bone was demineralized through HCl acidulation process at different concentrations (0.0%, 1.5%, 3.0%, and 6.0%) over 1–5 days. The level of demineralization was acid concentration and soaking time dependent. Highest demineralization (62.0%) was recorded in bone sample treated with 6.0% dilute acid for 5 days. Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) elemental analysis revealed reduction in Ca and increase in N and H, while O remains unaffected. Particulate characteristics by scanning electron microscope showed an increased surface roughness of bone after demineralization. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) analysis of ossein depicted the presence of functional group similar to that of bone protein (collagen). Statistical optimization by central composite design (CCD) revealed a significant quadratic model for optimum values of extraction temperature, pH, and extraction time. The highest gelatin yield from camel bone was 23.66% at optimum extraction condition (71.87°C, pH 5.26, and 2.58 h) and the bloom was 205.74 g. Camel bone is suitable for production of gelatin with good potentials in food and nonfood applications. © 2017 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC

Optimization and formulation of Fucoxanthin-Loaded Microsphere (F-LM) using Response Surface Methodology (RSM) and analysis of its fucoxanthin release profile

Fucoxanthin has interesting anticancer activity, but is insoluble in water, hindering its use as a drug. Microencapsulation is used as a technique for improving drug delivery. This study aimed to formulate fucoxanthin-loaded microspheres (F-LM) for anticancer treatment of H1299 cancer cell lines and optimize particle size (PS) and encapsulation efficiency (EE). Using response surface methodology (RSM), a face centered central composite design (FCCCD) was designed with three factors: Polyvinylalcohol (PVA), poly(D,L-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA), and fucoxanthin concentration. F-LM was produced using a modified double-emulsion solvent evaporation method. The F-LM were characterized for release profile, release kinetics, and degradation pattern. Optimal F-LM PS and EE of 9.18 µm and 33.09%, respectively, with good surface morphology, were achieved from a 0.5% (w/v) PVA, 6.0% (w/v) PLGA, 200 µg/mL fucoxanthin formulation at a homogenization speed of 20,500 rpm. PVA concentration was the most significant factor (p < 0.05) affecting PS. Meanwhile, EE was significantly affected by interaction between the three factors: PVA, PLGA, and fucoxanthin. In vitro release curve showed fucoxanthin had a high burst release (38.3%) at the first hour, followed by a sustained release stage reaching (79.1%) within 2 months. Release kinetics followed a diffusion pattern predominantly controlled by the Higuchi model. Biodegradability studies based on surface morphology changes on the surface of the F-LM, show that morphology changed within the first hour, and F-LM completely degraded within 2 months. RSM under FCCCD design improved the difference between the lowest and highest responses, with good correlation between observed and predicted values for PS and EE of F-LM

The authentication of Halal dental materials using rapid Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy

The purpose of this study is to detect the presence of gelatin in orthodontic dental materials for halal authentication. The detection of gelatins was done using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy with Attenuated Total Reflectance (FTIR-ATR). In this study, 21 samples were included and the spectrums were generated by OMNIC software of Nicolet iS50 FTIR. All data were also subjected to similarity match (SM) using TQ Analyst software. Four types of gelatin tested, namely porcine, bovine, fish and commercialized gelatin. From the studies, it was found that no samples exhibit similar spectra as the gelatins tested and SM found that no samples showed 100% similarities with porcine gelatin

The development of rapid method for detection of ethanol in mouthwash using E-Nose

The purpose of this study is to check for ethanol (EtOH) content in mouthwash products sold in Malaysia market using portable electronic-nose (E-Nose). For this study, 20 mouthwashes were tested with nine of the samples contain EtOH as part of its ingredients. The problem with those products is that it does not disclose the concentration of the EtOH as part of its labelling. This is important since long-term use of ethanol-containing mouthwash may result in adverse health effect to the consumer. The process parameters used in this study was optimized using Response Surface Methodology (RSM), with strong relations between actual and predicted sensor response yield correlation of determination, R2 of 0.9756. Optimum process parameters generated by Design Expert 7.1.5 showed that the optimum volume for EtOH sample was 5.84 mL for 1.45 min time of detection. While for screening process, it was found that from the detection of alcohol-free mouthwash using portable E-Nose, no alcohol content detected with ‘alcohol free’ was displayed on the LCD screen of the device. However, 9 out of 10 mouthwash samples that have no ‘alcohol free’ label on the products contain more than 10% (v/v) EtOH. Hence, this study had successfully optimized the process parameters and screened the mouthwashes sold in Malaysia market for the presence of EtOH

Fabrication of Fucoxanthin-Loaded Microsphere ( F-LM) by two steps double-emulsion solvent evaporation methods and characterization of fucoxanthin before and after microencapsulation

Microencapsulation is a promising approach in drug delivery to protect the drug from degradation and allow controlled release of the drug in the body. Fucoxanthin-loaded microsphere (F-LM) was fabricated by two step w/o/w double emulsion solvent evaporation method with poly (L-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) as carrier. The effect of four types of surfactants (PVA, Tween-20, Span-20 and SDS), homogenization speed, and concentration of PLGA polymer and surfactant (PVA), respectively, on particle size and morphology of F-LM were investigated. Among the surfactants tested, PVA showed the best results with smallest particle size (9.18 µm) and a smooth spherical surface. Increasing the homogenization speed resulted in a smaller mean F-LM particle size [d(0.50)] from 17.12 to 9.18 µm. Best particle size results and good morphology were attained at homogenization speed of 20 500 rpm. Meanwhile, increased PLGA concentration from 1.5 to 11.0 (% w/v) resulted in increased F-LM particle size. The mean particle size [d(0.5)] of F-LM increased from 3.93 to 11.88 µm. At 6.0 (% w/v) PLGA, F-LM showed the best structure and external morphology. Finally, increasing PVA concentration from 0.5 to 3.5 (% w/v) resulted in decreased particle size from 9.18 to 4.86 µm. Fucoxanthin characterization before and after microencapsulation was carried out to assess the success of the microencapsulation procedure. Thermo gravimetry analysis (TGA), glass transition (Tg) temperature of F-LM and fucoxanthin measured using DSC, ATR-FTIR and XRD indicated that fucoxanthin was successfully encapsulated into the PLGA matrix, while maintaining the structural and chemical integrity of fucoxanthin