A comparison of chemical compositions in Kelulut honey from different regions = Perbandingan komposisi kimia dalam madu kelulut dari kawasan berbeza

Kelulut honey (KH) is honey produced by stingless bees (Trigona spp.) found in Malaysia. This study investigated the difference inherent in the chemical composition of kelulut honey collected from the east coast, and the central and northern regions of Peninsular Malaysia. Total sugar content, individual sugar content, total phenolics, total flavonoids, ascorbic acid, ascorbic acid equivalent antioxidant content (AEAC), and proline content were determined. Sugar analysis revealed that kelulut honey contained 62.33-79.53 g/100g of total sugar, with maltose as the predominant sugar (15.85-37.74 g/100g), followed by fructose (9.91-53.64 g/100g), glucose (10.96-25.04 g/100g), and sucrose (0.54-3.48 g/100g). The results indicate that total flavonoids (78.95±0.70 mg QE/kg) and phenolics (1149.48±40.52 mg GAE/kg) were the highest in honey from the east coast region. The proline and ascorbic acid content were less likely to be affected by geographical factors. Kelulut honey possesses a unique sugar profile that may contribute to its unique taste. In conclusion, the geographical and floral origin of honey are the two most important factors that fundamentally affect the physical-chemical properties of honey samples

Fatty acid composition of selected street foods commonly available in Malaysia

Despite growing evidence of increased saturated and trans fat contents in street foods, little is known about their fatty acid (FA) compositions. This study aimed to analyse the saturated fatty acids (SFAs), monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), and trans fatty acids (TFAs) content of 70 selected and most commonly available street foods in Malaysia. The street foods were categorised into main meals, snacks, and desserts. TFAs were not detected in any of the street foods. Descriptively, all three categories mainly contained SFAs, followed by MUFAs, and PUFAs. However, the one-way ANOVA testing showed that the differences between each category were insignificant (p > 0.05), and each FA was not significantly different (p > 0.05) from one to another. Nearly half of the deep-fried street foods contained medium to high SFAs content (1.7 g/100 g-24.3 g/100 g), while the MUFAs were also high (32.0-44.4%). The Chi-square test of association showed that the type of preparation methods (low or high fat) used was significantly associated (p < 0.05) with the number of SFAs. These findings provide valuable information about fat composition in local street foods for the Malaysian Food Composition Database and highlight the urgency to improve nutritional composition

Street Food in Malaysia: What Are the Sodium Levels?

Street food is a major source of food in middle- and low-income countries as it is highly accessible and inexpensive. However, it is usually perceived as unhealthy due to the high levels of sodium, sugar, and fat content. However, there is little analytical data on the sodium levels in the street foods of Malaysia. This study started with a survey to determine the most frequently available street foods in every state in Malaysia, followed by food sampling and the analysis of sodium (reported mg/100 g sample). Street food in the snack category contained the highest amount of sodium (433 mg), followed by main meals (336.5 mg) and desserts (168 mg). Approximately 30% of the local street food in this study was deep-fried. Snacks from processed food (8%) contained high sodium content (500–815 mg). Fried noodles and noodle soup contained the highest amount of sodium (>2000 mg sodium) based on per serving. Most main dishes that use a variety of sauces contained high amounts of sodium. These findings were recorded in the Malaysian Food Composition Database. Moreover, this study could raise awareness and serve as baseline data for future interventions on the sodium content in the street foods of Malaysia

Perceptions, barriers and enablers on salt reduction in the out-of-home sectors in Malaysia (MySaltOH) from the perspective of street food vendors, caterers and consumers

Abstract Objective: To explore the perspectives, barriers and enablers on salt reduction in out-of-home sectors in Malaysia among street food vendors, caterers and consumers. Design: A qualitative study involving twenty-two focus group discussions and six in-depth interviews was conducted, recorded and transcribed verbatim. An inductive thematic analysis approach was employed to analyse the data. Setting: Two in-depth interviews and twenty-two focus group discussions were conducted face-to-face. Four in-depth interviews were conducted online. Participants: Focus group discussions were conducted among twenty-three street food vendors, twenty-one caterers and seventy-six consumers of various eateries. In-depth interviews were conducted among two street food vendors and four caterers, individually. Results: Consumers and food operators perceived a high-salt intake within Malaysia’s out-of-home food sectors. Food operators emphasised the necessity for a comprehensive salt reduction policy in the out-of-home sector involving all stakeholders. Consumers faced limited awareness and knowledge, counterproductive practices among food operators and challenges in accessing affordable low-Na food products, whereas food operators faced the lack of standardised guidelines and effective enforcement mechanisms and uncooperative consumer practices. Both groups expressed that food quality and price of salt were also the barriers, and they advocated for awareness promotion, enhanced regulation of manufactured food products and stricter enforcement targeting vendors. Consumers also suggested promoting and recognising health-conscious food premises, whereas food operators suggested on knowledge enhancement tailored to them, strategies for gaining consumers acceptance and maintaining food quality. Conclusions: These findings provide valuable insights that serve as foundational evidence for developing and implementing salt reduction policies within Malaysia’s out-of-home sectors