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This study explored the performance and physiological responses of three commercially used peanut cultivars in Australian farming systems under ambient and elevated CO2 conditions, aiming to identify the most suitable genotype for dual-purpose (grain and graze) cropping experiments. The experiment utilized an open-top chamber (OTC) facility to regulate CO2 concentrations. The elevated CO2 (EC) treatment targeted approximately 650 ± 50 µmol mol−1, while both ambient CO2 (AC) and control plots operated at a concentration of approximately 400 µmol mol−1. Notably, control plots without chambers served as a reference for current CO2 and environmental conditions. In contrast, despite having the same ambient CO2 concentration, AC plots were enclosed in chambers, allowing for plant growth comparisons with EC plots with the same environmental conditions aside from CO2 levels. The analyses revealed significant effects of CO2 enrichment on peanut plants. In particular, the EC treatment led to enhanced photosynthetic rates (20% in Kairi, 31% in Holt, and 19% in Alloway), alongside reduced stomatal conductance (−55% in Kairi, −32% in Holt, and −40% in Alloway), transpiration, and increased water use efficiency compared to AC conditions. Elevated CO2 levels positively influenced pod yields in Kairi (+41%) and Alloway (+36%). However, CO2 enrichment did not significantly alter the protein content, total phenolic content, cupric-reducing antioxidant capacity, and ferric-reducing antioxidant power of peanut plant material. Furthermore, no significant differences were observed in the phytochemical composition among the three cultivars under ambient or elevated CO2 conditions. On the other hand, analysis of the fibre structure conducted on peanut stover harvested at plant maturity suggested potential declines in feedstock quality. Based on the findings of this research, further investigations and testing, including simulated grazing trials, will be carried out to identify a single breed line suitable for dual-purpose management under future elevated CO2 conditions.

Sesame is an emerging crop of interest in Australia and has attracted widespread interest due to the health-benefitting properties of its bioactive compounds, including fatty acids, lignans, and polyphenols. This study aimed to investigate the impact of drought stress on these bioactive compounds, using eleven cultivars of black sesame seeds grown in Australia. Specific varieties responded positively to water deficit (WD) conditions, showing increased levels of TPC, FRAP, CUPRAC, and lignans. Varieties 1, 4, 7, and 12 showed significantly increased FRAP values ranging from 158.02 ± 10.43 to 195.22 ± 9.63 mg TE/100 g DW in the WD treatment compared to the well-watered (WW) treatment, whereas varieties 7, 10, 12, 13, and 18 demonstrated the highest CUPRAC values of all varieties (2584.86 ± 99.68–2969.56 ± 159.72 mg TE/100 g) across both WW and WD conditions, with no significant variations between irrigation regimes. Moreover, lignan contents (sesamin and sesamolin) were higher in varieties 1, 2, 5, and 8 grown in WD conditions. Compared to the optimal unsaturated to saturated fatty acid ratio (Σ UFA/Σ SFA ratio) of 0.45, all sesame genotypes showed superior ratios (ranging between 1.86 and 2.34). Moreover, the ω-6/ω-3 PUFA ratio varied from 33.7–65.5, with lower ratios in varieties 2, 4, 5, 8, and 18 under WD conditions. The high levels of phenolic compounds and healthy fats suggest the potential of black sesame to be incorporated into diets as a functional food. Furthermore, the enhanced phytochemistry of these cultivars in WD conditions is promising for widespread adoption. However, larger trial studies to confirm these findings across different geographic locations and seasons are warranted.

Bioprospecting native Australian plants offers the potential discovery of latent and novel bioactive compounds. The promising cytotoxic and antibacterial activity of methanolic extracts of Pittosporum angustifolium and Terminalia ferdinandiana led to further fractionation and isolation using our laboratory’s bioassay-guided fractionation protocol. Hence, the aim of this study was to further evaluate the bioactivity of the fractions and subfractions and characterize bioactive compounds using liquid chromatography mass spectroscopy (LC-MS/MS) and gas chromatography MS (GC-MS). Compounds tentatively identified in P. angustifolium Fraction 1 using LC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS were chlorogenic acid and/or neochlorogenic acid, bergapten, berberine, 8′-epitanegool and rosmarinic acid. GC-MS analysis data showed the presence of around 100 compounds, mainly comprising carboxylic acids, sugars, sugar alcohols, amino acids and monoalkylglycerols. Furthermore, the fractions obtained from T. ferdinandiana flesh extracts showed no cytotoxicity, except against HT29 cell lines, and only Fraction 2 exhibited some antibacterial activity. The reduced bioactivity observed in the T. ferdinandiana fractions could be attributed to the potential loss of synergy as compounds become separated within the fractions. As a result, the further fractionation and separation of compounds in these samples was not pursued. However, additional dose-dependent studies are warranted to validate the bioactivity of T. ferdinandiana flesh fractions, particularly since this is an understudied species. Moreover, LC-MS/GC-MS studies confirm the presence of bioactive compounds in P. angustifolium Fraction 1/subfractions, which helps to explain the significant acute anticancer activity of this plant. The screening process designed in this study has the potential to pave the way for developing scientifically validated phytochemical/bioactivity information on ethnomedicinal plants, thereby facilitating further bioprospecting efforts and supporting the discovery of novel drugs in modern medicine.

Tebuthiuron is a selective herbicide for woody species and is commonly manufactured and sold as a granular formulation. This project investigated the use of infrared spectroscopy for the quality analysis of tebuthiuron granules, specifically the prediction of moisture content and tebuthiuron content. A comparison of different methods showed that near-infrared spectroscopy showed better results than mid-infrared spectroscopy, while a handheld NIR instrument (MicroNIR) showed slightly improved results over a benchtop NIR instrument (Antaris II FT-NIR Analyzer). The best-performing models gave an R2CV of 0.92 and RMSECV of 0.83% w/w for moisture content, and R2CV of 0.50 and RMSECV of 7.5 mg/g for tebuthiuron content. This analytical technique could be used to optimise the manufacturing process and reduce the costs of post-manufacturing quality assurance.

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is a significant pulse crop in Australia, with an industry value of over AUD 1.3 billion. However, there are few studies investigating the levels of health-benefiting constituents in desi chickpeas and the impacts of variety, growing location, and season on these constituents. This study aimed to study the levels of health-benefiting constituents in desi chickpeas, including 97 samples of Australian desi chickpeas, comprising 18 varieties, grown in a range of field trials across four Victorian locations and three growing seasons. Various physical characteristics and phytochemical compositions were determined in the samples, including 100-seed weight, colour, moisture content, total phenolic content (TPC), ferric-reducing antioxidant potential (FRAP), cupric-reducing antioxidant potential (CUPRAC), and total monomeric anthocyanin content (TMAC). The screening results showed a significant difference in TPC, TMAC, and FRAP among different desi varieties, suggesting there may be variation in their potential health benefits. Furthermore, the growing location and growing season significantly impacted all analytes. Correlation analysis revealed a number of significant correlations, including a moderate positive correlation between the b* colour and the antioxidant capacity and total phenolic content. This work provides the first detailed insight into the range of phenolic and antioxidant contents found in Australian desi chickpeas and the impact that genotype, location, and season can have.

Consumers are showing increasing awareness of the concept of ‘functional foods’: foods that can provide health benefits in addition to their nutritional value. There is particular demand for foods with a high antioxidant and phenolic content, which may improve cardiovascular health, reduce inflammation, and slow or prevent the onset of chronic, non-communicable diseases. However, there is a lack of comprehensive databases using consistent analytical protocols to analyze the antioxidant and phenolic content of different food types, particularly in regional areas such as Australia. Over the past four years, our laboratory has analyzed over 1000 food-related samples using several antioxidant capacity assays (ferric reducing antioxidant power—FRAP—and cupric reducing antioxidant capacity—CUPRAC), as well as the total phenolic content (TPC) using the Folin–Ciocalteu method. Here, we provide a summary of these data by different food types to inform researchers, policy planners, nutritionists, and consumers about the typical levels of antioxidants and total phenolics found across a range of Australian foodstuffs, particularly grains. The highest antioxidant and phenolic contents were typically found in native Australian fruits, while grains, nuts, and non-native fruits showed lower antioxidant and phenolic contents. Spices, processed foodstuffs, and non-fruit native Australian foods showed an intermediate content. Furthermore, medicinally used plants showed a much higher phenolic content and antioxidant capacity compared to non-medicinal plants. Finally, we present correlations between the various analytes.

Three peanut genotypes were cultivated under ambient and elevated CO2 conditions. Elevated CO2 treatment was associated with higher total phenolic content (TPC) values in the shoots and roots of all genotypes. Seeds showed lower levels of TPC compared to the other plant tissue, showing a decline in all three genotypes, and no differences between the CO2 treatments were observed. The Crude Protein (CP) content in seeds varied significantly among the genotypes, and elevated CO2 treatment was associated with mild increases (not significant) in CP of 4 and 6% in Holt and Alloway cultivars, respectively. It is worth mentioning that Kairi contained the highest CP content under elevated CO2 (29%).

Nigella sativa, an annual herbaceous flowering plant of the Ranunculaceae family, is considered an important medicinal plant due to the presence of several bioactive compounds in its seeds, including both volatile and non-volatile compounds. The cultivation of numerous genotypes of N. sativa is seen in different parts of the world with varying compositions of such chemical compounds. Since the variation in composition determines the quality grade of the seeds, this study was carried out to explore the compositional variation of twelve different genotypes of N. sativa cultivated in Central Queensland, Australia. The results showed total phenolic content (TPC), FRAP and CUPRAC (antioxidants), and thymoquinone in the range of 291–529 mg GAE/100 g DW, 703–966 mg TE/100 g DW, 2533–3416 mg TE/100 g DW, and 219–349 mg/100 g DW, respectively. The highest values of TPC, thymoquinone, FRAP, and CUPRAC were observed in genotypes AVTKS#E, AVTKS#F, AVTKS#4, and AVTKS#D, respectively. The lowest values of TPC and FRAP were observed in genotype AVTKS#24, and the CUPRAC and thymoquinone were lowest in genotype AVTKS#23 and AVTKS#1, respectively. Monomeric anthocyanins were absent in the methanolic seed extracts of all nigella genotypes. There was a strong positive correlation among the TPC, CUPRAC, and FRAP. However, despite thymoquinone being reported as a strong antioxidant in the literature, there was no significant correlation of thymoquinone with TPC or CUPRAC, and only a weak positive correlation with FRAP. Overall, the genotypes with comparatively higher values of thymoquinone, TPC, and antioxidant capacity (both FRAP and CUPRAC) showed particular potential for breeding programs.

The production of high-quality rum requires a carefully controlled fermentation process, which is determined by the physicochemical and nutritional properties of the molasses used as a substrate. The flavor, aroma, and alcohol content of the final product are heavily influenced by the composition of molasses. This paper presents the results of an extensive analysis of molasses, a byproduct of sugar production that has various applications in food and feed industries. The physicochemical properties and nutritional composition of molasses were investigated using a range of analytical techniques including Brix, moisture content, pH, total ash content, total dissolved solids, crude protein, sugar content, total nitrogen, free amino acids, amino acids, mineral content, vitamins, and organic acids. This study analyzed molasses samples obtained from three painted concrete constructed storage wells at the Bundaberg Distilling Company. The results indicated that the molasses samples possessed a substantial sugar concentration, with sucrose being the most abundant, ranging from 35.02 to 35.27% w/w. These findings support the traditional use of molasses in rum fermentation and use as an alternative feedstock for the synthesis of various value-added chemicals. The pH of the molasses was slightly acidic, and the total ash content was relatively high, ranging from 8.76 to 13.55% w/w, indicating the presence of mineral salts. Mineral content varied among the samples, but all three contained significant levels of sodium, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and magnesium. All the samples contained essential amino acids and vitamins, but their levels varied. The molasses also contained varying levels of different organic acids, including acetic, propanoic, aconitic, formic, valeric, lactic, citric, and malic acids. The analysis revealed significant differences in ash content, nitrogen compounds, and minerals between storage wells, indicating inherent variability between batches. However, key fermentable sugars did not significantly differ between samples, and blending or standardization is recommended to minimize batch-to-batch variation prior to fermentation. This study provides valuable information on the composition and quality of molasses, which can be used to optimize its utilization in rum fermentation and various other applications.

This proof-of-concept study demonstrated the potential of attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy for the structural characterization of natural products when only very small quantities of the target compound are available. Four known compounds (6-gingerol, 6-shogaol, 8-gingerol and 10-gingerol) were isolated from ginger (Zingiber officinale) rhizome using semi-preparative high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). A portion of each fraction was evaporated on the ATR plate and spectra collected using a standard FTIR instrument. The minimum amount required to detect some spectral features appeared to be around 50 ng for the gingerols, and around 25 ng for 6-shogaol. Various peaks are assigned and interpreted to demonstrate the range of structural information that can be obtained. Evaporation-based ATR-FTIR spectroscopy could be an inexpensive and rapid method to aid structural elucidation of natural compounds, even when collected from a single semi-preparative HPLC run.

Microplate-based methods are commonly used to conduct spectrophotometric-based assays on large batches of sample extracts as they allow much greater throughput compared to traditional benchtop methods. However, many reported methods have not undergone a thorough method development/optimisation process; thus, the significance of maintaining certain parameters and procedures is often unknown. This study investigated the importance of plate shaking prior to the absorbance measurement step in two common assays: total phenolic content (TPC) measured using the Folin–Ciocalteu method, and total antioxidant activity measured using the Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP) method. A comparison was conducted on 36 methanol extracts of chickpea (Cicer arietinum) kernel, which had TPCs ranging from 43 to 111 mg GAEs (gallic acid equivalents)/L and FRAP values ranging from 25 to 67 mg TE (Trolox equivalents)/L. The absorbance of the samples was measured before and after the plate was shaken (300 s); each sample was analysed in duplicate. For the TPC, the unshaken and shaken absorbance values showed a high correlation with one another (R2 = 0.990); however, a paired samples t-test demonstrated a significant increase in absorbance after shaking (p < 0.001; mean increase of 10.6%). Similarly, the unshaken and shaken absorbance values for FRAP showed a strong correlation (R2 = 0.973), but again the shaken absorbance values were significantly higher (p < 0.001, mean increase of 12.1%). This demonstrates the importance of plate shaking for ensuring the complete reaction of the well contents prior to measuring their absorbance values. Furthermore, it highlights the need to closely follow the specified procedure when attempting to replicate or set up a microplate-based spectrophotometric method from the literature.

Adzuki bean has recently been proposed as a viable dual-purpose (grain-and-graze) crop for the Northern regions of Australia because of its successful use in semi-arid regions and its nitrogen fixation capacity to improve soil fertility and animal nutrition. However, there are very few studies on the phytochemical composition and nutritional value of the non-seed material. This study investigated the phenolic composition of the parts grown in the vegetative phase (leaves and stems) of nine Australian adzuki bean varieties for the first time. The total phenolic content (TPC) of the stem material (157–406 mg GAE/100 g) was 23–217% higher than that of commercial livestock feed, while the TPC of the leaf material (1158–1420 mg GAE/100 g) was 9–11 times higher. Using tandem liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS), the major phenolic compounds identified were rutin, luteolin, salicylic acid, and quercetin-3-glucoside. The leaf and stem materials showed high levels of apparent in vitro dry matter digestibility, with no significant difference in total gas or methane production compared to lucerne hay. The results suggest that adzuki bean vegetative materials could be a high-value livestock fodder and support pursuing further in-depth studies into their nutritional value for livestock.

This study compared the performance of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and mid-infrared spectroscopy (MIRS) for the prediction of moisture, protein, total phenolic content (TPC), ferric reducing antioxidant potential (FRAP) and total monomeric anthocyanin (TMA) content in 65 samples of Australian wheat flour. Models were constructed on 50 of the wheat samples, with the 15 remaining samples used as a dependent test set. NIRS showed excellent results for the prediction of protein content (R2test = 0.991; RMSEP = 0.22% w/v) and acceptable to good results for TPC (R2test = 0.83; RMSEP = 3.9 mg GAE/100 g), FRAP (R2test = 0.92; RMSEP = 5.4 mg TE/100 g) and moisture content (R2test = 0.76, RMSEP = 0.62% w/v). Similarly, MIRS showed the best results for protein prediction (R2test = 0.93, RMSEP = 0.62% w/v) and acceptable results for moisture content (R2test = 0.83, RMSEP = 0.65% w/v), FRAP (R2test = 0.83, RMSEP = 7.0 mg TE/100 g) and TPC (R2test = 0.73, RMSEP = 5.6 mg GAE/100 g). However, the TMA content could not be predicted. Finally, moving window analysis was conducted to determine the optimum wavelength ranges for predicting selected analytes. On average, this improved RMSECV values by an average of 18–20% compared to the corresponding full wavelength models, when using the same component selection method. The results confirm that infrared spectroscopy may be useful for the real-time quantitation and/or screening of key quality parameters in wheat, such as protein, TPC and antioxidant capacity.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the potential of handheld near-infrared (NIR) and benchtop mid-infrared (MIR) spectroscopy for the rapid prediction of antioxidant capacity, dry matter, and total phenolic contents in cayenne pepper (Capsicum annuum ‘Cayenne’). Using NIR spectroscopy, the best-performing model for dry matter had an R2pred = 0.74, RMSEP = 0.38%, and RPD of 2.02, exceeding the best results previously reported in the literature. This was also the first study to predict dry matter content from the mid-infrared spectra, although with lower accuracy (R2pred = 0.54; RMSEP = 0.51%, RPD 1.51). The models for antioxidant capacity and total phenolic content did not perform well using NIR or MIR spectroscopy (RPD values < 1.5), indicating that further optimization is required in this area. Application of support vector regression (SVR) generally gave poorer results compared to partial least squares regression (PLSR). NIR spectroscopy may be useful for in-field measurement of dry matter in the chili crop as a proxy measure for fruit maturity. However, the lower accuracy of MIR spectroscopy is likely to limit its use in this crop.

Infrared spectroscopy (wavelengths ranging from 750–25,000 nm) offers a rapid means of assessing the chemical composition of a wide range of sample types, both for qualitative and quantitative analyses. Its use in the food industry has increased significantly over the past five decades and it is now an accepted analytical technique for the routine analysis of certain analytes. Furthermore, it is commonly used for routine screening and quality control purposes in numerous industry settings, albeit not typically for the analysis of bioactive compounds. Using the Scopus database, a systematic search of literature of the five years between 2016 and 2020 identified 45 studies using near-infrared and 17 studies using mid-infrared spectroscopy for the quantification of bioactive compounds in food products. The most common bioactive compounds assessed were polyphenols, anthocyanins, carotenoids and ascorbic acid. Numerous factors affect the accuracy of the developed model, including the analyte class and concentration, matrix type, instrument geometry, wavelength selection and spectral processing/pre-processing methods. Additionally, only a few studies were validated on independently sourced samples. Nevertheless, the results demonstrate some promise of infrared spectroscopy for the rapid estimation of a wide range of bioactive compounds in food matrices.

Fermented juice from the noni tree (Morinda citrifolia) is a traditional medicinal product used by South Pacific Islanders to treat a wide range of ailments, including cancer, inflammation and obesity, as well as improving overall wellbeing. Many of its bioactive properties have been suggested to arise from the high antioxidant capacity and phenolic content found in the juice. However, there have been limited investigations into the phenolic profiles of noni juice produced locally in the Pacific. This study aimed to investigate the chemical composition and bioactive properties of noni juice. The first phase of this study used liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) to characterise the phenolic composition of five brands of commercial noni juice produced in the South Pacific region. A total of 21 phenolic compounds were putatively identified, with the most abundant generally being rutin, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid and gentisic acid. Vastly differing phenolic profiles were found between the noni juice brands. Significant differences were also found in their antioxidant capacities and total phenolic contents. Of the three major phenolic compounds identified, gentisic acid showed the highest antioxidant activity (640% higher than Trolox). Additionally, the noni juice showed no significant anti-acetylcholinesterase activity and no to moderate cytotoxicity against two cancer cell lines (HeLa and HT29). These results indicate that the phytochemical profiles—and hence, the expected bioactive properties—are likely to vary significantly between different noni juice brands. Furthermore, the anti-cancer activity of non-concentrated noni juice appears to be relatively low.

Consumers of Australian cider are currently trending towards higher-quality cider products. As a result, boutique and craft cider breweries are expected to experience a period of growth over the next five years. Supporting this trend and subsequent growth is paramount to rebuilding the cider industry post-COVID-19. Many current practices and procedures, such as must clarification and biomass reduction in cider brewing, have been adapted from the beer and wine industry. While these practices are beneficial to the quality of cider and often promote the production of favourable volatile organic compounds (VOCs), the targeted enhancement of specific VOCs has not been achieved. This work investigates the specific enhancement of 2-phenylethanol (2-PE), which is known to improve the organoleptic properties of cider and provide potential health benefits through its antioxidant properties. The effect of three levels of biomass reduction (90%, 80%, and 0%) and five levels of L-phenylalanine (L-phe) saturation (0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, and 2.5 g L−1) for the enhanced production of 2-PE during cider fermentation were investigated. A high-performance liquid chromatography method was developed to accurately quantify the concentration of both 2-PE and L-phe, with a root-mean-square deviation (RSMD) of 0.41% and 1.60%, respectively. A significant increase in 2-PE production was achieved for all treatments, with 2-PE levels up to two orders of magnitude higher than respective controls. The highest 2-PE production was achieved by a moderate (80%) biomass reduction at a 2.5 g L−1 L-phe spike. Additionally, the VOC profile of several of the ciders was quantitively determined, and subsequent data underwent extensive chemometric analysis. Principle component analysis (PCA) showed that 2-PE and its derivatives (2-phenylethyl pivalate and phenylacetaldehyde) were correlated with the 80% biomass reduction treatment at the highest L-phe spike. Additionally, it was observed that several acids and alkanes were negatively correlated with the production of 2-PE and its derivatives. Additionally, hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) showed clustering between the 80% and 90% biomass reduction treatments at several L-phe spike concentrations. However, the 0% biomass reduction treatments only showed similarity with other treatments with 0% biomass reduction. This work provides insight into the production of 2-PE during apple cider fermentation while building the foundation for more targeted biotechnological production of favourable compounds to improve cider quality.

A large variety of unique and distinct flora of Australia have developed exceptional survival methods and phytochemicals and hence may provide a significant avenue for new drug discovery. This study proposes a bioassay guided fractionation protocol that maybe robust and efficient in screening plants with potential bioactive properties and isolating lead novel compounds. Hence, five native Australian plants were selected for this screening process, namely Pittosporum angustifolium (Gumbi gumbi), Terminalia ferdinandiana (Kakadu plum, seeds (KPS), and flesh (KPF)), Cupaniopsis anacardioides (Tuckeroo, seeds (TKS) and flesh (TKF)), Podocarpus elatus (Illawarra plum, seeds (IPS) and flesh (IPF)) and Pleiogynium timoriense (Burdekin plum, seeds (BPS) and flesh (BPF)). The methanolic extracts of the plants samples were analysed for Total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant capacity measure by FRAP. The highest values were found in the KPF which were 12,442 ± 1355 mg GAE/ 100 g TPC and 16,670 ± 2275 mg TXE/100 g antioxidant capacity. Extracts of GGL was deemed to be most potent with complete cell inhibition in HeLa and HT29, and about 95% inhibition in HuH7 cells. Comparative activity was also seen for KPS extract, where more than 80% cell inhibition occurred in all tested cell lines. Dose-dependent studies showed higher SI values (0.72–1.02) in KPS extracts than GGL (0.5–0.73). Microbial assays of the crude extracts were also performed against five bacterial strains commonly associated with causing food poisoning diseases were selected (Gram positive—Staphylococcus aureus and Gram negative—Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi and Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria). KPF extracts were effective in suppressing microbial growth of all tested bacterial strains except for P. aeruginosa, while TKS and TKF were only slightly effective against S. aureus. Due to the potential of the GGL crude extract to completely inhibit the cells compared to KPS, it was further fractionated and tested against the cell lines. HPLC phenolic profiling of the crude extracts were performed, and numerous peak overlaps were evident in the fruit extracts. The KPF extracts demonstrated the strongest peaks which was coherent with the fact that it had the highest TPC and antioxidant capacity values. A high occurrence of t-ferulic acid in the GGL extracts was found which may explain the cytotoxic activity of GGL extracts. Peaks in KPS and KPF extracts were tentatively identified as gallic acid, protocatechuic acid, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid and syringic acid and possibly ellagic acid. HPLC time-based fractionation of the GGL extract (F1–F5) was performed and Dose dependent cytotoxic effects were determined. It was construed that F1, having the highest SI value for HeLa, HT29 and HuH7 (1.60, 1.41 and 1.67, respectively) would be promising for further fractionation and isolation process.

The utilisation of high gravity wort possessing a higher sugar content is frequently used to increase the capacity and efficiency of beer production. In such an environment, osmotic stress, lower nutrient availability, ethanol toxicity and elevated CO2 concentrations may decrease the sustainability of yeast performance and have a negative impact on the desired end product. Traditionally, apparent attenuation has been used as a standard measure of fermentability. Here, we describe a miniature fermentation assay with a defined fermentation media that could be used to assess fermentability on a small scale, including determination of the original gravity and final gravity of the medium for trials using four yeast strains. The results obtained using the defined media were approximately comparable to those obtained using regular wort in terms of their real attenuation limits and specific gravity, although the defined media demonstrated lower final pH values compared to the wort for several strains. With further optimisation, the mini fermentation process applied to a defined medium could provide the foundation for future analytical research into the brewing process, using techniques such as high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR).

Ginger is best known for its aromatic odour, spicy flavour and health-benefiting properties. Its flavour is derived primarily from two compound classes (gingerols and shogaols), with the overall quality of the product depending on the interaction between these compounds. Consequently, a robust method for determining the ratio of these compounds would be beneficial for quality control purposes. This study investigated the feasibility of using hyperspectral imaging to rapidly determine the ratio of 6-gingerol to 6-shogoal in dried ginger powder. Furthermore, the performance of several pre-processing methods and two multivariate models was explored. The best-performing models used partial least squares regression (PSLR) and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO), using multiplicative scatter correction (MSC) and second derivative Savitzky–Golay (2D-SG) pre-processing. Using the full range of wavelengths (~400–1000 nm), the performance was similar for PLSR (R2 ≥ 0.73, RMSE ≤ 0.29, and RPD ≥ 1.92) and LASSO models (R2 ≥ 0.73, RMSE ≤ 0.29, and RPD ≥ 1.94). These results suggest that hyperspectral imaging combined with chemometric modelling may potentially be used as a rapid, non-destructive method for the prediction of gingerol-to-shogaol ratios in powdered ginger samples.

Australia is a minor producer of chilli, with the industry producing around 2500 tonnes of chillies per year. Due to the small size of the industry, there is currently limited research on the typical levels of capsaicinoids in the Australian crop and the relationship between these constituents and other agronomic and nutritional factors. This study applied a rapid, maceration-based extraction protocol with end-over-end shaking, coupled with a HPLC-DAD method for the analysis of capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin in 20 Habanero chilli samples from Queensland, Australia. All samples were from the same growing season (2020) but were taken from different within-field locations to ensure that all of the variability within the growing site was sampled. In addition to the capsaicinoid measurements, the total phenolic content was measured using the Folin-Ciocalteu assay, while antioxidant activity was measured using the Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP) method. The capsaicin concentration of the samples ranged from 1474–3916 mg/kg, while the dihydrocapsaicin content ranged between 638–1757 mg/kg, giving total pungencies of approximately 32,000 to 83,000 Scoville Heat Units. Similarly, the total phenolic content varied from 1000–1608 mg gallic acid equivalents/100 g, while the antioxidant activity ranged from 301 to 455 mg Trolox equivalents/100 g. Pearson linear correlation analysis revealed that the capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin contents were strongly positively correlated with one another (R2 = 0.73; p < 0.001), with a mean capsaicin: dihydrocapsaicin ratio of 2.4:1. Furthermore, there was a moderate positive correlation between the total capsaicinoid content and total phenolic content of the samples (R2 = 0.58; p < 0.01), as well as a strong correlation between the total capsaicinoid content and FRAP (R2 = 0.81; p < 0.001). However, dry matter content was not significantly correlated with capsaicinoid content, total phenolic content or antioxidant activity (p > 0.05 for all). These results may be used to inform future breeding programs for high-capsaicin chilli varieties and support further research into the agronomic and genetic factors driving capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin content.

Although Australia is the largest exporter of faba bean globally, there is limited information available on the levels of bioactive compounds found in current commercial faba bean varieties grown in this country. This study profiled the phenolic acid and flavonoid composition of 10 Australian faba bean varieties, grown at two different locations. Phenolic profiling by HPLC-DAD revealed the most abundant flavonoid to be catechin, followed by rutin. For the phenolic acids, syringic acid was found in high concentrations (72.4–122.5 mg/kg), while protocatechuic, vanillic, p-hydroxybenzoic, chlorogenic, p-coumaric, and trans-ferulic acid were all found in low concentrations. The content of most individual phenolics varied significantly with the variety, while some effect of the growing location was also observed. This information could be used by food processors and plant breeders to maximise the potential health benefits of Australian-grown faba bean.

Although relatively small, the Australian cider industry has experienced significant growth in recent years. One of the current challenges in the industry is the lack of research specific to Australian ciders. Establishing baseline volatile organic compound (VOC) profiles of Australian cider is paramount to developing a better understanding of the industry. This understanding may ultimately be utilized for both the categorization and authentication of existing ciders, and the targeted modification of cider volatiles for the development and improvement of cider quality. This study utilized gas chromatography, coupled with mass spectrometry, to identify key VOCs present in 14 ciders sourced from four different manufacturers in Queensland, Australia. A total of 40 VOCs were identified across the ciders, with significant variation depending on the flavor and manufacturer. Principal component analysis indicated that the ciders were well-separated based on the manufacturer, supporting the prospect of using the volatile composition to discriminate between cider manufacturers. Furthermore, hierarchical cluster analysis highlighted the commonalities and differences in cider composition between different manufacturers, which may be indicative of the varying ingredients and manufacturing processes used to create the ciders. Future studies profiling the volatile composition of larger numbers of Australian ciders are recommended to support the use of this analytical technique for authentication purposes. Likewise, exploration of the relationship between specific processes and VOCs is recommended to fortify an understanding of how to optimize cider production to improve consumer satisfaction.

The rum industry is currently worth USD 16 billion, with production concentrated in tropical countries of the Caribbean and Asia-Pacific regions. The primary feedstock for rum production is sugar cane molasses, a by-product of sugar refineries. The main variables known to affect rum quality include the composition of the molasses, the length of fermentation, and the type of barrels and length of time used for aging the rum. The goal of this review is to provide an overview of the impact of these variables on rum quality, and to highlight current challenges and opportunities in the production of rum from molasses. In order to achieve this, we review the relevant contemporary scientific literature on these topics. The major contemporary challenges in the rum production industry include minimising the effects of variability in feedstock quality, ensuring the fermentation process runs to completion, preventing microbial contamination, and the selection and maintenance of yeast strains providing optimum ethanol production. Stringent quality management practices are required to ensure consistency in the quality and organoleptic properties of the rum from batch to batch. Further research is required to fully understand the influences of many of these variables on the final quality of the rum produced.