Search

This study aimed to investigate the physicochemical properties and crystallisation behaviour of fat blend to obtain a stable formulation of margarine. Liquefied palm oil (PO), palm stearin (PS) and palm kernel oil (PK) were mixed in four different ratios and the properties were analysed based on physicochemical properties (fatty acid composition, solid fat content (SFC) and slip melting point (SMP) and crystallisation behaviour as compared to a commercial margarine. The percentages of fatty acid (FA) composition were varied depending on the variation of type of fat and percentage of fat added. The result showed that PO:PS:PK blends of 70:10:20 gave the closest SMP (39 °C) with commercial margarine followed by 72:8:20, 75:5:20 and 70:15:15. SFC of 72:8:20 and 70:10:20 blends showed the closest to commercial margarine in the temperature range of 20–35 °C. The SFC percentage decreased significantly between 20(25 °C. From the crystallisation behavior, 70:10:20 and 70:15:15 showed the closest behaviour with commercial margarine. From the result, the blend with ratio of 70:10:20 was the most suitable fat basis formulation as it has the most similar properties and behaviour with commercial margarine. This formulation can be used as the basis for a stable margarine formulation with addition of anthocyanins from plant-based extract such as roselle extract.

A cost-effective and eco-friendly method for synthesizing silver nanoparticles using pineapple leaves waste mediated by microwave-assisted extraction is presented. The green synthesis of AgNPs is accomplished through a simple reduction method utilizing silver nitrate. Various parameters, including silver nitrate concentration (5–25 mM), incubation time (2–24 h), and sample volume (2–8 mL), are employed to determine the optimal green synthesis condition. The presence of an absorption band in the range of 400–500 nm in the UV–Vis spectrophotometer indicates the reduction of silver metal ions into silver nanoparticles. The intensity of the absorption is found to increase with prolonged duration and higher concentrations of the silver nitrate solution and sample volume. FE-SEM results demonstrate that the green synthesized silver nanoparticles range in size from 40 to 150 nm and display hexagonal spherical-shaped structures. Furthermore, FTIR and XRD analyses confirm the presence of green synthesized AgNPs. The microwave-assisted treatment of silver nanoparticles exhibits greater antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, and Staphylococcus aureus compared to non-microwave-assisted treatment. The minimum inhibitory concentration of silver nanoparticles for bacterial growth is 60 μg/mL. Overall, this research offers a promising avenue for the eco-friendly and cost-effective green synthesis of silver nanoparticles using the microwave-assisted method, with significant potential in various applications.

Objectives: This present research evaluated the concentrations of metal contaminants (As, Pb, Cd and total Hg) and chloramphenicol as prescribed by the Malaysian Food Act (1983) and Regulations (2021) in Penaeus silasi and Litopenaeus vannamei shrimps sampled from the different supply chain stages (landing sites, major markets and grocers) in Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia at six sampling intervals. Methods: Graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometer and flow injection mercury/hyride system were used to determine the concentration of As, Pb and Cd as well as total Hg, respectively. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to determine the concentration of chloramphenicol. Results: The median As and Cd concentrations during the six sampling intervals ranged between below detection limit-167.5 mg/kg and 0.46 mg/kg, respectively. The total Hg concentrations ranged between 0.02 and 1.13 mg/kg. Although Pb and chloramphenicol were not detected, As and total Hg concentrations varied significantly across sampling intervals (P

The demand for active antimicrobial packaging especially for perishable fresh food such as seafood is ever-increasing with the global health awareness. This work aimed to assess the feasibility of green extraction method for Lawsonia inermis L. leaves and the antimicrobial potential of extract as active packaging film. Green extraction of Lawsonia inermis L. leaves was done with distilled water using Soxhlet apparatus and the quantified lawsone was found comparable to Lawsonia inermis L. commercial powder extract. Different concentration of Lawsonia inermis L. leaves extract and commercial powder (0.30 to 0.90 g/mL) were incorporated into starch-based film for antimicrobial assay against Pseudomonas sp. Results revealed that Lawsonia inermis L. leaves extract exhibited better antimicrobial activity than commercial powder with 36 % enhancement at the highest concentration (0.90 g/mL). Antimicrobial film with the highest concentration of Lawsonia inermis L. leaves extract had the greatest antimicrobial activity against Pseudomonas sp. among all the samples. The antimicrobial assay of Lawsonia inermis L. leaves extract was also done on real food spoilage bacteria using fresh fish for 3 days storage. All active films exhibited comparable antimicrobial activity on day 2 (24.2 – 51.6 % reduction). Yet only the concentration with 0.90 g/mL Lawsonia inermis L. leaves extract still exhibited indistinguishable inhibition zone (49.8 % reduction) on day 3. This indicated that the highest concentration of green extracted Lawsonia inermis L. leaves extract could inhibit the real food spoilage bacteria more effectively to extend food shelf life. Taken together, the leaves extraction of Lawsonia inermis L. using greener method could be applicable as natural antimicrobial agent in food packaging to enhance food shelf life and food safety.

Development of biodegradable polymer as food packaging has been emerged with the increasing awareness of achieving sustainable development goals. As a replacement of petroleum-based polymers, Polylactic acid (PLA) has been widely utilized for food packaging. However, the main disadvantage of PLA for food packaging is its brittleness and low stiffness. Therefore, this work aimed to evaluate the potential usability of Zinc oxide (ZnO) and Graphene oxide (GO) as mechanical strengthening nanocomposites and their synergistic effect towards antibacterial property. The optimum formulation of PLA/ZnO/GO nanocomposite active film was determined using RSM by defining concentration of ZnO (0–1.5 wt%), concentration of GO (0–1.5 wt%) and mixing temperature (40, 50, 60 °C) as process parameters. The synergistic effect of ZnO/GO demonstrated a significant improvement in mechanical property. Both ZnO and GO exhibited significant antibacterial activity towards E. coli and B. subtilis and their synergistic antibacterial property performed the best with 0.75 wt% ZnO and 0.75 wt% GO at 50 °C. Results also revealed that ZnO was dominated in their synergistic effect for both mechanical and antibacterial properties. The optimum formulations for PLA/ZnO/GO nanocomposite active film were determined at 1.06 wt% ZnO, 1.11 wt% GO at 60 °C and 0.99 wt% ZnO, 1.28 wt% GO at 40 °C. The regression models by RSM were validated with the experimental results based on optimal formulations. In addition, SEM and FTIR investigation on two optimal films confirmed the good compatibility between ZnO, GO and PLA matrix. Taken together, optimized formula could provide useful insights for fabricating PLA-based active film and broadening their application in food packaging industry.

Moringa oleifera leaves were dried in a domestic microwave oven to investigate the influence of microwave power levels on rate of drying, drying time, the quality of the dried product based on their colour, protein, and iron content as well as the energy consumption. Four different microwave power levels varying from 300 to 1,000 W were selected in the experiments. Drying time increased significantly with the decrease in microwave output power. At 1,000, 800, 500 and 300 W the drying time were 6, 8, 10 and 20 min. The initial drying rate was very fast at all power levels as the penetration of microwave power were applied throughout the leaves. All microwave power levels showed a drying rate in a decreasing trend as the falling rate was observed at the point when the moisture content (MC) started to reach below 5 %. Throughout the drying progression, the drop in the product moisture caused a decrease in the absorption of microwave power and leads to a fall in the drying rate. For the changes in the colour, there was a significant difference in the value for greenness (-a), but no notable differences were observed between the colour parameters of fresh and microwave-dried leaves for whiteness L value, yellowness b and hue angle. This indicates that drying under a microwave oven darken the leaves, yet the colour retained its original values similar to the fresh M. oleifera leaves. There was no significant difference in the value for protein but a significant difference in the value for iron contents of the fresh and microwave-dried leaves (P

The growing concerns on seafood safety issues have promoted transparency of the food supply chain. Tracking tools are essential for consumers to understand the origin of food processing and for suppliers to detect flaws when contamination occurs. Blockchain technology is widely used in supply chains as it allows multiple parties to input and retrieve transactions without worrying about credibility. Track and trace management requires blockchain technology to ensure data accuracy and transparency. The research objective is to develop a food management tool for traceability in the seafood supply chain. As the foundation of the traceability tool, blockchain technology gives a decentralised structure and ensures the immutability of data collected. Python was chosen as the programming language for constructing the traceability tool, and a web interface for suppliers was created to input seafood data. Consumers can browse the entire supply chain of consumer products through QR codes on food packaging. The protocol is validated by using the tuna fish case study to fortify the blockchain and ensure the credibility and reliability of the supply chain. Consumers no need to question about the accuracy of data and transparency during data operation. The contamination tracing is validated by tracing the affected supply chain of frozen shrimp transported from an aquafarm, Shrimp Farm S/B, to a few retail sellers. There were six single chains, combining to form a complicated supply chain in the case study of shrimp. Consumers can view entire multiple chains in the supply chain information, from fishing vessels to selling units. When contamination happens at certain block, the affected block in the whole supply chain will be identified. The traceability tool developed keeps track of the entire seafood supply chain and, if any contamination occurs, immediate action can be taken. Immediate action to call back the seafood batch is necessary to avoid further losses and keep humans from consuming contaminated seafood. Future research may include the variables that cause seafood contamination, including the chemical hazard in traceability tools that comply with HACCP standards to ensure product safety before entering subsequent stages.

This study aimed to investigate the effect of solid-to-solvent ratio on the yield and properties of protein concentrate extracted from dried M. oleifera leaves powder by alkaline extraction and isoelectric precipitation method. Extraction of protein concentrate was carried out by manipulating the solid-to-solvent ratio (1:10, 1:20 and 1:30) that affects protein yield of MOLPC. The characterization of both chemical and physical functional properties was performed for dried M. oleifera Leaf Powder (MLP) and M. Oleifera Leaf Protein Concentrate (MOLPC). Fat absorption capacity (FAC) and water absorption capacity (WAC) of MOLPC were characterized at the different solid-to-solvent ratio and functional properties of MOLPC such as protein solubility, foaming and emulsifying capacity were characterized at different pH (2.0 – 11.0). The proximate analysis for the MLP had shown the moisture content (4.86 ± 1.18 %); ash (9.53 ± 0.07 %); crude protein (17.86 ± 0.23 %); crude fibres (12.54 ± 0.01 %) and fats (0.50 ± 0.38 %). Based on the findings, MOLPC tends to have higher protein content (26.58 ± 1.86 to 35.15 ± 3.4 %) compared to MLP. The FAC and WAC increased as the solid-to-solvent ratio increased (3.21 – 3.82 g/g and 5.19 – 6.41 g/g). For the functional properties of MOLPC; the protein solubility, foaming and emulsifying properties were all found to be pH-dependent.

To meet the need for food products to be safe and fresh, smart food packaging that can monitor and give information about the quality of packaged food has been developed. In this study, pH-sensitive films with sago starch and various anthocyanin concentrations of Brassica oleracea also known as red cabbage anthocyanin (RCA) at 8, 10, 12, and 14% (w/v) were manufactured using the solvent casting process. Investigation of the physicochemical, mechanical, thermal, and morphological characteristics of the films was performed and analysed. The response of these materials against pH changes was evaluated with buffers of different pH. When the films were exposed to a series of pH buffers (pH 3, 5, 9, 11, and 13), the RCA-associated films displayed a spectacular colour response. In addition, the ability of the starch matrix to overcome the leaching and release of anthocyanins was investigated. Higher concentrations of RCA can maintain the colour difference of films after being immersed in a series of buffer solutions ranging from acidic to basic conditions. Other than that, incorporating RCA extracts into the starch formulation increased the thickness whereas the water content, swelling degree, tensile strength, and elongation at break decreased as compared to films without RCA. The immobilisation of anthocyanin into the film was confirmed by the FTIR measurements. The surface patterns of films were heterogeneous and irregular due to the presence of RCA extract aggregates, which increased as the extract concentration enhanced. However, this would not affect the properties of films. An increase in thermal stability was noted for the anthocyanin-containing films at the final stage of degradation in TGA analysis. It is concluded that RCA and sago starch formulation has great potential to be explored for food packaging purposes.

Swietenia macrophylla is a large deciduous tree that mainly grows in open rain forests. Its seeds reportedly have many medical efficacies, such as antidiabetic properties and antioxidative effects. This study used ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) and Central Composite Design (CCD) Response Surface Methodology (RSM) to optimise the oil yield extracted from S. macrophylla seed. The properties of the extracted S. macrophylla seed oil, namely antioxidant activity and bioactive compounds, were also examined. For the CCD RSM, the seed oil yield was set as the response while the parameters for optimization were solid-to-solvent (SS) ratio (1:3, 1:4, and 1:5), amplitude (70 %, 80 %, and 90 %), and extraction time (5 min, 10 min, and 15 min). The optimum oil yield extracted via UAE was then subjected to several analyses. First, the oil's DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging activity was analysed to determine antioxidant activity. Then, Gas chromatography–Mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis was used to evaluate the oil's bioactive compounds (methyl ester fatty acids). The UAE method extracted the optimum yield (27.68 ± 0.3 wt%) of S. macrophylla seed oil under the following conditions: 1:4.5 S/S ratio, 90 % amplitude, and 14.4 min extraction time. The analysis of antioxidant activity revealed a DPPH radical scavenging activity of 87.96 ± 0.04 %. The GC-MS analysis revealed several fatty acids in the oil, including arachidonic acids, stearic acid, palmitic acid, oleic acid, and linoleic acid. This study shows that UAE is a promising method for extracting S. macrophylla seed oil and that S. macrophylla is a potential oral hypoglycaemic agent that could be used for pharmaceutical applications.

This study was aimed to produce a novel nanocomposite with appropriate properties to apply in biomedical researches. MgO was used as a control sample in the experiments. A series of Mg1-xZnxO nanoparticles with x = 0.01 and 0.03, were prepared by the sol-gel method and added to k-carrageenan/NaCMC to produce MgO, Mg0.99Zn0.01O, and Mg0.97Zn0.03O/k-carrageenan/NaCMC hydrogels. The structural properties were systematically investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Swelling ratio %, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM), Thermal Gravimetric Analysis (TGA), and Compression test. The FESEM analysis showed that the doping of ‘Zn’ in MgO had a strong effect on morphology and crystallinity of MgO nanoparticles. The MgO nanocomposite had the lowest swelling ratio. The swelling started to increase at 3.37±0.95% and was found to finish at 3.81±0.26%, including a peak at 22.1±6.76% in the graph. The highest swelling ratio was attributed to Mg0.99Zn0.01O with the final ratio of 44.15±1.98%. The TGA analysis revealed that total weight loss of MgOnanocomposite wasgreater than Mg0.99Zn0.01O, and Mg0.97Zn0.03O. The compression test of the nanocomposites showed that the hardness of MgO nanocomposite was the highest and it was 89.75±9.19 (g), the springiness of Mg0.99Zn0.01O and Mg0.97Zn0.03O was the same and it was 10 (mm), the adhesion of Mg0.97Zn0.03O showed-0.848±0.29 that was highest, however the consistency of Mg0.99Zn0.01O showed 392.90±3.48 (g. sec).

Bacterial cellulose or Nata is produced using pineapple waste as substrate for the fermentation process by Acetobacter xylinum. This study was aimed to optimize the production of bacterial cellulose in static and agitated condition. Production of bacterial cellulose in agitated condition has been performed at different rpm, with and without adding micro particles. The fermentation conditions were set at pH 5.0 and 28 C. The highest bacterial cellulose formation is obtained from agitated condition with additional micro particles at 120 rpm whereas the bacterial cellulose weight is increased by 70.23 % compared to the static condition. The addition of microparticles helped in increasing the bacterial cellulose formation by 15.19 %. From the optimization using Design Expert(, yeast extracts and potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KH2PO4) are the most significant factors affecting the bacterial cellulose production. From the results, the optimum formulation for bacterial cellulose production from pineapple waste as medium were yeast extract 6 g, sucrose 20 g, bactopepton 1.49 g and KH2PO4 1.08 g for 176.47 g (wet weight) of bacterial cellulose production.

Blue pea flower (BPF) is one of the natural anthocyanin colourant sources in the world used in food and cosmetic products. Natural colourants are unstable and thus must be encapsulated. The BPF colourant could retain its colour during storage via microwave-assisted encapsulation. This study evaluated the effect of maltodextrin concentration, microwave power, and encapsulation time on the stability of encapsulated BPF colourant. The colourant was extracted from the BPF via microwave-assisted extraction at 770 W for 1 min. For encapsulation, the concentration of the coating material, maltodextrin, was varied from 20 % to 50 %, a microwave power from (550 to 1100) W, and an encapsulation time from (6 to 8) min. The quality of the encapsulated BPF colourant powder was characterised by total anthocyanin content (TAC), the colour parameter index b* value, and the water activity value. A TAC of 27.03 mg/L, a colour parameter index b* value of -9, a water activity of 0.4941, and an encapsulation efficiency of 73.24 % were obtained when the microwave-assisted encapsulation process was performed using 40 % MD at 770 W for 7 min. With pH adjustment, the blue BPF colourant can be turned into other pigments. The findings of this study can be used as a future reference for developing BPF colourant powder using the microwave-assisted method.

Black mulberry (Morus nigra) fruit extract contains high amounts of a bioactive compound known as anthocyanin. However, this compound is very sensitive to heat and light. Encapsulation is the most efficient method to protect the anthocyanin from harsh environments. In this study, a combination of gum Arabic and maltodextrin was used as wall materials to encapsulate black mulberry extract using a microwave-assisted technique. The main objective of this study was to optimise the microwave-assisted encapsulation of black mulberry to achieve an extract with the highest encapsulation efficiency (EE), total anthocyanin content (TAC), and antioxidant capacity (DPPH inhibition). The factors studied were material core-to-wall ratio (1:3-1:10), microwave power (450-630 W), and encapsulation time (2-4 min). The experiment followed a Face-Centred Central Composite Design. Based on the ANOVA results, only the core-to-wall ratio had a significant effect on EE, TAC, and DPPH while power only had a significant effect on DPPH. Based on the desirability function, the optimum encapsulation of black mulberry extract was 90.14 % EE, 23.03 mg/g dry basis TAC, and 85.37 % DPPH inhibition, obtained using the following microwave-assisted encapsulation parameters: core-to-wall ratio of 0.19 mL/mL, microwave power of 450 W, and time of 2.94 min.

Total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant properties of xanthone extract from mangosteen pericarp via microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) method was optimized by response surface methodology (RSM). The MAE extraction conditions to obtain optimum antioxidant-rich xanthone extract were at 2.24 min of irradiation time, 25 mL/g of solvent-to-solid ratio and 71% of ethanol concentration. The predicted results for four responses were as follows; 320.31 mg gallic acid equivalent/g extract, 83.63% and 93.77% inhibition (DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) and ABTS (2,2′-Azino-bis-3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) assays), and 144.56 mg Trolox equivalent/g extract (FRAP, Ferric reducing antioxidant power). The predicted and actual values were statistically insignificant (P > 0.05). Therefore, these results confirmed that the examined model was acceptable and relevant. MAE led to a slightly similar antioxidant capacity and a higher extraction of α-mangostin, a major xanthone of mangosteen pericarp as compared to water bath-maceration technique.

Currently, the role of the nanoparticles in the structure of the composites and their benefits for the health of the body is valuable. In this study, the effects of the doping on the structural and morphological properties of the hydrogels using a Mg co-doped ZnO hydrogel, which has been fabricated by the sol–gel process, have been investigated. Then, a hydrogel containing nanoparticle and a hydrogel without any nanoparticles was produced as a control. The hydrogels were loaded with catechin and the related characterization was evolved based on the new structure of the matrices. The Mg0.99Zn0.01O nanoparticles were synthesized using a green synthesis method. To investigate the properties of the nanoparticles, zeta potential and XRD were studied. The field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), FTIR, TGA, swelling Ratio, and compression tests were investigated for the hydrogels. Based on the results, FESEM showed a more compressed structure for hydrogels including nanoparticles rather than the hydrogels without a nanoparticle. The TGA showed a higher decomposition temperature in the hydrogels including nanoparticles. The swelling ratio of hydrogels containing a nanoparticle was higher than the control hydrogel. κ-Carrageenan/ Mg0.99Zn0.01O/NaCMC/Catechin had the highest swelling ratio (44.15%) rather than the κ-Carrageenan/NaCMC (33.22%). Mg0.99Zn0.01O nanoparticles presented a stronger structure of hydrogels in the compression test. It is concluded that the role of the synthesized nanoparticle is critical in the structure of the hydrogel.

The objectives of the study were to evaluate the effect of solvent extraction pH, microwave extraction power and time on the yield of total anthocyanin and colour of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis (H. rosa-sinensis) extract and to evaluate the storage stability of total anthocyanin content and antioxidant activity of these extracts during storage. The factors studied were solvent pH (1.0 and 4.0), microwave power (400 W and 800 W) and extraction time (1 min and 3 min). Results showed that the highest total anthocyanin extracted was 9.56 ±0.001 g cyanidin-3-glucoside when extraction was performed using solvent of pH 4 at 800 W and 3 min and followed by 8.33 ± 0.001 g cyanidn-3-glucoside using solvent of pH 2 at 800 W and 3 min. H. rosa-sinensis extract in pH 2 was in red while the extract in pH 4 was in dark red. For the 10 d storage stability analysis, H. rosa-sinensis extract of pH 2 and pH 4 at 800 W and 3 min were selected. During storage, the extract in pH 4 showed an increase in total anthocyanin content and radical scavenging inhibition percentage. On contrary, the total anthocyanin content and radical inhibition percentage for pH 2 extraction sample decreased during storage.

The extensive utilisation of microorganisms namely fungi and bacteria for treating organic wastes has been attributed to their efficiency in eliminating pathogen and accelerating the degradation process. Their uses have been found considerably efficient for enhancing waste treatment. Among many methods employed, composting mediated by indigenous microbial communities has gained significant popularity in treating organic waste. Use of cellulolytic microorganisms to expedite the degradation rate of wastes, notably the lignocellulosic components, may prove useful. This paper reviews the application of microorganisms in the waste management technologies that include anaerobic digestion and composting of organic waste with a high lignocellulosic portion, composting of heavy metal contaminated organic waste, and composting at low temperature.

Newly developed packaging paper made of biopulped pineapple leaf fiber (PALF) and poly(lactic acid)(PLA) was studied. PALF packaging sheets were solvent impregnated with PLA at different concentrations in order to improve their moisture barrier and mechanical performance. With the impregnation of PLA at a concentration of 4%, the packaging material exhibited a low moisture uptake and a high tear index. An electron micrograph of the sample at 4% impregnation revealed uniform and packed PLA reversed microsphere morphology. These results suggest that surface coating via biodegradable polymers, such as PLA, may be utilized for manufacturing packaging materials in industrial applications. This new packaging material could reduce the dependency on wood-based paper and plastic-based packaging.

In this study, microbial cellulose production by Acetobacter xylinum 0416 using standardized liquid pineapple waste was carried out in a 4-L rotary disc reactor (RDR). The objective of this study was to optimize the process parameters for production of microbial cellulose in the RDR. The effects of the disc rotation speed (5 to 12 rpm), pH (3.5 to 7.5), fermentation period (3 to 6 days), and inoculum concentration (3 to 20% v/v) on the microbial cellulose production were investigated. The optimum microbial cellulose yield was obtained using 10% (v/v) of inoculum concentration, whereby four days’ duration gave the most productive yield. In addition, the highest production of microbial cellulose was obtained at a low disc rotation speed of 7 rpm and a pH of 5.0. Analysis of data performed a high coefficient of determination value (R2=0.875) represented by a mathematical model of optimized microbial cellulose production, Y = -200.437 + 7.180X1 + 69.869X2 + 4.369X3 + 1.867X4 – 0.512X12 – 6.766X22 – 0.585X32 – 0.079X42. From the results, it can be concluded that the foremost factors that affect the production of microbial cellulose in RDR were pH followed by inoculum concentration, disc rotation speed (rpm), and fermentation period.

Design of blood compatible surfaces is obligatory to minimize platelet surface interactions and improve the thromboresistance of foreign surfaces when they are utilized as biomaterials particularly for blood contacting devices. Pure metallocene polyethylene (mPE) and nitric acid (HNO3) treated mPE antithrombogenicity and hydrophilicity were investigated. The contact angle of the mPE treated with HNO3 decreased. Surface of mPE and HNO3 treated mPE investigated with FTIR revealed no major changes in its functional groups. 3D Hirox digital microscopy, SEM and AFM images show increased porosity and surface roughness. Blood coagulation assays prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) were delayed significantly (P < 0.05) for HNO3 treated mPE. Hemolysis assay and platelet adhesion of the treated surface resulted in the lysis of red blood cells and platelet adherence, respectively indicating improved hemocompatibility of HNO3 treated mPE. To determine that HNO3 does not deteriorate elastic modulus of mPE, the elastic modulus of mPE and HNO3 treated mPE was compared and the result shows no significant difference. Hence, the overall observation suggests that the novel HNO3 treated mPE may hold great promises to be exploited for blood contacting devices like grafts, catheters, and etc.