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The present study determined total phenolic content (TPC), 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging, ±-glucosidase, and nitric oxide (NO) inhibitory activities of black (BR), purple (PR), and red rice (RR) extracted with different polarity solvents and characterized the metabolites by using the 1H NMR-based metabolomics approach. The methanol extract of RR had the highest DPPH scavenging and ±-glucosidase inhibitory activities. The water extracts of PR and RR exhibited the highest NO inhibitory activity with IC50 values of 176.28 ± 18.78 and 160.69 ± 14.83 µg/mL, respectively. The metabolites that contribute to radical scavenging and ±-glucosidase inhibitory activities of RR methanol extract were chlorogenic acid, protocatechuic acid, and tyrosine, whereas nicotinic acid, ³-aminobutyric acid, and citric acid were the metabolites that contributed to the NO inhibitory activity of RR water extract. The RR extracts are potential sources of bioactive compounds with antioxidant and NO inhibitory properties.

Introduction Muntingia calabura from the Muntingiaceae family has been documented for several medicinal uses. The combinations of drying treatment and extracting solvents for a plant species need to be determined and optimised to ensure that the extracts contain adequate amounts of the bioactive metabolites. Objective Evaluate the metabolite variations and antioxidant activity among M. calabura leaves subjected to different drying methods and extracted with different ethanol ratios using proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR)-based metabolomics. Methodology The antioxidant activity of M. calabura leaves dried with three different drying methods and extracted with three different ethanol ratios was determined by using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and nitric oxide (NO) scavenging assays. The metabolites variation among the extracts and correlation with antioxidant activity were analysed by 1H-NMR-based metabolomics. Results Muntingia calabura leaves extracted with 50% and 100% ethanol from air-drying and freeze-drying methods had the highest total phenolic content and the lowest IC50 value for the DPPH scavenging activity. Meanwhile, oven-dried leaves extracted with 100% ethanol had the lowest IC50 value for the NO scavenging activity. A total of 43 metabolites, including sugars, organic acids, amino acids, phytosterols, phenolics and terpene glycoside were tentatively identified. A noticeable discrimination was observed in the different ethanol ratios by the principal component analysis. The partial least-squares analysis suggested that 32 compounds out of 43 compounds identified were the contributors to the bioactivities. Conclusion The results established set the preliminary steps towards developing this plant into a high value product for phytomedicinal preparations.

Keropok lekor (KL) (Malaysian fish sausage) is usually boiled and then deep-fried for consumption. The combination ofthese cooking methods could produce greasy and fatty products thus negatively affect health in a long term. Other cookingmethods could be better alternatives to the common methods. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effect of sixcooking methods namely boiling, steaming, air frying, deep-frying, microwaving and oven-cooking on the KL quality. Thecooked samples were analysed for the moisture, fat, linear expansion, cooking yield, water holding capacity, colour, textureand sensory properties. Boiling showed the highest linear expansion (3.02%), cooking yield (104.10%) and water holdingcapacity (41.04%). Meanwhile, deep frying significantly reduced (p<0.05) the moisture (39.83%) and increased the fat(6.58%) contents, exhibited harder texture (93.13N) and showed a higher yellowness value (8.23) compared to other cookingmethods. No significant difference (p>0.05) was found in other properties; however, panellists significantly (p<0.05) preferredthe crispiness and overall acceptability of the deep-fried followed by oven-cooked KL. Indeed, textures and colours hadsignificant (p<0.05) relationships with sensory properties. In conclusion, deep-frying and oven-cooking reduced the moisturecontent and increased the hardness of KL, which increased the panelists’ preferences. However, deep-fried KL had a higherfat content due to the cooking with oil; therefore, the oven-cooked KL can be the healthier alternative.

One method for processing Pangium edule Reinw. seeds for consumption is fermentation. The aim of this study was to determine the physicochemical characteristics of P. edule Reinw. seeds during fermentation and antioxidant activity of the extracts. P. edule Reinw. seeds were boiled for 2 hrs and subjected to spontaneous fermentation for 40 days. The physicochemical properties were evaluated according to AOAC methods. Raw and fermented P. edule Reinw. seeds (day 40) were dried and extracted using ethanol and distilled water. The antioxidant activity was measured using 2,2-diphenyl-1- dipicrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay while total phenolic content was measured by following the Folin-Ciocalteu method. The results showed that there were no significant differences in water activity while the pH value was decreased along fermentation days. The TSS was significantly increased from day 0 (11.00) to day 30 (19.50), however, it drastically decreased to 11.50 after 40 days of fermentation. The value of lightness (L*) parameter was decreased from 66.44 to 25.28 on day 40 but no significant differences for a* and b* parameter. For proximate analysis, the percentage of ash, crude protein, crude fat, and crude fibre were significantly increased while moisture content and carbohydrate were significantly decreased throughout the fermentation days. Besides, the highest DPPH activity was observed in the ferment-water extract at concentration 10 mg/mL which about 95.61% while the highest total phenolic content was obtained from the ferment-ethanol extract (173.79 mg GAE/100 mg). In conclusion, there were some changes in the physicochemical properties of P. edule Reinw. seeds during fermentation and potentially has antioxidant activities. The results of this study might be used as basic information to develop the fermented seeds as a functional food.

Ergogenic property is the ability to enhance capacity for physical activities through efficient production of energy and is potentially beneficial in weight management for the obese. In this study, ergogenic property of Morinda citrifolia leaf's extract (MCL) was evaluated using AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activity and high fat diet-induced obese rats. Findings from the study showed that MCL demonstrated ergogenic activity via enhancement of AMPK activity using L6 skeletal muscle cell line. Interestingly, the result also revealed that rats treated with the intermediate dosage of MCL experienced the lowest % weight gain. The rats fed the highest dose of 200 mg/kg BW MCL demonstrated the longest swimming time of approximately three times that of green tea and caffeine-fed rats. The highest dose fed rats were also found to have lower glucose and lactate levels, suggesting that energy metabolism was more effective in these rats. In addition, lactate dehydrogenase and creatinine kinase activities, the muscle injury indicators, were found to be the lowest in rats fed the highest MCL dose. The same effect was not seen in rats fed either caffeine or green tea, indicating that MCL treatment is may be protective of the rats' muscles. It was also shown that MCL consisted of various flavonoids with epicatechin, catechin, and quercetin that may be responsible for the effects measured. In conclusion, improvements were seen in rats fed MCL in terms of weight management, endurance capacity, energy metabolism, and muscle injury parameters. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Results of the study revealed that Morinda citrifolia leaf has great potential to be used as functional ingredient in the development of designer food/drink as ergogenic aid for both obese and non-obese individuals. Morinda citrifolia leaf could help in the weight management of obese people and enhance endurance capacity and energy metabolism in active individuals.

Cantaloupe contains many bioactive compounds such as phenolic, flavonoid, and carotenoid. Cantaloupe powder was produced by spray drying with gum arabic as the carrier agent, and stored for 180 days at ambient (25 ± 2 °C, 50–70% RH) and accelerated conditions (38 ± 2 °C, 90% RH). The effects of storage conditions on the physicochemical and microbiological properties of spray-dried cantaloupe powder were evaluated. In both storage conditions, the moisture content, water activity, and total color difference of the spray-dried cantaloupe powder increased with storage duration, while the hygroscopicity and total carotenoid content decreased with storage duration. The degradation of carotenoid content in the spray-dried cantaloupe powder followed first-order kinetics. The half-lives of cantaloupe powder stored in ambient and accelerated conditions were estimated as 28.41 and 25.11 days, respectively. Microbial results of spray-dried cantaloupe powder for 180 days of storage in both conditions were in acceptable limit.

Coconut milk is a good substitute for dairy milk in yogurt production, so that individuals with lactose intolerance and allergy may enjoy the benefits of probiotics in the yogurt. Addition of raisins puree in coconut milk yogurt will further enhance the probiotic viability and increase the prebiotics in yogurt. The objective of the research was to study the physicochemical properties, resistant starch, probiotic viability and sensory acceptance of coconut milk yogurt (CY) supplemented with raisin puree at different levels (0%, 17%, 23% and 29%). Using a commercial dairy yogurt milk (DY) as a comparison, CY with 0, 17, 23 and 29% raisins puree were characterized by pH, viscosity, total soluble solids, and colour. The nutritional properties were characterized by proximate analysis and resistant starch. The probiotic viability and sensory evaluation were also carried out. As compared to DY, increased level of raisins puree in CY showed significantly higher viscosity, total soluble solid, fat, probiotic viability and resistant starch, but lower protein content. The lightness of CY decreased with increasing raisins puree amount, whereas redness and yellowness decreased. Sensory evaluation showed that all CY had a better preference in terms of aroma, taste and overall acceptability. Except for CY with 29% raisins puree, the texture of DY was more preferred over CY. The study suggests that CY with 29% raisins puree is suitable to improve the overall physical and nutritional properties. Besides, it had significantly better sensory acceptance than DY that makes it a good alternative yogurt for lactose intolerance and milk-allergic individuals.

Obesity is a major global lifestyle disorder associated with gut microbiota. The health benefits of eggshell membrane (ESM) have been shown in previous reports, particularly as regards gut microbiota composition. Here, we investigated whether ESM improves lipid metabolism and alters gut microbiota in high-fat diet-fed mice. A total of 20 C57BL/6J mice aged 6 weeks were given either a control diet (CON), high-fat diet (HFD), or high-fat diet + 8% ESM powder (HESM) for 20 weeks. ESM supplementation in HFD-fed mice reduced plasma triglycerides (TG) and liver total cholesterol (TC) and upregulated the expression of lipid metabolism genes carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1A and suppressor of cytokine signaling 2. Microbiota analysis showed increased relative abundance of the anti-obesity bacterium, Lactobacillus reuteri, at 4, 12, and 16 weeks and reduced the abundance of inflammation-related Blautia hydrogenotrophica, Roseburia faecis, and Ruminococcus callidus at 12 and 20 weeks. ESM-supplemented mice had increased cecal isobutyrate, negatively correlated with B. hydrogenotrophica and Parabacteroides goldsteinii abundance. The results indicate that ESM supplementation in HFD-fed mice reduced plasma TG and liver TC, possibly through alteration of lipid metabolism gene expression and gut microbiota composition, suggesting that ESM may be effective in obesity management.