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Yogurt enriched with probiotic bacteria benefits health by strengthening the abdominal ecosystem. A short shelf-life and poor survivability of probiotic in yogurt remains a great problem in production and manufacturing processes. Cell immobilization is believed as a suitable way to lengthen the probiotic survivability and prolong yogurt shelf-life. One of the cheap sources of natural immobilization carrier is okara, a soybean by-product. Due to its overproduction, the okara is becoming a source of pollution. The use of okara as a food additive in dairy products such as yogurt is potentially one strategic approach to minimize pollution. Therefore, this study has evaluated the effect of fortification with increasing concentrations of okara on texture, probiotic survivability, nutritive value, and sensory qualities of yogurt. On day 1, the yogurt fortified with 1% okara was the most preferable to panelists because of its high texture consistency, the lightest color, more sour taste, low sugar and fat contents, and high viability of probiotic bacteria. Based on this finding, we suggested 1% okara is the best formulation for symbiotic yogurt production.

Frying potato chips developed a tasty product with crispy, tempting aromas and excellent appeal of potato chips, but high oil content in deep-fry potato chips will increase adverse health effect to the consumer. This research was conducted to evaluate the effect of the composite coating (pectin-maltodextrin) of potato chips characteristics at different ratios (uncoated, 100:0, 90:10, 80:20, 70:30 60:40 and 50:50 or named as sample 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7, respectively). The potato chips were coated using dipping method and characterized through evaluations of fat content, moisture content, texture and sensory. Sample 6 (60:40) has the significant highest fat reduction (9.69%) among the samples. The moisture content for all samples were not significantly different (P > 0.05). Coated potato chip of sample 4 (80:20) has the highest breaking force (2.78 ± 0.07 N) compared to uncoated potato chip (2.24 ± 0.13 N). The sensory evaluation showed that coated potato chips were preferable compared to uncoated potato chips. In conclusion, composite (pectin-maltodextrin) coated potato chips obtained enhanced characteristics including significant fat reduction, improving texture and sensory acceptability.

Banana was prone to decay specifically under tropical conditions because of its high moisture content. Pectin and sodium chloride were used to develop edible coatings for shelf-life study throughout 5 days at ambient temperature of banana fruits. The edible coating effectiveness with different concentrations of pectin (1, 2 and 3%, w/v) on Berangan banana properties were evaluated such as weight loss, microbial growth, TSS, pH, firmness, colour and sensory attributes. The coating method used was the dipping method. Banana samples were dipped into sodium chloride (200 ppm) for 30 s and left dried on for 10 min. This step was repeated using pectin coating solution (1%, 2% or 3%, w/v). In general, results exhibited higher pectin concentration influenced the changes in properties in maintaining the banana quality. Samples of 2 & 3% were significantly lower in weight loss compared to sample uncoated and 1%. Again, 2% coated sample has the significant lowest TSS (7.40 °Brix) in all samples. In addition, 2% pectin coated sample proved to prolong the banana shelf-life by having the lowest value (3.72 log CFU/ml) in total yeastm however, vice versa result of pH values were obtained (4.80 and 5.23, respectively). Finally, no significance different in all sensory attributes between uncoated and coated samples were recorded. In conclusion, the sample of 2% (w/v) coated pectin with 200 ppm sodium chloride was found to be the best coating solution in this study. This composite coating could be applied as an edible coating for post-harvest banana fruits and have beneficial effects on delaying the ripening process, maintaining quality attributes and prolonging the shelf life of the fruit.

Production of the deep-fried cassava chips has contributed to high cooking oil waste production. The frying process could increases the lipid content and reduce the physical attributes of the chips. This research aimed to evaluate the effect of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) concentration (1, 2 and 3%) on the coated-fried cassava chips characteristics. A dipping-coating method was used and the characteristics evaluated were lipids content, colour measurement, texture, functional group and sensory analysis. All data were analysed using one-way ANOVA and Duncan multiple range test. Result showed 3% CMC could reduce the lipid content of chips up to 10%. Besides, the coated chips produced a better crispiness level as compared to uncoated chips. The colours were darker in the higher concentrations of CMC coated chips. FTIR spectra confirmed the presence of CMC coating on the coated sample. The coated chips showed a slightly higher sensory overall acceptability. Overall, the CMC-coated cassava chips reduced the lipid contents and improved physical properties of the snack.

The aim of this research is to develop ‘bilis’ flavouring cube by a combination method of fermentation of anchovies using Pediococcus halophilus and enzymatic treatment of the fermented anchovies using Alcalase and Flavourzyme. Fermentation of anchovies were carried out by inoculating 10% (v/v) Pediococcus halophilus in 300 ml 17% salt solution containing 100 g of dried anchovies, with or without the addition of 50% the tomato broth. Both fermentation was carried out at 25 °C for 4 weeks. Total nitrogen, lactic acid bacteria count, soluble protein and pH were determined at day 0, 7, 14, 21 and 28 of fermentation whereas for titrable acidity analysis was conducted at day 0 and 28. At day 29, the fermented anchovies were homogenised and divided further into two portions each, with or without the addition of enzymes. For enzyme treatment, 1% (v/v) of Alcalase was added and incubated at 55 °C for 3 h followed by addition of 1% (w/v) Flavourzyme and incubated at 55 °C for 3 h. The anchovies broth were then oven dried and used for formulation of ‘bilis’cubes. The fermentation with presence of tomato broth produced higher solubilised protein and higher titratable acidity. The formulated cube with a combination using tomato broth for fermentation and enzyme treatment using Alcalase and Flavourzyme was most preferred by the panellist in the sensory evaluation conducted.

The objective of the study was to evaluate the influence of syringe and needle sizes on production time and bead size of Lactobacillus plantarum-sodium alginate-banana peel. The bead was produced using the extrusion method. The 25G and 23G of needles produce 0.5 mm to 1 mm and 1 mm to 2 mm bead size, respectively. No different of bead sizes were observed when different syringe size was used. Higher internal diameter of syringe needle and smaller syringe size produced bead in fastest processing time (1 min). The extrusion using 23G syringe needle and 10 ml syringe obtained smallest bead size and fastest processing time. This crucial information could further optimise the extrusion process and future up-scaling process.

Purple sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) is one of nutritious food. Through deep-frying process, purple sweet potato chips that currently been introduced on the market, worldwide and being public demand nowadays. However, the frying process caused the increasing of lipid content in the food. Edible coating method is applied in improving the fried chips characteristics. Thus, this study was performed to determine the effect of calcium chloride (CaCl2) concentration (0.01, 0.05 and 0.1 M) and maltodextrin (3%) as the edible coating on the purple sweet potato chips. Coated-purple sweet potato chips were prepared by dipping method. It was followed by the analysis which were lipid uptake and moisture contents, texture (hardness) examination, image capture and sensory evaluation. Subsequently, the obtained data were analysed using one-way ANOVA and Duncan multiple range. Based on the results, lipid uptake was slightly reduced in the 0.1M CaCl2-coated chips but still not significantly different compared to other chips. Moisture content became higher as the concentration of CaCl2 increased. In addition, the hardness of all coated chips were higher compared to the uncoated sample. Similar colour values were demonstrated in all samples. In sensory evaluation, most preferable sample from the consumers was 0.1M CaCl2-coated chips. This coating agents (0.1M CaCl2 with 3% maltodextrin) enhanced the characteristics such as lipid reduction and sensory’s overall acceptability of the purple sweet potato chips.

In this research, fractional freezing (FF) was introduced to replace the conventional evaporation to concentrate fruit juice which usually require a higher energy and cost demand. Response surface methodology (RSM) was applied to optimize the process, as well as to investigate the effect of coolant temperature and freezing time towards the efficiency of the concentration process to concentrate orange juice which is represented by Vitamin C increment and Effective Partition Constant (K). Subsequently, a validation experiment was conducted to validate the predicted optimum conditions given by RSM. From the result, the optimum value of Vitamin C increment (45%) and K value (0.78) were found at coolant temperature of -8°C and 30 minutes of freezing time, with error for both responses less than 10% from prediction.

Phytoremediation provides a low cost and sustainable remediation to eliminate the contaminants in water particularly heavy metals. Some plants have the ability to absorb certain metals while some plants do not. This research investigates the potential of different green plants to absorb copper (Cu) in three types of water; distilled, mineral and surface water. A green plant scientifically named as Limnocharis Flava plant were found to be effective in absorbing the Cu contaminants. The rate of absorption of Cu for different plants and water types were determined and monitored in fume cupboard equipped with tungsten bulb under controlled environment; light intensity, humidity, temperature and concentration of CuSO4. In just 5 days of experiment, the highest rate of absorption of Cu was observed in distilled water where the efficiency was 39.9%. Meanwhile, the absorption efficiency of copper in surface water and mineral water samples were 31.5% and 23.6% respectively. The absorption of Cu in different types of water fitted the 1st order, Rate Law model with >90% coefficient of determination. Other plant named Hydrilla Verticillata were studied using the same metal contaminant and conditions resulted with no observable Cu absorption. The concentration of Cu in the water samples throughout the research were analyzed at 324.8 nm wavelength using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS).

Deep fried-based food is commonly consumed in Malaysia due to their tasty and good appearance of the food. However, high consumption of the food may lead to adverse effect to consumer’s health beside high usage of oil-palm based cooking oil in deep frying process. Thus, this research aimed to investigate the effect of edible coating using different pectin concentration (1%, 2% or 3%) on cassava chips. Coated-cassava were prepared through dipping method into pectin and calcium chloride solution. Series of analysis such as lipid determination, texture analysis, colour determination, FTIR analysis, sensory evaluation and statistical analysis were conducted. Highest pectin concentration which 3% pectin-coated chips proved to reduce highest lipid uptake up to 11.750 ± 0.076 compared to uncoated chips (52.360 ± 0.762). For colour determination, it showed that the pectin coating did not changed the initial colour of the chips and enhanced the colour brightness after frying. Between all samples, the control or uncoated chips has the lowest result for hardness which was 577.216 ± 95.194 while 3% pectin coated chips had highest values in term of hardness which were 1338.209 ± 246.900. FTIR was able to recognize presence of the (N-O) group in all coated cassava chips compared to uncoated chips. The uncoated and pectin-coated chips had no significance different in overall acceptance in sensory analysis. This research concluded that edible coating from pectin with 3% concentration was able to reduce lipid uptake and enhanced several characteristics in cassava chips. Newly developed value-added coated cassava chips would offer a healthy, tasty and better appearance snack to consumer.

Probiotic ice cream serves as a functional food, but potential loss of probiotic viability occurs during product formulation, processing, and storage. Hence, this study aims (1) to formulate a probiotic (Lactobacillus plantarum ATCC 8014) ice cream added with coconut residue, (2) to determine the impact of the coconut residue on probiotic ice cream characteristics during 60 days of storage, and (3) to assess the acceptance of the ice cream enriched with probiotics and coconut residue. The ice cream was produced by using non-fat milk powder, milk fat, heavy cream, sugar, egg yolk, stabilizer, and maltodextrin, added with 1% of L. plantarum and different concentrations of coconut residue fiber (0.01–0.03 g/mL). The results revealed that ice cream incorporated with 0.02 g/mL of coconut residue was the best formulation for probiotic ice cream production. Throughout the storage period, it possessed stable probiotic viability, soft texture, low melting rate, high protein, low-fat, appropriate pH for probiotics, and acceptable sensory ratings for overall consumer acceptance. The synergistic combination of coconut residue and probiotics in ice cream is a potentially novel strategy for producing a nutritious dessert item beneficial to human health as well as reducing potential pollution by the agricultural industry.

Agricultural country in East Asia has generated abundant plantations wastes that contain cellulose. It is then hydrolysed to glucose catalytically or through enzymatic approach. Glucose product is widely used in food industries. Alternatively, it can be converted into biofuel resources that reduce fossil fuel dependency. In this study, glucose was extracted from three different types of fruits peel wastes which are Musa Sapientum (banana), Ananas Comosus (pineapple) and Mangifera Indica Linn (mango); by using alkaline hydrolysis method and the concentration obtained were compared accordingly. The alkali is used to remove the lignin content in fruits peel. The process started with samples and solvent preparation, followed by samples pre-treatment. Samples were mixed with NaOH (1%, 2% and 3%) at 80 °C and agitated at approximately 700 rpm. The process was continued with neutralization process, filtration process and ended with analysis using UV-Vis Spectroscopy at 265 nm wavelengths. The results showed that the highest glucose concentration extracted was from mango peel waste (4.752 mg/mL) with 2% of NaOH in 3 grams mass loading, followed by banana peel waste (3.824 mg/mL) and pineapple peel waste (2.179 mg/mL) with 3% of NaOH in 5 grams and 6 grams mass loading respectively. Meanwhile, 4 grams of pineapple peel waste in 1% of NaOH resulted to the lowest glucose concentration (0.992 mg/mL). It is shown that the concentration of glucose extracted from the fruit peel increases with increasing mass loading and alkaline concentration increase

This work reports the reinforcement of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) hydrogel with halloysite nanotubes (HNT) as potential biomedical materials. The nanocomposite hydrogel was prepared using the facile and harmless process of freeze–thawing. Mechanical properties of the hydrogels were optimum at 2 wt% of HNT loading. Morphological and topographic analysis of the PVA/HNT hydrogel revealed excellent filler dispersion and smoothing of surface due to good compatibility between the components. Immersion of the PVA/HNT hydrogel in simulated body fluid for 7 days resulted in the formation of fully covered apatite layers on the surface. This is a good indication of bioactivity for artificial cartilage material.

This chapter is aimed to review the literature concerning the filler and additive effect on polymer gel for various advanced applications including food, agriculture, pharmaceutical, and others. To date, polymer gel utilization is important due to its superior properties. Moreover, polymer gel is very responsiveness toward small environmental changes and significantly altered the gel behavior. Currently, incorporation of filler into polymer gel matrices is beneficial to enhance the characteristics of the gel such as mechanical, chemical, physical, and biological properties. Metallic compound, cellulosic material, and crosslinker are the various categories of filler that broadly used based on application and processing. Therefore, filler-loaded polymer gel could be a potential tool or vehicle for different advanced applications.

Sugarcane bagasse was successfully developed to be used as immobilizing agent for Lactobacillus rhamnosus NRRL 442. Several different structural and morphology were obtained between the sugarcane bagasse and immobilized probiotic-sugarcane bagasse. Sugarcane bagasse was able to preserved high cell viability (~98%) after immobilization. Also it was shown that the bagasse was an excellent biomaterial for immobilizing Lactobacillus rhamnosus NRRL 442 and retaining the cell viability.

Pelleting ingredients were processed and subsequently coated homogeneously with mixed solution of β-mannanase and phytase. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of enzyme coated and colour measurement on goat pelleted feed containing mixed commercial enzymes. The coated enzymes efficiency (%) and colour characteristic of feed were investigated. The high percentage of coating efficiency was obtained. After sprayed pellet demonstrated darker colour of brown compared to initial pellet. High coating efficiency and determination colour values are important attributes for initial step towards enzymes delivery in animal rumen and attributes to the value-added characteristic of the pellet, respectively.

Active packaging is a promising form of modern food packaging with great potential; economically, environmentally and generally, as it gives a lot of health benefits. Active and smart packaging is made by incorporating suitable colour indicators into food package matrices and applying a bio switch concept to inhibit the spoilage and the pathogenic microorganisms. The main objective of this study are to evaluate starch-based hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC) the best formulation of methyl red and bromothymol blue that can react with wide pH ranges and the effect of the smart film indicator incorporated with methyl red and bromothymol blue. A solution casting method was used in the film preparation and colour indicators were incorporated before casting. The ratio of 50:50 methyl red and bromothymol blue showed the best formulation which can react with a wide range of pH buffer 1 to 13 compared to ratio 20:80 and 80:20 of methyl red and bromothymol blue. The ratio of 50:50 methyl red and bromothymol blue were then selected to be incorporated into the film to see the effectiveness of the indicator film in order to detect the changes of pH.

The present study aimed to characterize the agricultural residues of sugarcane bagasse {SB} and pineapple core {PC} for the use in immobilization of Lactobacillus rhamnosus NRRL 442. Using Standard Official Methods, SB and PC were found to contain approximately equal amount of nutrition content. The nutrition contents found include: 2.7-2.8 % of protein, 9.8-10 % of crude fiber, and 0.3-0.5 % of fat. On the other hand, SB demonstrated relatively higher solution holding capacity of 9.42 ± 2.3 g/g dry size sample than that of 6.04 ± 2.1 g/g dry size sample in PC. Under screening electron microscope, the fiber of SB has a flat and even surface; in contrast, the fiber of PC has a rough and overlapping surface which may promote the attachment or cell holding capacity during the immobilization process. However, the viability tests after cells immobilization have shown that SB provided higher cell survivability of 93.6 % than that of 64.1% in PC. These result highlighted the greater role of solution holding capacity of cellulose in ensuring a better cell survivability after immobilization process. As conclusion, this study showed the near future potentiality of SB and PC as immobilization carriers for Lactobacillus rhamnosus NRRL 442. It may substitutes proportionally of raw materials and be functional feed for ruminant.

The aim of this research was to enhance the survivability of Lactobacillus rhamnosus NRRL 442 against heat exposure via a combination of immobilization and microencapsulation processes using sugarcane bagasse (SB) and sodium alginate (NaA), respectively. The microcapsules were synthesized using different alginate concentration of 1, 2 and 3% and NaA:SB ratio of 1:0, 1:1 and 1:1.5. This beneficial step of probiotic immobilization before microencapsulation significantly enhanced microencapsulation efficiency and cell survivability after heat exposure of 90 °C for 30 s. Interestingly, the microcapsule of SB-immobilized probiotic could obtain protection from heat using microencapsulation of NaA concentration as low as 1%. SEM images illustrated the incorporation of immobilized L. rhamnosus within alginate matrices and its changes after heat exposure. FTIR spectra confirmed the change in functional bonding in the presence of sugarcane bagasse, probiotic and alginate. The results demonstrated a great potential in the synthesis of heat resistant microcapsules for probiotic.