Nazimah Hamid

Honey bioactivity is a multi-constituent property often oversimplified by single-marker analysis. This study applied an exploratory multiblock integrative framework to map the systems-level architecture of bioactivity in New Zealand thyme, mānuka, kānuka, and clover honeys. Sugars, minerals, targeted phenolics, and bioactive indices were profiled alongside a functional panel (ferric reducing antioxidant power, FRAP; cupric ion reducing antioxidant capacity, CUPRAC; 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging, DPPH; and anti-tyrosinase). Univariate analysis revealed a distinct functional gradient (p ≤ 0.004), with thyme showing the highest mean activity across the four in vitro endpoints within this cohort. Beyond univariate comparison, data integration analysis for biomarker discovery using latent components (DIABLO), supervised by categorical honey type, and sparse partial least squares regression (sPLS-REG), using the continuous assay panel as the response, identified a bioactivity-associated signature spanning multiple chemical domains. The high-bioactivity axis co-varied with vitamin C, syringic acid, phosphorus, and sucrose; these associations do not establish biochemical synergy or soil causation. Botanical adjustment weakened or reversed several pooled associations; vitamin C–CUPRAC depended on the inference method and within-thyme support, and no pair passed within-type permutation BH correction. Lumichrome showed a kānuka-associated pattern within the present cohort, consistent with previous reports, but its specificity requires confirmation in larger, independently sourced cohorts. The contribution is the within-cohort integration of complementary compositional domains with multiple functional endpoints. The findings are hypothesis-generating and require external validation.

Stress-reducing beverages represent a growing segment of the functional beverage market. Stress is a particularly salient concern among young consumers, who are also the category’s primary early adopters, making them the key target segment for functional beverage innovation. However, the value-based drivers of consumer adoption across different cultures lack sufficient research. This study integrated the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) and the Theory of Consumption Values (TCV) to evaluate purchase intentions among predominantly young adult consumers in New Zealand, India, and Malaysia. Data from 660 participants were analysed using Partial Least Squares Path Modelling (PLS-PM) and multigroup analysis. Findings revealed that while attitudes and subjective norms predicted intention across all groups, the underlying value drivers varied by country. Functional value, specifically perceived health benefits and product safety, was the strongest driver of behavioural intention in India. Initial trust and conditional value showed the strongest associations with behavioural intention in Malaysia. In New Zealand, conditional value (promotional sensitivity) and perceived behavioural control (personal autonomy) showed stronger associations with behavioural intention than functional or social value. For industry, these results indicate that market penetration across the Asia-Pacific region requires culturally tailored rather than standardised strategies: evidence-based efficacy claims in India, certification-led trust-building and low-risk trials in Malaysia, and convenience, retail availability and price promotions in New Zealand. Because demographic composition differed across the three national samples, country-level differences should be interpreted as differences between sampled cohorts rather than established cultural effects.

The broader application of Lingzhi (Ganoderma lucidum) in functional foods is fundamentally restricted by its intense, triterpenoid-driven bitterness. This study investigated the biochemical changes in Lingzhi mushroom mycelium (LMM) over a 10-day controlled fermentation with Lactiplantibacillus plantarum. To evaluate bioactivity enhancement, a dual predictive modelling strategy (Partial Least Squares Regression [PLSR] and elastic-net) was applied to the non-volatile metabolite matrix, identifying model-supported candidate contributors to TPC and FRAP antioxidant responses. Concurrently, fermentation significantly transformed the matrix, yielding an estimated 24-fold increase in synergistic umami intensity, with Equivalent Umami Concentration (EUC) increasing from 0.27 to 6.49 g MSG/100 g fermented LMM by Day 10. This increase was primarily driven by the accumulation of glutamic acid (Taste Activity Value [TAV] = 1.27) and its potent synergy with 5′-GMP (TAV = 2.82). Furthermore, Principal Component Analysis (PCA) of GC-MS volatile data revealed a distinct temporal transition from lipid-derived aldehydes to microbially generated ‘mushroom’ alcohols and mid-fermentation esters, suggesting enhanced aromatic complexity. These findings indicate that targeted L. plantarum fermentation can convert raw LMM into a bioactive ingredient with enhanced umami and antioxidant capacity suggesting potential for improved palatability that warrants sensory confirmation.

Medicinal mushroom production utilising rural cultivation (solid state fermentation) requires approximately six months compared to culinary mushroom production (7 days). Urban cultivation (submerged liquid fermentation) can be used as a sustainable method of producing medicinal mushroom biomass. In this study, chicken patties were fortified with liquid-fermented Ganoderma lucidum flour (GLF) and Pleurotus djamor mushroom biomass flour (PDF) at concentrations of 3%, 6%, and 9%. These were compared to a negative control (0% mushroom flour chicken patty) and a commercial patty. Chicken patties fortified with 3% PDF and 9% GLF recorded the lowest cooking loss, at 5.55% and 10.3%, respectively. Mushroom chicken patties exhibited lower cooking losses and significant changes in colour and texture compared to control samples. Notably, 3% GLF chicken patty achieved the highest overall acceptability score of 6.55 followed by 9% PDF chicken patty (6.08) (p < 0.05). Biomass flour of liquid-fermented Ganoderma lucidum (ENS-GL) and Pleurotus djamor (ENS-PD) were extracted for their endopolysaccharide and analysed for their functional properties. All elemental, FT-IR, and NMR spectroscopy analyses revealed the existence of a comparable beta-glucan polymer structure, linkages, and absorptions when compared to the Laminarin standard. In addition, ENS-GL also proved to possess higher antimicrobial activities and significant antioxidant levels (DPPH-scavenging activity, ferric reduction potential and total phenolic content) compared to ENS-PD. Overall, this study revealed that sustainable liquid-fermented Ganoderma lucidum, a medicinal mushroom, outperformed Pleurotus djamor, a culinary mushroom, as a potential alternative flour for combating hunger in the future.

Honey has been used for centuries for its antibacterial and healing properties. The aim of this study was to investigate the antibacterial properties, arabinogalactan proteins (AGPs), antioxidant activities, and polyphenolic content of eight different types of New Zealand honey (clover, mānuka, beech honeydew, pōhutukawa, kānuka, rewarewa, kāmahi and thyme honey). The results showed varying antibacterial activities across the honey types, with mānuka, pōhutukawa, and kāmahi honey exhibiting significant inhibitory effects. Interestingly, all honey samples demonstrated inhibitory effects on bacterial growth at 25% concentration. Furthermore, AGPs were found in all eight honey samples, with higher amounts in kānuka, kāmahi, pōhutukawa, mānuka, and rewarewa honey. Thyme had the highest antioxidant values in terms of CUPRAC, FRAP and DPPH, while kāmahi honey had the lowest antioxidant value. Beech honeydew honey had the highest Total Flavonoid Content (TFC) values, while thyme and clover honey had the lowest TFC values. Similarly, thyme honey exhibited the highest Total Phenolic Content (TPC) value, with kāmahi and clover honey having the lowest TPC values. Furthermore, only thyme and beech honeydew New Zealand honeys contained vitamin C. The different honeys contained varying concentrations of polyphenols, with mānuka, kānuka, and pōhutukawa honeys having high amounts of quercetin, luteolin, and gallic acid, respectively. In contrast, clover honey had notable levels of chrysin, pinocembrin, caffeic acid, and pinobanksin. Overall, this study provides valuable insights into the antibacterial properties and bioactivities of native New Zealand honeys, contributing to our understanding of the potential health benefits associated with these honeys and their potential use as natural alternatives to improve human health.