Norliza Julmohammad

This study aimed to evaluate the physicochemical, antioxidant, sensory,proximate, and microbiological properties of pasteurized milk incorporated with Pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata) pulp. The milk and pumpkin were mixed in the ratio of 90:0 (PFM0), 80:10 (PFM1), 75:15 (PFM2), 70:20 (PFM3), 65:25 (PFM4) and 60:30 (PFM5). Increasing Pumpkin pulp content significantly affected color (L*, a*, and b* values), viscosity, pH, and carotenoid concentration. Antioxidant activity demonstrated that higher Pumpkin concentrations enhanced radical-scavenging capacity. Sensory evaluation revealed that PFM2 (15% Pumpkin pulp) was the most preferred formulation, scoring highest for taste, texture, and appearance. Proximate analysis of PFM2 indicated moisture (87.37%), ash (0.38%), crude fat (0.93%), crude protein (3.33%), and total carbohydrates (7.98%). Microbiological analysis confirmed the absence of coliforms, Escherichia coli, and Salmonella spp.; however, elevated Total Plate Counts (TPC) were observed in samples PFM1 and PFM5, indicating potential concerns regarding overallmicrobial load. Pumpkin-flavored milk significantly improves total carotenoid content and antioxidant activity compared to plain pasteurized milk, suggesting its potential as a functional food.

This study investigates the solubility correlation of oil extracted from Sabah green Robusta coffee (Coffea canephora) beans through supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO₂) extraction. Sabah, recognized as the largest coffee-producing region in Malaysia, serves as a significant source of Robusta beans for this research. The solubility of coffee bean oil was evaluated under varying pressures (10–30 MPa) and temperatures (40–80 °C). The maximum solubility, 2.681 mg/g CO₂, was recorded at 30 MPa and 40 °C, whereas the lowest solubility, approximately 0.440 mg/g CO₂, occurred at 20 MPa and 80 °C. A clear inverse relationship between solubility and temperature was observed, with solubility decreasing as temperature increased to 80 °C. Conversely, elevated pressure, particularly at 30 MPa, enhanced solubility due to the increased density and solvent power of SC-CO₂. Experimental data exhibited strong agreement with Chrastil’s equation, yielding a relatively low percentage error of 3.37%, compared with 14.57% for the del Valle-Aguilera model. These findings demonstrate the reliability of Chrastil’s model in predicting the solubility of Sabah green coffee bean oil in SC-CO₂. Overall, the research highlights the potential of SC-CO₂ extraction as a sustainable, solvent-free approach for obtaining high-quality coffee oil extracts, with promising applications in the food industry and possible extension to the recovery of other bioactive compounds in food processing.

Low-fat yogurt contains reduced saturated fat, offering cardiovascular benefits while retaining essential nutrients present in full-fat yogurt. Despite its lighter texture and reduced creaminess, the incorporation of functional ingredients can improve its texture, consistency, and taste while maintaining lower fat content. However, certain sensory and physicochemical attributes may be compromised in low-fat yogurt due to its reduced fat content. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the effects of gelatin and inulin supplementation on the physicochemical and sensory properties of low-fat yogurt. The concentration of gelatin and inulin added was 1, 2 and 3%. Gelatin offered a better texture and appearance for sensory analysis; however, increased levels of gelatin negatively affected the attribute mentioned. On the other hand, inulin had a better effect on aroma and taste. Inulin recorded the highest overall acceptability of 6.04 ± 0.90. The two best samples were chosen from sensory analysis for further proximate and physicochemical analysis. Syneresis of yogurt was significantly reduced upon the addition of gelatin with measurements of 2.30, 1.42, and 0.90 on days 1, 7, and 14. Lightness (L*) and yellowness (b*) of low-fat yogurt increased with gelatin and decreased with inulin. Hardness and adhesiveness were significantly improved upon the addition of gelatin, while inulin gave a significant difference in springiness compared to gelatin and standard. In conclusion, the addition of inulin and gelatin in low-fat yogurt has a significant effect on improving its attributes.

Fermented fish is a staple food in Southeast Asian cuisine with a unique flavor and nutritional properties. This paper provides a comprehensive review of fermented fish, its types and methods of fermentation, nutritional value, health benefits, and risks. The paper highlights traditional and modern methods of fermentation using various types of fish and provides examples of popular fermented fish dishes. The nutritional value of fermented fish is emphasized, including their high protein and amino acid content, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals. Moreover, fermented fish has demonstrated promising health benefits such as improved cardiovascular health, gut health, and anti-cancer properties. However, high sodium content and potential risks of histamine poisoning, or other foodborne illnesses require caution in the consumption of these foods. The paper concludes by underscoring the cultural and public health significance of fermented fish and highlighting the potential for further research on the health benefits and risks of this traditional food.

Mangifera pajang Kosterm., or 'Bambangan,' a fruit known for its rich phytochemical content, was investigated for the effects of ultrasound‐assisted osmotic dehydration (UAOD) on pretreated M. pajang fruit pulp (PMPF) and drying at different temperatures (40, 50, 60, 70, and 80°C). Thin‐layer drying kinetics were analyzed using six models, with the Midilli and Kucuk model being the most suitable, showing optimal effective moisture diffusivity and activation energy. PMPF dried at 50°C, using natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES) as the extraction solvent, exhibited the highest extraction yield (64.13 ± 1.08%), mangiferin content (0.5818 ± 0.00164 mg/g), total phenolic content (146.2081 ± 1.33 mg GAE/g DW), total flavonoid content (2.4737 ± 0.06 mg RE/g DW), and DPPH inhibition activity (95.87 ± 0.16%), along with the best color retention compared to untreated M. pajang fruit pulp. This highlights its potential for nutraceutical and functional food applications, with UAOD as pretreatment effectively preserving food quality and color.Practical Applications: This article provides new insights into the drying and pretreatment of Mangifera pajang fruits. Rich in phytochemicals, M. pajang offers numerous health benefits. Pretreatment methods such as ultrasound‐assisted osmotic dehydration (UAOD) and oven drying at different temperatures significantly enhance the retention of bioactive compounds like phenolics and flavonoids, as well as antioxidant activity and color stability. The study identified optimal drying temperatures, conditions, drying rates, and activation energy to maximize these qualities. Using mathematical models for drying kinetics, this research offers practical guidance for the food processing industry. It provides an operational tool for manufacturers to optimize the drying process, reduce operational costs, and ensure the preservation of chemical qualities while extending the shelf life of M. pajang fruits. This work supports the development of high‐quality nutraceutical and functional food ingredients, promoting their commercialisation and use in health‐focused markets.

Whey protein isolate (WPI) was hydrolysed to whey protein hydrolysate (WPH) using alcalase produced by Bacillus licheniformis at 65℃ for 3 hrs with an enzyme-to-substrate ratio of 1:50. The WPI and WPH were then conjugated with lactose via Maillard reaction by heating the solution at 95°C for different heating time which were 0 hr, 1 hr, 2 hrs, 3 hrs and 4 hrs. The objectives of this study were to characterise the physicochemical properties (pH value, browning intensity, degree of glycation and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy) of conjugation of WPI and WPH with lactose and to analyse the antioxidant activity of WPI and WPH after conjugation with lactose. The pH value and degree of glycation of WPH-Lactose for all different heating times was higher compared to WPI-Lactose. The antioxidant activity of WPH-Lactose conjugate was higher compared to WPI-Lactose conjugate as shown in the analysis of ABTS+ radical scavenging activity which was 2.37% for WPI-Lactose and 12.68% for WPH-Lactose that have been heated for 4 hrs. However, the antioxidant activity of WPH was high even though without the conjugation with lactose. Hence, findings showed that WPH can be used as a potential ingredient for encapsulating bioactive compounds due to its high antioxidant activity.

Milk adulteration is a dishonest act of some milk manufacturer, where they purposely combine or substitute the ingredient of milk with low quality substances which decrease the quality of the milk. The objectives of this study were to investigate the ATR-FTIR spectroscopy technique in detection of adulterant residues in milk products, and to classify and quantify the adulterant detected in milk sample using multivariate analysis. Ultra High-Temperature (UHT) milk sample was used with three common adulterants (melamine, formalin, anionic detergent) in five different concentrations (0.2 %, 0.8 %, 1.2 %, 1.5 % and 2.0 %). The ATR-FTIR spectroscopic analysis was used for the qualification of adulterants in the wavenumber range of 4000 to 500. Then, principal component analysis (PCA), discriminant analysis (DA) and multiple linear regression (MLR) was applied for multivariate analysis. PCA was used to reduce the dimensionality of the data and to explore the similarities and differences among the unadulterated and adulterated milk samples. DA was used to confirm the significant variable obtain from PCA, and MLR was used to quantify the adulterants detected in the samples. The root mean squared error (RMSE), the coefficient of determination () value obtained for melamine data was 0.158% and 0.975 respectively with the mean square error (MSE) was obtained to be 0.025. Then, the RMSE, and MSE value obtained for formalin were 0.308%, 0.904 and 0.095 respectively while the RMSE, and MSE value obtained for detergent were 0.639%, 0.632 and 0.408. These results show the potential of FTIR spectroscopy coupled with multivariate analysis as a rapid and sensitive technique for the qualification and quantification of adulterant residues in UHT milk products.