Siti Nor Azlina Abd Rashid

Halal status verification of animal-based fermented food products is critical for protecting consumer health and ensuring regulatory compliance in Muslim-majority markets. This study presents a comprehensive evaluation of qualitative and quantitative aspects of Malaysian fermented food products using integrated chemical, spectroscopic, microbiological, and chemometric approaches. Histamine quantification by HPLC-DAD revealed concentrations ranging from 44.2–570.3 mg/kg, with 47% of samples exceeding the Codex Alimentarius limit of 100 mg/kg, indicating potential chemical safety concerns. FTIR-ATR spectral profiling distinguished fermentation-induced lipid modifications and differentiated halal products from non-halal reference lard samples, revealing distinct molecular fingerprints across animal, plant, and fermented food matrices. Chemometric analysis using principal component analysis (PCA) and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) in the wavenumber fingerprint region (1500–650 cm−1) achieved clear sample discrimination and confirmed the absence of non-halal lipid adulteration. Microbiological assessments revealed total plate counts within acceptable regulatory limits, no detection of Escherichia coli, and controlled levels of Staphylococcus aureus, indicating satisfactory hygienic quality. These amalgamated findings establish a robust, multi-modal framework for halal authentication and quality control of fermented food products with direct implications for strengthening regulatory oversight, preventing food adulteration, and ensuring consumer protection in halal-certified food systems.

Ensuring authenticity of edible oils is vital for consumer trust, regulatory compliance and permissibility assurance, particularly for Muslim consumers. This study introduces a spectral biosensing strategy using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy coupled with attenuated total reflectance (FTIR‐ATR) and chemometric modelling to detect lard adulteration in palm oil (PO) under thermal stress. PO samples spiked with 1%–50% v/v lard were heated from 25°C to 200°C for 30 min, simulating industrial and culinary conditions. FTIR‐ATR spectra showed distinct shifts in carbonyl and fingerprint regions due to lard incorporation and heat‐induced lipid degradation. Discriminant analysis (DA) achieved 100% classification accuracy across the full spectrum (4000–650 cm ⁻¹ ), demonstrating strong discriminatory power. Partial least squares–discriminant analysis (PLS‐DA) identified the fingerprint region (1000–650 cm ⁻¹ ) as most diagnostic, yielding robust performance with R ² Y = 0.895, R ² X = 1.000, Q ² = 0.893 and 100% correct classification in both training and validation datasets. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed clear clustering of pure and adulterated samples, even under severe thermal conditions. Moreover, using the optimised FTIR‐ATR/PLS model, the lard adulteration in thermally treated PO could be reliably detected at levels as low as 1% v/v with LOD and LOQ ranges of 0.01%–1.14% and 0.02%–3.34% v/v, respectively. These findings position FTIR‐ATR with multivariate chemometrics as a rapid, nondestructive and thermally resilient platform for lard detection in PO. The approach extends to broader food quality and safety monitoring in real‐world processing scenarios.

Biowastes from food processing industries, such as pineapple peels, cause environmental issues due to their high nitrogen, phosphorus, macronutrients, and water contents. However, these biowastes also contain valuable bioproducts like pectin, which is widely used in the food industry as a thickener, emulsifier, stabilizer, and gelling agent. Conventional pectin extraction method requires prolonged processing at high temperatures, leading to thermal degradation of pectin molecules. To address this, the current study optimized pectin extraction from pineapple peels in acidic solution using microwave-assisted method. Response surface methodology (RSM) was applied to determine the optimal extractions, considering pH of acetic acid solution (2, 3, and 4), extraction time (2, 3, and 4 min), and microwave power (270, 360, and 700 W). The highest pectin yield (0.53 %) was obtained at 3 minutes of extraction, 270 W microwave power, and pH 4 of the acetic acid solution. The extracted pectin was analyzed for its degree of esterification, and its structural characteristics were compared with commercial pectin using FTIR with KBr method, revealing no significant differences. These comparable characteristics confirm that the microwave-assisted method is an efficient alternative for pectin extraction, offering a faster and more sustainable approach with potential applications in the food industry.

The authentication of halal products is crucial for adherents of Islam, as consuming non-permissible substances contradicts religious mandates. Recent widespread adulteration of food and pharmaceutical products with porcine-derived ingredients has necessitated the development of robust analytical methods for halal verification. This study presents an approach for rapid halal authentication using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy with attenuated total reflectance (FTIR-ATR) combined with multivariate data analysis (MVDA). Animal fats from beef, chicken, pork (lard) and goat, along with palm oil, were extracted via Soxhlet apparatus utilizing petroleum ether as solvent. The FTIR-ATR spectra were acquired in the mid-infrared region (4000 – 650 cm-1), encompassing both fingerprint and functional group region. The principal component analysis (PCA) was employed to identify unique spectral patterns and develop classification models for halal authentication. The combination of FTIR-ATR and MVDA techniques meanwhile enables the identification of characteristic spectral features and the development of classification models for halal authentication. The PCA result revealed clear clustering of samples based on their origin, with total variance range of 74.75 – 98.79% explained by the first two principal components based on all FTIR spectra of wavenumber 4000 – 650 cm-1, respectively. This FTIR-ATR coupled with MVDA approach offers a rapid, non-destructive and cost-effective method for halal authentication. The technique’s high sensitivity and specificity make it a promising tool for regulatory bodies and food manufacturers to ensure compliance with halal standards.

Currently, the physicochemical quality of dried chillies is becoming a characteristic of consumer choice. A study was conducted to investigate the quality of physicochemical properties of dried chillies drying by vacuum tray dryer (VTD) when compared with sun drying (SD) and freeze-drying (FD). The highest capsaicin content with the lowest moisture content was achieved when drying by the VTD technique. However, the total phenolic content and antioxidant activity are highest in dried chillies drying by FD followed by VTD. Furthermore, the physiochemical properties of dried chillies that dry under VTD technique in combination with different pre-treatment techniques were investigated to study the quality of the dried red chillies during processing and storage. The fresh chillies pretreated by hot blanching(B) gave a higher capsaicin content almost 102.9% when compared with the non-treated sample. The blanched chillies samples either by B followed by soaking in citric acid solution(B+CA) showed the lowest L* indicating richness of dark red colour of dried chillies after drying by VTD. Soaking fresh chillies in citric acid solution (CA) showed an increase of a* value (redness) to 29.00 near fresh chillies' red colour. The highest retention of capsaicin content was only for 3 months of storage when chillies were soaked in CA solution and then start to deteriorate. The combination of different pretreatment techniques of fresh chillies drying by VTD is a potential drying method due to the retention of high-bioactive contents.

Michelia × alba (M. alba) is a flowering tree best known for its essential oil, which has long been used as a fragrance ingredient for perfume and cosmetics. In addition, the plant has been used in traditional medicine in Asia and dates back hundreds of years. To date, there is a limited number of publications on the bioactivities of M. alba, which focused on its tyrosinase inhibition, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant activities. Nevertheless, M. alba may have additional unexplored bioactivities associated with its bioactive compounds such as linalool (72.8% in flower oil and 80.1% in leaf oil), α-terpineol (6.04% flower oil), phenylethyl alcohol (2.58% flower oil), β-pinene (2.39% flower oil), and geraniol (1.23% flower oil). Notably, these compounds have previously been reported to exhibit therapeutic activities such as anti-cancer, anti-inflammation, anti-depression, anti-ulcer, anti-hypertriglyceridemia, and anti-hypertensive activities. In this review paper, we examine and discuss the scientific evidence on the phytochemistry, bioactivities, and traditional uses of M. alba. Here, we report a total of 168 M. alba biological compounds and highlight the therapeutic potential of its key bioactive compounds. This review may provide insights into the therapeutic potential of M. alba and its biologically active components for the prevention and treatment of diseases and management of human health and wellness.