Bioactive Capacity Research Articles

Bioactive Compounds and Antioxidant Capacity of Several Blackberry (Rubus spp.) Fruits Cultivars Grown in Romania

Blackberry fruit (Rubus spp.) has a powerful antioxidant capacity due to the high levels of anthocyanins and other phenols it contains. In this work, we investigated the physico-chemical characteristics, the bioactive compounds (total phenols, flavonoids, and monomeric anthocyanins), and the antioxidant capacity of seven blackberry cultivars belonging to the Rubus fruticosus L. and Rubus laciniatus L. genera growing in the NW region of Romania. In addition, the wild blackberry cultivar from the same area was also evaluated. Anthocyanins from the blackberry fruit were extracted using SPE (Solid Phase Extraction), and the anthocyanin profile was identified and quantified using HPLC-PDA analysis. In terms of polyphenol content and antioxidant capacity, two of the cultivars examined stood out. The majority of anthocyanin found in blackberries was cyanidin-3-glucoside, with the highest amount recorded in the ‘Thorn Free’ cultivar at 329.26 ± 9.36 mg/g dw. Comparatively, ‘Loch Ness’ and ‘Thorn Free’ fruits exhibited total phenol contents of 1830.98 ± 13.55 and 1687.14 ± 62.41 mg GAE/100 g dw, respectively. Antioxidant capacities varied significantly among the eight blackberry cultivars, with cultivars ‘Loch Ness’ and ‘Thorn Free’ achieving high values in comparison to the others. The findings of the multivariate analysis also supported the experimental results. Knowing the phytochemical composition and antioxidant potential of different blueberry cultivars, one can use them as fresh, functional foods or for commercial purposes to produce products derived from fruits with a high concentration of bioactive components.

Effect of pollination on the composition of raw arabica coffee (Coffea arabica L.): antioxidant capacity, bioactive compounds, and volatiles precursors.

The importance of pollination is recognized worldwide. This study investigates the influence of biotic pollination on the chemical composition of coffee (Coffea arabica L.) cultivated in the municipalities of Araguari and Monte Carmelo, in Minas Gerais state, Brazil. Twenty samples were analyzed, of which 10 were biotically pollinated (P) and 10 non-biotically pollinated (NP). Analyses of bioactive compounds, antioxidant capacity and centesimal composition of coffees were performed. The results revealed chemical differences between the P and NP samples, with significantly higher levels of the bioactive compounds caffeine, trigonelline, and chlorogenic acids in the P samples. The findings indicated that pollination of the coffee plants assisted germination and made the beans less susceptible to attack by external agents. The results demonstrated that pollination services are important mechanisms affecting the chemical composition of coffee beans. Considering that the compounds evaluated are precursors of volatile compounds in coffee, this directly affects the quality of the beans. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Influence of Novel Freezing and Storage Technology on Nutrient Contents, Bioactive Compounds and Antioxidant Capacity of Black Eggplant

The present work aims to study some technological aspects related to the preservation of black eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) fruits by freezing process. Also, the influence of such preservation method on the chemical composition, nutritional value, bioactive compounds content and antioxidant capacity of eggplant fruits will also determine. In fresh eggplant fruits, water is by far the most abundant components with 90.21% of the total fruit weight and fiber is particularly abundant (2.98%). Also, fruits has s moderate levels of vitamins (A, B3, B9, C, E and K) and minerals (P, Mg, Ca, Na, Fe, and Zn) but are relatively rich in K. Phenolics was reported the most abundant bioactive compounds, followed by anthocyanins, flavonoids and β-carotene. The high content of bioactive compounds in the eggplant samples was met with a high level of antioxidant capacities, which was determined by several different methods. The freezing method (slow freezing with grilling pretreatment) that was applied in this study led to cause slightly loses of all studied vitamins by the ratio of ranged -0.88 to -10.97%, and significant (p≤ 0.05) losses of bioactive compounds ratio of ranged -2.52 and -10.23% as compared with the fresh samples, respectively. In contrary, freezing has been shown to cause significant (p≤ 0.05) increase of antioxidant capacities by 4.57 and 11.74% for antioxidant activity and trolox equivalent (TE) assays, as compared with the fresh samples, respectively. Also, prolonging the storage period for six months at -180C did not have a significant effect on all previous measurements. In conclusion, the use of this new and effective method in eggplant preservation may contribute to increasing the economic importance of this product by making it available in the markets regularly throughout the year, easing of export, and increasing the income of the producing countries. How to Cite: Yousif A. Elhassaneen, Ghada M. ElBassouny, Omar A. Emam, Sherouk H. Hashem, 2023. "Influence of Novel Freezing and Storage Technology on Nutrient Contents, Bioactive Compounds and Antioxidant Capacity of Black Eggplant." Journal of Agriculture and Crops, vol. 9, pp. 338-352.

Ultraviolet-c Radiation Induced Changes on Bioactive Compounds Content, Antioxidant Capacity and Microbial Quality of Minimally Processed Molokhia (Corchorus Olitorius L.) Leaves

Minimally processed or fresh-cut leafy vegetables are very popular for consumption due to their convenience and ready-to-use properties, but they provide an ideal medium for microbial development and degradation of functional properties. Thus, this industry commonly uses chemical agents for disinfection. However, certain problems with the disinfectant agents’ usage have been raised and led to the investigation of alternative sanitization treatments. In this respect, ultraviolet (UV-C) radiation could be of interest because no residues are released and the cost is relatively low. The present study was carried out to investigate the influence of UV-C treatment on bioactive compounds content, antioxidant capacity and microbial quality of minimally processed molokhia (Corchorus olitorius L.) leaves. Data indicated that UV-C irradiation dose (11.35 kJ m−2) of molokhia leaves led to an initial increasing in bioactive compounds including total polyphenols (41.20%), carotenoids (37.41%), flavonoids (26.43%), chlorophyll (11.93%) and lutein (51.73%) in accompanying with slightly decreasing in antioxidant capacity (-11.78%) on processing day. Also, reduction in mesophilic (-11.50), psychrophilic (-18.90) and enterobacteria (-17.10%) counts was also recorded. The initial bioactive compounds and total antioxidant capacity content decreased as well as the bacterium count gradually increased during the storage period in UV-C treated samples for 9 days at 8 0C, especially after 6 days. In conclusion, data of the present study should be taken in our consideration when the UV-C radiation used as alternative to chemical agents for sanitizing minimally processed molokhia leaves and preserving their quality. How to Cite: Yousif A. Elhassaneen, Areeg A. Nour El-Deen, Amal Z. Nasef, 2023. "Ultraviolet-c Radiation Induced Changes on Bioactive Compounds Content, Antioxidant Capacity and Microbial Quality of Minimally Processed Molokhia (Corchorus Olitorius L.) Leaves." Journal of Agriculture and Crops, vol. 9, pp. 309-322.

Floral Pollen Bioactive Properties and Their Synergy in Honeybee Pollen.

Honeybee pollen (HBP) is a mixture of floral pollen collected by honeybees near the hive. It is characterized by a composition rich in phenolic compounds, carotenoids and vitamins that act as free radicals scavengers, conferring antioxidant and antibacterial capacity to the matrix. These bioactive properties are related to the botanical origin of the honeybee pollen. Honeybee pollen samples were collected from different geographical locations in central Chile, and their total carotenoid content, polyphenols profile by HPLC/MS/MS, DPPH radical scavenging capacity, and antimicrobial capacity against S. pyogenes, E. coli, S. aureus, and P. auriginosa strains were evaluated. Our results showed a good carotenoids content and polyphenols composition, while antioxidant capacity presented values between 0-95 % for the scavenging effect related to the botanical origin of the samples. Inhibition diameter for the different strains presented less variability among the samples, Furthermore, binary mixtures representing the two most abundant species in each HBP were prepared to assess the synergy effect of the floral pollen (FP) present in the samples. Data shows an antagonist effect was observed when assessing the carotenoid content, and a synergy effect often presents for antimicrobial and antioxidant capacity for bee pollen samples. The bioactive capacities of the honeybee pollen and their synergy effect could apply to develop new functional ingredients for the food industry.

Influence of germination on the bioactive compounds, antioxidant capacity and thermic characteristics of Phaseolus vulgaris L. and Cajanus Cajan seeds

Aim: To evaluate the effect of germination on total phenols, antioxidant capacity, trace elements, and thermal behavior of the seeds of Pigeon peas (Cajanus cajan L.) and Chacha and Recline varieties of the common bean (Phaseolus vulgarisL.). Methodology: The evaluation of the total phenols was done using Folin Ciocalteu’s spectrophotometric method; the antioxidant capacity through the DPPH y ABTSº+ radicals;the macro and microelements using the spectrophotometric optical emission coupled inductively with plasma method ICP-OES; and the thermic behavior through differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Results: The germination process influenced the total polyphenol content, antioxidant capacity, and macro and microelements in each specie that was studied. For example, for the Recline variety seedlings, the phenol content increased by 57.75% in comparison to the seed. The antioxidant capacity against DPPH and ABTS º+ was greater in the seedlings in the following order: Chaucha variety>Pigeon pea>Recline variety. For the seeds, the macro and micro-element content had the following order: K>Mg>Ca>Na y Fe>Zn>Cu>Cr; for the seedlings, the greatest decrease was in K, Cr and the greatest increase was in Ca and Mn; the Na:K relationship was less than one. Finally, the thermic behavior, in reference to the gelatinization enthalpy (ΔH) was greater for the seed than the seedlings.

Evaluation of the Nutritional, Minerals, and Antioxidant Potential of Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa Linn.) Seeds from Roi Et Province in the Northeastern Region of Thailand

In Thailand, the roselle seeds have a few utilizations other than seeds for planting propagation. Consequently, this study aimed to evaluate the nutritional and mineral profile of roselle seeds in the Northeast region of Thailand. The obtained results proved that roselle seeds were found to be a good source of carbohydrates (41.48 ± 0.31 %), protein (30.40 ± 0.09 %), and fat (19.70 ± 0.04 %). Additionally, the results indicated that roselle seeds were a rich source of fiber (40.61 ± 0.26 %) and had a high energy content (1945.03 ± 12.31 KJ/100 g of sample). The macronutrients and micronutrients of the roselle seeds, such as K, P, Mg, Zn, Fe, Mn, and Cu, were found to be 2092.50 ± 1.89, 891.22 ± 3.71, 366.00 ± 1.34, 7.17 ± 0.13, 6.81 ± 0.20, 5.88 ± 0.14 and 4.22 ± 0.11 mg/g of sample, respectively. Furthermore, the total phenolic compounds as bioactive components and DPPH radical scavenging capacity were equal to 21.22 ± 0.24 mg GAE/100 g of sample and 46.28 ± 1.35 %, respectively. Thus, the roselle seeds were considered a cheap nutrient source and could be a good source of potential food ingredients. HIGHLIGHTS The roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa) seeds derived from Roi Et Province in the Northeast region of Thailand have a highly rich source of nutrients, bioactive compounds, and minerals The roselle seeds were considered a cheap nutrient source and could be a good source of potential food ingredients GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

Changes of Bioactive Components and Antioxidant Capacity of Pear Ferment in Simulated Gastrointestinal Digestion In Vitro.

Fruit ferment is rich in polyphenols, organic acids, enzymes, and other bioactive components, which contribute to their antioxidant ability. In this study, we investigated the effect of the simulated gastric and intestinal digestion in vitro on the total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), phenolic components content, organic acid content, protease activity, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity (DPPH-RSA), hydroxyl (·OH) radical scavenging activity (·OH-RSA), and total reducing capacity in 'Xuehua' pear (Pyrus bretschneideri Rehd) ferment. The result showed that the TPC, TFC, protease activity, and phenolic components such as arbutin, protocatechuic acid, malic acid, and acetic acid showed a rising trend during the simulated gastric digestion in 'Xuehua' pear ferment, and these components might contribute to the increasing of ·OH-RSA and total reducing capacity. The SOD activity and epicatechin content showed an increasing trend at first and then a decreasing trend, which was likely associated with DPPH-RSA. During in vitro-simulated intestinal digestion, the majority of evaluated items reduced, except for protease activity, quercetin, and tartaric acid. The reason for the decreasing of bio-accessibility resulted from the inhibition of the digestive environment, and the transformation between substances, such as the conversion of hyperoside to quercetin. The correlation analysis indicated that the antioxidant capacity of 'Xuehua' pear ferment was mainly affected by its bioactive compounds and enzymes activity as well as the food matrices and digestive environment. The comparison between the digestive group with and without enzymes suggested that the simulated gastrointestinal digestion could boost the release and delay the degradation of phenolic components, flavonoids, and organic acid, protect protease and SOD activity, and stabilize DPPH-RSA, ·OH-RSA, and total reducing capacity in 'Xuehua' pear ferment; thus, the 'Xuehua' pear ferment could be considered as an easily digestible food.

Effect of Co-Fermentation of Saccharomyces boulardii CNCM-I745 with Four Different Probiotic Lactobacilli in Coffee Brews on Cell Viabilities and Metabolic Activities

Amid trends in non-dairy probiotic foods and functional coffees, it is timely to develop a high-count probiotic, fermented coffee beverage. Here, we aimed to enhance the viabilities of different probiotic lactobacilli strains in coffee brews by co-culturing with the probiotic yeast, Saccharomyces boulardii CNCM-I745. The growth, survival, and metabolic activities of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum 299v, Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM, Limosilactobacillus fermentum PCC, and Lactobacillus gasseri LAC-343 were monitored when cultured individually or co-cultured in coffee brews with S. boulardii CNCM-I745. In co-cultures, all four probiotic lactobacilli maintained viable populations above 5.5 Log CFU/mL for at least 6 months at 4 and 25 °C. In contrast, singly cultured lactobacilli populations generally could not be detected beyond 3 months of storage at either temperature. In co-cultures, vigorous nutrient uptake (glucose, glutamate, and alanine) by the yeast limited lactic acid accumulation by the lactobacilli. Co-culturing also led to accumulations in yeast-derived metabolites (ethanol, 2/3-methylbutanol, 2,3-dimethoxystyrene, and decanoic acid), and lactobacilli-derived metabolites (4-ethylphenol), but the coffee bioactive components (caffeine, trigonelline, and 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid) and antioxidant capacities were maintained. Overall, S. boulardii CNCM-I745 is effective in enhancing the viabilities of probiotic lactobacilli from different species, which may be useful in developing shelf-stable probiotic foods.

Assessment of bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacity of peels and seeds from Mangifera indica L cv Ataulfo waste

Assessment of bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacity of peels and seeds from Mangifera indica L cv Ataulfo waste

Biofortification with magnesium nanofertilizer on bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacity in green beans

The use of nanofertilizers has the potential to be used to enrich edible organs with nutrients (biofortification) and improve the biosynthesis of bioactive compounds and their antioxidant capacity. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of biofortification with magnesium (Mg) nanofertilizer on the accumulation of bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacity in green bean cv. Strike compared to a conventional fertilizer (Mg sulfate). Two sources of Mg were applied via foliar: Nanofertilizer and Mg Sulfate at doses of 0, 50, 100, 200, and 300 mg/L of Mg. The accumulation of total polyphenols, flavonoids, anthocyanins, bioactive compounds, and antioxidant capacity was evaluated in pods. The results obtained in this research confirm the effect of green bean pods biofortified with Mg nanofertilizers on the production and accumulation of bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacity, improving the nutrition and nutraceutical quality of green beans. The 50 mg/L dose of Mg nanofertilizer was the most effective treatment to increase bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacity compared to high doses of Mg sulfate (300 mg/L). This is one of the first studies focused on biofortification with Mg nanofertilizers and their effect on the nutraceutical quality of green beans.

3D Printing of Functional Strawberry Snacks: Food Design, Texture, Antioxidant Bioactive Compounds, and Microbial Stability

3D printing technology (3DP) as additive manufacturing is an innovative design technology that can meet the individual nutritional and sensory needs of consumers. Therefore, the aim of this work was to apply 3DP in the production of a strawberry-based functional product with the addition of two hydrocolloids (corn and wheat starch) in three proportions (10, 15 and 20%) and to investigate the influence of 3DP process parameters on physico-chemical and textural properties, as well as the bioactive and antioxidant potential and microbiological stability, with(out) the addition of natural antimicrobial agents. Starch type had a significant effect on all tested bioactive compounds, as well as on starch content, except for total phenolic and hydroxycinnamic acid contents. Considering the content of bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacity, program 2 proved to be more suitable than program 1. All samples exhibited good textural properties, a high degree of stability and minimal geometric deviations. Regarding microbiological safety, no pathogenic bacteria were found in the 3DP samples during storage. The 3DP sample with added citral at a concentration of 75 mg L-1 showed the best microbiological quality. Ultimately, 3DP can be successfully used for the production of new strawberry-based functional products.

The Antioxidant, Antibacterial and Anti-Biofilm Properties of Rapeseed Creamed Honey Enriched with Selected Plant Superfoods.

The aim of the study is to evaluate the effect of the addition of selected fruits and herbs belonging to the "superfoods" category for the bioactivity of a rapeseed honey matrix. Flavored creamed honeys with nine types of various additives (2 and 4% of content) were prepared and analyzed for the content of total phenols, flavonoids, antioxidant (FRAP, DPPH and ABTS) and antibacterial activity against four strains of bacteria. Additionally, the impact of three months of storage on the antioxidant properties of the products obtained was examined. The significant dose-dependent increase in the content of bioactive ingredients and antioxidant capacity in spiced honeys, as compared to control honey, was observed. The highest enrichment was obtained for the addition of powdered sea buckthorn leaves and black raspberry fruits. Honey with the addition of sea buckthorn leaves inhibited the growth of P. aeruginosa, S. aureus and K. pneumonia, whereas honeys with black raspberry and blackcurrant fruits showed activity only on the latter two strains. Furthermore, what is more interesting, honey supplemented with sea buckthorn leaf and black raspberry fruits inhibited S. aureus biofilm formation at the sub-minimum inhibitory concentrations (sub-MICs), showing a dose-dependent anti-biofilm effect.

Designer, Programmable DNA-peptide hybrid materials with emergent properties to probe and modulate biological systems.

The chemistry of DNA endows it with certain functional properties that facilitate the generation of self-assembled nanostructures, offering precise control over their geometry and morphology, that can be exploited for advanced biological applications. Despite the structural promise of these materials, their applications are limited owing to lack of functional capability to interact favourably with biological systems, which has been achieved by functional proteins or peptides. Herein, we outline a strategy for functionalizing DNA structures with short-peptides, leading to the formation of DNA-peptide hybrid materials. This proposition offers the opportunity to leverage the unique advantages of each of these bio-molecules, that have far reaching emergent properties in terms of better cellular interactions and uptake, better stability in biological media, an acceptable and programmable immune response and high bioactive molecule loading capacities. We discuss the synthetic strategies for the formation of these materials, namely, solid-phase functionalization and solution-coupling functionalization. We then proceed to highlight selected biological applications of these materials in the domains of cell instruction & molecular recognition, gene delivery, drug delivery and bone & tissue regeneration. We conclude with discussions shedding light on the challenges that these materials pose and offer our insights on future directions of peptide-DNA research for targeted biomedical applications.

UPLC-QTOF-MS-Based Metabolomics and Antioxidant Capacity of Codonopsis lanceolata from Different Geographical Origins.

Codonopsis lanceolata (C. lanceolata) has been commonly utilized as a therapeutic plant in traditional medicine. In this study, we examined variations in metabolites in C. lanceolata roots grown in different regions using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-QTOF-MS). Multivariate analysis showed that the metabolite profiles of plants grown in Hoengseong and Jeongseon were more similar to each other than to that of C. lanceolata grown in Jeju. Most primary metabolites were present at higher levels in C. lanceolata grown in Jeju. In contrast, C. lanceolata grown in Hoengseong and Jeongseon had high levels of secondary metabolites such as phenylpropanoids and triterpenoid saponins, respectively. In addition, the bioactive compound content and antioxidant capacity of in C. lanceolata grown in Hoengseong and Jeongseon were observed to be higher than those of C. lanceolata grown in Jeju. This study suggests that metabolomics is an effective approach to investigate the difference of metabolite profiling in C. lanceolata from different geographical origins, and is useful for evaluating its pharmacological potential.

Effect of hydrocolloid concentration in low-calorie orange jellies on preservation of bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacity.

The purpose of this paper was to avaliate of the concentration of hydrocolloids (low methoxyl pectin [LMP], guar gum [GG], and carrageenan gum [CG]) in low-calorie orange jellies in order to maximize the amount of bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacity, and to study the influence on degradation these compounds. A mixture design with seven tests was used to analyze the total phenolic compounds, ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and antioxidant capacity (ABTS, DPPH and β-carotene/linoleic acid methods). The results were analyzed by response surface methodology and the Scott-Knott mean test at a significance level of 5% (p ≤ 0.05). In general, the regions containing 0.5% GG and 0.5% GC had higher levels of the variables under study, and this combination preserved the bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity of jellies in relation to that of orange juice.

Hortaliças e seus subprodutos: teor de compostos fenólicos totais, flavonoides totais e capacidade antioxidante

ABSTRACT There is an underutilization of bioactive compounds, given the losses and daily waste of vegetables throughout the entire production chain. Accordingly, the objective of this study was to quantify the content of phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacity in different parts of vegetables. Analyzes were performed on five vegetables (zucchini, eggplant, broccoli, green cabbage and green beans) from conventional cultivation. The levels of total phenolics, total flavonoids, and antioxidant capacity were obtained by spectrophotometric methods. Except broccoli, the analyzed by-products had levels of bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacity equal to or greater than the traditional parts of vegetable. Broccoli florets stood out with the highest levels of total phenolics (141.22 mg GAE/100 g), total flavonoids (137.38 mg CE/100 g) and antioxidant capacity (588.3 µmol TEAC/100 g). In contrast, the lowest levels were observed in zucchini pulp (25.44 mg GAE/100 g; 13.03 mg CE/100 g; 69.78 µmol TEAC/100 g). Therefore, the importance of full consumption of vegetables is reiterated. By-products can also be used to enrich preparations.

Chemical characterization of different parts of noni (Morinda citrifolia) fruit and its freeze-dried pulp powder with emphasis on its bioactive compounds and antioxidant activities

The aim of this study was to prepare the freeze dried powder of noni (Morinda citrifolia) pulp and determine the contents of bioactive and antioxidant capacity. Seed, peel, pulp and lyophilized powder were characterized in terms of physico-chemical, carotenoids, chlorophyll, sugars, ascorbic acid, phenolics, flavonoids and antioxidants contents. Phenolic compounds were determined by LC-MS. The lyophilized pulp powder showed high levels of phenolics and flavonoids (7486.38 µg GAE/g and 385.57 µg QE/g, respectively) and higher antioxidant activity for FRAP (10360.39 to 467970.40 mmol/100 g). Ascorbic acid has a higher concentration in the lyophilized powder (336.62 mg/100 g). Rutin, caffeic, artepillin C, quercetin-3-glucoside, kaempferol, vanillin and vanillic were the major compounds. The antioxidant effect present in the various components of the fruit was predominant, and the greater conservation of this potential was through the application of lyophilization. Thus, the noni may be considered as a good source of phenolics compounds having a high potential as natural antioxidants.

Sea urchin (Paracentrotus lividus) gut biomass as a co-product with antioxidant and antibacterial potential to supplement aquafeeds

Sea urchin processing practices by the canning industry result in a large volume of waste due to a high fraction of inedible parts, in special the gut, that can still be a valuable source of bioactive compounds. Therefore, this work aimed to thoroughly characterise gut biomass from Paracentrotus lividus evaluating its bioactive potential. The gut biomass was evaluated in terms of bioactive capacity, and biochemical composition in both males and females. Although no statistical differences were found between sexes in any of these parameters, this study provided a proof of concept on the potential of sea urchin's gut, obtained as a co-product in the sea urchin industry, for feed supplementation. The gut biomass exhibited a high antioxidant capacity (IC50 ≈ 0.5–1.0 mgDW mL−1 in four different assays) and bactericidal activity (IC50 < 1.0 mgDW mL−1 against Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Edwardsiella tarda, and Tenacibaculum maritimum). The gut co-product can also be used as a source of phenolic compounds, carotenoids, and PUFAs, with contents of 4.6 ± 0.4, 2.4 ± 0.8, and 93.0 ± 3.1 mg gDW−1, respectively. Overall, the sea urchin's gut seems a valuable product with a remarkable potential for use in aquafeeds as a source of bioactive compounds.

Effect of Thermal Treatment on Kelulut Honey Towards the Physicochemical, Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Properties

Heat treatment on commercial honey could deteriorate its quality associated with physicochemical and bioactive capacities. In this study, the effects of thermal treatment (50 °C, 75 °C and 90 °C) on the physicochemical properties (i.e., pH, colour intensity), total phenolic content and total flavonoid content were investigated on the Kelulut honey. The results revealed a significant increase in TFC (0.154 mg QE/g honey) for the heat-treated Kelulut honey compared to the control (0.085 mg QE/g honey). The antioxidant activity of the heat-treated honey revealed an increase in 2, 2- Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl levels by 42%, while the ferric reducing antioxidant power levels were reduced significantly by 22.4% compared to the untreated honey. The antimicrobial activities of heat-treated honey declined against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Escherichia coli, and Salmonella typhi bacteria at 75 °C and 90 °C. Based on the effects observed in the bioactive capacities of the heat-treated honey, it is therefore recommended to minimize thermal treatment on the honey during the processing to maintain its natural nutritional quality and benefit consumers.