Functionality and Health-Promoting Properties of Polysaccharide and Plant-Derived Substances from Mesona chinensis

Mesona chinensis, in Thai called Chao Kuay and in Chinese Hsian-tsao, belongs to the Lamiaceae family. This herbal plant grows widely in Southern China, Taiwan (China), Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Thailand. The Mesona plant is used to make functional products such as drinks and soft textured sweet treats, and also traditional medicine, to treat heat stroke, high blood pressure, heart attack, high blood sugar, hepatic diseases, colon diseases, inflammatory conditions, and to alleviate myalgia. The proximate composition of M. chinensis is a mixture of protein, fat, fiber, ash, and minerals. The main biological compounds in M. chinensis extracts are polysaccharides, terpenoids, flavonoids, and polyphenols, with wide-ranging pharmacological properties including antioxidant, antidiabetic, antilipidemic, carcinoma-inhibitory, renal-protective, antihypertensive, DNA damage-protective, and anti-inflammatory effects. This review investigated the proximate composition, polysaccharide type, and pharmacological properties of M. chinensis extracts. Phytochemical properties enhance the actions of the gut microbiota and improve health benefits. This review assessed the functional and medicinal activities of M. chinensis extracts. Future studies should further elucidate the in vitro/in vivo mechanisms of this plant extract and its impact on gut health.

Nutritional Content and Microbial Load of Fresh Liang, Gnetum gnemon var. tenerum Leaves

Liang (Gnetum gnemon var. tenerum) leaves are widely consumed as a green vegetable in Southern Thailand, and the plant is valued for its nutritional benefits. However, like other leafy greens, liang is vulnerable to microbial contamination, generating foodborne illnesses. This study examined the nutritional content and microbial load of liang leaves at different maturity stages and the effects of washing with chlorinated water. Various growth stages were analysed for proximate composition, amino acids, vitamins, and minerals. Results revealed distinct nutritional profiles, with tip leaves rich in protein and fat and intermediate leaves high in dietary fibre. Liang leaves are abundant in essential amino acids and proteins. Washing with chlorinated water increased leaf weight due to water retention but also caused physical damage, fostering microbial growth and spoilage. Microbiological analysis showed marginal reductions in total viable counts after washing with chlorinated water and significant decreases in coliform and Escherichia coli counts. However, stem detachment during washing increased the coliform and E. coli counts. Liang leaves exhibited favourable nutritional content, especially in the intermediate stage. Proper handling and storage of liang leaves are crucial to preventing physical damage and microbial contamination. Improved food safety measures, including appropriate post-harvest washing and handling of leafy vegetables, will ensure that consumers can safely enjoy the nutritional benefits of liang leaves.

Effects of Vietnamese tamarind fish sauce enriched with iron and zinc on green mussel quality

Marinating is a traditional technology to improve the shelf - life and quality of products. Enriched Viet- namese tamarind fish sauce was prepared and used to marinate green mussels. Subjects of this research were: green mussels (C1), marinated green mussels (C2), and marinated green mussels packaged in modified atmosphere (M1, M2, and M3). A percentage of O :CO :N was 5:50:45 for M1, 5:70:25 for M2, and 5:90:5 for M3. Microbiological, hemical, and sensory qualities of the samples were analyzed during storage at 4°C for 30 days. The results indicate that glycogen, iron, and zinc contents as well as pH values decreased in all the cases during storage. In addition, TVB-N and TBARS values as well as mesophilic and lactic acid bacteria increased with time in all the samples. The number of psychrophilic bacteria in marinated samples was small or not detected at all. Escherichia coli, Staphylo- coccus aureus, Salmonella spp. and Vibrio cholera were below standard values. Based on sensory acceptability, the shelf-life of C1, C2, M1, M2, and M3 samples was 12, 18, 24, 24, and 27 days, respectively.

Reduction of safrole content of Cinnamomum porrectum leaves by blanching and the effect on the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of its herbal tea

Background: Cinnamomum porrectum (C. porrectum) is an aromatic medicinal plant from southern Thailand. While many Cinnamomum species demonstrate medicinal properties such as anti-inflammatory effects, some species are known to contain safrole, a group 2B carcinogen. Although the leaves of C. porrectum are used to produce herbal tea, there is no scientific data to support its properties as a functional food or any guarantee of its safety.Objective: To determine the effect of blanching before drying of C. porrectum leaves on their safrole content, phenolic profile, total phenolic content (TPC), and total flavonoid content (TFC), antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities were compared to leaves dried with hot air.Methods: In the first part of the study, the leaves were dried in three conditions: freeze dried (F), hot air dried at 60 oC (C), and blanched for 60 seconds at 100 oC (B) before being dried at 60 oC until the moisture content reached 5-7% and then were ground and sieved to make powders. The F, C, and B were extracted by methanol and redefined as FM, CM, and BM, for the determination of their chemical constituents by GC-MS using C. porrectum wood oil (CWO) as the safrole standard. In the second part of the study, the C and B powders were analyzed for their proximate composition and were also used to make herbal tea infusions (CT and BT respectively) which were analyzed for their phenolic profile, TPC, TFC, antioxidant activities, cytotoxicity, and anti-inflammatory activity in RAW 264.7 cells.Results: Significantly decreased safrole contents of 89% and 82% were found in the BM sample when compared with CM and FM respectively. The CT and BT had similar phenolic profiles but different contents. The TPC, TFC, ABTS, and FRAP activities, in addition to cell viability and the nitric oxide inhibition of BT were higher than that of CT.Conclusion: The results demonstrate how blanching C. porrectum leaves before drying can decrease the safrole content when compared to freeze dried and hot air-dried leaves, thereby leading to a decrease of cytotoxicity in RAW 264.7 cells. Additionally, BT demonstrated a more intense phenolic profile, TPC, ABTS, and FRAP compared with the un-blanched control sample.Keywords: C. porrectum, freeze drying, hot air drying, blanching before drying, safrole, RAW 264.7 cells.

Phenolic and flavonoid compounds in aqueous extracts of thunbergia laurifolia leaves and their effect on the toxicity of the carbamate insecticide methomyl to murine macrophage cells

Background: Thunbergia laurifolia is a Thai herb and has been used in Thai folklore medicine for centuries. Generally, Thais consume T. laurifolia as a herbal tea because of its beneficial properties as an antidote for chemical toxins, drug-, arsenic-, strychnine-, alcohol- and food-poisoning. However, its effectively against some insecticide compounds, e.g. methomyl, has not yet been determined.Objective: To examine the protective effect of aqueous extract from leaves of T. laurifolia on methomyl (MT) poisoning of murine macrophage cells (anti-MT effect) and to identify phenolic and flavonoid compounds in the extract. Methods: T. laurifolia was extracted with water and stored in freeze-dried form. The extract was investigated for its antioxidant activity and some phenolic and flavonoid compounds were identified using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS). To study anti-MT effects in RAW264.7 murine macrophage cells, these were treated with leaf extract either before (pre-treatment), concomitantly (combined) or after (post-treatment) exposure to MT and cell viability determined in an MTT test (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide).Results: The extract exhibited strong antioxidant properties based on total extractable phenolic content (TPC), total extractable flavonoid content (TFC), 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS) radical scavenging, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging and Ferric ion reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) activity. The LC-MS analyses of phenolic compounds indicated the presence of caffeic acid, rosmarinic acid, catechin, rutin, isoquercetin, quercetin and apigenin as bioactive compounds. Viability of RAW 264.7 murine macrophage cells treated with MT was increased significantly by post-treatment with leaf extract but not by combined or pre-treatments. Conclusion: The aqueous extract of T. laurifolia leaves contained abundant antioxidant activity. Flavonoids present were catechin, rutin, isoquercetin, quercetin and apigenin. The aqueous leaf extract was able to help cells recover from the effects of exposure to MT.Keywords: Thunbergia laurifolia, phenolics, flavonoids, methomyl, RAW264.7 murine macrophages, insecticide

Influence of hot water blanching process on phenolic profile and antioxidant activity of Cinnamomum porrectum herbal tea

Background: C. porrectum leaves, one kind of Cinnamomum family, has recently been used to produce a locally herbal tea. Although C. porrectum essential oil and aqueous extract have been reported to have some biological activities, including antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory activities, there is no scientific data using the blanching process for the production of herbal tea. Therefore, this experiment aimed to study the effect of hot water blanching before drying process on microstructure, nutrition content of the tea powder, TPC, TFC, antioxidant activities of infusion, as well as the phenolic profile of the extract.Objective: To determine effect of hot water blanching process on nutritional value, microstructure, phenolic profile, and antioxidant activity of the C. porrectum herbal tea.Methods: The C. porrectum leaves were divided into 2 groups; control (un-treated) and blanched before dried for herbal tea processing. The fresh leaves and the powders of control and blanched leaves were checked for proximate composition and chlorophyll contents, in addition to color value. The powders were determined microstructure by SEM. The infusions were determined to have color value and total extractable phenolic and flavonoid contents, as well as antioxidant activities. The hydrolyzed extracts of freeze dried infusion were subjected to identify phenolic profile by HPLC. Results: The blanched tea powder yielded a percentage of fat and protein contents higher than un-treated due to easier extraction because of the bigger pore size found in microstructure. Chlorophyll content of blanched was decreased compared with the control sample. However, it was found that blanching could greater maintain green color of both powder and infusion. Additionally, blanching helped increased TPC, TFC extractability, and antioxidant activities in all assays except metal chelating property. Based on retention time and peak profile determined by using HPLC, it was found that both control and treated extracts consisted of similar main phenolic and flavonoid compounds however, only kaempferol was found in un-treated. Moreover, hydrolyzed blanched extract showed a higher intensity of 2 unknown compounds than un-treated. Though un-treated provided a higher intensity of pyrogallol, gallic acid, and cinnamic acid, the blanched exhibited a higher intensity of caffeic acid, protocatechuic acid, p-coumaric acid, and rutin. Conclusion: Blanching before drying expanded pore size of dried leaves, increased yield extractability, maintained color value, chlorophylls and increased TPC and TFC which related to antioxidant activities. Blanched extract provided higher intensity of some phenolic compounds than un-treated.Keywords: Cinnamomum porrectum, blanching process, SEM, HPLC

Evaluation of harmful heavy metal (Hg, Pb and Cd) reduction using Halomonas elongata and Tetragenococcus halophilus for protein hydrolysate product

Background: Fermented fish is one form of natural protein hydrolysate has been reported to have many health benefits such as antihypertensive, antioxidative activity and anti-inflammatory peptides. However, as known that toxic heavy metal is widely spread and entered throughout the food chain particularly in tuna internal organ which is widely used to process fermented product or discharged to be fish meal. Consumption of fermented tuna viscera containing heavy metal is risky. Detoxifying and/ or reducing those toxic elements is more interesting particularly by using bacterial cells and their metabolic product. Halomonas elongata is moderately halophilic bacteria having heavy metal removal ability, normally found in hypersaline environments.  Tetragenococcus halophilus is halophilic lactic acid bacteria and probiotic actually found in fermented food such as fish sauce, shrimp paste and fermented fish. Some scientific data reported that using T. halophilus improved amino acid profiles and desirable volatile compounds as well as reduced biogenic amine content in fish sauce product. Therefore, it was hypothesized that using H. elongata and T. halophilus can reduce heavy metal content and improve organoleptic quality of fermented fish viscera product (Tai pla) in the next experiment.Objective: This present work aimed to determine growth character of H. elongata and T. halophilus reared at various NaCl concentrations; 10, 15, 20 and 25% there after heavy metal reduction by using these microorganism reared at optimum NaCl concentration was evaluated. Methods: H. elongata and T. halophilus were reared in SNB (saline nutrient broth) and MRS-broth added with NaCl at concentration 10, 15, 20 and 25%, respectively. Each organism to obtain content at cultured in the media containg appropriate NaCl content was added with Hg, Pb and Cd at concentration, 0.5, 1, and 3 mg/L, respectively. Thereafter supernatant of each condition incubated at 48 and 96 hr was taken to heavy metal analysis.Results: The results showed that the higher NaCl content the slower of late log phase and stationary phase particularly in T. halophilus. This may due to T. halophilus did not produce special metabolite as exopolysaccharide which found in H. elongate. Regardless heavy metal concentration, the result revealed that CdCl2 at 3 mg/kg caused more H. elongata cell death but did not occur in T. halophilus. In addition, removal of Hg, Pb and Cd was 12.70, 84.78 and 75.83%, respectively by rearing with H. elongata for 48 hr. Furthermore, the removal of Hg, Pb and Cd done by T. halophilus was 12.68, 91.27 and 95.12%, respectively at 96 hr of of incubation.Conclusion: H. elongata and T. halophilus prefered SNB containing NaCl concentration between 10-20%. Higher NaCl concentration, 20-25% log phase was extended. Both H. elongata and T. halophilus could remove all test heavy metals, however T. halophilus seemed to have more Pb and Cd removal capability compared with H. elongata. Using H. elongata and T. halophilus for next fermented tuna viscera is possible.Keywords: Halomonas elongata, Tetragenococcus halophilus, Heavy metal, NaCl

Improvement nutritional value and bioactivity of ricegrass as affected of priming induced by fish protein hydrolysate

Background:  Wheatgrass (Triticum aestivum L.) is worldwide consumed and has been used for health benefit or functional or nutraceutical food while ricegrass (Oryza sativa L.) is still not well documented, which is also in the grass family (Poaceae) as wheatgrass and it is also produced with aged around 8-10 d which similar to wheatgrass production. Moreover, priming is a process for enhancing seed vigour properties and improving bioactive compounds. Utilization of fish protein hydrolysate (FPH) for liquid fertilizer is more interesting in order to increasing of nutritional value and bioactive compounds as well as antioxidant activity of many plants.Objective: To investigate the nutritional value and bioactivity of ricegrass as affected of priming process with fish protein hydrolysate.Methods: The Chainat 1 rice seeds were soaked with FPH at 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20 ppm at a ratio of rice seed to FPH as 1:5 and grown for 7 d, thereafter, the ricegrass were determined seed vigour properties, nutritional value and bioactive compounds such as chlorophyll, carotenoids, total phenolic and phytic acid. The ricegrass was extracted with water at a ratio 1:2 (ricegrass : water), then homogenized and centrifuged at 10000xg for 20 min. The thereafter, the supernatant was brought to freeze dry. The freeze-dried powder was dissolved in distilled water and brought to measure total phenolic content by Folin-Ciocalteu method. Antioxidant activities were determined by 3 assays as ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl hydrazyl radical (DPPH) and 2,2'-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid radical (ABTS) methodsResults: The results showed that FPH at 10 ppm significantly improved (p<0.05) seed vigour properties including germination percentage, germination rate, height and fresh weight and nutritional values such as ash, protein, fat and carbohydrate. In addition, bioactive compounds including chlorophyll a and b, total chlorophyll and carotenoid content in ricegrass primed with 10 ppm FPH were higher than control. Phytic acid content in ricegrass primed with FPH at 5 and 10 ppm but not 15 and 20 ppm was lower than control. The ricegrass primed with FPH at 10 ppm yielded highest total phenolic content. Though, ABTS activity was not highest in rice primed with FPH at 10 ppm, DPPH and FRAP assays were highest.Conclusion: The ricegrass primed with FPH was significant improved seed vigour properties, nutritional value, bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity. The appropriate of FPH priming for ricegrass was 10 ppm because it could improve seed vigour, nutritional value and bioactive compounds including chlorophyll, carotenoid, total phenolic content and antioxidant activity determined as FRAP, DPPH and ABTS and reduce the anti-nutrient compounds as phytic acid.Keywords: Ricegrass, Fish protein hydrolysate, Nutritional value, Bioactive compound, Antioxidant

Utilization of tuna roe and using inulin as oil replacer for producing value added omega-3 mayonnaise product

Background: Fishery industry has been important for Thai’s economic more than 30 years. It leads Thailand to be the one of world’s largest canned tuna producer and exporter. However, mainly white meat part is used in canned tuna product while the waste comprises roe, viscera, head and dark meat is sold to feed meal plant or sold as cheap material even its nutritive value is still high. There is well know that sea fish as tuna is a good source of polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) such as Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and Docosahexanoic acid (DHA). Many people around the world play more attention with salad dish with the dressing. Generally, mayonnaise is prefer for the salad dressing and it normally consists of chicken egg yolk which high saturated fatty acid and in addition, fat content in mayonnaise normally is about 30-65%. Therefore, normal mayonnaise is high in fat content and low polyunsaturated fatty acid then consuming this product may not a great idea for on diet or controlled weight people.Objective: To increase omega-3 by tuna roe substitution and to replace fat content by using inulin gel.Methods: Tuna roe was prepared by soaking with galangal extracted with 95% ethanol for removal fishy/rancidity odor. Inulin powder 45 g was added in to water to obtain final suspension 100 ml before brought to heat at temperature 65oC for 15 min to form a gel and stored at 4oC. Omega-3 mayonnaise product was started with using 100% tuna roe substitution for egg yolk. Thereafter, inulin gel was added to replace vegetable oil at 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100%. Basic mayonnaise containing egg yolk and 0% inulin gel (100% soy bean oil) was used as control sample. Color and emulsion stability test were monitored for physical quality. pH value, peroxide value (PV) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) were used for chemical quality. Total viable count (TVC), yeast and mold, lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and coliform were measured for microbiological quality. Sensory evaluation using 9-point hedonic scale technique was also monitored.Results: When increased inulin gel into the mayonnaise, L* value significantly increased while a* and b* values significantly decreased (p<0.05). Without added inulin gel, mayonnaise producing by using tuna roe had lower emulsion stability test (%) compared with control sample using egg yolk. It was found that using inulin gel significantly increased moisture contents and water activity of mayonnaise. However, there was no significantly different found in pH value in any sample. In addition, tuna roe mayonnaise with and without added inulin gel possessed higher lipid oxidation products determined as PV and TBARS value compared with basic mayonnaise using egg yolk. All microbiological quality indices were very low and passed standard regulation of mayonnaise product. Though, consumer acceptability of mayonnaise producing from tuna roe was lower than that of control, 50% of inulin gel substitution seemed to have better sensory score when compared with other inulin gel substitution groups. Therefore, sensory improvement of omega-3 mayonnaise product substituted with inulin gel need to be further studied.Conclusions: Mayonnaise producing from tuna roe and replacing fat with inulin gel between 25 to 100% were successful when determined by emulsion stability, pH value and microbiological quality. However, sensory score of using 100% tuna roe with and without inulin gel substitution for making mayonnaise was lower than that of control. Among tuna roe mayonnaise substituted with inulin gel, 50% should be selected for sensory improvement in the further work.Keywords: Tuna roe, Mayonnaise, Inulin, Omega-3