Displaying publications 1 - 20 of 27 in total

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  1. Fulltext Acne vulgaris and its association with dietary intake: a Malaysian perspective
    Suppiah TSS, Sundram TKM, Tan ESS, Lee CK, Bustami NA, Tan CK
    Asia Pac J Clin Nutr, 2018 10 3;27(5):1141-1145.
    PMID: 30272862 DOI: 10.6133/apjcn.072018.01
    BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Acne vulgaris is a common skin condition among adolescents and young adults. Its relationship with the dietary intake is highly debatable and equivocal. This study aimed to identify the association between acne vulgaris and dietary intake among Malaysians.

    METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN: A case-control study was conducted involving 57 acne vulgaris patients and 57 age-, gender- and ethnicity-matched controls. All participants were aged 14 and above. The Comprehensive Acne Severity Scale (CASS) was used to categorise patients (grades 2 to 5) and controls (grades 0 to 1). Information such as the demographics, family history, smoking habits and dietary intake were collected using a self-administered questionnaire.

    RESULTS: In the patient arm, the gender ratio of male to female was 1.5:1. 43 patients (75.4%) had a family history of acne vulgaris. No significant association was found for acne in patients with a history of smoking. Milk consumption was significantly higher in patients (63.2%, n=36) versus controls (43.9%, n=25), (OR=2.19, p<0.05). In addition, chocolate consumption was also significantly higher in patients (43.9%, n=25) versus controls (24.6%, n=14), (OR=2.4, p<0.05). No significant association was found with the intakes of sweets, potatoes, chips, nuts, yoghurt, ice-cream or carbonated drinks.

    CONCLUSIONS: Dietary intake of milk and chocolate may play a role in acne vulgaris. Prospective cohort and intervention studies are recommended to explore whether a causal relationship might obtain.

    Matched MeSH terms: Chocolate
  2. Fulltext Antifungal efficacy of crude aqueous weed extracts against pathogen of cocoa black pod rot
    Nor Amerulah Nor Mohamad, Suhaida Salleh, Hamzah Abdul Aziz
    Borneo Akademika, 2019;3(2):12-22.
    MyJurnal
    Black pod rot is the most economically important disease of cocoa in Malaysia which is
    mainly caused by a highly polyphagous Phytophthora species, called Phytophthora palmivora.
    The fungus could attack all parts of the cocoa plant organs and caused various diseases at
    any growth stage from seedling until the mature stages, especially during raining season. The
    application of synthetic fungicides has been widely recommended to manage the disease but
    their repeated use had led to other problems such as environmental, human health and
    development of fungicide resistance issues. This study isolated and identified Phytopththora
    isolate from a cocoa pod sample based on micro-morphological characters. Besides, the
    present investigation was undertaken to screen for the antifungal potency of different weed
    extracts against the Phytophthora pathogen using poisoned food technique. The fungal isolate
    was successfully recovered from pod tissues of clone PBC123 on 20% tomato juice agar
    culture (20T). Only one out of ten weed extracts tested showed a significant in vitro inhibitory
    effect towards mycelial growth of Phytophthora isolate, which was aqueous crude leaf extract
    of Solanum torvum (42.68%). This study indicated that the potential of weed extracts in the
    management of Phytophthora diseases, and may offer more natural, effective and economical
    control methods.
    Matched MeSH terms: Chocolate
  3. Fulltext Data on RNA-seq analysis of the cocoa pod borer pest Conopomorpha cramerella (Snellen) (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae)
    Nor Muhammad NA, Ramlee IA, Mohd Nor D, Satyavenathan MV, Rahmat NL, Awang A, et al.
    Data Brief, 2021 Feb;34:106638.
    PMID: 33365368 DOI: 10.1016/j.dib.2020.106638
    Cocoa bean (Theobroma cacao L.) is part of the global cocoa and chocolate industry valued at 44 billion US dollars in 2019. Cocoa pod borer (CPB), Conopomorpha cramerella is a major pest of cocoa in Malaysia and Indonesia that is responsible for the decline for cocoa production. They have been detected since 1980s. Unfortunately, current control strategies are inefficient for CPB management. Although biotechnological alternatives, including RNA interference (RNAi), have been proposed in recent years to control insect pests, characterizing the genetics of the target pest is essential for successful application of these emerging technologies. We generated a comprehensive RNA-seq dataset (135,915,430 clean reads) for larva and adult stages of CPB by using the Illumina HiseqTM 4000 system to increase the understanding of CPB in relation to molecular features. The CPB transcriptome was assembled de novo and annotated. The final assembled produced 249,280 unigenes, of which 75,929 unigenes annotated against NCBI NR database and were distributed among 156 KEGG pathways. The raw data were uploaded to SRA database and the BioProject ID is PRJNA553611. The transcriptomic dataset we present are the first reports of transcriptome information in CPB that is valuable for further exploration and understanding of CPB molecular pathways.
    Matched MeSH terms: Chocolate
  4. Method validation and determination of heavy metals in cocoa beans and cocoa products by microwave assisted digestion technique with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry
    Mohamed R, Zainudin BH, Yaakob AS
    Food Chem, 2020 Jan 15;303:125392.
    PMID: 31446362 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2019.125392
    In this article, an easy and quick method based on microwave assisted acid digestion technique prior to quantification using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry for the analysis of heavy metals in cocoa beans, cocoa powder and chocolate was established and validated for arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and antimony (Sb). Limit of quantification for all elements were product dependent and varies from 7.84 to 194.52 µg/kg. The recoveries of the heavy metals at 250 and 1000 µg/kg spiking levels were ranged between 96.27-108.75%, 90.43-101.97% and 89.72-106.26% for cocoa beans, cocoa powder, and chocolate, respectively. Relative standard deviation values obtained were all below 20% and the expanded uncertainty measurements for the elements were less than 25%. The analysis of real samples found that the concentration level is far from the national alarming level except for cadmium in cocoa beans.
    Matched MeSH terms: Chocolate/analysis
  5. Physicochemical properties and toxicity of cocoa powder-like product from roasted seeds of fermented rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum L.) fruit
    Chai KF, Chang LS, Adzahan NM, Karim R, Rukayadi Y, Ghazali HM
    Food Chem, 2019 Jan 15;271:298-308.
    PMID: 30236681 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2018.07.155
    A novel way to fully utilize rambutan fruit and seed is to ferment peeled fruits followed by drying and roasting, and use the seeds to produce seed powder similar to that of cocoa powder. Hence, the objective of this study was to optimize the roasting time and temperature of rambutan fruit post-fermentation and drying, and to produce a cocoa-like powder product from the seeds. Parameters monitored during roasting were colour and total phenolic content, while seed powder obtained using optimized roasting conditions was analyzed for its physicochemical properties and toxicity. The latter was examined using the brine shrimp lethality assay. Results showed that the roasted seed powder possessed colour and key volatile compounds similar to that of cocoa powder. Besides, the brine shrimp lethality assay indicated that the roasted seed powder was non-toxic. Thus, the fruit, including its seed could be fully utilized and subsequently, wastage could be reduced.
    Matched MeSH terms: Chocolate
  6. Novel Amadori and Heyns compounds derived from short peptides found in dried cocoa beans
    Andruszkiewicz PJ, D'Souza RN, Corno M, Kuhnert N
    Food Res Int, 2020 07;133:109164.
    PMID: 32466895 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2020.109164
    Chemical transformations of Amadori compounds are responsible for the formation of aroma volatiles at the end of the Maillard reaction cascade, which in turn contributes to unique organoleptic characteristics of chocolate. A large amount of short peptides reported in fermented cocoa suggests the existence of a much larger variety of these flavor precursors than previously suspected. An HPLC-MS-MS study was performed on dried Malaysian cocoa beans to identify novel Amadori and Heyns compounds. In total, 34 species were found, including 26 previously unknown derived from di- and tripeptides. We illustrate how the structures were elucidated via tandem MS experiments, as well as present a comparative study on their relative quantities in samples coming from 11 countries of origin. There were significant differences between them, and discrimination was possible by principal component analysis based on Amadori content alone. However, the PCA separation could be a result of various post-harvest practices exerted among said countries.
    Matched MeSH terms: Chocolate*
  7. Spinach leaf and chloroplast lipid: A natural rheology modifier for chocolate?
    Mohamad NJ, Gray D, Wolf B
    Food Res Int, 2020 07;133:109193.
    PMID: 32466904 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2020.109193
    In this study the possibility of replacing current surfactants in chocolate formulations with natural lipids extracted from spinach leaf (SPLIP) or spinach chloroplast (CH.SPLIP) was evaluated. SPLIP and CH.SPLIP were extracted with chloroform/methanol following enzyme deactivation with hot isopropanol. Results showed a higher extraction yield for SPLIP while glycolipids were more concentrated in CH.SPLIP. Sugar/oil suspensions with dispersed volume fractions of 0.28, 0.33 and 0.37 containing 0.1% to 0.7% (w/w) surfactant (SPLIP, CH.SPLIP, lecithin and PGPR as commercial references) based on oil phase were prepared and analyzed in shear rheology. Apparent viscosity at 40 s-1 was significantly lower for the natural surfactants compared to lecithin at 0.5-0.7% (w/w) addition. With regard to yield stress, taken as the shear stress at 5 s-1, both natural surfactants showed comparable performance to PGPR at 0.3% to 0.7% addition. As SPLIP and CH.SPLIP behaved similar (p > 0.05), SPLIP, due to higher extraction yield, would be the preferred choice for application in chocolate matrices.
    Matched MeSH terms: Chocolate*
  8. Comparison assessment between SIM and MRM mode in the analysis of 3-MCPD ester, 2-MCPD ester and glycidyl ester
    Goh KM, Wong YH, Ang MY, Yeo SCM, Abas F, Lai OM, et al.
    Food Res Int, 2019 07;121:553-560.
    PMID: 31108780 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2018.12.013
    The detection of 3- and 2-MCPD ester and glycidyl ester was transformed from selected ion monitoring (SIM) mode to multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode by gas chromatography triple quadrupole spectrometry. The derivatization process was adapted from AOCS method Cd 29a-13. The results showed that the coefficient of determination (R2) of all detected compounds obtained from both detection mode was comparable, which falls between 0.997 and 0.999. The limit of detection and quantification (LOD and LOQ) were improved in MRM mode as compared to SIM mode. In MRM mode, the LOD of 3- and 2-MCPD ester was achieved 0.01 mg/kg while the LOQ was 0.05 mg/kg. Besides, LOD and LOQ of glycidyl ester were 0.024 and 0.06 mg/kg respectively. A blank spiked with MCPD esters (0.03, 0.10 and 0.50 mg/kg) and GE (0.06, 0.24 and 1.20 mg/kg) were chosen for repeatability and recovery tests. MRM mode showed better repeatability in area ratio and recovery with relative standard deviation (RSD %) 
    Matched MeSH terms: Chocolate/analysis
  9. Fulltext Draft genome sequence of fastidious pathogen Ceratobasidium theobromae, which causes vascular-streak dieback in Theobroma cacao
    Ali SS, Asman A, Shao J, Firmansyah AP, Susilo AW, Rosmana A, et al.
    Fungal Biol Biotechnol, 2019;6:14.
    PMID: 31583107 DOI: 10.1186/s40694-019-0077-6
    Background: Ceratobasidium theobromae, a member of the Ceratobasidiaceae family, is the causal agent of vascular-streak dieback (VSD) of cacao, a major threat to the chocolate industry in the South-East Asia. The fastidious pathogen is very hard to isolate and maintain in pure culture, which is a major bottleneck in the study of its genetic diversity and genome.

    Result: This study describes for the first time, a 33.90 Mbp de novo assembled genome of a putative C. theobromae isolate from cacao. Ab initio gene prediction identified 9264 protein-coding genes, of which 800 are unique to C. theobromae when compared to Rhizoctonia spp., a closely related group. Transcriptome analysis using RNA isolated from 4 independent VSD symptomatic cacao stems identified 3550 transcriptionally active genes when compared to the assembled C. theobromae genome while transcripts for only 4 C. theobromae genes were detected in 2 asymptomatic stems. De novo assembly of the non-cacao associated reads from the VSD symptomatic stems uniformly produced genes with high identity to predicted genes in the C. theobromae genome as compared to Rhizoctonia spp. or genes found in Genbank. Further analysis of the predicted C. theobromae transcriptome was carried out identifying CAZy gene classes, KEGG-pathway associated genes, and 138 putative effector proteins.

    Conclusion: These findings put forth, for the first time, a predicted genome for the fastidious basidiomycete C. theobromae causing VSD on cacao providing a model for testing and comparison in the future. The C. theobromae genome predicts a pathogenesis model involving secreted effector proteins to suppress plant defense mechanisms and plant cell wall degrading enzymes.

    Matched MeSH terms: Chocolate
  10. Fulltext Physicochemical properties of rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum L.) seed during natural fermentation of the whole peeled fruit
    Chai, K. F., Adzahan, N. M., Karim, R., Rukayadi, Y., Ghazali, H. M.
    International Food Research Journal, 2020;27(3):397-407.
    MyJurnal
    A novel way to reduce rambutan wastage is to ferment the fruit and valorise the seed post-fer- mentation into other food products and ingredients. Hence, the objective of this study was to investigate the physicochemical properties of rambutan seed during solid-state fermentation of the fruit. Peeled rambutan fruits were subjected to natural fermentation for ten days at 30°C. The environmental temperature, relative humidity, internal and external temperatures of the fermentation mass were measured daily. After ten days of fermentation, the seeds had higher cut test score (867.5), fermentation index (1.527), and a* value (8.20 for non-dried seeds and
    9.93 for dried seeds), and lower L* (51.90 for non-dried seeds and 49.22 for dried seeds) and b* (30.52 for non-dried seeds and 30.12 for dried seeds) values; as compared to the non-fer- mented seeds (cut test score, 0.0; fermentation index, 0.856; L*, a*, and b* values, 64.52, 2.25, and 42.07 for non-dried seeds, respectively, and 61.03, 3.23 and 36.70 for dried seeds, respectively). During this time, pH, total soluble solids, fructose, glucose, sucrose, citric acid, and tartaric acid contents of the seeds decreased by 46, 44, 59, 61, 100, 85, and 100%, respec- tively, while the titratable acidity, lactic acid, acetic acid, and ascorbic acid contents of the seeds increased by 5.5, 7.8, 6.0, and 2.2-fold, respectively. Results showed that eight days of fermentation are adequate to produce well-fermented rambutan seeds that could be further processed into a cocoa powder-like product by roasting the fermented fruits in a manner similar to that of cocoa bean roasting.
    Matched MeSH terms: Chocolate
  11. Fulltext Effect of overripe banana pulp incorporation on nutritional composition, physical properties, and sensory acceptability of chocolate cookies
    Ng, Y. V., Tengku Alina, T. I., Wan Rosli, W. I.
    International Food Research Journal, 2020;27(2):252-260.
    MyJurnal
    The intake of dietary fibre (DF) has been proven to lower the risk of chronic diseases, leading to the increasing demand for fibre-enriched bakery product. Banana is one of the most consumed fruits that exhibits rich sources of DF and provides excellent nutritional health benefits. However, overripe banana is discarded due to its low quality and appearance. Thus, the present work was aimed to determine the properties of chocolate cookies formulated with overripe banana pulp powder (OBPP) as partial replacement (0, 6, 8, and 10%) for wheat flour. Nutritional composition, physical properties, and sensory acceptability of the cookies were analysed using AOAC methods, texture profile analyser, and 7-point hedonic scaling method, respectively. Results showed that increased incorporation of OBPP significantly increased the nutritional values of chocolate cookies. Chocolate cookies formulated with 10% of OBPP recorded the highest total dietary fibre (8.21%) and ash (1.23%) contents. In texture profile analysis, the firmness of the chocolate cookies was recorded to increase slightly with increasing level of OBPP, although this was not significant. Sensory scores for the control (0%) and 6% OBPP-incorporated cookies were not significantly different for all the sensory attributes. However, the incorporation of 8% OBPP produced the highest scores in terms of aroma, flavour, and overall acceptance. In summary, the addition of 8% OBPP could be an effective way to produce nutritious and the most palatable chocolate cookies.
    Matched MeSH terms: Chocolate
  12. Fulltext Exploration on the thermal behavior, solid fat content and hardness of rambutan fat extracted from rambutan seeds as cocoa butter replacer
    Zzaman, W., Issara, U., Easa, A.M., Yang, T.A.
    International Food Research Journal, 2017;24(6):2408-2413.
    MyJurnal
    Fat content and macroscopic properties of fat network formulation result in final products in chocolate industry. The knowledge of physical properties is required in regard to stability of final food products resulting to quality. The study was carried out to investigate the thermal behavior, solid fat content and hardness of Rambutan fat (RF), cocoa butter and mixtures between two fats. The results found that the mixtures can be compatibility; the cocoa butter indicated the higher of solid fat content at room temperature more than RF and other mixtures. The RF had the highest melting point in both non-stabilized and stabilized form among cocoa butter and their mixtures. The hardness behavior showed lower in the mixture 1 and RF. For the phase behavior of crystallization exhibited the similar for all samples whereas the time of crystallization and temperatures were different. Therefore, the RF might be possible source of cocoa butter substitute with suitable proportion in the manufacturing chocolate and confectionery products.
    Matched MeSH terms: Chocolate
  13. Fulltext Sugar craving and sugar intake pattern among Malay adults
    Wan Fathin Fariza, Nik Mazlan Mamat
    International Journal of Allied Health Sciences, 2017;1(1):2-2.
    MyJurnal
    Objectives/Research Problem: A total of 6.3% of American adults showed specific craving to sweet foods and this was proven analogous to sweet foods intake. We attempted to measuresweet craving among Malaysians through the development of Sugar Craving Assessment Tool for Malaysians (MySCAT). The aim of this research was to explore the pattern of sugar craving and sugar intake among Malay adults.

    Materials and Method: Subjects (age19 to 59 years old) were recruited among Kuantan residents from multiple centres. A total of 219 volunteers were recruited and they completed MySCAT questionnaire, in which the respondents rated their craving for 30 sweet foods and beverages from 0 (Never) to 4 (Always). Body mass index (BMI) was obtained from height and weight measurements.

    Results and Discussion: Subjects consisted of 58 males and 161 females with mean age 29.6±10.7 y, BMI 23.5±4.4 kg/m2 total MySCAT score of 41.1±14.9. Results indicated that the most craved items were sugar sweetened beverages (mean score 2.46±1.18), fruit juices (2.16±1.08) and drinks with sweetened condensed milk (median 2.00, IQR = 2.00). A subset of 100 subjects also completed FFQ Sugar (mean age 21.2±1.6 y, BMI 21.0±3.1 kg/m2. Sugar intake was 79.5 g/day and contributed the most by sugar-sweetened beverages (56.5%) followed by non-carbonated soft drinks (13.9%) and sweets & chocolates (5.6%). Sugar intake was significantly higher in male (95.4 g/day) than female (54.3 g/day, p
    Matched MeSH terms: Chocolate
  14. Fulltext Sensor application for soil treatment and behaviour
    Syahrul Affandi Saidi, Syarifah Idrus Sofia Syed Mohd Yamin, Mohd Sharizan Md Sarip, Wan Azani Mustafa
    Journal of Advanced Research in Applied Sciences and Engineering Technology, 2018;13(1):8-15.
    MyJurnal
    In Malaysia, it is estimated that almost 80 percent of the world's population today used palm oil in their daily lives. Malaysia is the second country exporting palm oil, about 39 percent of world palm oil output. Besides that, Malaysia also recorded about 44 per cent of world exports, making the palm industry very important for countries other than rubber and cocoa. However, to keep the palm industry running smoothly and constantly, there are many challenges to face. One is to maintain soil fertility because the soil can affect the growth of oil palm trees. With the use of this system, it will show the condition of soil behaviour to the farmer about the treatment given. Arduino board is used in this project which it is programmed to calculate and display the level of soil condition by using temperature sensor and soil moisture sensors as an input. This sensor will detect the level of soil moisture and temperature and it is easier for farmers to monitor the soil conditions. Controlled soil conditions can improve the soil's ability to maintain the fertility of palm trees and help plant growth suit to the weather and local climate.
    Matched MeSH terms: Chocolate
  15. The effect of flow rate at different pressures and temperatures on cocoa butter extracted from cocoa nib using supercritical carbon dioxide
    Asep EK, Jinap S, Russly AR, Jahurul MH, Ghafoor K, Zaidul IS
    J Food Sci Technol, 2016 May;53(5):2287-97.
    PMID: 27407195 DOI: 10.1007/s13197-016-2191-2
    The effects of flow rate, different pressures and temperatures on cocoa butter extracted from cocoa nib using supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2) were investigated. The yield was analyzed for total fat content, triacylglycerol (TG) profile, and fatty acid (FA) profile. Extractions were carried out at pressures of 20 and 35 MPa, temperatures of 50 and 60 °C, and CO2 flow rates of 0.5, 1, 2, 4 mL min(-1). The result shows that the yield of cocoa butter extract increased with increasing pressure, temperature, and flow rate and the optimum conditions for the maximum cocoa butter extraction were 35 MPa, 60 °C and 2 mL min(-1), repectively. TGs and FAs were found to be similar in composition to those of cocoa butter obtained by conventional methods. The lower molecular weight TGs and FAs showed higher selectivity compared to higher molecular weight TGs and FAs.
    Matched MeSH terms: Chocolate
  16. Fulltext Effects of polishing systems on surface roughness and colour stability of microhybrid composite resin
    Naziah Md Jasin, Fatanah Mohamad Suhaimi, Ahmad Fairuz Omar, Husniyati Roslan
    Malaysian Journal of Medicine and Health Sciences, 2018;14(102):1-7.
    MyJurnal
    Discolouration of microhybrid composite resin is a common problem faced by both dental practitioners and patients. The accumulation of plaque, penetration of colourant particles from foods and beverages, dietary habits and the smoothness of restorations have been known to influence the quality of the aesthetic restoration. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of polishing systems on surface roughness that led to discolouration of the microhybrid composite resin. Methods: Forty five samples of microhybrid composite resin (Filtex Z100) restorations were polished with two different polishing systems; one-step polishing (OP) system on the distal surface and multiple-step polishing (MP) system on the mesial surface. All samples were then immersed in two common beverages: black coffee and cocoa, for 20 minutes daily throughout 28 days of the experimental period. Results: Data on visual colour measurement and spectrometer colour spectrum was subjected to one-way ANOVA test at a significance level of 0.05. Both solutions were found to cause a significant colour change (p=0.0195) on the microhybrid composite resin. Black coffee solution obtained the highest score (71.6) of visual colour change and the lowest reflectance value (62.818) on the distal surface. Surface roughness evaluation using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) had presented that both polishing systems used produced low level of surface roughness. Conclusion: Although MP system produced a smoother surface compared to OP system, a prolonged exposure to colourant particle found to cause an unacceptable discolouration of microhybrid composite resin.
    Matched MeSH terms: Chocolate
  17. Fulltext Caffeine and theobromine levels in chocolate couverture and coating products
    Ramli N, Abdul Rahman S, Hassan O, Mohd Yatim A, Said M, Lim LS, et al.
    Malays J Nutr, 2000 Mar;6(1):55-63.
    PMID: 22692392
    Thirty-two samples of chocolate products were analysed by HPLC for caffeine and theobromine contents. Defatted residues of samples were extracted with 80% aqueous acetone. After extraction into boiling water, the methylxanthines were identified and quantified with the use of μ-Bondapak column and mobile phase of methanol:water:acetic acid (20:79:1). Levels of caffein and theobromine in 32 samples of chocolate products averaged 0.62-1.14 mg/g and 0.026-0.153 mg/g respectively. Mean values for theobromine and caffeine content for chocolate coating were 0.82 and 0.07 mg/g respectively. The chocolate coating made from fat substitute had theobromine and caffeine levels ranging from 0.36-0.70 mg/g and 0.027-0.061 mg/g respectively, with mean values of 0.49 mg theobromine/g and 0.039 mg caffeine/g. In local chocolate, the mean theobromine and caffeine levels respectively were 0.72 mg/g and 0.04 mg/g in milk chocolate, and 0.85 mg/g and 0.06 mg/g in dark chocolate. Meanwhile, for imported chocolate, the mean theobromine and caffeine levels respectively were 1.05 mg/g and 0.12 mg/g in dark chocolate; 0.76 mg/g and 0.04 mg/g in milk chocolate; and 0.74 mg/g and 0.03 mg/g in white chocolate. Compared with the local chocolates, imported chocolates had higher levels of theobromine and caffeine at 1.141 mg/g and 0.1533mg/g. The average theobromine and caffeine concentrations in local chocolate were 0.082mg/g and 0.066mg/g. Theobromine concentration in chocolate samples is within the range of 0.62mg/g-1.141mg/g and the range of caffeine concentration is 0.026mg/g-0.153mg/g respectively. Bittersweet chocolates were found to have higher theobromine and caffeine concentrations than normal sweet chocolates and milk chocolates.
    Matched MeSH terms: Chocolate*
  18. Fulltext Effects of Cocoa Polyphenols and Dark Chocolate on Obese Adults: A Scoping Review
    Halib H, Ismail A, Mohd Yusof BN, Osakabe N, Mat Daud ZA
    Nutrients, 2020 Nov 30;12(12).
    PMID: 33266002 DOI: 10.3390/nu12123695
    Obesity remains a major public health problem due to its increasing prevalence. Natural products have become common as adjunct therapeutic agents for treating obesity and preventing metabolic diseases. Cocoa and its products are commonly consumed worldwide. Dark chocolate, a rich source of polyphenols, has received attention lately for its beneficial role in the management of obesity; however, conflicting results are still being reported. This scoping review aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the existing literature on the relationship and effects of cocoa and dark chocolate intake among obese adults. We searched multiple databases for research investigating the consumption of cocoa and/or dark chocolate in managing obesity among adults. This review includes epidemiological and human studies that were published in English over the last 10 years. Our review of the current literature indicates that epidemiological and human trials with obese adults have shown inconsistent results, which may be due to the different populations of subjects, and different types of cocoa products and doses used for intervention. Studies among obese adults are mainly focusing on obese individuals with comorbidities, as such more studies are needed to elucidate the role of cocoa polyphenols in weight control and preventing the risk of chronic diseases among obese individuals without comorbidities as well as healthy individuals. Careful adjustment of confounding factors would be required. The effects of cocoa and dark chocolate intake on obese adults were discussed, and further research is warranted to identify the gaps.
    Matched MeSH terms: Chocolate/analysis*
  19. First Report of Leaf Spot Caused by Nigrospora oryzae on Dendrobium candidum in China
    Wu JB, Zhang CL, Mao PP, Qian YS, Wang HZ
    Plant Dis, 2014 Jul;98(7):996.
    PMID: 30708927 DOI: 10.1094/PDIS-09-13-1006-PDN
    Dendrobium (Dendrobium candidum Wall. ex Lindl.) is a perennial herb in the Orchidaceae family. It has been used as traditional medicinal plant in China, Malaysia, Laos, and Thailand (2). Fungal disease is one of the most important factors affecting the development of Dendrobium production. During summer 2012, chocolate brown spots were observed on leaves of 2-year-old Dendrobium seedlings in a greenhouse in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China, situated at 30.26°N and 120.19°E. Approximately 80% of the plants in each greenhouse were symptomatic. Diseased leaves exhibited irregular, chocolate brown, and necrotic lesions with a chlorotic halo, reaching 0.8 to 3.2 cm in diameter. Affected leaves began to senesce and withered in autumn, and all leaves of diseased plants fell off in the following spring. Symptomatic leaf tissues were cut into small pieces (4 to 5 mm long), surface-sterilized (immersed in 75% ethanol for 30 s, and then 1% sodium hypochlorite for 60 s), rinsed three times in sterilized distilled water, and then cultured on potato dextrose agar (PDA) amended with 30 mg/liter of kanamycin sulfate (dissolved in ddH2O). Petri plates were incubated in darkness at 25 ± 0.5°C, and a grey mycelium with a white border developed after 4 days. Fast-growing white mycelia were isolated from symptomatic leaf samples, and the mycelia became gray-brown with the onset of sporulation after 5 days. Conidia were unicellular, black, elliptical, and 11.4 to 14.3 μm (average 13.1 μm) in diameter. Based on these morphological and pathogenic characteristics, the isolates were tentatively identified as Nigrospora oryzae (1). Genomic DNA was extracted from a representative isolate F12-F, and a ~600-bp fragment was amplified and sequenced using the primers ITS1 and ITS4 (4). BLAST analysis showed that F12-F ITS sequence (Accession No. KF516962) had 99% similarity with the ITS sequence of an N. oryzae isolate (JQ863242.1). Healthy Dendrobium seedlings (4 months old) were used in pathogenicity tests under greenhouse conditions. Leaves were inoculated with mycelial plugs (5 mm in diameter) from a 5-day-old culture of strain F12-F, and sterile PDA plugs served as controls. Seedlings were covered with plastic bags for 5 days and maintained at 25 ± 0.5°C and 80 ± 5% relative humidity. Eight seedlings were used in each experiment, which was repeated three times. After 5 days, typical chocolate brown spots and black lesions were observed on inoculated leaves, whereas no symptoms developed on controls, which fulfilled Koch's postulates. This shows that N. oryzae can cause leaf spot of D. candidum. N. oryzae is a known pathogen for several hosts but has not been previously reported on any species of Dendrobium in China (3). To our knowledge, on the basis of literature, this is the first report of leaf spot of D. candidum caused by N. oryzae in China. References: (1) H. J. Hudson. Trans. Br. Mycol. Soc. 46:355, 1963. (2) Q. Jin et al. PLoS One. 8(4):e62352, 2013. (3) P. Sharma et al. J. Phytopathol. 161:439, 2013. (4) T. J. White et al. PCR Protocols: A Guide to Methods and Applications. Academic Press, San Diego, 1990.
    Matched MeSH terms: Chocolate
  20. Fulltext Development and characterization of microsatellite markers for population genetics of the cocoa pod borer Conopomorpha cramerella (Snellen) (Lepidoptera: Gracillaridae)
    Purificacion M, Shah RBM, De Meeûs T, Bakar SB, Savantil AB, Yusof MM, et al.
    PLoS One, 2024;19(4):e0297662.
    PMID: 38603675 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0297662
    The cocoa pod borer (CPB) Conopomorpha cramerella (Snellen) (Lepidoptera: Gracillaridae) is one of the major constraints for cocoa production in South East Asia. In addition to cultural and chemical control methods, autocidal control tactics such as the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) could be an efficient addition to the currently control strategy, however SIT implementation will depend on the population genetics of the targeted pest. The aim of the present work was to search for suitable microsatellite loci in the genome of CPB that is partially sequenced. Twelve microsatellites were initially selected and used to analyze moths collected from Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. A quality control verification process was carried out and seven microsatellites found to be suitable and efficient to distinguish differences between CPB populations from different locations. The selected microsatellites were also tested against a closely related species, i.e. the lychee fruit borer Conopomorpha sinensis (LFB) from Vietnam and eight loci were found to be suitable. The availability of these novel microsatellite loci will provide useful tools for the analysis of the population genetics and gene flow of these pests, to select suitable CPB strains to implement the SIT.
    Matched MeSH terms: Chocolate*
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