A study was carried out to distinguish mono- (MAG) and di-acylglycerol (DAG) from plant lipids such as sunflower, rapeseed and soybean oil, from those derived from animal fats such as lard, goat fat and beef fat using fatty acid and thermal profile data. MAG and DAG of both plant and animal lipids were synthesized according to a chemical glycerolysis method catalyzed by sodium hydroxide. MAG and DAG of individual lipid were isolated and purified using the standard column chromatography method and subjected to fatty acid analysis by gas chromatography (GC) and thermal analysis by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The application of principal component analysis (PCA) to the data collected from the individual instrumental technique showed that it was possible to distinctly classify MAG and DAG of plant lipids from those derived from animal fats.
A study was carried out to compare the composition and thermal profiles of the fat component of six brands of commercial biscuits (BA, BB, BC, BD, BE & BF) with those of lard and palm oil. Extraction of fat from biscuit samples was done using petroleum ether according to the soxhlet extraction procedure. The isolated fat samples along with lard and palm oil were analyzed using gas liquid chromatography (GLC), reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). According to GLC analysis, palm oil, lard and all six biscuit brands had either palmitic or oleic acid as major fatty acids. Sn-2 positional analysis of fatty acids showed that oleic (> 60%) as the most dominant fatty acid of palm oil and biscuit brands BA, BB, BC, and BD while palmitic (> 60%) as the most dominant fatty acid of lard and biscuit brands BE and BF. RP-HPLC analysis showed that the triacylglycerol (TAG) profiles of lard and biscuit brands BE and BF were closely similar while those of brands BA, BB, BC, and BD and palm oil were similar. DSC analysis showed that the cooling and heating profiles of lard and brands BE and BF were similar, while those of palm oil and brands BA, BB, BC, and BD were similar. Hence, this study concluded that biscuit brands BE and BF are not suitable for consumers whose religious restriction prohibit the use of lard as food ingredient.
This study attempted to investigate the effect of kiln drying on the rate of formation of ball copra. Three samples containing fifty partially dried-coconuts were placed as a single layer in three compartmentalized blocks namely, Front: Blok-1, Middle: Block-2, and Rear: Block-3 in the copra bed of the modified-Ceylon copra kiln. From each of the three blocks, thirty coconuts were selected randomly for labeling and their fresh weights were recorded. The samples were subjected to intermittent drying in the kiln by thirty five firing cycles using charcoal dust as the fuel source. The temperature distribution pattern of the three blocks during the first six firing was monitored at three hourly intervals. The weight losses of individual coconuts in each block were measured after the completion of each firing. The results showed that, there was a significant (p
Consumption of banana flower as a vegetable is popular among many countries in Southeast
Asia. In this study, banana flowers of six different Malaysian cultivars namely, pisang Abu
(Musa balbisiana cv P. Abu), pisang Berangan (Musa acuminata cv P. Berangan), pisang
Nipah (Musa balbisiana cv P. Nipah), pisang Susu (Musa acuminata cv P. Susu), pisang
Mas (Musa acuminate cv P. Mas) and pisang Rastali (Musa paradisiaca cv P. Rastali) were
investigated for their antioxidant and anti-hyperglyemic properties. The total poly phenolic
content and antioxidant activities, the α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitory potentials of the
banana flower extracts were studied in vitro using relevant assays. Among the six cultivars,
cultivar Susu was found to have the highest phenolic content (80.13 ± 4.64 mg of GAE/g of
extract) and displayed the highest ABTS+ and DPPH radical scavenging activities (24.73 ±
0.04 and 25.10 ± 0.15 µmole of Trolox equivalent/g of extract). The anti-amylase and antiglucosidase
activity of the banana flowers extracts were in the range of 47.31-62.58% and
74.98-91.62%, respectively. All banana flower extracts inhibited the activity of α-glucosidase
better than α-amylase at the concentration of 200 µg/ml. This study concluded that the extracts
of Malaysian banana flowers were potent sources of natural antioxidants, which can be used as
postprandial hyperglycemia regulators.
A study was carried out to compare the cookie dough properties and cookie quality made out
of pink guava oil-palm stearin blends and lard (LD). Since LD is prohibited under religious
restrictions, plant shortenings were prepared by mixing pink guava seed oil with palm stearin
(PGO/PS) in different ratios: PGO-1, 40:60; PGO-2, 45:55; PGO-3, 50:50; PGO-4; 55:45 as
replacement. The effect of these formulated plant-based shortenings and LD shortening were
compared on dough rheological properties and cookie quality. Rheology and hardness of the
cookie dough were evaluated using Texture Analyser (TA). Cookie hardness was evaluated
with TA while cookie surface colors were measured using the CIE L*a*b* colorimetric system.
Among the samples, cookies made out of PGO-2 with the ratio 45:55 (PGO:PS) performed the
best substitute for LD to be used as shortening in cookies. PGO-2 also displayed the closest
similarity to LD in cookies for hardness, size and thickness, cracking size as well as colour.
As PGO-2 was a shortening formulated with plant-based ingredients, it could comply with the
halal and toyyiban requirements.
The oil quality parameters of the seed oil of Baobab (Adansonia digitata) were evaluated using standard methods of analysis. The Iodine value, Peroxide value, Saponification value were 86 g/100g, 4.08 mEq/Kg, 188 mg/g, respectively, for seed oil. The oil content of the kernel was higher 23% compared to the hulls that contain 5.4% oil. The kernel oil contains substantial quantities of calcium, potassium, and magnesium, which were found to be 4116, 2339 and 1629 mg/Kg, respectively. The fatty acid profile showed that oleic and linoleic were the major unsaturated fatty acids, whereas palmitic was the major saturated acid. The oil also, showed considerable amount of total phenolic content (TPC) and worthy antioxidant activity. Baobab oil has great nutritional and industrial potentials. It is therefore recommended that more and advanced research should be undertaken for this abundant source of natural nutritious oil.
A study was carried out to compare composition, thermal behavior, and polymorphic forms of
palm stearin-pink guava seed oil blends with those of lard (LD). Four blends were prepared by
mixing pink guava seed oil (PGO) with and palm stearin (PS) in different ratios: PGO-1, 40:60;
PGO-2, 45:55; PGO-3, 50:50; PGO-4; 55:45. The blends and lard were compared in terms of
their basic physicochemical parameters, fatty acid and triacylglycerol (TAG) compositions,
melting, solidification and polymorphic properties. Results showed that PGO-2 and LD were
found to display similarities in terms of slip melting point value and the peak maximum of the
high-melting thermal transition. In the solid fat content (SFC) profile, PGO-2 and LD were
found to display the least difference. In the X-ray diffraction analysis, PGO-2 displayed both β
and β’ polymorphs that were similar to the polymorphic form of LD.