Introduction: Goats milk provides health benefits due to its unique fatty acid composition that
comprises relatively high amounts of short- and medium-chain fatty acids, which make goats
milk easy to digest.
Methods: A total of 20 powdered goats milk samples were selected based
on ease of availability in shops in Kubang Kerian, Kelantan. Proximate composition and fatty
acids, specifically C6:0, C8:0 and C10:0 were determined using AOAC methods (2000), and
gas-chromatography, respectively.
Results were compared with commercial pure goats milk
(CBM®). Results: Wide variations in the proximate composition and fatty acid contents were
found among the samples when compared with the CBM® sample. The mean range values for
energy were 368 to 498 kcal/100 g, moisture: 2.46 to 4.28 g/100 g, ash: 2.04 to 6.61 g/100 g,
protein: 2.80 to 26.24 g/100 g, fat: 1.68 to 25.90 g/100 g and carbohydrates: 44.81 to 87.64
g/100 g. The total short and medium-chain fatty acids contents ranged from 3.22% to 12.97%.
Conclusion: There is a need for standardisation of the proximate composition and fatty acids
contents of goats milk available in Malaysia.
The main objective of the study was to determine the factors associated with blood cholesterol level among staff in Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM). The study was a cross-sectional. One-hundred staff between 23 and 59 years of age were recruited in this study using convenient sampling at USM Health Campus. A questionnaire which includes sociodemographic characteristics, medical history, and red meat intake was used in the study. Anthropometric and biochemical assessment were measured. Blood cholesterol level was divided into two categories which were known as healthy range (<5.2mmol/L) and slight risk/high risk range (≥5.2mmol/L). The gender distribution of respondents for this study comprised of 40 male and 60 female. The age group (18 to 39) years and (40 to 59) years had a total of 40.3% and 63.2% of slightly risk or high risk blood cholesterol respectively; with the significant association between age group and blood cholesterol level (χ²=4.916,p=0.027). Besides, normal BMI group had 66.7% of respondents achieved healthy blood cholesterol level whereas underweight, overweight and obese group had 39.7% achieved healthy blood cholesterol with the significant association between BMI and blood cholesterol level (χ²=7.112,p=0.008). Moreover, daily or weekly intake of red meat showed that 65.0% of total respondents had a healthier blood cholesterol level compared to 51.0% of monthly, rarely, or none red meat intake group which achieved healthy blood cholesterol level. The result also showed a significant association between red meat intake and blood cholesterol (χ²=5.229, p=0.022), which indicating less red meat consumption is linked to high level of blood cholesterol level. Therefore, further investigation and future studies are needed to gain a clearer understanding of the association between these variables and blood cholesterol level.
Recognition of health benefits associated with consumption of marine derived biomasses is one of the most promising developments in human nutrition and disease-prevention research. This endeavor for bioactives and functional ingredients discovery from marine sources is “experience driven,” as such the search for therapeutically useful synthetic drugs, and functional components is like “looking for a needle in a haystack,” thus a daunting task. Zoonotic infection, adulteration, global warming and religious belief can be the star-gate barrier: - For example, the outsourcing for Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), a pharmacologically bioactive compound have emerged as novel biomarkers and molecular players both within tumor cells and their microenvironment, as they integrate signals from growth factors, chemokines, integrins, and cell-cell matrix adhesion. As such, worldwide initiatives in outsourcing from geochemical signatures marine biomasses are flourishing. Most of these scientific interests are related to marketable compounds optimised via biotechnology applications. Approximately 50% of the US FDA approved drugs during 1981–2002 consist of either marine metabolites or their synthetic analogs. These bioactive compounds acts as antioxidant, peptides, chitoligosaccharides derivatives, sulfated polysaccharides, phlorotannins and carotenoids. Highlights from works to harness and provide scientific support to folk medicine much claimed legacy, pertaining to geochemical signatures vouchered sea cucumbers, macroalgae and crown of thorns starfish will be extrapolated.