Displaying publications 1 - 20 of 28 in total

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  1. 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*
  2. 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*
  3. 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*
  4. 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*
  5. Fulltext Theobroma cacao: review of the extraction, isolation, and bioassay of its potential anti-cancer compounds
    Zainal Baharum, Abdah Md Akim, Roslida Abdul Hamid, Taufiq Yap Yun Hin, Rosmin Kasran
    Trop Life Sci Res, 2016;27(1):21-42.
    MyJurnal
    Plants have been a good source of therapeutic agents for thousands of years;
    an impressive number of modern drugs used for treating human diseases are derived from
    natural sources. The Theobroma cacao tree, or cocoa, has recently garnered increasing
    attention and become the subject of research due to its antioxidant properties, which are
    related to potential anti-cancer effects. In the past few years, identifying and developing
    active compounds or extracts from the cocoa bean that might exert anti-cancer effects
    have become an important area of health- and biomedicine-related research. This review
    provides an updated overview of T. cacao in terms of its potential anti-cancer compounds
    and their extraction, in vitro bioassay, purification, and identification. This article also
    discusses the advantages and disadvantages of the techniques described and reviews the
    processes for future perspectives of analytical methods from the viewpoint of anti-cancer
    compound discovery.
    Matched MeSH terms: Chocolate
  6. 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
  7. 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
  8. 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
  9. 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
  10. 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
  11. 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
  12. 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
  13. Effect of different drying methods on the morphology, crystallinity, swelling ability and tensile properties of nata de coco
    Norhayati Pa'e, Nur Idayu Abd Hamid, Norzieana Khairuddin, Khairul Azly Zahan, Kok FS, Bazlul Mobin Siddique, et al.
    Sains Malaysiana, 2014;43:767-773.
    Nata de coco or bacterial cellulose produced by Acetobacter xylinum is a unique type of biocellulose. It contains more than 90% of water. Dried nata was preferred compared to wet form since it is more convenient and portable with stable properties. Therefore, drying process is necessary in order to produce dried nata de coco. Drying method is a key factor that influenced the properties of dried nata de coco produced. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of different drying methods on morphology, crystallinity, swelling ability and tensile strength of dried nata de coco. Nata de coco samples were dried using three physical drying methods such as oven, tray dryer or freeze dryer until it achieved 3-5% moisture content. Obviously, the three drying techniques produced web-like structured nata de coco and quite similar crystallinity which was in range between 87 and 89%. Freeze dried sample showed the largest swelling capacity and tensile strength which was found to be 148 MPa. Different drying method gave different properties of nata de coco. Therefore, the present work proposed the most suitable drying method can be utilized based on the properties of end product needed.
    Matched MeSH terms: Chocolate
  14. Bacterial cellulose film coating as drug delivery system: physicochemical, thermal and drug release properties
    Mohd Cairul Iqbal Mohd Amin, Abadi Gumah Abadi, Naveed Ahmad, Haliza Katas, Jamia Azdina Jamal
    Sains Malaysiana, 2012;41:561-568.
    There has been an increasing interest in the use of natural materials as drug delivery vehicles due to their biodegradability, biocompatibility and ready availability. These properties make bacterial cellulose (BC), from nata de coco, a promising biopolymer for drug delivery applications. The aim of this study was to investigate the film-coating and drug release properties of this biopolymer. Physicochemical, morphological and thermal properties of BC films were studied. Model tablets were film coated with BC, using a spray coating technique, and in vitro drug release studies of these tablets were investigated. It was found that BC exhibited excellent ability to form soft, flexible and foldable films without the addition
    of any plasticizer. They were comparable to Aquacoat ECD (with plasticizer) in tensile strength, percentage elongation and elasticity modulus. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) BC showed a high Tg value indicating thermally stability of films. These results suggest that BC can be used as novel aqueous film-coating agent with lower cost and better film forming properties than existing film-coating agents.
    Matched MeSH terms: Chocolate
  15. 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
  16. 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
  17. Fulltext Identification of phenolic compounds in polyphenols-rich extract of Malaysian cocoa powder using the HPLC-UV-ESI-MS/MS and probing their antioxidant properties
    Ali F, Ranneh Y, Ismail A, Esa NM
    J Food Sci Technol, 2015 Apr;52(4):2103-11.
    PMID: 25829590 DOI: 10.1007/s13197-013-1187-4
    The antioxidant components of cocoa powder, which is rich in polyphenols, were isolated using column chromatography and high performance liquid chromatography. Polyphenolic compounds were then characterized by high-performance liquid chromatography/Ultraviolet and electronspray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-UV-/ESI-MS-MS). As a result, five phenolic compounds were detected. In this study we also investigated scavenging or the total antioxidant capacity (%) of cocoa polyphenol (CP) fractionated from cocoa powder extract. 114.0 mg/g of gallic acid -equivalent phenolics and 94.3 mg/g catechin- equivalent flavonoids were quantified in this extract. Their free radical-scavenging activity was assessed by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH) assay, β-carotene bleaching test, and xanthine oxidase inhibitory activity (OX). Total antioxidant capacity (TAC) was further assessed against the myoglobin-induced oxidation of 6-hydroxy-2, 5, 7, 8-tetramethylchroman-2-carboxylic acid (ABTS) and expressed as Trolox equivalent. A high correlation between TAC and phenolic contents indicated that phenolic compounds from cocoa were a major contributor of antioxidant activity (0.967 ≤ r ≤ 1.00). CP extract had significantly (P 
    Matched MeSH terms: Chocolate
  18. Fulltext Identification of pathogenic bacteria isolated from raw and after sand filtration water at Lubok Buntar Water Treatment Plant
    Nur Hafizah Zakaria, Husnul Azan Tajarudin, Mohd Sharizal Mohd Sapingi, Mohamad Fared Murshed
    Scientific Research Journal, 2017;14(1):42-52.
    MyJurnal
    This study focused on the identification of pathogenic bacteria in raw water intake and after sand filtration for drinking water treatment plant during flood event in 2014. The samples was collected from the Lubok Buntar Water Treatment Plant (WTP) and processed through bacterial isolation using chocolate agar as a media. The isolation process conducted based on serial samples dilution and streaking method prior to DNA extraction. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) extraction kit was used to get selected bacteria DNA and further analysis using Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test and electrophoresis to get DNA sequences. The Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST) analysis was employed to identify the species of the isolated bacteria. As a result, Pantoeaagglomerans and Enterobacter sp. were found in raw and filtered water sample and indicating the same family types. It was concluded that bacteria of the same species were found before and after sand filtration and need to be removed by disinfectant process. The findings also indicated that all the physicochemical parameters measured were within the values prescribed by the Interim National Water Quality Standard (INWQS).
    Matched MeSH terms: Chocolate
  19. 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
  20. 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
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