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The purpose of this study is to evaluate the pattern of carotenoids distribution in three underutilized Malaysian ‘ulam’ or traditional vegetables in Malaysia (Averrhoa carambola, Manihot esculenta and Ipomoea batatas) and their valuable pro-vitamin A activities. These assessments will yield valuable knowledge and insight into the importance of these underutilized traditional vegetables and highlight their potential for applications in medicinal and functional colorant industries.

In this study, the authors have evaluated the distribution of carotenoid compounds in aerial organs of three underutilized traditional vegetables (Averrhoa carambola, Manihot esculenta and Ipomoea batatas). The content of the individual carotenoids were quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and the organ with the highest accumulation of these compounds were identified. Their valuable pro-vitamin A activities were also reported to indicate their medicinal potential which can further be exploited as pharmacologically active natural colorants and in other applications.

In total, three major chromatographic peaks corresponding to lutein, violaxanthin and β-carotene were observed through HPLC. Among the compounds detected, lutein and β-carotene were the most abundant carotenoids found in both shoots and petioles of all three species. Violaxanthin was only detected in I. batatas shoots. Overall, carotenoid content was observed to be higher in the shoots than in the petioles, where I. batatas contained the highest amount of total carotenoid, followed by M. esculenta and A. carambola. The opposite trend was observed in the petioles, where A. carambola petioles had the highest carotenoid content, while I. batatas contained the least.

The distribution and abundance of these individual carotenoids suggested that the petioles contained the highest amount of carotenoid, contributing to its high pro-vitamin A activity, and could be potentially useful for medicinal application, as it can act as storage site that is not as prone to natural drying or degradation during harvest and sample storage. Future research work should include improvements in the extraction and purification procedures as well as robust identification methods which may lead to better detection and identification of other compounds that could attribute to its bioactivity, to complement the findings of the current study.

This analysis provides valuable information on the importance of underutilized traditional vegetables as important biofactories for sustainable production of valuable pigments (such as carotenoids) with medicinal benefits and can further be exploited in various industries, such as in formulation of functional natural colorants. This study also highlights the importance of petiole as a storage site of pharmacologically active compounds that is not as prone to natural drying or degradation during harvest and sample storage.

To date, there is no previous report found on comparative analysis of carotenoid content and quantification of individual carotenoid concentration in the edible aerial parts of Averrhoa carambola, Manihot esculenta and Ipomoea batatas, although they have been traditionally consumed as “ulam” in Malaysia. Therefore, the results reported in this study provide new insights on carotenoid accumulation in the selected ‘ulam’ species.

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the retention rate of vitamin C and carotenoids in vegetables submitted to heat treatment.

Samples of carrot and broccoli were submitted to conventional cooking, steaming, microwaving and autoclave. Ascorbic acid concentrations were determined according to the methodology of Zhang and Hamauzu. The extraction of carotenoids was done using the methodology of Niizu and Rodriguez‐Amaya. The formula of Murphy et al. was used to calculate the retention rate of vitamins.

The highest retention percentage of ascorbic acid, α‐carotene, β‐carotene and lutein in carrots was obtained using microwave cooking. In the case of broccoli, the best retention for α‐ and β‐carotene was by steam cooking, whereas ascorbic acid was best preserved in the autoclave and lutein by conventional cooking.

Ascorbic acid and carotenoids are compounds present in vegetables relevant mostly from a therapeutical point of view, as they appear to be associated with the prevention of many diseases. However, these vitamins are lost during the cooking process, which is of great importance in developing countries where deficits of these nutrientes are quite common in the population.

The results obtained in this study indicate that the cooking technique of choice is of fundamental importance not only at home but also for the food industry, considering the increasing consumption of processed foods.

The purpose of this paper is to acquaint the readers with the insights regarding the interventions of microalgal technology for production of metabolites and functional ingredients from microalgae for food and nutraceutical application and exploration of microalgae biomass for food application.

Various information databases such as journals, library catalogues and professional websites were used to collect information pertaining to application of microalgae in food and nutraceutical sector. Systematic review was made with recent studies covering the vital aspects of art of microalgae cultivation for metabolite production, functional ingredients from microalgae, market scenario and utilisation of microalgae biomass for the valorisation of the food products. Key points have been discussed after every section to highlight the practical implications to make this review more insightful for the readers.

Microalgal technology provides sustainable solution for its application in food and nutraceutical sector. The heart of metabolite production lies in the optimisation of cultivation conditions of microalgae. Wide array of functional components are obtained from microalgae. Microalgae offer an alternative source for omega-3 fatty acids. Microalgae is widely exploited for production of pigments, namely, ß-carotene, astaxanthin, lutein, phycocyanin and chlorophyll, that have important implication as natural colourants and nutraceuticals in food. Larger diversity of sterols found in microalgae confers bioactivity. Microalgae is finding its place in market shelves as nutraceuticals where its functional ingredients are in the form of powder, tablets, extract and beverages and in innovative products such as microalgae protein and fat, culinary algae oil and butter. Sprulina and Chlorella are popular choice for the supplementation of food products with microalgae biomass.

This is a comprehensive review that highlights the application of microalgal technology for the development of healthy food products and presents holistic intervention in food and nutraceutical sector.

The paper aims to investigate the iron, zinc, carotenoid, vitamin E, anthocyanin, and phenolic contents, antioxidant activity and the effect of the boiling of rice on such parameters.

Iron and zinc content were investigated using atomic absorption spectrometry. Meanwhile, simultaneous extraction and detection methods using high performance liquid chromatography were applied for carotenoids, tocopherol, and tocotrienol analyses. For anthocyanin and phenolic determination, pH differential method and Folin Ciocalteu method were used, respectively. Antioxidant activity of samples was examined using ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and superoxide radical scavenging methods.

The n790 cultivar has a higher iron, zinc γ tocopherol (1,869.64 mg/kg), α tocopherol (1,883.97 mg/kg), anthocyanin (205.54 mg cyanidin 3 glucoside equivalent/100 g dry matter), and phenolic (728.9 mg catechin equivalent/100 g dry matter) contents. Jowo cultivar has higher lutein (1,314.21 mg/kg), α carotene (823.29 mg/kg), and β carotene (71.73 mg/kg) contents. Meanwhile, γ tocotrienol is the most abundant tocotrienol found in all samples. N790 cultivar had the highest antioxidative potential in FRAP, and superoxide radical methods. Boiling did not significantly affect the zinc content, however, different response was found in carotenoid, tocopherol, and tocotrienol content. Moreover, boiling decreased the antioxidant activity of extract.

Black- and red-colored rice could substitute white rice in Indonesian diet to achieve better nutrient intake.

Providing information on nutrient and bioactive compound of Indonesian underutilized colored rice can help to change the dietary habit and to alleviate nutrient deficiency in Indonesia.

Reviews the potential impact of processing procedures on carotenoid form and content. Fruit and vegetables, in particular, are abundant sources of carotenoids in the diet. Many fruit and vegetables are subjected to various types of processing prior to consumption. Fruit may be canned, dried or processed into juices, while vegetables may be blanched, dehydrated, frozen, canned and also processed into juices. Factors such as heat, light and oxygen exposure may have detrimental effects (including destruction and isomerization, with loss of vitamin A activity), while some procedures may bring benefits (such as increased unit content and retention, breakdown of inhibitory structures and enhanced bioavailability). Concludes that the extent and nature of processing can have a significant impact on the form and content of carotenoids in processed fruit and vegetables.

Advice about the role of eggs in the diet has changed several times over the decades. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate published evidence reporting associations between egg consumption, egg nutrients and health.

The scientific literature was searched using Medline and key words relevant to eggs and egg nutrients. In addition, a new secondary analysis of the UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS) was undertaken to examine nutritional and health differences between consumers and non‐consumers of eggs.

Eggs are a rich source of protein and several essential nutrients, particularly vitamin D, vitamin B12, selenium and choline. Emerging evidence suggests that eating eggs is associated with satiety, weight management and better diet quality. In addition, antioxidants found in egg yolk may help prevent age‐related macular degeneration. The secondary analysis showed that regular egg consumers with a low red and processed meat (RPM) intake ate healthier diets and had a better micronutrient status than those who did not eat eggs but who had a high RPM intake. It was concluded that egg consumption, at a range of intakes, was associated with nutrition and health benefits.

More research on eggs, and egg nutrients, is needed to confirm the health benefits. Future studies should control for other dietary and lifestyle factors.

This paper develops knowledge about egg consumption beyond cholesterol content and provides new evidence from a secondary analysis of a large national dietary database.

The purpose of this study is to address consumer’s preference of natural pigments over synthetic ones and their use in various product developments rather than using synthetic colours. A budding interest of using natural pigments has made researchers to explore several techniques for their stabilization and application in different food products.

In this review, four major natural pigments with potential health benefits have been studied. Betalins, carotenoids, anthocyanins and chlorophylls, in spite of having excellent bio-functional and therapeutic profile, are found to be unstable. Therefore, various nanoencapsulation techniques are used to increase their stability along with their therapeutic properties.

Nanoencapsulation of natural pigments improves their stability, their effect on therapeutic properties and their application in different food products. These findings could be attributed to the encapsulating material as it acts as a barrier and ushers changes in the matrix of natural pigments. Also, nanoencapsulation not only increases stability but also provides several health benefits such as anti-inflammation, anti-cancer, anti-allergic and anti-thrombotic properties.

This paper highlights the openings for the use of nanoencapsulation of natural pigments to stabilize them and use them as a potential colourant and functional ingredient in different food products. Phenols, carotenoids and antioxidant activity are the major factors that are responsible for promoting several health benefits.

This study aims to discuss the nutritional value and potential nutraceutical properties of Diospyros kaki L. (DKL); to encapsulate recent studies conducted across the world to develop functional foods using different parts of Persimmon fruit to emphasise on the need for further research on Persimmon fruit.

The methodology of the study involved surveying primary and secondary information generated in the respective field of interest. The papers found most suited for the research problem and objective of the study were selected. The perspectives taken by different studies and researchers were synthesised to generate a solution to the research problems and to bridge the research gaps in the field.

As a result of the global rise in the prevalence of metabolic disorders, researchers are aimed at identifying nutrient rich foods and techniques to develop functional foods for the population. Researchers have recognised the role of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and probiotics, are now interested in leveraging these foods by incorporating them in conventional foods, such as breads, jams, pastas and yoghurts as functional ingredients. One such food that has gained the interests of various researchers is DKL. Owing to its rich macro-and micro-nutrient, as well as phytochemical content various studies have been conducted to explore the possibility of using it as a functional ingredient to develop a range of foods.

A limited studies are available that have investigated the effect of the functional foods developed using different parts of Persimmon fruit on different ailments.

This study collected the data/information from recently published research in the field of health and medicinal benefits of Persimmon fruits and its utilisation to develop functional food.

The purpose of the present study is to understand the role of auxin and cytokinin in stimulating the production of pigmented callus in Orthosiphon stamineus and to gain correlation between the callus colours with their antioxidant capacity and bioactive constituents.

In this study, plant tissue culture was used to induce production of callus of various colours from leaf explants of O. stamineus, via manipulation of plant hormones (0-2.0 mg L⁻¹ indole-3-acetic acid [IAA] and Kinetin [Kin]). The coloured callus was subjected to solvent extraction and used for quantification of its carotenoid, chlorophyll, anthocyanin and phenolic contents. The 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging activity of the extracts was also evaluated, before and after four weeks of storage at −20°C.

The highest mean (per cent) explants that produced roots (93.33 ± 0.05 per cent) were observed when the cultures were supplemented with 2.0 mg L⁻¹ IAA. The colour of the callus changed with time, from green to cream to brown after two and four months of culture, respectively. Optimum production of green callus was achieved with addition of 2.0 mg L⁻¹ Kin plus 1.0-2.0 mg L⁻¹ IAA to the media, while cream callus in 0.5 mg L⁻¹ Kin plus 2.0 mg L⁻¹ IAA and brown callus in 0.5 mg L⁻¹ Kin plus 1.5 mg L⁻¹ IAA. Green callus was found to contain the highest amount of chlorophylls, carotenoid and anthocyanin, while cream callus contained the highest amount of phenolic compounds. The amount of pigments and secondary metabolites in the callus extracts decreased after four weeks of storage, except anthocyanin. The antioxidant potential of the extracts also increased after storage.

The major compounds identified in the methanolic extracts of O. stamineus-coloured callus are chlorophylls, carotenoids, flavonoids and phenolic acids. Future research work should include improvements in the extraction and identification methods which may lead to detection of other compounds that could attribute to the antioxidant capacity, to complement the findings of the current study.

This analysis provides valuable information on the application of IAA and Kinetin (Kin) to manipulate the content of major pigments with medicinal benefits in O. stamineus by using the plant tissue culture system.

A comparative study on antioxidant capacity and bioactive constituents of pigmented callus from O. stamineus leaves is original. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first attempt of comparative evaluation on antioxidant potential of O. stamineus-coloured callus produced using IAA and Kin.