Biotechnology Commons^™

Developing Herbal-Based Beverage Fermentation Using Saccharomyces Cerevisiae: The Physico-Chemical Properties, Siti Madihah Mohd Don, Mas Munira Rambli, Beston Faiek Nore

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

Herbal-based fermented beverages are popular non-dairy products among consumers who seek healthy and immunity-supporting products. Amongst commonly used health supplements that are added to food and beverage would be probiotics, commonly Saccharomyces cerevisiae or yeast. This study aims to determine the physico-chemical properties of fermented beverages at different fermentation periods using lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus DC. Stapf), ginger (Zingiber officinale Rosc.), turmeric (Curcuma longa L.), mint (Mentha), and moringa (Moringa oleifera Lam.). This study revealed a significant decrease (p ≤ 0.05) in pH, total soluble solids, and density in most fermented beverages after 24, 36 and 48 hours of fermentation. Low …

Physicochemical Characterization Of Edible Insect Oils: Insights Into Fatty Acid Composition, Thermal Behavior And Quality Parameters, Eng-Tong Phuah, Yee-Ying Lee, Teck-Kim Tang, Guanghui Li, Shyang-Pei Hong, Syazana Abdullah Lim

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

Edible insects are emerging as a sustainable food source due to their high nutritional value. This study employed the three-phase partitioning (TPP) method to extract oils from sago worm (Rhynchophorus ferrugineus), superworm (Zophobas morio), and cricket (Acheta domesticus). The study evaluated and compared the physicochemical properties of these insect oils, including iodine value (IV), peroxide value (PV), p-anisidine value (p-AV), acid value (AV), refractive index (RI), thermal behavior, and fatty acid compositions. Results revealed that the sago worm exhibited the highest oil yield (47.8 ± 2.2%) compared to the superworm (23.8 ± 1.4%) and cricket (6.4 ± 0.6%). Cricket oil …

Evaluation Of Physicochemical Properties Of Chicken Sausages Containing Whey Protein Isolate And Guar Gum, Nur Hamizah Hamid, Namasivayam Navaranjan

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

The present work aims to evaluate the physicochemical properties and proximate composition of adding whey protein isolate (WPI) and guar gum (GG) as emulsion gels in chicken sausages formulated with different fat percentages. The fat reduction resulted in products having lower moisture content (p

Application Of Three Of Selected Medicinal Plant Extracts In Brunei Darussalam To Improve Shelf Life Of Poultry Product, Hazirah Abd Hamid, Namasivayam Navaranjan, Zohrah Sulaiman, Aida Maryam Binti Hj Basri

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

Abstract. Bioactive compounds from plant derived in food application become increasingly in demand due to natural and nutritionally safe products. Due to some issues concerning food safety on the excessive use of synthetic preservatives; the present study aims to investigate the natural alternatives to synthetic antimicrobial food additives. The chicken meat’s shelf life was studied by adopting bio-based antimicrobial agents using three of selected native medicinal plants; P. betle, A. catechu, and A. tricolor, against common foodborne pathogens; E. coli, P. aeruginosa, S. aureus, and Salmonella spp. The overall results revealed that, all study extracts possessed antioxidant properties by DPPH …

Assessing The Organic Acids-Solubilized Collagen Derived From The Skin Of Unicornfish (Naso Reticulatus Randall, 2011) On Physicochemical And Structural Characteristics: Toward Alternative Source For Industrial Applications, Dayang Fazrianie Harianto, Abdul Aziz Jaziri, Rossita Shapawi, Ruzaidi Azli Mohd Mokhtar, Wan Norhana Md. Noordin, Masmunira Rambli, Nurul Huda

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

Converting skin by-product of unicornfish (Naso reticulatus Randall, 2011) into a valuable commodity like collagen is a good strategy to explore alternative sources for land-based animals. Additionally, marine fish collagens are preferable due to their safer and great properties. This project aimed to compare extractability of collagens prepared with three organic acids (i.e., acetic, lactic and citric acids), and their characteristics were also discussed. Collagen extracted with citric acid (CSCUS) (7.10%) had a significantly higher yield (p

Kinetic Modelling During Soaking Of Dried Long Grain Paddy Mr297, Jhauharotul Muchlisyiyah, Rosnah Shamsudin, Roseliza Kadir Basha, Radhiah Shukri, Syahmeer How, Masmunira Rambli

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

This study aimed to assess the soaking behaviour of MR 297 dried paddy under two conditions: room temperature and hot water soaking at 60°C. The experiment involved soaking dried MR297 paddy samples in water for 0.5 to 8 hours at room temperature and 0.5 to 5 hours for soaking at 60°C. The water absorption of MR 297 behaved differently at two different soaking conditions. The kinetic behaviour of the soaking process was also simulated using established 25 predictive models and incorporating 5 novel models presented in this work. The comparison of all prediction models involved using three statistical measures: the …

Release Behavior Of Butterfly Pea Anthocyanins From Sago Starch Micro-Composite Films Under Food Stimulants, Afiqah Nabihah Ahmad, Eng Tong Phuah, Namasivayam Navaranjan, Syazana Abdullah Lim

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

This study investigates the release behaviour of Butterfly Pea (BP) anthocyanins from Sago starch micro-composite (SMC) films in the presence of food stimulants. To comprehensively describe the release profiles of BP from SMC, six well-established kinetic release models were employed which includes Korsmeyer-Peppas, zero-order, first-order, second-order, Higuchi, and Hixson-Crowell models. These models played a crucial role in examining how the release fraction changes over time, facilitating a comprehensive understanding of the release kinetics of BP anthocyanins. Our data analysis revealed a strong conformity with the Korsmeyer-Peppas model, suggesting its applicability in describing the release of BP anthocyanins from SMC. The …

Assessment Of Novel Plant-Based Fat Efficiency In Comminuted Chicken Meat System, Salma Mohamad Yusop, Shu Jo Lin, Nurkhuzaiah Kamaruzaman, Nurlisa Mohd Azhari

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

The composition of fats and oils significantly impacts the flavour, nutrition, and appearance of food. Excessive consumption of saturated fatty acids, primarily found in animal fats, raises the risk of coronary heart disease. To address this, plant-based fats are used as substitutes, with microalgae offering unique nutritional benefits as a fat source. This study evaluates the performance of structured plant-based fats, incorporating microalgae (Aurantiochytrium sp. SW1), as a fat substitute in chicken patties. Four formulations were tested: 0% (control), 5%, 7%, and 10% structured microalgae-based fat. Colour, texture, water-holding capacity, cooking loss, and microstructure in both raw and cooked samples …

Non-Invasive Digital Refractometer To Measure Maturation Of Climacteric Fruits, Jhoorhanah A. Halim, Denni Kurniawan, Dina S. Laila, Allysa Norjemee, Nuur A. L. Nesseruddin, Asrarul A. Noraidi, Beston F. Nore

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

Sugar content is a superior quality indicator for the post-harvesting and ripening status of climacteric fruits. Total soluble solids (TSS) represented by °Brix index is a measure of the sugar content. The conventional way to measure TSS is by invasive (IN) technique using manual or digital refractometers. While non-invasive (NIN) infrared refractometer devices have been developed in recent years for various agricultural and food science applications, its accuracy to measure fruit TSS directly is not straightforward, as the device is only dedicated to uses for a specific fruit. This study aims to investigate the suitability of the use of a …

Formulation Of Naturally Flavoured Mineral Water With Curcuma Longa, Zumirra Affno, Aida M. Basri, Beston F. Nore

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

Natural, organic flavoured beverages have become an increasingly important market in the food industry due to flavour and sensory requirements among consumers. Throughout human history, herbs and spices provide a spectrum of natural food flavouring, which became an eminent component of food preparations worldwide. However, their applications in beverages have not been fully exploited. The main objective of this study is to develop flavoured water formulation based on organic turmeric extracts from flower, leaf, and rhizome parts. We adhered the natural mineral water flavouring integrity at refrigerated storage condition (4oC) for a period of 12 weeks. The flavoured water was …

Development Of Halalan Tayyiban Plant-Based Cheese Formulations, Hasna B. Mazalana, Mas M. Rambli, Syazana A. Lim, Beston F. Nore

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

The worldwide cheese production is dominated by animal milk sources with various industrial procedures, including animal rennet. There is a need to diversify the animal-based dairy products into plant-based one, not only to nurture the halalan tayyiban concept for Muslims, but also to accommodate the dietary restriction of some consumers. The objective of this work is to formulate a cheese type derived from plant-based milk with permissible ingredients to create a product for Muslim and non-Muslim consumers. In this study, we explored the use of conventional and non-conventional cheese-making procedures. A total of four experimental formulations (EF1-4) combinations were conducted …

Food Labelling Practices Of Local Products In Brunei Darussalam, Asrarul A. Noraidi, Zikri Zulkifli, Aida M. Basri, Ernina Rani, Beston F. Nore

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

Food labelling is an essential feature for food product marketing and is mainly regulated by national food authority. Food package labelling provides information on product composition, usage instructions, shelf-life safety, storage conditions, and nutritional profile. The purpose of this study is to review the scope of the current food labelling system used in local food products. We surveyed 3 different food categories: 1) processed meat products, 2) bread, and 3) snacks, and examined the nutritional labelling criteria with respect to the carbohydrates, protein, and particularly sodium (salt) content. A broad market survey was carried out across Brunei and Muara district, …

Unveiling The Antioxidant Properties Of Stenochlaena Palustris And Diplazium Esculentum Through Time-Dependent Analysis, Nurnajiihah A. Samad, Hasna B. Mazalan, Hazimah Sharifulazar, Aida M. Basri, Masayoshi Arai

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

Medicinal plants are generally known for its health benefits and there has been ongoing research to gather evidence on potential plants that could exhibit antioxidant activities. In this study, we explored underutilised local medicinal plants which are Stenochlaena palustris and Diplazium esculentum, locally known as ‘Lemiding’ and ‘Pakis’, respectively. The aim was to determine the effect of extraction time on phytochemical contents, antioxidant activities and total phenolic content (TPC) of the two plant species. Maceration method was used to extract the compounds from leaves of the plant in distilled water at different durations of extraction i.e. 2 hours, 4 hours, …

Nanocellulose Synthesized From Sugarcane Bagasse (S. Officinarum) Via Alkaline-Mechanical Process And Its Characterization, Wafiqah Daim, Hiroshi Uyama, Syazana Abdullah Lim

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

Nanocellulose is one of many promising materials that have garnered the attention of researchers and industries. In this study, sugarcane bagasse (S. officinarum) was used to synthesize cellulose nanofiber (SB-CNF) via an alkaline-mechanical process. A comprehensive characterization of SB-CNF was conducted to explore its morphology via scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and dynamic force microscopy (DFM), assess its functional groups using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), analyze its thermal properties through thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and lastly, evaluate light absorbance and transmittance using a UV-VIS spectrophotometer. Our findings revealed that SB-CNF resulted in a highly intertwined nanofiber structure within a nano-scale dimension. …

Rice Farmer’S Perception And Factors Influencing Intention And Attitude On Adoption Of Hybrid Rice, Ahmad Mas'oud Muhd Halimi, Ulaganathan Subramanian

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

Rice is considered the staple food of Brunei Darussalam, where most rice is imported from different countries. This poses a risk regarding food security wherein an unwanted event of restricted rice importation, Brunei, may experience difficulties. Hybrid rice cultivation is one of Brunei's best food security options. We studied the farmers' attitudes towards mixed rice farming in Brunei. We divided the farmers into two groups for the purpose of our study. Agriculture cooperative members and non-members. For attitude, perceived ease of use positively impacts attitude significantly for member rice farmers, while perceived usefulness positively impacts attitude for non-member rice farmers. …

Innovative Approaches And Challenges In Brunei's Agricultural Management, Nuramalina Manshor, Ulaganathan Subramanian

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

The management and development in agriculture attract agricultural economic science for the pricing, business, farm policy, and financial knowledge. It conjointly draws on plant and animal sciences for soil, seed and fertilizer information, weed control, insect management, and rationing and breeding; agricultural engineering knowledge for farmhouses, vehicles, irrigation, field drying, drainage, and management of erosions; and data on human behavior in Science and Social Science.

Thriving In Turbulent Times: The Dynamic Link Between Economic Condition And Fintech Business Lending Success, Nur ‘Asyiqin Ramdhan, Imbarine Bujang, Amirul Afif Muhamat, Ninuk Dewi Kesumaningrum

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

This study aimed to understand how FinTech business lending was affected by the pandemic crisis, which caused small businesses to struggle with limited access to funds. During this crisis, demand for alternative financing, like peer-to-peer (P2P) lending, surged. However, P2P lending faces challenges related to information imbalances, especially during crises, when transparency and economic conditions impact investor decisions in Malaysia. We examined factors like platform interest rates, loan duration, investment size, bank lending rates (BLR), inflation, and the crisis using ARDL analysis. Our long-term analysis revealed a significant positive relationship between investment size and P2P lending, while economic conditions had …

The Conceptual Review On The Effect Of Corporate Governance Monitoring Mechanisms On Tax Avoidance, Eveana Mosuin, Nor Balkish Zakaria, Yvonne Joseph Ason

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

Taxes are the primary source of revenue for many nations in order to increase budget revenues and fund national development. Taxation serves multiple purposes because it can positively impact a nation's investment, education, social and economic development. However, tax authorities require assistance with the issue of tax non-compliance, which impedes tax administration and collection. One of the categories of tax non-compliance is tax avoidance, which is one of the company's strategies for legally reducing its tax burden by exploiting loopholes in tax regulations to minimise tax liability. Tax avoidance is when a company follows a particular tax strategy in the …

A Gold Mine: The Importance Of Information And Communication Technology (Ict) On Bank Liquidity In Asia And The Pacific, Sarmila Udin, Imbarine Bujang, Nancy Chiuh Noemi

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

Financial systems are the entities in charge of promoting, growing, and enhancing economic growth and development. To be viable in the market, financial institutions must maintain enough liquid assets to meet any unforeseen demand from customers at any time needed. Currently, banks are pursuing cutting-edge technologies to survive and thrive in an ever-changing market environment. This paper aims to examine the relationship between information and communication technology (ICT), macroeconomics and bank liquidity risk in Asia and the Pacific. The research took place between 2012 and 2018 and the nations were chosen based on data availability; as a result, the sample …

Interest Rate Mismatches In Indian Banking: Causes, Strategies, And Implications, Baba Gnanakumar P, M.K. Baby, Ulaganathan Subramanian

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

Despite the global trend of rising interest rates, India's Reserve Bank (RBI) has adopted a unique approach, emphasizing a rate pause and a solid anti-inflation stance. This unconventional strategy has sometimes led to periods of credit expansion, even during monetary tightening measures implemented by the RBI. One significant consequence of these policies is the widening gap between deposit and lending rates within the Indian banking sector. This research study aims to comprehensively analyze the implications of interest rate mismatches among Indian banks in this context. Specifically, the investigation focuses on the challenges posed by deposit and lending rate mismatches and …

Debunking Indian Neo-Banks' Customer Effort Score And Esg Values, Baba Gnanakumar P, Ulaganathan Subramanian, M.K. Baby

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

Neo-banks in India are harnessing data analytics to address ESG risks, collaborating with various stakeholders, and striving to promote ESG values. Their endeavours not only enhance the customer experience but also contribute to a more sustainable and ethical financial system, with the potential to reduce the carbon footprint as digital banking gains traction in India. We examine whether ESG-rated banks can diminish customer effort and improve the overall customer experience, ultimately encouraging greater participation in sustainable financial practices. We employ text mining to analyse 2156 reviews of ESG-rated banks' digital services, from which we derive the Customer Effort Score. We …

Social Media Marketing Audiences And Adaptive Behavior In Brunei: Sem Analysis Using Smartpls, Shahid Anjum, Asmah Ahmad, Jefri Basiuni, Najeeba Tazeen

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

The social media and Internet technology penetrations and usage are quite high in Brunei Darussalam. The use of social media marketing among micro, small, and relatively medium businesses to promote their products has also grown as businesses desire to engage and build relationships with customers through social media. This has generated an interest in studying the adaption of social media marketing campaigns among customers, which indirectly determines the effectiveness of social media marketing itself, as well as in studying the facilitation factors for such an adaption. Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) has been used extensively because of its simplicity and usefulness. …

The Contribution Of Outcome Expectation In Water Saving Among Malaysians For Sustainable Living Standard, Ganesh. R, Vxynette Fiorna, Ammar Abdulaziz Al-Talib, Haslinda. A, Elango Natarajan

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

Saving water is an essential component of a higher level of living for each individual in any Nation. The current and next generation will be greatly impacted by attitudes and emotional aspects of social cognitive behaviour. This empirical investigation was carried out in Malaysia. To determine their attitude and behaviour, a convenience sampling method was applied to a sample size of 265 individuals. It was discovered that outcome expectancy significantly improves water saving. Observed self-efficacy, personal elements, and environmental elements all impacted the outcome expectancy. The model evaluation showed that the adjusted R2 was 0.78, or about 78% of the …

Implementing Unmanned Aerial Vehicles To Collect Human Gait Data At Distance And Altitude For Identification And Re-Identification, Donn E. Bartram

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Gait patterns are a class of biometric information pertaining to the way a person moves and poses. Gait information is unique to each person and can be used to identify and reidentify people. Historically, this task has been achieved through the use of multiple ground-based imaging sensors. However, as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) advance, they present the opportunity to evolve the process of persons identification and re-identification. Collecting human gait data using UAVs at distances ranging from 20m to 500m and altitudes ranging from 0m to 120m is a challenging task. The current biometric data collection methods, primarily designed for …

Reducing Food Scarcity: The Benefits Of Urban Farming, S.A. Claudell, Emilio Mejia

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

Urban farming can enhance the lives of communities and help reduce food scarcity. This paper presents a conceptual prototype of an efficient urban farming community that can be scaled for a single apartment building or an entire community across all global geoeconomics regions, including densely populated cities and rural, developing towns and communities. When deployed in coordination with smart crop choices, local farm support, and efficient transportation then the result isn’t just sustainability, but also increasing fresh produce accessibility, optimizing nutritional value, eliminating the use of ‘forever chemicals’, reducing transportation costs, and fostering global environmental benefits.

Imagine Doris, who is …

Enzymatic Screening And Genotypic Characterization Of Thermophilic Bacteria From The Hot Springs Of Sarawak, Malaysia, Seng Chiew Toh, Samuel Lihan, Sui Sien Leong, Azizul Hakim Lahuri, Wai Cheong Woon, Wing Woh Ng

Makara Journal of Science

Owing to their eccentric thermostable ability, thermophiles are among the most utilized extremophiles in various industries, such as manufacturing, and clinical research. Researchers believe that many unknown thermophiles are yet to be discovered. This study aimed to genotypically characterize the diversity of thermophiles and screen them for the potential production of enzymes in the recreational hot springs located at Northwest Coast of Borneo. Water samples were collected at 45 °C–50 °C from Annah Rais and Panchor hot springs during the sampling period from January 2018 to January 2019. Three samples (water and sediment) were collected twice in a 3-week interval …

A Review Of Threat Vectors To Dna Sequencing Pipelines, Tyler Rector

Cybersecurity Undergraduate Research Showcase

Bioinformatics is a steadily growing field that focuses on the intersection of biology with computer science. Tools and techniques developed within this field are quickly becoming fixtures in genomics, forensics, epidemiology, and bioengineering. The development and analysis of DNA sequencing and synthesis have enabled this significant rise in demand for bioinformatic tools. Notwithstanding, these bioinformatic tools have developed in a research context free of significant cybersecurity threats. With the significant growth of the field and the commercialization of genetic information, this is no longer the case. This paper examines the bioinformatic landscape through reviewing the biological and cybersecurity threats within …

Precise Method To Identify Kinase Drug Targets In Complex Diseases: The First Step Towards Sustainable And Effective Treatment, Hasbanny Irisson, Marzieh Ayati

Research Symposium

Background: Kinases are enzymes that have proven to be important drug targets due to their role in critical biological mechanisms such as phosphorylation. Phosphorylation happens when a kinase catalyzes the transfer of a phosphate group to a protein in a phosphorylated site, which then becomes known as the substrate of the kinase. Any dysregulation of protein phosphorylation causes a wide range of complex diseases including cancer. Thus, discovering the links between kinases and their substrates (i.e. predicting kinase-substrate associations (KSAs)) is crucial in developing effective and sustainable treatments. Presently, less than 5% of phosphorylated sites have an associated kinase, and …

Non-Contact Optical Spectroscopy For Tumor-Sensitive Diffuse Reflectance And Fluorescence Measurements On Murine Subcutaneous Tissue Models: Monte Carlo Modeling And Experimental Validations, Zahid Hasan, Pranto Soumik Saha, Madison O. Korfhage, Caigang Zhu

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Fiber-optic probes are commonly used in biomedical optical spectroscopy platforms for light delivery and collection. At the same time, it was reported that the inconsistent probe- sample contact could induce significant distortions in measured optical signals, which consequently cause large analysis errors. To address this challenge, non-contact optical spectroscopy has been explored for tissue characterizations. However, existing non-contact optical spectroscopy platforms primarily focused on diffuse reflectance measurements and may still use a fiber probe in which the probe was imaged onto the tissue surface using a lens, which serves as a non-contact probe for the measurements. Here, we report a …

The Importance Of Contrast Sensitivity, Color Vision, And Electrophysiological Testing In Clinical And Occupational Settings, Frances Silva

Theses & Dissertations

Visual acuity (VA) is universally accepted as the gold standard metric for ocular vision and function. Contrast sensitivity (CS), color vision, and electrophysiological testing for clinical and occupational settings are warranted despite being deemed ancillary and minimally utilized by clinicians. These assessments provide essential information to subjectively and objectively quantify and obtain optimal functional vision. They are useful for baseline data and monitoring hereditary and progressive ocular conditions and cognitive function. The studies in this dissertation highlight the value of contrast sensitivity, color vision, and cone specific electrophysiological testing, as well as the novel metrics obtained with potential practical clinical …