Food Science and Technology

Biography:

Dr. Koh Wee Yin is a senior lecturer in the Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition, Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS). She has a Bachelor of Food Science degree with Honours in Food Technology and Bioprocessing from UMS and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Functional Food from Universiti Sains Malaysia. Her main research interests include the study of probiotics as food adjuncts, indigenous fermentation technology, and functional food product development. She and her research team had developed many food products from plant resources available in Malaysia. She and her team won numerous national and international innovation awards for utilizing plant resources such as seaweeds, pumpkin fruits, and coconuts. She participated in many conferences at national and international levels presenting and publishing research articles on the nutrient composition, antioxidative, physicochemical properties, fermentation kinetics, as well as biological activities and health benefits of plant-based functional foods.

Abstract:

Malaysia has abundant pumpkin crops, which contain numerous beneficial nutrients. However, fresh-cut pumpkin fruit has a short shelf life, and as a result, it is underutilized, with a lack of value-added pumpkin products available both locally and internationally. This research developed fermented pumpkin-based beverage that was produced by fermenting pumpkin fruit puree using natural water kefir probiotic strain with high anti-hyperglycemic properties, for preventing early stages of type-2 diabetes mellitus. The probiotic strain, Lactobacillus sp. K8, isolated from water kefir grains was found to be susceptible to conventional antibiotics, non-hemolytic, sufficiently survived after exposure to simulated gastrointestinal conditions, and showed higher alpha-glucosidase inhibitory activity comparable to the commercial probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain and was used to ferment the pumpkin-based beverage. A total of four optimum responses (minimal fermentation time, maximal overall sensory acceptability, maximal α-glucosidase inhibition, and maximal Lactobacillus sp. K8 survival in simulated gastrointestinal condition of the optimized beverage were achieved at fermentation temperature of 35°C, pumpkin puree content of 40% w/v, and inoculum concentration of 108 CFU/mL. The resulting beverage was evaluated for its physicochemical, sensory, microbiological, and probiotic properties during 56 days of refrigerated storage at 4°C. The results revealed that the optimized beverage contained proximate nutrients and minerals, demonstrated antioxidative capabilities, and inhibited alpha-amylase and alphaglucosidase in vitro. In addition, the beverage alleviated postprandial hyperglycemia in rats with type-2 diabetes mellitus. An antihyperglycemic fermented pumpkin-based beverage with at least 56 days of refrigerated storage stability was successfully developed using Lactobacillus sp. K8 isolated from water kefir grains. This functional beverage could be a potential dietary measure for preventing postprandial hyperglycemia in type-2 diabetes patients but further clinical studies are warranted to elucidate the beneficial effects.