Keropok', a traditional Malaysian snack food composed of fish and flour, was successfully prepared by extrusion. The degree of expansion of the dried product on frying was measured as a function of extruder temperature and the ratio of fish to tapioca flour in the product. It was found that expansion decreased with increasing fish content.Organoleptic evaluation indicated that the extruded products were as acceptable as those prepared using traditional methods.

Problem statement: Some vegetable oils contains natural antioxidants such as beta carotene and vitamin E namely tocopherol and tocotrienol. Different vegetable oils contained different amount of vitamin E and β-carotene. Approach: Study was carried out to investigate the natural antioxidants (vitamin E and beta carotene) composition in four different vegetable oils [Red Palm Olein (RPO), palm plein (PO), Corn Oil (CO) and Coconut Oil (COC)]. Results: The results showed that RPO contained the highest amount of vitamin E and β-carotene compared to the other three types of vegetable oils studied. Conclusion: The RPO can be considered as a good source of natural antioxidant (tocopherol, tocotrienol and β-carotene).

This article determines ascorbic acid, total phenolic content and the antioxidant capacity of whole fruit, flesh, and skin fractions of two varieties of pink guava widely produced in Malaysia (semenyih and sungkai). They were analysed and specific flavonoid compounds (apigenin, isorhamentin, kaempferol, luteolin, myricetin, and quercetin) were determined. Ascorbic acid, total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity was found to be higher in semenyih than in sungkai, mainly in the skin fraction. The predominant flavonoid in all pink guava fractions was kaempferol, with sungkai flesh having the highest kaempferol content. The pink guava represents an important source of antioxidant flavonoid compounds that may have health benefits.

Contemporary Malay health tonics labeled as botanical drinks are advertised in the Malaysian market as effective therapeutic supplements toward improving consumer health. The therapeutic claims associated with high antioxidants are based on the herbal ingredients used, yet unproven by scientific evidence. Moreover, they are mostly sweetened with sugar, which may arise the potential of diabetic risk. Thus, a dire clarification on the potential antioxidant status and diabetic risk of these products is essential to nullify over claims. Eight commercial botanical drinks that serve as health tonics were selected based on their advertisement popularity and traditional medicine sellers' interview feedbacks. The selected tonics were mutually compared with a green tea (DGT01) as the benchmark for their total phenolic content (TPC); antioxidant activities [the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging inhibition capacities, IC 50 ; Ferric ion reducing antioxidant power (FRAP); and Oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC)], anti-diabetic property through the α-glucosidase inhibition (AGI) and as well as the sugar content. The results were mapped for variations using Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Three out of 8 health tonics (NS12, SK53, and MU13) has approximately 3 to 4-fold, 1.1-fold and 2.5-fold higher in TPC, ORAC, and FRAP reducing capacities, respectively. Only NS12 and SK53 showed strong AGI (>80% inhibition). Three tonics, NS12, SK53, and HS06 exhibited precaution levels of sugar with more than 180 mg of total sugars per serving. From the PCA, DGT01 was dissociated from any tonic. NS12 and SK23 were closely related in terms of antioxidant and AGI activities. Although they showed promising therapeutic benefits due to high antioxidant activities and low diabetic risk, the tonics' efficacies and safety are still dubious shall be verified by reliable clinical trials. The selection of a health tonic shall not only be based on multi antioxidant-rich ingredients but low in sugar for a healthier choice.

Diplazium esculentum is a widely used medicinal fern in Malaysia and other regions worldwide. Heavy metals in plants should be determined because prolonged human intake of toxic trace elements, even at low doses, results in organ malfunction and causes chronic toxicity. Hence, substantial information should be obtained from plants that grow on soils containing high concentrations of heavy metals. This study aimed to determine the physicochemical characteristics of soil and heavy metal concentrations (Pb, Cr, Mn, Cu, and Zn) in different parts of D. esculentum and soil, which were collected from the fern garden of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. Results showed that heavy metals were highly accumulated in D. esculentum roots.