W. Sani

Bio: W. Sani is an academic researcher from University of Malaya. The author has contributed to research in topics: Ascorbic acid & Ripening. The author has an hindex of 7, co-authored 7 publications receiving 345 citations.

Effect of Stages of Maturity and Ripening Conditions on the Biochemical Characteristics of Tomato

Abstract: An experiment was carried out to evaluate the biochemical characteristics of tomato in different maturity stages and ripening conditions. Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill) fruits (cv. Ruma VF) were harvested at the three maturity stages viz., mature green, half ripen and full ripen and stored at three condition control (without covering), straw covering and CaC2 + straw covering. At that time ascorbic acid, pH, titrable acidity, sugar (reducing, non-reducing sugar and total) percentage, TSS and TSS and acidity ratio were measured at every three days interval during storage. The highest value of reducing sugar percentage total sugar percentage and TSS percentage were shown by full ripe tomatoes, non-reducing sugar percentage, TSS and acidity ratio by mature green tomatoes and vitamin-C and titrable acidity by half ripe tomatoes at final day observation (15 or 12 days of storage). The percentage of total sugar, reducing sugar, titrable acidity, pH, TSS, TSS and acidity ratio were found to increase with gradual advancement of time, irrespective of maturity stages while percentage of vitamin-C and non reducing sugar were found to decrease with progressing time of storage. The highest values of titrable acidity were recorded in tomatoes of uncovered treatment and reducing sugar non reducing sugar, total sugar, and TSS was recorded by CaC2 + straw covering treatment and vitamin C, pH, TSS and acidity ratio by simple straw covering treatment at final day of observation. The value of all the above parameters except vitamin-C and non reducing sugar were found to increase gradually with the advancement of ripening process irrespective of different keeping conditions. The tomato was placed over CaC2 and covering with straw gave highest titrable acidity, reducing sugar and non-reducing sugar.

Antimicrobial Activity of Some Medicinal Plants from Malaysia

Abstract: Problem statement: About 32 extracts from eight selected medicinal plants, n amely Pereskia bleo , Pereskia grandifolia , Curcuma aeruginosa Roxb., Curcuma zedoria , Curcuma mangga , Curcuma inodora aff. Blatter , Zingiber officinale var. officinale (jahe gajah) and Zingiber officinale var. rubrum (jahe emprit) used by Malaysia traditional health c are systems were screened for their antimicrobial activity against both Gram-positive b acteria and Gram-negative bacteria using agar disc diffusion assay. Approach: The efficacy of the extracts was compared to the co mmercially prepared antibiotic diffusion discs. Results: No inhibition was observed with the water fractions . Conclusion/Recommendations: None of the plants tested showed inhibition agains t Escherichia coli . Curcuma mangga showed some remarked inhibition against the bacter ia used in this study.

Effect of harvesting and storage conditions on the post harvest quality of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill) cv. Roma VF

Abstract: The study was conducted to undertake the effect of harvesting stage and storage conditions on the post harvest quality of tomato cv. Roma VF ( Lycopersicon esculentum Mill ) during the process of ripening in storage. Fruit of three maturity stages such as mature green (mature but green in color), half ripen (breaker stage when fruit turns to yellow) and full ripen (yellow and soft, edible stage) were kept under three different conditions; open condition (control), covering with white polythene and finally treatment by CaC 2 + polythene. High and significant variation was observed in quality characteristics under different harvesting stages, storage conditions and their combinations. The highest value for rotting and total sugar content was distinguished in full ripens tomato. The highest weight loss and shelf life was measured in mature green. The half ripen tomato showed the highest value of vitamin C and titrable acidity. The percentage of decay (rotting) and weight loss, pH, titrable acidity and total sugar were increased with gradual increasing of storage time, irrespective to maturity stages while the percentage of vitamin C was decreased with progressing time of storage. The highest value of weight loss, shelf life and titrable acidity was recorded in control treatment. The high decay (rotting percent) and total sugar content was recorded under CaC 2

Total phenolic contents, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of Bruguiera gymnorrhiza

Abstract: In the present work, the antioxidant and antibacterial activities of methanolic, ethanolic and chloroform crude extract of leaves and barks of Bruguiera gymnorrhiza were investigated. The antioxidant activity of the crude extracts were evaluated using the enzymatic and non enzymatic methods namely superoxide dismutase determination, reducing power assay and 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazil free radical scavenging assays. Folin-ciocalteu reagent method was used to estimate the amount of total phenolic compounds of the extracts. Ethanol extract of barks showed the best result in all antioxidant assays which was positively co-related with the total phenolic contents. There was no significant difference between the IC 50 value of ethanol extract of bark and the ascorbic acid. Escherichia coli , Pseudomonas aeruginosa , Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus were used as the test pathogenic bacteria in this study. Both ethanol and methanol extracts could inhibit the growth of all pathogenic bacteria while chloroform extract of leaves showed no activity against any bacteria. Antimicrobial effect of ethanol extract of barks was higher than all other extracts.

Antioxidant and antibacterial activities of ethanolic extracts of Asparagus officinalis cv. Mary Washington: Comparison of in vivo and in vitro grown plant bioactivities

Abstract: The antioxidant and antibacterial activities of ethanolic extracts of in vivo grown Asparagus officinalis cv. Mary Washington were investigated using superoxide dismutase, erythrocyte haemolysis and 2,2diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazil free radical scavenging methods. The measured antioxidant and antimicrobial potential were then compared to the activities offered by the ethanolic extracts of in vitro grown A. officinalis as well as ethanolic extract of undifferentiated callus cells of A. officinalis produced on Murashige and Skoog medium containing 1.5 mg/l 6-benzylaminopurine combined with 0.5 mg/l naphthalene acetic acid. The highest antioxidant capacity was obtained from the in vivo grown plant extract followed by in vitro grown plant extract in all three examined assays. Although, no antibacterial activity was detected from both in vivo and in vitro grown plant extracts in the disc diffusion antimicrobial assay, ethanolic extract of A. officinalis offered antibacterial activity against Bacillus cereus.

Preharvest and Postharvest Factors Affecting the Quality and Shelf Life of Harvested Tomatoes: A Mini Review

Abstract: Tomato production can serve as a source of income for most rural and periurban producers in most developing countries of the world. However, postharvest losses make its production unprofitable in these parts of the world. Postharvest losses in tomatoes can be as high as 42% globally. Postharvest losses in tomatoes can be either quantitative or qualitative. Even though emphasis in crop research nowadays is increasing shifting from quantity to quality of produce, there is still little improvement in the quality of commercially produced tomato varieties, hence resulting in high quality losses. From the study it was discovered that the postharvest quality status of tomatoes partly depended on some preharvest practices carried out during production. Some of these factors are fertiliser application, pruning, maturity stage, cultivar selection, and irrigation. Using best postharvest handling practices or factors such as temperature, relative humidity, gases in storage, postharvest calcium chloride application, and physical handling procedures to maintain the quality after harvest was also critical. It was concluded by this study that understanding and managing both preharvest and postharvest factors properly will reduce the postharvest quality losses in tomatoes.

Plant phenolic compounds for food, pharmaceutical and cosmetiсs production

Abstract: The biochemical features and biological function of dietary phenols, which are widespread in the plant kingdom, have been described in the present review. The ways of phenols classification, which were collected from literature based on structural and biochemical characteristics with description of source and possible effects on human, organisms and environment have been presented. The bioactivities of phenolic compounds described in literature are reviewed to illustrate their potential for the development of pharmaceutical and agricultural products.

Postharvest Handling Practices and Treatment Methods for Tomato Handlers in Developing Countries: A Mini Review

Abstract: Tomato production has increased in recent years due to the economic and nutritional importance of the crop. This increase is made possible by the numerous research advances made along the entire value chain. However, scientific research has been focussed mainly on production whilst neglecting postharvest issues. Tomato producers have therefore enjoyed good harvests in recent times, though the good harvests of those from developing countries do not translate into profit as most are lost after harvest. From this study, it was revealed that the postharvest quality and shelf life of the fruit in part will depend on some postharvest handling practices and treatments carried out after harvest. Handling practices like harvesting, precooling, cleaning and disinfecting, sorting and grading, packaging, storing, and transportation played an important role in maintaining quality and extending shelf life. Using appropriate postharvest treatments like refrigeration, heat treatment, modified atmosphere packaging (MAP), and 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) and calcium chloride (CaCl2) application was also vital. It was concluded by this study that the quality of the harvested fruit can be maintained and shelf life extended by using appropriate postharvest handling practices and treatment methods. Failure to adhere to these practices will result in a high amount of loss.

Antimicrobial activities of the rhizome extract of Zingiber zerumbet Linn

Abstract: Objective To investigate antimicrobial effects of ethanolic extract of Zingiber zerumbet (Z. zerumbet) (L.) Smith and its chloroform and petroleum ether soluble fractions against pathogenic bacteria and fungi.