-
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Feb 2021In this paper, the structural and optical properties of ZnO-SiO-based ceramics fabricated from oil palm empty fruit bunch (OPEFB) were investigated. The OPEFB waste was...
In this paper, the structural and optical properties of ZnO-SiO-based ceramics fabricated from oil palm empty fruit bunch (OPEFB) were investigated. The OPEFB waste was burned at 600, 700 and 800 °C to form palm ash and was then treated with sulfuric acid to extract silica from the ash. X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses confirmed the existence of SiO in the sample. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) showed that the particles displayed an irregular shape and became finer after leaching. Then, the solid-state method was used to produce the ZnO-SiO composite and the samples were sintered at 600, 800, 1000, 1200 and 1400 °C. The XRD peaks of the ZnSiO showed high intensity, which indicated high crystallinity of the composite. FESEM images proved that the grain boundaries were larger as the temperature increased. Upon obtaining the absorbance spectrum from ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, the energy band gaps obtained were 3.192, 3.202 and 3.214 eV at room temperature, 600 and 800 °C, respectively, and decreased to 3.127, 2.854 and 2.609 eV at 1000, 1200 and 1400 °C, respectively. OPEFB shows high potential as a silica source in producing promising optical materials.
Topics: Fruit; Palm Oil; Silicon Dioxide; Spectrum Analysis; Temperature; Waste Products; X-Ray Diffraction; Zinc Oxide
PubMed: 33670482
DOI: 10.3390/molecules26041061 -
Nutrients Nov 2020Palm oil/olein (PO/POL) is used in infant formulas to imitate the fatty acid profile of human milk (HM) and achieve similar levels of palmitic acid (PA). However, the... (Review)
Review
Palm oil/olein (PO/POL) is used in infant formulas to imitate the fatty acid profile of human milk (HM) and achieve similar levels of palmitic acid (PA). However, the positions of fatty acids on the triacylglyceride differ between PO/POL and HM, which affect fat absorption and produce unintended physiological consequences. Recent papers have reviewed evidence for physiological benefits of PO/POL and beta-palmitate (sn-2-palmitate) in infant formulas. The aim of the present review is to supplement the assessment of available clinical evidence on the physiological effects of PO/POL formulas in healthy infants. We intend to focus on PO/POL and not on sn-2-palmitate, since the latter was recently extensively reviewed. Clinical evidence supports that PO/POL in infant formulas leads to a lower fat, DHA, palmitate and calcium absorption, and bone mineralization; soft stools; and growth (weight accretion) compared to formulas without PO/POL. Consequently, it seems prudent to be considerate and cautious when adding PO/POL to infant formulas. While HM is the gold standard for infant nutrition, the development of infant formula should be based on achieving positive physiological outcomes, rather than just replicating HM nutrient composition.
Topics: Food, Formulated; Humans; Infant; Infant Formula; Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; Palm Oil
PubMed: 33260586
DOI: 10.3390/nu12123676 -
Proceedings of the National Academy of... Sep 2019The global demand for palm oil has grown rapidly over the past several decades. Much of the output expansion has occurred in carbon- and biodiversity-rich forest lands...
The global demand for palm oil has grown rapidly over the past several decades. Much of the output expansion has occurred in carbon- and biodiversity-rich forest lands of Malaysia and Indonesia (M&I), contributing to record levels of terrestrial carbon emissions and biodiversity loss. This has led to a variety of voluntary and mandatory regulatory actions, as well as calls for limits on palm oil imports from M&I. This paper offers a comprehensive, global assessment of the economic and environmental consequences of alternative policies aimed at limiting deforestation from oil palm expansion in M&I. It highlights the challenges of limiting forest and biodiversity loss in the presence of market-mediated spillovers into related oilseed and agricultural commodity and factor markets, both in M&I and overseas. Indeed, limiting palm oil production or consumption is unlikely to halt deforestation in M&I in the absence of active forest conservation incentives. Policies aimed at restricting palm oil production in M&I also have broader consequences for the economy, including significant impacts on consumer prices, real wages, and welfare, that vary among different global regions. A crucial distinction is whether the initiative is undertaken domestically, in which case the M&I region could benefit, or by major palm oil importers, in which case M&I loses income. Nonetheless, all policies considered here pass the social welfare test of global carbon dioxide mitigation benefits exceeding their costs.
Topics: Agriculture; Arecaceae; Biodiversity; Commerce; Conservation of Natural Resources; Crop Production; Forests; Indonesia; Malaysia; Palm Oil
PubMed: 31481625
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1903476116 -
Ultrasonics Sonochemistry Jul 2014This paper investigates the production of biodiesel from palm oil using a combined mechanical stirred and ultrasonic reactor (MS-US). The incorporation of mechanical...
This paper investigates the production of biodiesel from palm oil using a combined mechanical stirred and ultrasonic reactor (MS-US). The incorporation of mechanical stirring into the ultrasonic reactor explored the further improvement the transesterification of palm oil. Initial reaction rate values were 54.1, 142.9 and 164.2 mmol/L min for the mechanical-stirred (MS), ultrasonic (US) and MS-US reactors, respectively. Suitable methanol to oil molar ratio and the catalyst loading values were found to be 6 and 1 of oil, respectively. The effect of ultrasonic operating parameters; i.e. frequency, location, and number of transducer, has been investigated. Based on the conversion yield at the reactor outlet after 1 h, the number of transducers showed a relevant role in the reaction rate. Frequency and transducer location would appear to have no significant effect. The properties of the obtained biodiesel (density, viscosity, pour point, and flash point) satisfy the ASTM standard. The combined MS-US reactors improved the reaction rate affording the methyl esters in higher yield.
Topics: Biofuels; Catalysis; Esters; Methanol; Palm Oil; Physical Phenomena; Plant Oils; Ultrasonics
PubMed: 24418101
DOI: 10.1016/j.ultsonch.2013.12.025 -
Lipids May 2021Partially hydrogenated oils (PHO) have been removed from the food supply due to adverse effects on risk for coronary heart disease (CHD). High-oleic soybean oils (HOSBO)... (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study Randomized Controlled Trial
Partially hydrogenated oils (PHO) have been removed from the food supply due to adverse effects on risk for coronary heart disease (CHD). High-oleic soybean oils (HOSBO) are alternatives that provide functionality for different food applications. The objective of this study was to determine how consumption of diets containing HOSBO compared to other alternative oils, with similar functional properties, modifies LDL cholesterol (LDLc) and other risk factors and biomarkers of CHD. A triple-blind, crossover, randomized controlled trial was conducted in humans (n = 60) with four highly-controlled diets containing (1) HOSBO, (2) 80:20 blend of HOSBO and fully hydrogenated soybean oil (HOSBO+FHSBO), (3) soybean oil (SBO), and (4) 50:50 blend of palm oil and palm kernel oil (PO + PKO). Before and after 29 days of feeding, lipids/lipoproteins, blood pressure, body composition, and markers of inflammation, oxidation, and hemostasis were measured. LDLc, apolipoprotein B (apoB), NonHDL-cholesterol (HDLc), ratios of total cholesterol (TC)-to-HDLc and LDLc-to-HDL cholesterol, and LDL particle number and small LDL particles concentration were lower after HOSBO and HOSBO+FHSBO compared to PO (specific comparisons p < 0.05). Other than TC:HDL, there were no differences in lipid/lipoprotein markers when comparing HOSBO+FHSBO with HOSBO. LDLc and apoB were higher after HOSBO compared to SBO (p < 0.05). PO + PKO increased HDLc (p < 0.001) and apolipoprotein AI (p < 0.03) compared to HOSBO and HOSBO+FHSBO. With the exception of lipid hydroperoxides, dietary treatments did not affect other CHD markers. HOSBO, and blends thereof, is a PHO replacement that results in more favorable lipid/lipoprotein profiles compared to PO + PKO (an alternative fat with similar functional properties).
Topics: Apolipoprotein A-I; Cholesterol, LDL; Cross-Over Studies; Healthy Volunteers; Humans; Hydrogenation; Lipid Peroxides; Middle Aged; Palm Oil; Soybean Oil
PubMed: 33596340
DOI: 10.1002/lipd.12298 -
Variability and performance evaluation of introgressed Nigerian dura x Deli dura oil palm progenies.Genetics and Molecular Research : GMR Apr 2014Twelve introgressed oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) progenies of Nigerian dura x Deli dura were evaluated for bunch yield, yield attributes, bunch quality components and...
Twelve introgressed oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) progenies of Nigerian dura x Deli dura were evaluated for bunch yield, yield attributes, bunch quality components and vegetative characters at the Malaysian Palm Oil Board Research Station, in Keratong, Pahang, Malaysia. Analysis of variance revealed significant to highly significant genotypic differences, indicating sufficient genetic variability among the progenies for bunch yield and its attributes, vegetative characters and bunch quality components, except fruit to bunch ratio. Fresh fruit bunch yield ranged from 167 kg·palm(-1)·year(-1) in PK1330 to 212 kg·palm(-1)·year(-1) in PK1351, with a mean yield of 192 kg·palm(-1)·year(-1). Among the progeny, PK1313 had the highest oil to bunch ratio (19.36%), due to its high mesocarp to fruit ratio, fruit to bunch ratio and low shell to fruit ratio. Among the progenies, PK1313 produced the highest oil yield of 31.4 kg·palm(-1)·year(-1), due to a high mesocarp to fruit ratio (61.2%) and a low shell to fruit ratio (30.7%), coupled with high fruit to bunch ratio (65.6%). PK1330 was found promising for selection, as it had desirable vegetative characters, including smaller petiole cross section (27.15 cm2), short rachis length (4.83 m), short palm height (1.85 m), and the lowest leaf number (164.6), as these vegetative characters are prerequisites for selecting palms for high density planting and high yield per hectare. The genetic variability among the progenies was found to be high, indicating ample scope for further breeding, followed by selection.
Topics: Arecaceae; Breeding; Humans; Palm Oil; Plant Leaves; Plant Oils; Selection, Genetic
PubMed: 24781997
DOI: 10.4238/2014.April.3.15 -
BMC Plant Biology Nov 2021Several mechanisms regulating gene expression contribute to restore and reestablish cellular homeostasis so that plants can adapt and survive in adverse situations....
Expression analysis of miRNAs and their putative target genes confirm a preponderant role of transcription factors in the early response of oil palm plants to salinity stress.
BACKGROUND
Several mechanisms regulating gene expression contribute to restore and reestablish cellular homeostasis so that plants can adapt and survive in adverse situations. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play roles important in the transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression, emerging as a regulatory molecule key in the responses to plant stress, such as cold, heat, drought, and salt. This work is a comprehensive and large-scale miRNA analysis performed to characterize the miRNA population present in oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) exposed to a high level of salt stress, to identify miRNA-putative target genes in the oil palm genome, and to perform an in silico comparison of the expression profile of the miRNAs and their putative target genes.
RESULTS
A group of 79 miRNAs was found in oil palm, been 52 known miRNAs and 27 new ones. The known miRNAs found belonged to 28 families. Those miRNAs led to 229 distinct miRNA-putative target genes identified in the genome of oil palm. miRNAs and putative target genes differentially expressed under salinity stress were then selected for functional annotation analysis. The regulation of transcription, DNA-templated, and the oxidation-reduction process were the biological processes with the highest number of hits to the putative target genes, while protein binding and DNA binding were the molecular functions with the highest number of hits. Finally, the nucleus was the cellular component with the highest number of hits. The functional annotation of the putative target genes differentially expressed under salinity stress showed several ones coding for transcription factors which have already proven able to result in tolerance to salinity stress by overexpression or knockout in other plant species.
CONCLUSIONS
Our findings provide new insights into the early response of young oil palm plants to salinity stress and confirm an expected preponderant role of transcription factors - such as NF-YA3, HOX32, and GRF1 - in this response. Besides, it points out potential salt-responsive miRNAs and miRNA-putative target genes that one can utilize to develop oil palm plants tolerant to salinity stress.
Topics: Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; MicroRNAs; Palm Oil; RNA, Untranslated; Salt Tolerance; Sequence Analysis, RNA; Transcription Factors
PubMed: 34749653
DOI: 10.1186/s12870-021-03296-9 -
Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) Sep 2022The degree of maturity of oil palm fresh fruit bunches (FFB) at the time of harvest heavily affects oil production, which is expressed in the oil extraction rate (OER)....
The degree of maturity of oil palm fresh fruit bunches (FFB) at the time of harvest heavily affects oil production, which is expressed in the oil extraction rate (OER). Oil palm harvests must be harvested at their optimum maturity to maximize oil yield if a rapid, non-intrusive, and accurate method is available to determine their level of maturity. This study demonstrates the potential of implementing Raman spectroscopy for determining the maturity of oil palm fruitlets. A ripeness classification algorithm has been developed utilizing machine learning by classifying the components of organic compounds such as β-carotene, amino acid, etc. as parameters to distinguish the ripeness of fruits. In this study, 47 oil palm fruitlets spectra from three different ripeness levels-under ripe, ripe, and over ripe-were examined. To classify the oil palm fruitlets into three maturity categories, the extracted features were put to the test using 31 machine learning models. It was discovered that the Medium, Weighted KNN, and Trilayered Neural Network classifier has a maximum overall accuracy of 90.9% by using four significant features extracted from the peaks as the predictors. To conclude, the Raman spectroscopy method may offer a precise and efficient means to evaluate the maturity level of oil palm fruitlets.
Topics: Amino Acids; Arecaceae; Correlation of Data; Fruit; Organic Chemicals; Palm Oil; beta Carotene
PubMed: 36146439
DOI: 10.3390/s22187091 -
BMC Research Notes Jun 2021This research was aimed to isolate cellulolytic molds in empty fruit bunches of oil palm (EFBOP) and soils from palm oil plantation area and identify their enzyme...
OBJECTIVE
This research was aimed to isolate cellulolytic molds in empty fruit bunches of oil palm (EFBOP) and soils from palm oil plantation area and identify their enzyme activities to digest EFBOP.
RESULTS
A total of seven molds were successfully isolated and screened for their enzyme activities from EFBOP and the soils. The enzymes from each isolate were produced in submerged culture using Mineral Mandels and 3% of alkali pretreated pollard in triplicates. The results indicated that all of the isolates were able to hydrolyze Carboxymethyl Cellulose (CMC), Whatmann No. 1 filter paper, and also EFBOP to sugars with reducing ends that reacted to 3,5-Dinitrosalicylic acid (DNS). The CMCase activity of isolate X showed the highest while the lowest was found for isolate MT8. Filter paperase (FPase) activity of isolate X performed the highest wile the lowest were found from isolate MT3 and MT6. The saccharification activity of isolate P showed the highest while MT6 performed the lowest activity.
Topics: Fruit; Fungi; Indonesia; Palm Oil; Soil
PubMed: 34193252
DOI: 10.1186/s13104-021-05668-8 -
Journal of Oleo Science Jun 2020For the controversy still existed about the oxidation stability of the high oleic oils compared with palm oil (PO), this study was aimed to explore the possible reason... (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study
For the controversy still existed about the oxidation stability of the high oleic oils compared with palm oil (PO), this study was aimed to explore the possible reason causing the controversies. Total polar compounds (TPC) was used to evaluate the oxidation stability of oils. Results showed there exist two kinds of lineal changes about the content of total polar compounds (TPC) in each oil, which were closely linked with the fatty acid composition and the tocochromanols content. The possible influence of the initial quality of oils also should be considered. The TPC of high oleic peanut oil (HOPO), high oleic sunflower oil (HOSO), high oleic rapeseed oil (HORO) and PO increased slowly at the initial period mainly owing to the antioxidation of tocochromanols, then sharply after 24, 48, 36 and 72 h respectively, when tocochromanols in each oil almost reduced below the detection limit. After that, the major factor would be fatty acids, particularly PUFA. It showed that the major tocochromanols in different oils (e.g. α, γ-tocotrienols in PO, α, γ-tocopherols in HORO and HOPO, and α-tocopherols in HOSO), could impose the main effects of inhibiting the TPC generation in the initial thermal treatment. The TPC in HORO significantly increased after 84 hours of heat process, which might be caused by the higher content of the polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) (i.e. C18:2 and C18:3). However, the content of the saturated fatty acid (SFA) did not show statistically significant change during the thermal treatment.
Topics: Antioxidants; Fatty Acids; Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; Food Quality; Hot Temperature; Oxidation-Reduction; Palm Oil; Peanut Oil; Rapeseed Oil; Sunflower Oil; Time Factors; Tocopherols; Tocotrienols
PubMed: 32404548
DOI: 10.5650/jos.ess19307