Search Results (11)

The change in the quality of rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum L.) fruit after harvest is mainly dehydration. Rambutan fruit peel is often dark (brown) and fruit rot due to fungal disease. This study investigated the effects of Lactobacillus bacteria strains [Lactobacillus plantarum CC6 (CC6), Lactobacillus fermentum DC2 (DC2), Lactobacillus fermentum DGMC2 (DGMC2)] with/without supplement combinations [chitosan 0.03% (Chito), alginate 0.03% (SA) and carboxymethyl cellulose 0.5% (CMC)] on the quality of Java rambutan fruit during storage at 13 °C, and included a sample without treatment with bacteria and chemical considered as the control. The results showed that among 16 treatments on rambutan fruits immediately after harvesting, the four treatments that showed the best results were CC6-Chito, DC2-Chito, CC6-CMC and DC2–SA, and DC2-Chito was more effective than the others. However, all four of these treatments supported the preservation of rambutan fruit, reducing both weight loss and browning of the skin and stem, and kept the infection rate at the lowest level. The brightness and peel color values were highest for these treatments. Full article

Rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum L.) is a tropical fruit that is originally from Southeast Asia and it was introduced to Mexico in the 1960s; the fruit’s peel is known to possess ellagitannins such as ellagic acid which give the peel great biological activity; solid-state fermentation has been used to obtain said compounds and rambutan peel can be used as a fermentation support/substrate; this work aims to obtain, identify and quantify ellagic acid obtained via SSF with a strain of yeast. The water-absorption index and the support’s maximum moisture were determined. To determine the ideal conditions for ellagic acid accumulation, a Box–Behnken 3^k experimental design was applied using variables such as temperature, moisture and inoculum. The maximum accumulation time of ellagic acid via solid-state fermentation was determined to be 48 h with ideal conditions of 30 °C, 60% moisture and 1.5 × 10⁷ cells/g using S. cerevisiae, and high-performance liquid chromatography was used to identify ellagic acid, geraniin and corilagin as the most abundant compounds. The maximum recovery of ellagic acid was 458 ± 44.6 mg/g. HPLC/ESI/MS analysis at 48 h fermentation showed biodegradation of geraniin and corilagin due to ellagic acid. Mexican rambutan peel has been demonstrated to be a suitable substrate for SSF. Full article

Nephelium lappaceum L., also known as “Chinese mamon” (mamon chino) or “rambutan”, is an exotic fruit of tropical climate with a sweet flavor and aroma, which can be found in the territory of Costa Rica in the Brunca and Huetar Atlántica regions. For the comparison of antioxidants, different electronic tests were carried out with the red peel and the yellow peel of Nephelium lappaceum, taking ascorbic acid as a base. In addition, Nephelium lappaceum peels, due to their antioxidant properties, allowed the identification of the active components and their antioxidant activity by thin layer chromatography and DPPH tests. The results of these tests show the presence of flavonoids, coumarins, glycosides, and carotenoids, which are the primary metabolites of Nephelium lappaceum peels. Full article

The objective of this experiment was to assess the effects of chaya (Cnidoscolus aconitifolius) leaf and rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum L.) fruit peel pellet (CRP) supplementation on rumen fermentation, feed intake, nutrient digestibility, and nitrogen balance in crossbred beef cattle. Four beef cattle crossbred bulls (Brahman 75% × Thai native 25%), with 250 ± 15 kg of liveweight at 18 months old, were randomly selected to receive four dietary treatment groups: no supplementation (control) and the supplementation of CRP at 2, 4 and 6% of dry matter intake (DMI) by using a 4 × 4 Latin square design. The cattle were fed a concentrate at 2 kg/day, and rice straw was offered ad libitum. The results showed that rumen pH at 4 h and average post-feeding values were in the normal range, though they were slightly reduced with CRP supplementation at 4 and 6% DMI (p < 0.05). Rumen temperature, ammonia nitrogen level, and total volatile fatty acid (VFA), acetate (C₂), and butyrate (C₄) production were similar among treatments. Nevertheless, propionate (C₃) concentration was significantly increased (p < 0.05) in the CRP groups at 2 and 4% DMI. In addition, the C₂/C₃ ratio and CH₄ production were significantly reduced in the CRP groups, especially at 2 and 4% DMI. Rice straw intake and total feed intake in terms of %BW were significantly higher in the groups with CRP at 2 and 4% DMI (p < 0.05). The apparent nutrient digestibilities were not affected by the treatments. Nitrogen intake, nitrogen absorption, and nitrogen retention were significantly enhanced by the CRP supplementation (p < 0.05). Moreover, feces and total nitrogen excretion were not different among treatments (p > 0.05). Ultimately, the supplementation of CRP at 2 and 4% DMI significantly improved the C₃ concentration, reduced the C₂/C₃ ratio, mitigated methane production, and enhanced feed intake and nitrogen utilization efficiency. Therefore, CRP supplementation shows promise as a rumen dietary enhancer. Full article

Exotic fruits, which are becoming more and more popular in European countries, contain seeds, which are an unused and useless byproduct of fruit processing. Research conducted in recent years suggests that these unused waste products can be a source of nutrients and bioactive compounds in much more concentrated amounts than those found in the flesh of the fruit. Research on the physicochemical properties and the content of bioactive compounds in fruit seeds may allow the assessment of the possibility and purposefulness of their wider application in the production of functional food. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the physicochemical and bioactive properties of exotic, tropical fruit seed powders, such as mango (Mangefiera indica L.) and rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum L.) seeds, obtained by convective drying (CD) and sublimation drying (FD). In the tested powders, the water-holding capacity and water solubility were determined, the color was measured using the ‘electronic eye’ instrumental method, the taste profile was determined using the ‘electronic tongue’, and the content of selected bioactive compounds—such as tannins (titration method), total polyphenols and antioxidant activity was also determined using the spectrophotometric method. It was found that the studied powders were characterized by low water-holding capacity (1.2–1.6 g/1 g of powder), low solubility in water (9.5–17.4%), neutral color and varied taste profile, depending on the origin of the tested powder. Rambutan seed powders were characterized by a more bitter taste with a higher umami-flavor intensity compared to mango seed powders, which showed a more intense acidic and sweet taste. The conducted research shows that the applied methods of powder production, i.e., drying (to similar a_w values) by convection vs. sublimation, had a much greater impact on changes in the content of bioactive compounds than on the tested physicochemical parameters. The freeze-dried seed powders were characterized by a higher content of polyphenolic compounds and a higher antioxidant activity than convection-dried seed powders. Considering the high content of polyphenols and high antioxidant activity, the studied powders may find applications in the production of dietary supplements and in the design of functional foods. Due to the low water solubility index, mango and rambutan powders can be used in the design of products where particle sensitivity is indicated. The use of the investigated exotic fruit seed powders, i.e., mango and rambutan, may not only be beneficial for nutritional reasons, but also may contribute to the reduction of post-production waste, in line with the recently widespread “zero waste” trend. Full article

Thailand is one of the leading exporting countries of rambutan and rambutan peels are considered as a biological waste. In this study, rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum L. cv. Rong Rian) peel extracts (RPE) obtained by water extraction were analyzed for their phytochemical composition, antibacterial and antioxidant activities, and cytotoxicity. The bioactive compounds in RPE identified by GC-MS were mome inositol (35.99 mg/g), catechol (29.37 mg/g), 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5.69 mg/g), 2-pentenal, (E)-(5.22 mg/g), acetic acid (3.69 mg/g), 1,2,3-propanetriol (3.67 mg/g), 2-furan-carboxaldehyde (2.66 mg/g), and other compounds. FT-IR analysis confirmed the presence of alcohol and phenol in the extract. Antibacterial activities of RPE against food pathogenic and spoilage bacteria showed that RPE could inhibited Bacillus subtilis, B. cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, Vibrio cholerae, V. parahaemolyticus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and P. fluorescens, with MIC values ranging between 1024 and 8192 µg/mL. The extract also showed antioxidant properties, as determined by DPPH and ABTS assays. The cytotoxicity analysis after 72 h of treatment showed the IC₅₀ values at 194.97 ± 4.87, 205.92 ± 2.55, and 94.11 ± 1.33 µg/mL for L929, Vero, and MCF-7 cell lines, respectively. Therefore, this study provided a basis of knowledge of rambutan peels as an excellent source of natural bioactive compounds for various applications. Full article

Rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum L.) is a tropical fruit from Asia which has become the main target of many studies involving polyphenolic analysis. Mexico produces over 8 million tons per year of rambutan, generating a huge amount of agro-industrial waste since only the pulp is used and the peel, which comprises around 45% of the fruit’s weight, is left behind. This waste can later be used in the recovery of polyphenolic fractions. In this work, emerging technologies such as microwave, ultrasound, and the hybridization of both were tested in the extraction of phenolic compounds from Mexican rambutan peel. The results show that the hybrid technology extraction yielded the highest polyphenolic content (176.38 mg GAE/g of dry rambutan peel). The HPLC/MS/ESI analysis revealed three majoritarian compounds: geraniin, corilagin, and ellagic acid. These compounds explain the excellent results for the biological assays, namely antioxidant activity evaluated by the DPPH, ABTS, and LOI (Lipid oxidation inhibition) assays that exhibited great antioxidant capacity with IC₅₀ values of 0.098, 0.335, and 0.034 mg/mL respectively, as well as prebiotic activity demonstrated by a µMax (maximum growth) of 0.203 for Lactobacillus paracasei. Lastly, these compounds have shown no hemolytic activity, opening the door for the elaboration of different products in the food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries. Full article

Organic inhibitors have been considered as an effective way to control the corrosion of carbon steel weldment in an acidic environment. This work proposes a new green organic inhibitor made of extract of rambutan fruit (Nephelium lappaceum) peel and aims at analyzing its corrosion inhibitor properties and protection mechanism. Specimens of carbon steel weldment were tested for their corrosion by using electrochemical and immersion methods in 1 M HCl solution containing 0 to 6 g/L of Nephelium peel (NP) extract. Results showed that, in the same solution, the corrosion rate was measured to be higher on the weld metal zone than that of base metal zone, which could be related to the coarser grain of the weld metal zone and the stability of the formed oxide layer. The addition of NP extract was found to increase the stability of the oxide layer, thus increasing the corrosion resistance of the specimens. The maximum inhibition efficiency of the NP extract was reached at 97% for weld metal with 5 g/L of extract, at 80% for the heat affected zone with 5 g/L, and at 70% for base metal with 4 g/L. This work reveals the particularity of different weldment zones to the different needs of inhibitor concentration for obtaining the optimum corrosion protection. Full article

Rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum L.) is an important fruit tree that belongs to the family Sapindaceae and is widely cultivated in Southeast Asia. We sequenced its chloroplast genome for the first time and assembled 161,321 bp circular DNA. It is characterized by a typical quadripartite structure composed of a large (86,068 bp) and small (18,153 bp) single-copy region interspersed by two identical inverted repeats (IRs) (28,550 bp). We identified 132 genes including 78 protein-coding genes, 29 tRNA and 4 rRNA genes, with 21 genes duplicated in the IRs. Sixty-three simple sequence repeats (SSRs) and 98 repetitive sequences were detected. Twenty-nine codons showed biased usage and 49 potential RNA editing sites were predicted across 18 protein-coding genes in the rambutan chloroplast genome. In addition, coding gene sequence divergence analysis suggested that ccsA, clpP, rpoA, rps12, psbJ and rps19 were under positive selection, which might reflect specific adaptations of N. lappaceum to its particular living environment. Comparative chloroplast genome analyses from nine species in Sapindaceae revealed that a higher similarity was conserved in the IR regions than in the large single-copy (LSC) and small single-copy (SSC) regions. The phylogenetic analysis showed that N. lappaceum chloroplast genome has the closest relationship with that of Pometia tomentosa. The understanding of the chloroplast genomics of rambutan and comparative analysis of Sapindaceae species would provide insight into future research on the breeding of rambutan and Sapindaceae evolutionary studies. Full article

Nephelium lappaceum (rambutan) is an edible tropical fruit that is widely grown in Southeast Asia. In general, the seeds contain high nutrients, but rambutan seeds are thrown out during processing. In this study, the anti-aging activity of rambutan seeds was evaluated with a new approach through the selective inhibition of the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (senomorphics). Luciferase promoter assays using p16INK4A and SA-β-gal promoters for rambutan showed that its seeds possessed strong senomorphic activity. Molecular networking using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-qTOF-MS) with a tandem database (UPLC-qTOF-MS/MS) was applied to determine the chemical composition of rambutan. Based on the activity results, nine compounds, one new (7) and eight known kaempferol type compounds, were isolated from the seeds. Compounds 2, 4 and 9 significantly reduced the mRNA expression levels of senescence markers, such as p16INK4A, p21CIP1, p53 and SA-β-gal. These compounds also significantly increased the level of SIRT1, a longevity modulator. Compounds 2, 4 and 9 decreased the mRNA expression levels of senescence-associated secretory phenotypes (SASPs) and subsequently decreased the number of SA-β-gal-positive cells. Thus, rambutan seeds and its constituents might be able to protect against age-related problems. Full article

The oxidative properties of sunflower oil supplemented with rambutan extract, (crude extract and its fractionated fraction, SF II) in comparison with synthetic antioxidant were investigated. The supplemented sunflower oils were stored under accelerated conditions for 24 days at 60 °C. For every 6-day interval, the oxidative properties of the supplemented sunflower oil were evaluated based on the following tests, namely peroxide value, p-anisidine value, Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances (TBARS) assay, iodine value and free fatty acids. The total oxidation (TOTOX) values were also calculated based on the peroxide values and p-anisidine values. Rambutan extract is a potential source of antioxidant. The oxidative activities of the extracts at all concentrations were significantly (p < 0.05) higher than the control. Generally, the partially fractionated fraction was more effective than the crude extract. With a 2-year storage period at ambient temperature, the fractionated fraction of the extract, SF II at 300 ppm, was observed to work more effectively than the synthetic antioxidant, t-Tocopherol, and it possessed a protective effect comparable with butylatedhydrioxynanisole (BHA). Therefore, rambutan extract could be used as a potential alternative source of antioxidant in the oil industry or other fat-based products to delay lipid oxidation. Full article