Cosmos caudatus (C. caudatus) is a medicinal plant that is high in bioactive compounds such as phenolics. In this study, an ultrasound extraction method was used to optimise the extraction of bioactive compounds from C. caudatus leaves. Response surface methodology (RSM) based on a Box-Behnken design (BBD) was applied to obtain the optimum extraction parameters which is solid–liquid ratio (10–30 g/mL), particle size (180–850 µm) and extraction time (20–30 min) for maximal quercitrin and total phenolic content (TPC) yields. Analysis of antimicrobial activity was performed against two human pathogenic microbes: Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli) by the agar well diffusion method. The optimal ultrasonic extraction condition was as follow: solvent-liquid ratio of 1:28 (g/mL), particle size of 485 µm, and duration of 30 min, respectively. Remarkably, extraction using ultrasonic method had recovered more bioactive content and antioxidant activity than the Soxhlet method. The extract also exhibited good antimicrobial activities. Due to the above findings, the ultrasonic extraction was found to be suitable to improve recovery extraction of quercitrin and TPC from C. caudatus leaves. It also opens the possibility that the plant extract can be used for functional food and antimicrobial agents in various applications.

This study scrutinizes the influence of oven drying temperature (40, 60, and 80 °C) on the product quality (phenolic content and antioxidant activity), morphological appearance, and drying characteristics ofCosmos caudatus (C. caudatus).A spectroscopic UV assay and a Field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) were used to analyse the product quality and the morphological appearance of theC. caudatusleaves. The drying characteristics were assessed based on the pattern from the drying curve (moisture ratio versus drying time) at the tested temperatures. It was observed that a drying temperature of 40 °C preserved the quality of the driedC. caudatusleaves. This may be seen where a significant reduction of the phenolic content and antioxidant activity occurred at 60 to 80 °C, probably due to the decomposition of the valuable phytochemical compounds. This effect correlated with the physical damage that took place to the vegetal tissues. The damage was recorded as 40 < 60 < 80 °C according to the severity (from minor to severe damage). The drying process ofC. caudatusoccurred mainly in the falling rate period, in the absence of an initial rate period. Higher drying temperatures resulted in a shorter drying time as proven by the value of the effective moisture diffusivity that increased from 4.12 × 10⁻¹²m²/s (40 °C) to 24.71 × 10⁻¹²m²/s (80 °C). TheC. caudatussample dried with an oven dryer at 40 °C possessed the best condition of drying without compromising the quality of the driedC. caudatusleaves.

Drying kinetic models and energy characteristics are well known tools to evaluate and predict the most suitable drying physiochemical conditions for a particular product. In this study, a thin-layer drying model was developed to best describe the drying kinetic behaviour of Cosmos caudatus. The drying experiments were conducted using a thermal convection oven and C. caudatus leaves were dried at five different temperatures (40, 50, 60, 70, 80?C). Six different thin-layer drying models were proposed and applied to select the best drying model by fitting to the experimental moisture ratio data. The proposed drying models included Page, Modified Page, Lewis, Henderson-Pabis, Two Term and Weibull, and the results were statically compared and evaluated based on their goodness of fit. Among these, the Page model was found to best represent the thin-layer drying behaviour of C. caudatus with 99.76%, 5.93?10-5, 9.68?10-5 for the coefficients determination (R2), reduced chi-square (?2), and root mean square error (RMSE), respectively. The average effective moisture diffusion coefficient (Deff) for the temperature 40 to 80?C ranged from 4.12?10-12 to 24.71?10-12 m2/s, while the activation energy (Ea) was calculated at 39.35 kJ/mol based on the Arrhenius?s equation.

The authentication of halal products is crucial for adherents of Islam, as consuming non-permissible substances contradicts religious mandates. Recent widespread adulteration of food and pharmaceutical products with porcine-derived ingredients has necessitated the development of robust analytical methods for halal verification. This study presents an approach for rapid halal authentication using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy with attenuated total reflectance (FTIR-ATR) combined with multivariate data analysis (MVDA). Animal fats from beef, chicken, pork (lard) and goat, along with palm oil, were extracted via Soxhlet apparatus utilizing petroleum ether as solvent. The FTIR-ATR spectra were acquired in the mid-infrared region (4000 – 650 cm-1), encompassing both fingerprint and functional group region. The principal component analysis (PCA) was employed to identify unique spectral patterns and develop classification models for halal authentication. The combination of FTIR-ATR and MVDA techniques meanwhile enables the identification of characteristic spectral features and the development of classification models for halal authentication. The PCA result revealed clear clustering of samples based on their origin, with total variance range of 74.75 – 98.79% explained by the first two principal components based on all FTIR spectra of wavenumber 4000 – 650 cm-1, respectively. This FTIR-ATR coupled with MVDA approach offers a rapid, non-destructive and cost-effective method for halal authentication. The technique’s high sensitivity and specificity make it a promising tool for regulatory bodies and food manufacturers to ensure compliance with halal standards.

Cosmos caudatus (C. caudatus) is one of the common medicinal plants and among the valuable plants that are high in bioactive compounds such as phenolics. In this study, an ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) method was used to optimise the extraction of bioactive compounds from C. caudatus leaves using response surface methodology (RSM) and employing a Box-Behnken experimental design (BBD). The extraction efficiency of UAE under the optimal extraction conditions was compared with the Soxhlet method. Also, an anti-microbial analysis against two human pathogenic bacteria; Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli) was also evaluated. The effect of the extraction conditions was studied and optimised such as the solid-liquid ratio (10 to 30 g/ml), particle size (180 to 850 µm) and extraction time (20 to 30 min). Quercitrin and total phenolic content (TPC) were the selected response variables in this study. Based on the ANOVA analysis, the response surface model to predict the optimum yield of quercitrin and TPC was adequate with a high R-square value corresponding to 0.9930 and 0.9962. The optimal UAE conditions were 1:28 (g/mL), by using a particle size of 485 µm and an extraction time of 30 min, respectively. Remarkably, UAE reduced the extraction time and solvent volume, with the maximal recovery of bioactive compounds at a high antioxidant activity as compared with that of the Soxhlet method. The plant extract also exhibited potential microbial agents. Due to the above findings, UAE can be used to enrich quercitrin and total phenolic content from C. caudatus leaves. It also opens the possibility of plant extract to be used as an affordable component in many applications such as food formulations and anti-microbial agents.