The present study aimed to analyse the FT-IR vibrational characteristics and concentration of phenolic compounds in 25 herbal plants using Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and Ultra-High Performance Liquid Chromatography (UHPLC) techniques, respectively, and to evaluate its in vitro potential to inhibit enzymes related type 2 diabetes and obesity. The vibrational spectra regions—3400–3200 cm⁻¹—indicated hydroxyl group (O–H) and H-bonded stretching, which is characteristic of polyphenolic compounds. A wide range in phenolic compounds was found among the samples. Caffeic acid is the predominant phenolic compounds in the samples. Total phenolic content ranged from 5.02 mg GAE/g DW to 102.39 mg GAE/g DW. A moderate correlation (R²) between antioxidant activity and α-amylase inhibition was 0.46, (p < 0.05) while that (R²) ofp-coumaric acid and α-glucosidase inhibition was 0.54, (p < 0.05). Moreover, the herbal infusions showed potential to inhibit digestive enzymes, the highest being on the infusion based on a cup-serving basis.

In recent years, an increasing demand of plant-based yogurt-like products for partially replacing milk products was related to both health and ethical needs. The objective of this study was to improve the functionality of yogurt-like products relevant for hypertension, using fortification with protein hydrolysate and lactic acid bacteria (LAB) fermentation of soy and Job’s tears beverages. Broken rice was hydrolysed by protease enzymes. Plant-based beverages and yogurt-like products with and without rice protein hydrolysate were prepared by LAB fermentation and evaluated by in-vitro assays for inhibition of free radical scavenging and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) activity. Biochemical changes caused by lactic acid bacteria metabolism were characterized using chemical analysis and ¹H NMR. The rice protein hydrolysate obtained using Alcalase® at pH 7.0 for 2 h at 60 °C showed the highest antioxidant activity and ACE inhibition. The ACE inhibition increased by 19.52% and 34.13% in Job’s tears and soy yogurt-like products with hydrolysate, respectively. A strongly significant correlation (R² = 0.84) between o-phthalic dicarboxaldehyde (OPA) peptides and ACE inhibition was observed. These results indicated the promise of hydrolysate and LAB fermentation as a functional ingredient and process, respectively, for the food industry.

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is one of the most important staple plant foods for global population especially in Asian countries. Pigmented rice including red rice, black, and purple contains a range of bioactive compounds including phenolics acids and flavonoids. Anthocyanins and proanthocyanidins are recognized as a major functional component in pigmented rice. Recently, pigmented rice varieties have received increasing attention from consumers due to its high nutritional values and bioactive compounds, providing its potential health benefits including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and antidiabetic. Therefore, the objective of this chapter is to provide an up-to-date coverage of a systematic and advanced isolation, extraction and analytical methods, and potential health benefit studies related to antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic cardiovascular disease risk inhibition potential and anti-neurodegenerative potential of pigmented rice.