Stem cells derived from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHED) have emerged as an alternative stem cell source for cell therapy and regenerative medicine because they are readily available, pose fewer ethical concerns, and have low immunogenicity and tumourigenicity. SHED offer a number of advantages over other dental stem cells, including a high proliferation rate with the potential to differentiate into multiple developmental lineages. The therapeutic effects of SHED are mediated by multiple mechanisms, including immunomodulation, angiogenesis, neurogenesis, osteogenesis, and adipogenesis. In recent years, there is ample evidence that the mechanism of action of SHED is mainly due to its paracrine action, releasing a wide range of soluble factors such as cytokines, chemokines, and trophic factors (also known as ‘secretome’) into the local tissue microenvironment to promote tissue survival and recovery. This review provides an overview of the secretome derived from SHED and highlights the bioactive molecules involved in tissue regeneration and their potential applications in regenerative medicine.

Nowadays, halal products are gaining wider recognition as a new benchmark for safety and quality assurance. As a consequence the commercial development of microalgae is established due to their high value chemicals, for examples, β-carotene, astaxanthin, phycobilin pigments and algal extracts for cosmaceutical products. Therefore, many researchers have gained interest to study the potential of microalgae as new valuable chemicals and other product sources. The aim of the research is to explore new sources of pigments to be used as halal food colorants. This quest is not only directed in finding natural alternatives for synthetic dyes, but also to discover new taxons for the carotenoid production. Thus, there is a solid need to investigate the potential of natural pigments, particularly carotenoids in microalgae to be fully utilised and commercialised especially in halal market, health advantages, food products and dye technology. A total of 6 species was evaluated for quantitative and qualitative carotenoid composition, namely, Chlorella fusca, Chlorella vulgaris, Selenastrum capricornutum, Pandorina morum, Botryococcus sudeticus and Chlorococcum sp. The main carotenoids identified in all species through HPLC analysis were lutein, β-cryptoxanthin and β-carotene. The ratio of these carotenoids varies between species. Lutein was detected substantially higher in Chlorella fusca(69.54±11.29 μg/g DW);β-cryptoxanthin in Pandorina morum species (1.24±0.33 μg/g DW) whereas β-carotene in Chlorella vulgaris (18.42±9.2 ug/g DW). The significant outcome of the research will be new findings of new natural carotenoid pigment sources as potential food colorants and bioactive compounds which can be beneficial to halal health promoting products industry.

Food safety and security are top priorities for consumers and the food industry alike. Despite strict standards and criteria for food production processes, the potential for food-borne diseases due to improper handling and processing is always present. This has led to an urgent need for solutions that can ensure the safety of packaged foods. Therefore, this paper reviews intelligent packaging, which employs non-toxic and environmentally friendly packaging with superior bioactive materials that has emerged as a promising solution. This review was prepared based on several online libraries and databases from 2008 to 2022. By incorporating halal bioactive materials into the packaging system, it becomes possible to interact with the contents and surrounding environment of halal food products, helping preserve them for longer periods. One particularly promising avenue of research is the use of natural colourants as halal bioactive materials. These colourants possess excellent chemical, thermal, and physical stabilities, along with antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, making them ideal candidates for use in intelligent indicators that can detect food blemishes and prevent pathogenic spoilage. However, despite the potential of this technology, further research and development are needed to promote commercial applications and market development. With continued efforts to explore the full potential of natural colourants as halal bioactive materials, we can meet the increasing demand for food safety and security, helping to ensure that consumers have access to high-quality, safe, and nutritious foods.

Carotenoid compounds are effective free-radical scavengers because they display a singlet oxygen-quenching property and can trap peroxyl radicals. Many extracts derived from natural sources consist of unique bioactive compounds. For example, hydrophilic carotenoids, such as crocin, are present in saffron and possess antioxidant, anticancer, anti -inflammatory and antimicrobial properties. Crocin is responsible for preventing and curing many health issues. This study investigated the antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of hydrophilic carotenoid (C50) molecules extracted from Crocus sativus L. (saffron stigma) grown in different locations. These compounds were tested for their antioxidant properties through 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay, while antimicrobial activity was determined using disc diffusion method. Four carotenoid compounds (i.e. crocin, crocetin, β-carotene and zeaxanthin) were detected from the three saffron samples collected from various localities. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis was carried out to determine the physical and chemical properties of the carotenoid samples. The HPLC results indicated the presence of a single crocin peak at 440 nm. The crocin concentration in Iranian saffron was higher (11414.67±516.34 µg/g DW with 99.9% purity) than those in Turkish and Kashmiri saffron. This finding suggested that location significantly affected crocin concentration as well as carotenoid composition and content in saffron. Crocin molecules (100 µg/mL) showed the highest antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus epidermidis, with a 6.0 mm inhibition zone. Hence, crocin molecules (500 µg/mL) were effective antioxidant compounds as they showed 68% inhibition, with an IC50 value of 283.918±3.934 µg/mL. In addition to being a biocolourant source, crocin may be used for its antioxidant and antibacterial properties.