A simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) optimization process was carried out on pretreated empty fruit bunches (EFBs) by employing the Response Surface Methodology (RSM). EFBs were treated using sequential acid-alkali pretreatment and analyzed physically by a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The findings revealed that the pretreatment had changed the morphology and the EFBs’ structure. Then, the optimum combination of enzymes and microbes for bioethanol production was screened. Results showed that the combination of S. cerevisiae and T. harzianum and enzymes (cellulase and β-glucosidase) produced the highest bioethanol concentration with 11.76 g/L and a bioethanol yield of 0.29 g/g EFB using 4% (w/v) treated EFBs at 30 °C for 72 h. Next, the central composite design (CCD) of RSM was employed to optimize the SSF parameters of fermentation time, temperature, pH, and inoculum concentration for higher yield. The analysis of optimization by CCD predicted that 9.72 g/L of bioethanol (0.46 g/g ethanol yield, 90.63% conversion efficiency) could be obtained at 72 h, 30 °C, pH 4.8, and 6.79% (v/v) of inoculum concentration using 2% (w/v) treated EFBs. Results showed that the fermentation process conducted using the optimized conditions produced 9.65 g/L of bioethanol, 0.46 g/g ethanol yield, and 89.56% conversion efficiency, which was in close proximity to the predicted CCD model.

Stingless bees harbor lactic acid bacteria (LAB) which possesses multiple beneficial properties. However, there is no report on LAB in stingless bee from Sabah and their products. This study aimed to isolate LAB from several stingless bee species and their products as well as to perform characterization and safety assessments. A total of 104 strains were isolated and seven potential antimicrobial LAB isolates were identified from stingless bee and their products. Characterization, identification, and assessments were performed on seven (A2b, B3b, P1b, H4b, A6, B5, and B10) LAB that exert potential antimicrobial activity against Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 7644. The A6 isolate was closely related to the Lactobacillus pentosus species whereas isolates B5 and B10 were closely related to Weissella paramesenteroides species. Finally, isolates P1b, H4b, B3b, and A2b were closely related to the Enterococcus sp. These seven LAB isolates were able to survive in stimulated gastrointestinal tract conditions (acidic, salt, bile salt, and temperature). The carbon fermentation, proteolytic activities, acidification, milk coagulation, and wide antibiotic susceptibility testing of seven LAB isolates revealed their potential used as a probiotic and fermentation purposes. Therefore, more studies are warranted to investigate the potential of these LAB isolates towards applications in probiotic and fermentation.

Biodiesel production from Waste Palm Cooking Oil (WPCO) is of interest to substitute fossil derived diesel fuel, due to its renewable nature, cleaner emissions and non-toxic properties. Thus, in this study, biodiesel production through transesterification process was optimized using immobilized lipase from Candida rugosa and WPCO collected from the faculty’s cafeteria as a feedstock. Interaction between five operating factors: molar ratio of ethanol to oil, water content, lipase loading, reaction temperature and time on the biodiesel yield were investigated. It was observed that, with the optimal conditions of 10:1 molar ratio of ethanol to oil, 1 g water, temperature 40 °C, 0.8 g immobilized lipase and 32 h reaction time, a yield of 85.72% of biodiesel could be achieved. Thus, this study shows that WPCO, an environmental waste, can be utilized as a promising feedstock for biodiesel production using environmentally friendly biocatalysts such as immobilized lipase.

Underutilized plants are referred to a plant species whose potential is not fully utilized yet and they are usually found abundantly in certain local areas but are globally rare. Sabah is known for high biodiversity and contains many underutilized plants. To our knowledge, this is the first review to provide overview information of the medicinal value and pharmacological properties of underutilized plants in Sabah. Extract and metabolites in different parts of several underutilized plants contain multiple beneficial bioactive compounds and the exploitation of these compounds was supported by additional data that plays various biological activities, including anti-atherosclerotic, anti-cancer antihypercholesterolemic and anti-ulcerogenic. A handful of pharmacological studies on these underutilized plants have conclusively outlined the mode of action in treatment of several diseases and in other health aspects. This paper limits its scope to review and highlight the potential of using underutilized plants in Sabah only which could serve as reliable resource for health product development in pharmaceutical and nutraceutical through continuous discovering of more active and sustainable resources as well as ingredients for food and medicine.