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In this study, an active biofilm was developed by incorporating red dragon fruit peel (RDF) extract into soy protein isolate (SPI) film matrix for sustainable food packaging. The addition of betalain-rich-RDF extract (1-7 wt%) significantly improved UV-blocking and antioxidant properties of the film compared to the control film. As wt% of RDF-extract increased, water vapor permeability, water solubility, and elongation at break decreased by 1.06 × 10-10 g m m-2 s-1 Pa-1, 34.25%, and 133.25%, respectively. On the other hand, Tensile strength increased significantly (P < 0.05) by 78.76%. FTIR results confirmed the intermolecular interaction between RDF extract and SPI through hydrogen bonding, while XRD result showed a decrease in the crystallinity degree of the film with RDF extract addition. However, no significant change in the TGA curve between extract-incorporated SPI films was observed. SEM analysis revealed that SPI B and SPI D films had a more compact and denser structure than the control film, while AFM analysis showed an increase in Ra and Rq values representing higher surface roughness of SPI D film. SPI D film also significantly (P < 0.05) decreased the weight loss and increased total soluble solids of freshly cut apples over 7-day storage period. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13197-024-05940-2.

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Seasonal influenza affects millions of lives worldwide, with the influenza A virus (IAV) responsible for pandemics and annual epidemics, causing the most severe illnesses resulting in patient hospitalizations or death. With IAV threatening the next global influenza pandemic, it is a race against time to search for antiviral drugs. Betacyanins are unique nitrogen-containing and water-soluble reddish-violet pigments that have been reported to possess antiviral properties against the dengue virus. This study aimed to examine the antiviral effect of betacyanins from red pitahaya (Hylocereus polyrhizus) on IAV-infected lung epithelial A549 cells. HPLC and LC-MS analysis of extracted betacyanin showed four betacyanins in the betacyanin fraction: phyllocactin, hylocerenin, betanin, and isobetanin. Cytotoxicity assay showed that betacyanin fractions were not cytotoxic to A549 cells at concentrations below 100 µg/mL. Betacyanin fraction concentrations of 12.5, 25.0, and 50.0 µg/mL prevented the formation of viral cytopathic effect and reduced virus titer in IAV-infected cells up to 72 h. A downregulation of protein and mRNA nucleoprotein expression levels was observed after treatment with 25.0 and 50.0 µg/mL of betacyanin fraction after 24 h, thereby providing evidence for the antiviral activity of betacyanin from red pitahaya against IAV in vitro.

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Red dragon fruit is gaining popularity globally due to its nutritional value and bioactive components. The study aimed to assess the phytochemical, nutritional composition, antioxidant, antibacterial, and cytotoxic properties of extracts from the South Chinese red dragon fruit peel, flesh, and seeds. Extract fractions with increasing polarity (ethyl acetate

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The effects of near-infrared (NIRD), mid-infrared (MIRD), far-infrared (FIRD), microwave (MWD), and hot air drying (HAD) on drying kinetic, colour, phytochemical composition, and antioxidant activity of red dragon fruit peel (RDFP) was evaluated. Results indicated that drying methods induced varying microstructural and chemical changes on RDFP, significantly influencing moisture removal rates and phytochemical retention. The lowest drying time was observed for MWD, while MIRD presented the highest drying time. FIRD drying was more favourable for retaining TPC, TFC, betacyanin and betaxanthin, while the ascorbic acid content was better retained during MIRD and NIRD. Enhancements in ABTS, CUPRAC and reducing power were associated with FIRD, and NIRD and MIRD enhanced DPPH and HRSA. Overall, chemical modifications induced by drying improved the phytochemical and antioxidant properties but presented adversative effects on ascorbic acid and DPPH. The study presented an essential background for the optimal drying of RDFP.

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Red dragon fruit (RDF) is well-known for its high nutritional content, especially the red pigment betacyanins that possess high antioxidant activity. Natural fermentation is an ancient yet outstanding technique that relies on the autochthonous microbiota from fruits and vegetables surfaces to preserve and improve the nutritional values and quality of the food product. The present study was to evaluate and identify the indigenous microbial community (bacteria and fungi) that are involved in the natural fermentation of RDF. Results revealed a total of twenty bacterial pure cultures and nine fungal pure cultures were successfully isolated from fermented red dragon fruit drink (FRDFD). For the first time, the PCR amplification of 16S rRNA and ITS regions and sequence analysis suggested nine genera of bacteria and three genera of fungi (Aureobasidium pullulans, Clavispora opuntiae, and Talaromyces aurantiacus) present in the FRDFD. Four dominant (≥10 % isolates) bacteria species identified from FRDFD were Klebsiella pneumonia, Brevibacillus parabrevis, Bacillus tequilensis and Bacillus subtilis. The carbohydrate fermentation test showed that all the indigenous microbes identified were able to serve as useful starter culture by fermenting sucrose and glucose, thereby producing acid to lower the pH of FRDFD to around pH 4 for better betacyanins stability. The present study provides a more comprehensive understanding of the indigenous microbial community that serves as the starter culture in the fermentation of RDF. Besides, this study provides a useful guide for future research to be conducted on studying the rare bacterial strains (such as B. tequilensis) identified from the FRDFD for their potential bioactivities and applications in medical treatment and functional foods industries.

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Nowadays, the demand for using healthy natural pigments (betacyanins) in the food industry is increasing. The present study aimed to overcome the circumstances that render the betacyanins instability in the red dragon fruit drink using mild approaches. These included optimised fermentation, incorporation of anionic polysaccharide mixture solution [xanthan gum (XG, 0.30-0.40 %, w/v) and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC, 0.50-0.90 %, w/v)] and also addition of citric acid (CA, 0.05-0.20 %, w/v). The results of this study showed that the hydrocolloid mixture solution of XG and CMC significantly increased the samples' viscosity, pH and °Brix but reduced the aw, while betacyanins concentration had no significant change. The incorporation of CA at increasing concentration only reduced the samples' pH significantly without affecting the viscosity, aw and °Brix. Among all fermented samples, Formulation 3E (0.40 % XG + 0.50 % CMC + 0.20 % CA) had achieved the desired commercial reference viscosity while also successfully minimised betacyanins degradation from 60.18 % to 14.72 %, had the best pH stability and no significant change in viscosity, aw and °Brix values after 4-week storage at 25 °C. The fermented red dragon fruit drink with betacyanins stabilised by Formulation 3E can be produced and served as an independent functional drink product and as a stable, functional ingredient (natural colourant) for the food industry.

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Banana ripeness is generally determined based on physical attributes, such as skin color; however, it is considered subjective because it depends on individual factors and lighting conditions. In addition, improper handling can cause mechanical damage to the fruit. Intelligent packaging in the form of indicator film incorporated with anthocyanins from red dragon fruit peel has been applied for shrimp freshness detection; however, this film has low color stability during storage, necessitating the addition of gambier catechins as a co-pigment to increase anthocyanin stability. Nevertheless, the characteristics of films that contain gambier catechins and their applications to bananas have not been studied yet; therefore, this study aims to develop and characterize indicator films that were incorporated with red dragon fruit peel anthocyanins and gambier catechins to detect banana ripeness. In this study, the indicator films were made via solvent casting. The films were characterized for their structural, mechanical, and physicochemical properties, and then applied to banana packaging. The results show that the film incorporated with anthocyanins and catechins in a ratio of 1:40 (w/w) resulted in better color stability, mechanical properties, light and water vapor barrier ability, and antioxidant activity. The application of the indicator films to banana packaging resulted in a change in color on the third day of storage. It can be concluded that these films could potentially be used as an indicator to monitor banana ripeness.

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Background: The most common bacteria causing periodontitis were Porphyromonas gingivalis, Fusobacterium nucleatum and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans. At present, plants are considered a valuable source of natural materials for use in the development of antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant agents. Hylocereus plyrhizus or red dragon fruit peel extract (RDFPE) contains terpenoids, and flavonoids can be an alternative. The gingival patch (GP) has been designed to ensure drug delivery and absorption into tissue targets. Objective: To assess the effect of a mucoadhesive gingival patch containing nano-emulsion of red dragon fruit peel extract (GP-nRDFPE) in inhibiting Porphyromonas gingivalis, Fusobacterium nucleatum and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans as compared to control groups. Material and method: Inhibition by diffusion method was carried out in Porphyromonas gingivalis, Fusobacterium nucleatum and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans medium. The test material was gingival patch mucoadhesive containing nano-emulsion red dragon fruit peel extract (GP-nRDFPR), gingival patch mucoadhesive containing red dragon fruit peel extract (GP-RDFPE), gingival patch mucoadhesive containing doxycycline (GP-dcx) and blank gingival patch (GP), conducted in four replications. The differences in the inhibition were analyzed using ANOVA and post hoc tests (p < 0.05). Result: GP-nRDFPE showed higher inhibition in Porphyromonas gingivalis, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, and Fusobacterium nucleatum compared to GP-RDFPE at the concentrations 3.125% and 6.25% (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The GP-nRDFPE showed better anti-periodontic bacteria to Porphyromonas gingivalis, Fusobacterium nucleatum, and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans in line with its concentration. This is assumed that the GP-nRDFPE can use as periodontitis treatment.

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Red dragon fruit peel is a pectin-rich fruit waste that is a potential source of prebiotics and whose different sources and structures will influence its prebiotic function. Thus, we compared the effects of three extraction methods on the structure and prebiotic function of red dragon fruit pectin, the results showed that the citric acid extracted pectin produced a high Rhamnogalacturonan-I (RG-I) region (66.59 mol%) and more side-chains of Rhamnogalacturonan-I ((Ara + Gal)/Rha = 1.25), which can promote bacterial proliferation significantly. The side-chains of Rhamnogalacturonan-I may be an important factor in that pectin can promote the proliferation of B. animalis. Our results provide a theoretical basis for the prebiotic application of red dragon fruit peel.

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The increase in new technology and consumer demand for healthy and safe food has led to the development of smart packaging to help consumers understand food conditions in real time. The incorporation of red dragon fruit peel anthocyanin into cassava starch and chitosan films was used in this study as a color indicator to monitor food conditions. This indicator film was generated using the solvent-casting method. The mechanical, morphological, and physicochemical characterizations of the film were studied, and food freshness monitoring was carried out. The results showed that adding red dragon fruit peel anthocyanin increased up to 94.44% of the antioxidant activity. It also improved its flexibility, indicated by the lowest tensile strength (3.89 ± 0.15 MPa) and Young's modulus (0.14 ± 0.01 MPa) and the highest elongation at break (27.62 ± 0.57%). The indicator film was sensitive to pH, which was indicated by its color change from red to yellow as pH increased. The color of the film also changed when it was used to test the freshness of packaged shrimp at both room and chiller temperatures. According to the results, the indicator film based on cassava starch-chitosan incorporated with red dragon fruit peel anthocyanin showed its potential as a smart packaging material.

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The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of red dragon fruit (Hylocereus polyrhizus) extract (DFE) on the stomach in ulcer model induced by indomethacin in rats. Effects of DFE were evaluated in indomethacin-induced gastric damage model on Sprague-Dawley rats. Experimental model: all rats were fasted for 24 h. At the end of this period, DFE was administered to the ulcer-induced groups. One hour after this application, a dose of 25 mg/kg of indomethacin was applied by oral gavage to all groups except the HEALTHY and DFE1000 groups. Six hours after indomethacin administration, the rats were euthanized with high-dose anesthesia and the experiment was terminated. Macroscopic and microscopic analyses for investigating ulcerative area, molecular and biochemical analyses for oxidative damages investigation and molecular analyses for the effect mechanism of indomethacin and DFE were conducted on stomach tissues in the study. While oxidative stress-associated markers such as MDA, BAX, and Caspase 3 increased dramatically in the indomethacin group, GSH antioxidant levels decreased. It was observed that these parameters were significantly improved in DFE 500 mg/kg and DFE 1000 mg/kg groups compared to ulcer group, and the results of especially DFE 1000 mg/kg group were similar to famotidine group. We observed that our histopathological findings also supported all our other findings. Dragon fruit extract was protected against indomethacin-induced ulcer damage by decreased MDA levels, increased GSH levels, and inhibition of Caspase 3, BAX, and Cox-2, and activation of Cox-1. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: People of all ages around the world suffer from gastric ulcer which is one of the most common gastrointestinal ailments. The etiological factors of the disease are using of cigarette and alcohol, nutritional deficiencies, infections, and using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs which use frequent and indiscriminate. Indomethacin is one of the NSAIDs and is commonly preferred to induce ulcer modeling in rats due to its gastric toxicity potential. Current anti-ulcer drugs have many serious side effects. Patients who suffered from gastric ulcer tend to discontinue the drug because of side effects. Therefore, patients need new agents that are non-toxic, have few side effects, and are easily accessible anti-ulcer drugs. Dragon fruit, as a medicinal herb, is highly valuable and widely used in traditional medicine, and may provide gastroprotective activity. Studies have shown that H. polyrhizus has antioxidant activities. We consider the effects of dragon fruit extract (DFE) to be a therapeutic drug for an indomethacin-induced ulcer model.

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Red dragon fruit is rich in health-benefited betacyanins that are susceptible to degradation. The present study was to improve the fermented red dragon fruit drink (FRDFD) betacyanins stability by incorporating hydrocolloids solution of xanthan gum (XG, 0.15-0.30%, w/v) and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC, 0.3-0.5%, w/v) to produce Improved-FRDFD-dH2O. Results revealed the viscosities of all samples were significantly increased as the hydrocolloids concentration increased. All the samples' pH, aw, total soluble solids (TSS) and betacyanins content were not significantly affected by the hydrocolloids solution added. After four-week storage (25 °C), the formulation of 0.3% XG and 0.5% CMC had significantly reduced the betacyanins degradation from 60.55% to 30.66%. Meanwhile, all samples added with 0.3% XG and 0.3-0.5% CMC remained no significant change in viscosity, pH, aw and TSS after storage. These conclude the hydrocolloids solution of 0.3% XG and 0.5% CMC successfully stabilise the betacyanins in the FRDFD at 25 °C over four-week storage.

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Red dragon fruit peel, as a fruit waste, is rich in plant-based nutritional pectins that can be applied as food additives. The present study aims to characterize a novel phosphorylated red dragon fruit peel pectin (PRDFP-P) and to explore its functional activities. The thermal analysis, morphology analysis, antibacterial, antioxidant and antitumor activities of PRDFP-P were evaluated. The results showed that the phosphorylated derivative PRDFP-P had typical phosphate groups. Compared with the native red dragon fruit peel pectin (PRDFP), PRDFP-P possessed superior thermal stability and exhibited significant inhibition effects on Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Moreover, the phosphate groups on the derivative PRDFP-P chains remarkably enhanced the scavenging ability of hydroxyl radicals and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals. In addition, PRDFP-P showed a significant inhibition effect on growth of human hepatic carcinoma cells (HepG2) and the IC50 value was determined to be 248.69 µg/mL (P < 0.05). Our results suggested that the phosphorylated derivative PRDFP-P might be potentially applied as stabilizing, thickening and gelling agents with functional activities in the food industry.

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Natural betalains can be potential food additives because of their antioxidant activities, but they have poor thermal stability. In this study, betalains were extracted from red dragon fruit peel, and then encapsulated with maltodextrin by ultrasound method to increase the physicochemical properties of betalains microcapsules. The encapsulation efficiency of the betalains was above 79%, and the particle size and Zeta potential values were 275.46 nm and -29.01 mV, respectively. Compared to the control sample, onset temperature and DPPH free radical scavenging of betalains microcapsules under the modest ultrasound treatment (200 W, 5 min) was increased by 1.6 °C and 12.24%, respectively. This increase could be due to the ability of ultrasonification to create interactions between maltodextrin and betalains (as evidenced by FT-IR). Therefore, modest ultrasound treatment can be used for microcapsulation to improve the stability of betalains, and then expand the application of betalains in heat processed food field.

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A study was conducted to concentrate the betacyanin in red pitahaya extracts by removing the coexisting sugars by fermentation. Four lactic acid bacteria (Lactobacillus acidophilus, L. casei, L. rhamnosus and L. plantarum) and a yeast species (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) were screened to determine their efficiency to reduce sugar content in red pitahaya extracts for concentration of their betacyanin content. A reduction of sugar content (19.8-56.4%) and increase in the yield of betacyanins were observed in all extracts as compared to the control, which was not innoculated with any microorganisms after 1 day of fermentation. The lowest total sugar content (26.40 g/L) was observed in extracts fermented by S. cerevisiae. Extracts fermented by S. cerevisiae also showed greater numbers of microbial cells (10.75 log CFU/mL) and a lower pH value (3.54) compared to those (6.89-8.48 log CFU/mL and pH 4.64-5.42) of the Lactobacillus spp. after 1 day of fermentation. An optimization step using response surface methodology (RSM) was then conducted using S. cerevisiae. Temperature, time and agitation speed were found to have a significant effect on the total sugar content and BC of concentrated betacyanins from red pitahaya, while the yield of betacyanins was significantly influenced by temperature and agitation speed. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13197-021-05116-2.

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Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) plants fix CO2 at night, exhibiting a reversed regulatory pattern of metabolomic pathways compared with most model plants, which have C3 and C4 pathways. In this study, we used a valuable tropic fruit, red dragon fruit (Hylocereus polyrhizus), as model plant to identify and analyze the circadian regulation genes. Due to the absence of red dragon fruit's whole-genome dataset, we established a full-length transcriptome dataset using single-molecule real-time (SMRT) sequencing method. A 7.66-Gb dataset with 4,552,474 subreads was generated, with an average length of 1,683 bp and an N50 of 2,446 bp. Using this dataset, we identified center oscillator genes: CCA1 (CIRCADIAN CLOCK ASSOCIATED1), ELF3 (EARLY FLOWERING 3), GI (GIGANTEA), LHY (LATE ELONGATED HYPOCOTYL), LNK1 (NIGHT LIGHT-INDUCIBLE AND CLOCK-REGULATED 1), and TOC1 (TIMING OF CAB EXPRESSION 1); a gene for the input pathway: CRY1 (CRYPTOCHROME); a gene for the output pathway: CO (CONSTANS); and genes related to the CAM pathway: MDH (MALATE DEHYDROGENASE), ME (MALIC ENZYMES), and PPDK (PYRUVATE PHOSPHATE DIKINASE). We further established the 24-h rhythmic expression pattern of these genes and classified these into three groups: HpCCA1, HpELF3, HpLHY, HpLNK1, and HpGI have expression peaks during the day; HpTOC1, HpCO, and HpCRY1 have highest expression levels at night; The genes involved in the CAM pathways, namely, HpMDH, HpME1, and HpPPDK, have double expression peaks in the day and night. Comparison of these expression patterns between red dragon fruit and model plants could provide clues in understanding the circadian clock regulation and the activity of the CAM pathways in cactus plants.

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The effect of solvent, substrate-to-solvent ratio and concentration of pectinase on the extraction of betacyanins from the pulp of red pitahaya (Hylocereus polyrhizus) was evaluated with respect to yield, betacyanin content (BC) and total sugar content. The application of betacyanins from red pitahaya in ice cream was then evaluated by comparison to a commercial colourant, E-162. Without the use of pectinase, the highest yields (9.11 ± 0.35%) of betacyanins were obtained using 95% ethanol at a substrate-to-solvent ratio of 1:1. With the use of pectinase at a concentration of 1.5%, the highest yield (17.11-17.45%) of betacyanins were obtained using water as a solvent at a substrate-to-solvent ratio of 1:1 and 1:2. Pectinase treatment (1.5-2.5%) using water as a solvent yielded betacyanins with the highest BC (126.47-130.83 g kg-1) and lowest total sugar content (57.85-59.74 g kg-1). The BC and total colour changes were similar in ice cream containing betacyanins from red pitahaya and E-162 throughout the 21-days of frozen storage at -18 °C. Betacyanins from red pitahaya or E-162 enhanced the antioxidant properties of ice cream. The sensory evaluation of ice cream containing betacyanins from red pitahaya showed a better colour acceptability than E-162.

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Hydrophobic curcumin in temulawak extract and hydrophilic betacyanin in red dragon fruit extract are high-value bioactive compounds with extensive applications in functional food. In this study, these extracts were encapsulated in water-in-oil-in-water (w/o/w) nanoemulsions as a delivery system using a two-step high-energy emulsification method. PGPR and Span 20 were used as lipophilic emulsifiers for the primary w/o emulsion. The most stable w/o/w formulation with the least oil phase separation of 5% v/v consisted of w/o emulsion (15% w/w) and Tween 80 (1.5% w/w) as hydrophilic emulsifier. The formulation was characterized by a 189-nm mean droplet diameter, 0.16 polydispersity index, and -32 mV zeta potential. The freeze-thaw stability may be attributed to the combination of low w/o emulsion content and high Tween 80 concentration in the outer water phase of the w/o/w nanoemulsions used in this study. The IC50 values of the nanoemulsion and the red dragon fruit extract were similar. It means that the higher concentration of curcumin in the nanoemulsions and the lower IC50 value of temulawak extract ensured sufficient antioxidant activities of the w/o/w nanoemulsions.

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Background: Prolonged activation of skeletal muscles causes a decrease in the production of fatigue. Exercise with strenuous intensity causes an increase in Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS). An increase in free radicals causes oxidative stress resulting in damage to cell function to mitochondrial dysfunction, and fatigue. This study aimed to determine the antioxidant potential of red dragon fruit (RDF) to delay fatigue due to oxidative stress, which improves cell function in mitochondria. Methods: 25 male rats (Rattus norvegicus) aged three months were divided into five groups: Group K1 was N.A. (No Activity) but drinking and eating; Group K2 performed strenuous exercise without RDF treatment; Groups 3, 4, and 5 (P1, P2 and P3, respectively) performed strenuous exercise and were treated with 75 mg kg -1.bw, 150 mg kg -1.bw, and 300 mg kg -1.bw of RDF extract, respectively. The exercise for the rats involved intense swimming for 20 minutes every day, four days a week for 31 days.  Malondialdehyde (MDA) was measured with the ELISA and histopathology for muscle soleus and lung tissue. Results: Strenuous exercise followed by RDF extract ingestion was compared for fatigue in terms of duration and time; before (24.55±1.38 minute) and after (95.31±7.82 minute) and led to a significant difference of 39% (p<0.01). The study also compared MDA before and after RDF extract ingestion in the K2 vs. the P1 group (p<0.05). At the same time, P2 differed more significantly (p<0.01). This indicated a spread of free radicals and featured histopathological damage of muscle cells. However, ingestion of RDF extract leads to improvement of soleus muscle cells; thus, repairs cell function, delaying fatigue. Conclusion: This study confirmed that strenuous exercise, which causes an increase in ROS, intensifies free radicals with RDF extract ingestion and declines oxidative stress, repairing cell function and delaying fatigue.

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This study investigated the antiviral activity of betacyanins from red pitahaya (Hylocereus polyrhizus) and red spinach (Amaranthus dubius) against dengue virus type 2 (DENV-2). The pulp of red pitahaya and the leaves of red spinach were extracted using methanol followed by sub-fractionation and Amberlite XAD16N column chromatography to obtain betacyanin fractions. The half maximum cytotoxicity concentration for betacyanin fractions from red pitahaya and red spinach on Vero cells were 4.346 and 2.287 mg ml-1, respectively. The half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of betacyanin fraction from red pitahaya was 125.8 µg ml-1 with selectivity index (SI) of 5.8. For betacyanin fraction from red spinach, the IC50 value was 14.62 µg ml-1 with SI of 28.51. Using the maximum non-toxic betacyanin concentration, direct virucidal effect against DENV-2 was obtained from betacyanin fraction from red pitahaya (IC50 of 126.70 µg ml-1; 95.0 % virus inhibition) and red spinach (IC50 value of 106.80 µg ml-1; 65.9 % of virus inhibition). Betacyanin fractions from red pitahaya and red spinach inhibited DENV-2 in vitro.