Comparison of the Chemical Composition, Thermal Behaviour and Bioactive Properties of Durian Rind Polysaccharides from Different Varieties of Durian

Lim, Sin Yee (2026) Comparison of the Chemical Composition, Thermal Behaviour and Bioactive Properties of Durian Rind Polysaccharides from Different Varieties of Durian. Final Year Project (Bachelor), Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology.

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Abstract

skin whitening properties, which composed more than half of the total weight of durian that had produced massive waste to the environment. The novelty of the project is providing a comprehensive comparative analysis of the chemical composition, thermal behavior, and bioactive properties of durian rind polysaccharides from different durian species, addressing a critical knowledge gap by identifying varietal influences on antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and skin-whitening activities to optimize the selection of durian varieties for bioactive compound extraction. The objective of this study is to determine chemical composition, thermal behavior and bioactive properties of durian rind polysaccharide derived from different durian species and correlation between chemical and bioactive properties of durian rind polysaccharide. Crude durian rind polysaccharide was prepared using enzymatic-assisted ultrasound hot water extraction then underwent chemical, thermal and bioactivity analysis. In the precipitation process, two fragments (floating and sediment) were obtained within the same species. The results demonstrated total sugar content in MKU (floating fragment of Musang King variant) lower than others which share a similar amount and in reducing sugar BTL (sediment fragment of Black Thorn variant) showed highest followed by BTU (floating fragment of Black Thorn variant) and MKL (sediment fragment of Musang King variant) then MKU. All 4 fractions contain a range from 12-15mg/g of monosaccharides. FTIR analysis confirmed the presence of pectin-rich heteropolysaccharides with characteristic functional groups including methyl-esterified galacturonic acid residues and associated phenolics, supporting their potent biological activities. The results demonstrated that Black Thorn polysaccharides exhibited significantly higher yields, total phenolic content (TPC), and total flavonoid content (TFC) compared to Musang King. Thermal analysis (TGA and DSC) indicated comparable stability across species, proving feasible industrial application. Meanwhile, antioxidant activities as measured by ABTS, DPPH, and FRAP assays showed Black thorn consistently higher than Musang King. In terms of skin whitening properties, Black Thorn showed greater effect than Musang King conversely Musang King exhibited stronger anti-inflammatory. TPC and TFC show strong positive correlation with antioxidant activity. Anti-tyrosinase activity, relevant to skin-whitening potential, correlated strongly with TFC. However, anti-inflammatory activity showed non-significant correlations with polyphenol and flavonoid content, suggesting enzyme inhibition may involve distinct molecular interactions. These findings indicate species and extraction-fraction dependent variations significantly influence the quality and functionality of durian rind polysaccharides. The Black Thorn cultivar, especially sediment fractions, emerged as promising sources of bioactive compounds for potential applications in food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries. Further research is recommended to optimize extraction protocols and expand bioactivity characterization to fully exploit durian rind’s by-product potential.