Lactiplantibacillus Plantarum TAR4 Fermentation Transforming Durian Rind, Sugarcane Leaves, and Corn Leaves into Bioactive Techno-Functional Food Ingredients

Chu, Fang Yan (2026) Lactiplantibacillus Plantarum TAR4 Fermentation Transforming Durian Rind, Sugarcane Leaves, and Corn Leaves into Bioactive Techno-Functional Food Ingredients. Final Year Project (Bachelor), Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology.

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Abstract

The accumulation of agricultural residues such as durian rind (DR), corn leaf (CL), and sugarcane leaf (SL) poses significant environmental impacts in Southeast Asia, where they are often disposed of through open burning. This study aimed to valorize these lignocellulosic residues into techno-functional ingredients using Lactiplantibacillus plantarum TAR4. The research explored the transformation of these low-value materials into extracts suitable for enriching bioactivity and improving sensory characteristics of functional foods. DR, CL, and SL were fermented with L. plantarum TAR4 at 37°C for 24 hours. Followed by ultrasound-assisted extraction to obtain their respective extracts. Fermentation efficacy was monitored through pH reduction and reducing sugar consumption. The resulting extracts were evaluated for total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), ABTS activity, tyrosinase inhibitory activity (skin-whitening potential), prebiotic potential, and promotion of advanced glycation end-product (AGEs) formation. Among the samples, DR extracts contained the highest TPC and TFC and exhibited the strongest ABTS and anti-tyrosinase activity, followed by SL extracts, and lastly CL extracts. Although L. plantarum TAR4 fermentation significantly reduced TPC, TFC, ABTS, and anti-tyrosinase activities in all samples, the prebiotic potential increased significantly (p<0.05). The prebiotic potential of fermented DR and CL extracts was even significantly higher than that of inulin (p<0.05). Additionally, all samples, whether fermented or unfermented, significantly promoted AGEs formation (p<0.05), indicating their potential to facilitate Maillard reactions and contribute to the development of unique sensory attributes. Fermentation significantly enhanced the ability of DR and SL extracts to promote AGEs formation (p<0.05), but reduced this effect in CL extract. In general, fermented DR extract shows great potential as both prebiotic additive and a techno-functional additive for accelerating Maillard reactions during processing, contributing to improved flavor development. Overall, this research provides a viable bioprocessing pathway to reduce agricultural by-products while producing high-value technofunctional ingredients for the functional food industries.