Bioactive Swiftlet’s Nest Supplement

BRIEF TECHNOLOGY

Edible bird’s nest (swiftlet’s nest) is made up of glycoproteins. The glycoproteins are converted into glycopeptides using enzymatic technology, which increases its solubility, and in turn, enhances its bioactivities. This technology has been patented (PI 2015702798).

INSPIRATION OF THE INVENTION

EBN are traditionally double-boiled for consumption. Our preliminary studies found that upon double-boiling at different time intervals, the physicochemical properties and biological activities of EBN glycoproteins were altered. Therefore, the double-boiling process alters the chemical structure of the EBN glycoproteins, and thus exhibiting different properties.  Thus, the inspiration of using enzymatic technology to selectively alter the chemical structure were invented. 

PROBLEM STATEMENT & CURRENT ISSUES

EBN glycoproteins are largely insoluble. Its bioavailability is questionable, where after double-boiled, its solubility is at approximately 16% only.

INVENTIVENESS  & NOVELTY

  • This technology converts the water insoluble EBN glycoproteins into highly soluble (>90%) EBN glycopeptides.
  • The EBN glycopeptides have enhanced antioxidative and antihypertensive activities compared to that of the raw EBN glycoproteins. 

USEFULNESS & APPLICATION

  • Due to the solubility of the EBN glycopeptides, its bioavailability improved, and thus, brings enhanced health benefits to consumers.
  • The solubility also facilitate its applications in food and beverage products. This diversifies the potential EBN based products to be introduced to the market.

IMPACT OF THE PRODUCT

This bioactive swiftlet’s nest supplement is a superior product as compared to traditional raw swiftlet nest in terms of natural antihypertensive and antioxidant activities, and is also safe, nutritious and convenient alternative of synthetic bioactive supplement sources.

MARKET POTENTIAL 

  • EBN processing and manufacturing industry
  • Pharmaceutical companies
  • Nutraceutical industry
  • Functional food & beverage industry

TRL :  9

Project Leader : Prof Dr Abdul Salam Babji

Co-Researcher : Prof. Madya Dr Maaruf Abd Ghani, Dr Zalifah Mohd Kasim, Puan Etty Syarmila Ibrahim Khushairay and Puan Nurfatin Mohd Halimi

Dept./Fac./Inst : Department of Food Sciences, Faculty of Science and
  Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia

Expertise : Meat and Protein Science

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Production of Water-Soluble Elastin Peptide Powder

Introducing water-soluble elastin peptide powder from poultry skin, a novel functional ingredient with excellent antioxidative and antihypertensive characteristics for the use in the production of functional food and drinks, anti-aging cosmetics industry, pharmaceutical and regenerative medicine. 

Elastin, a structural, highly cross-linked, insoluble protein is found primarily in connective tissues and normally extracted from bovine neck ligaments, pig's aorta and mouse lungs. As Malaysia is largely self sufficient in Halal poultry meat production, we therefore explored different techniques to extract elastin from this new, Halal source of elastin coming from chicken skin waste and had successfully found the best method of extraction which is non-enzymatic, economical and involved the least chemical and time of extraction. The purity and quality characteristics of the resultant elastin powder were also proven to be comparable to that commercially available elastin from bovine neck ligament with evidence of excellent antioxidative and antihypertensive benefits. To our knowledge, this is the first report on elastin extraction from poultry skin.