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This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the correlation between nutritional status, cognitive function and daytime sleepiness of schoolchildren in Kuala Nerus, Terengganu. It involved 85 schoolchildren aged 9 to 12 years. Nutritional status was determined through anthropometric measurements, biochemical analyses for hemoglobin, urinalysis and urinary iodine concentration (UIC). While cognitive performance was tested using Raven’s Colored Progressive Matrices (R-CPM). The daytime sleepiness of the respondents was assessed using the Pediatric Daytime Sleepiness Scale (PDSS). It was found that 16.5% of the respondents were stunted while 4.7%, 12.9% and 17.7% were obese, overweight and wasted, respectively. In addition, 37.7% of the respondents were anemic and the median UIC was 177.0 µg/l, which was categorized as normal for children. The majority (37.6%) of the respondents had an average cognitive level. Furthermore, the mean for daytime sleepiness based on PDSS score for overall respondents was categorized under an average level that was 14.1 score. In the present research, results found that all of the factors examined in this study were not correlated with respondents’ cognitive function. As the majority of the children had average to low levels of cognitive functions, it is recommended to investigate further factors associated with cognitive functions and, subsequently, to design and deliver appropriate intervention.

Kefir is a fermented milk obtained by fermenting milk with kefir grains. The chemical composition of dairy and non-dairy sources may affect the growth and characterisation of lactic acid bacteria (LAB). In this study, different sources of milk (cow milk) and non-dairy milk (soymilk and coconut milk) were used as the fermentation media for kefir products. The objectives of the study were to isolate and characterise LAB from kefir drink produced from dairy and non-dairy milk. LAB was isolated using different cultural methods, such as MRS Agar, MRS with 0.8% CaCO3, and M17 Agar. The characteristics of the LAB isolates were determined using morphological, biochemical tests and the API 50 CHL kit. The physicochemical composition of the samples was determined using titratable acidity and pH level. Sensory evaluation of the kefir drink samples was also carried out. Results confirmed that the isolates were identified as Lactobacillus buchneri, Lactobacillus brevis 1, Leuconostoc mesenteroides, Lactobacillus acidophilus 3 and Lactobacillus plantarum 1. The L. buchneri, L. brevis, Leu. mesenteroides and L. acidophilus are heterofermentative bacteria, whereas L. plantarum is a homofermentative bacterium. Four LAB isolates have the potential to be used as probiotic strains due to their high resistant to low pH and bile salt. The sensory scores of these products range between 5.00 and 8.00 in the 9-point hedonic scale. Most of the sensory panelists preferred cow milk kefir (p < 0.05) compared with coconut milk kefir and soy milk kefir during the sensory evaluation of all attributes. Meanwhile, the preference between coconut milk kefir and soy milk kefir was similar (p>0.05) in all attributes. Therefore, this study will be useful for probiotic manufacturers in the production of alternative probiotic drinks using dairy and non-dairy milk.

Ice cream is a favorite dessert for many societies around the world. Eating ice can increase the feeling of fun, enjoyment as well as happiness to individuals. As such, not only it is loved by the youngsters, it is also loved by the elders. A good average calorie for an ice cream is approximately 200 kcal/100g. However, adding more sugar into the ice cream for consumption beyond the limit may cause several health diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and even organ failures. In Malaysia, its ice cream market had increased from RM 795.9 million in 2017 to 3.43 per cent in 2018. Putting the increasing trend and health risks into the equation, in order to ensure that ice cream remains enjoyable by people of all age groups and health backgrounds, the creation of a healthy ice cream formula is necessary. This empirical study investigated customer consumption trend on healthy ice cream, assessed customer perception and proposed marketing strategy to promote the consumption of healthy ice cream. This study had successfully developed customer consumption trends profile on healthy ice cream and assisted local marketers to design marketing strategy on healthy ice cream “brands” in Malaysia.

Roselle has a brilliant red colour, high in vitamins and has a unique flavour that makes it suitable for juice production. Meanwhile, Gum Arabic (GA) is the edible dried exudate attained from stem and branch of Acacia senegal that contains high dietary fibre which can serve as prebiotic. Therefore, the application of GA into roselle juice might promote health benefits to consumers. GA is categorised as hydrocolloid and its application might affect important properties and acceptability towards the product. Hence, this study was conducted to investigate the effect of different concentrations of Gum Arabic (GA, Acacia senegal) addition (0%, 2%, 4% and 6%) on physicochemical properties and sensory acceptability of roselle juice. Increasing the GA concentration resulted in increased pH, total soluble solids, viscosity and turbidity values of roselle juice (p