Jackfruit seeds can inhibit cancer

The research results of Umi Kartika Safitri, a student of the Department of Food Science and Technology, Faculty of Agricultural Technology, Bogor Agricultural University (Institut Pertanian Bogor / IPB), found that jackfruit seeds can inhibit colon cancer. "Jackfruit seeds has potential as a prebiotic because it contains polysaccharides and oligosaccharides that can not be digested by digestive enzymes," she said through the IPB's Public Relations Office in Bogor, West Java, on Tuesday, December 10, 2013.

She suggested that colon cancer is the second leading cause of death in the world. The risk factors associated with the colon cancers is a lifestyle, ie diet, body weight, and physical activity. However, she said, the risk of colon cancer can be lowered by increasing the intake of dietary fiber, including prebiotics and probiotics. Fermented milk, one of prebiotics and probiotics products are known to the public.

Jackfruit seeds. (Picture from: http://tenthousandtastebuds.wordpress.com/)

Through research under the guidance of Prof. Dr. Puji Rahayu Winiati, she mentioned jackfruit seeds are prebiotics and during this includes food that has not been exploited by communities. Generally, jackfruit seeds are considered waste and not used further. If there is use it, and usually simply boiled or baked.

She also explained that the jackfruit seeds could stimulate the growth of bacteria "Lactobacillus". Viewing the content of jackfruit seeds, Umi add the sinbiotik fermented milk drink. This fermented milk using two types of lactic acid bacteria, namely "Lactobacillus plantarum" and "Lactobacillus brevis".

She proposed that the jackfruit seeds can be processed into sinbiotik fermented milk as the addition to improve the performance, power savings, and economic value. Fermented milk rich in lactic acid bacteria have a positive effect on health because it can inhibit several species of pathogenic bacteria such as "Salmonella, Listeria" and "Clostridium". In addition, fermented milk containing lactic acid bacteria capable of increasing the action of the enzyme "galactosidase" which facilitate intestinal lactose digestion, improve nutritional quality, lower blood cholesterol levels, prevent cancers and diarrhea.

In the process of the study mentioned that before were made of flour, jackfruit seeds are washed to remove impurities. The jackfruit seeds then boiled in a temperature of 90 degrees Celsius for 10 minutes using a "steam jacket" to remove mucus and facilitate the release of its skin. After that, jackfruit seeds are separated from the skin is still attached using "abrassive peeler", then sliced ​​using a "slicer" into smaller parts to facilitate the drying process.

The drying process is done at a temperature of 60 degrees Celsius for four hours. This drying to reduce the moisture content in the seeds of jackfruit making it easier to grinding. Then do the grinding with "discmill" with the mesh size of 60, then sieved to the size of a hundred so that the end product is not a sandy texture. Yield obtained from the process was 9.66 percent.

In the next stage is the sinbiotik beverages made that begins with the preparation of the starter culture. The bacteria used were "L. plantarum" that has "homofermentatif" nature and "L. brevis" which is "heterofermentatif". Making sinbiotik drinks conducted with eight formula, in which the results of the analysis showed, there is a significant difference between the control -the formula is not added jackfruit seed flour- plus a formula that add with jackfruit seed flour.

It shows, the addition of jackfruit seed flour in the making of sinbiotik beverages increase the amount of Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) on the final product both on the type of bacteria "Lactobacillus plantarum" and "Lactobacillus brevis". The addition of jackfruit seed flour in this study shown to increase total LAB by one log that jackfruit seed flour can be called as a prebiotic.

The increase in total LAB was allegedly due to the addition of nutrients such as protein, fat, and dietary fiber contained in the jackfruit seed flour. Total dietary fiber contained in the jackfruit seed flour was 24.87 percent. During fermentation, lactic acid bacteria utilize nutrients for growth and biosynthesis of the cell.

The main activity of lactic acid bacteria is degrading carbohydrates to produce energy which is used for biomass synthesis. And Umi explained that previous researchers explain the types of products prebiotics and probiotics in animal studies demonstrated there's the colon cancer anticarcinogenic effects that can lower the risk of colon cancer.

In addition, animal studies also showed that "Lactobacillus" and "Bifidobacterium" probiotic bacteria can reduce the amount of abnormal "crypt foci", a "marker" for the risk of developing colon cancer. In addition, the risk of colon cancer can be lowered by increased consumption of dietary fiber -including prebiotics- and probiotics.

Based on the results of the study "in vivo" and "in vitro" before there antitumor activity of probiotic fermented milk on colon cancer. In addition, the results of Darmansyah (2003) study showed that probiotic fermented milk able to inhibit the growth of cancer cells (K-562). Powered by the theory, the formula chosen in this study likely to be used as an alternative product to prevent colon cancer in Indonesia, she said. *** [EKA | FROM VAROUS SOURCES | ANTARA]

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