Browsing by Author "RATHNAYAKA, R.M.S.D."

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    COMPLIANCE TO INTERNATIONAL FOOD SAFETY REGULATIONS: IN THE TEA INDUSTRY OF SRI LANKA
    (Uva Wellassa University of Sri Lanka, 2010) RATHNAYAKA, R.M.S.D.
    Tea is the second most popular drink in the world after water. Although Sri Lanka has been producing and exporting tea for over 125 years, sufficient attention has not been paid to marketing aspects of tea. In addition to conventional tea production, the percentage of value addition has to be gradually increased to cater the changing global consumer requirements. Assurance of quality is a form of value addition to tea, which guarantees production quality and safety standards to consumers. The subject of food safety has at present caused a great concern, from recent past Japan and European Union have stipulated the Maximum Residue Level (MRL) for various pesticides which are used in tea fields. Therefore our concerted efforts have to be made to avoid all possible ways of build-up of residues in made tea. The study was aimed to assess the current situation of tea industry (in the field level) with respect to international food safety regulations of tea — MRL and to identify the barriers that inhibit the adoption of recommended practices on MRL. A questionnaire based survey was carried out to collect the data from random sample of 45 tea small holders and 15 tea estates in Kandy district. Descriptive statistical analyze method was used to determine the status of adoption of MRL while Multiple Linear Regression was used to find out the relationship between the level of adoption and other explanatory variables. Result revealed that the adoption of recommended practices on MRL of tea small holders was significantly determined by the farming experience, education level of tea small holder, awareness on MRL and use of hired labour for tea farming. Further it was revealed that awareness on MRL, working experience of the estate manager and company ownership largely contributes to the process of adoption to the MRL by tea estates. The most important constraints perceived by both tea small holders and estate sector are lack of information on MRL and lack of labour. Key Words — International Food Safety Regulations, Maximum Residue Level, Adoption, Recommended practices on MRL
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    EXTRACTION OF BIOACTIVE COMPOUNDS FROM Sonneratia caseolaris FRUIT AND IDENTIFY ITS POTENTIAL PROPERTIES
    (Uva Wellassa University of Sri Lanka, 2017) RATHNAYAKA, R.M.S.D.
    Mangrove plants are broadly used in Ayurveda medicines for its biochemical properties. Secondary metabolites which produce by these plants have shown antioxidant, antibacterial, metal chelation and antidiabetic activity. But the activities of the Sonneratia caseolaris (Kirala) fruit is less studied in Sri Lanka. Objective of this study was to isolate bioactive compounds from Sonneratia caseolaris fruit and identify its potential biochemical properties. Medium size (4-6 cm), 60-75% ripen fruits were collected from Benthara, Sri Lanka. Fruits were blend with water and ethanol and kept at 4 °C overnight. Extractions were dialysis to remove the solvents and all samples were lyophilized. Antimicrobial activity was determined by inhibition of locally isolated Escherichia coli (E. coli) strains. All treatments were replicated (n=3). Antibacterial assay was done for prepared concentration series. E. coli were sub cultured using EC broth. Inhibition of E. coli was determined using EMB agar well diffusion method and as the positive and negative controls Augmentin (0.00 1ppm) and distilled water. Anti-diabetic activity was determined by a-amylase inhibition assay (a-amylase-13U). Anti-oxidation activity was determined using DPPH (1,1-dipheny1-2-picrylhydrazyl) assay. Metal chelation activity determined by ferrous chelation and ferrozinc method was used. Total phenol content and anthocyanin content were measured. By comparing the results obtained ethanol extraction showed high inhibition than water extraction against E. coli. In antidiabetic determination assay ethanol extracted liquid sample show the highest amylase inhibition. Even the inhibition showed a higher value in lower concentrations such as 100 ppm (80%). All sample have strong anti-oxidative activity and fruit contain high phenol and anthocyanin content. As the conclusion, Kirala fruit extracts can be used as potential drug and food purposes, and further studies required to chemically characterize the active compounds. Keywords: Sonneratia caseolaris, Antimicrobial activity, Anti-diabetic activity, Antioxidative activity, Total phenol content, Anthocyanin, Ferrous chelation