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オレオサイエンス

第 21 巻第 8 号（2021）

Commentary by the Winner of the 12th Journal of Oleo ScienceBest Author Award
Radhika Loganathan, PhD1, 21

Nutrition Unit, Product Development and Advisory Services Division, Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB), Malaysia
2
Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Malaysia

It’s an honour to be selected as the recipient of theBest Author Award for the year 2020. I also would liketo acknowledge the journal committee for recognising
our research contribution by offering this award. We
had three articles published in the Journal of Oleo Science in the year 2020 (J. Oleo. Sci., 69 (3): 167-183; J.
Oleo. Sci., 69 (7): 671-676; and J. Oleo. Sci., 69 (10):1163-1179)1-3).
These 3 papers were part of my PhD study. The
main focus of my PhD study was a clinical study thathas been published in the European Journal of ClinicalNutrition4). We evaluated the chronic effect of dietaryconsumption of red palm olein on inflammatory andmetabolic risk markers in abdominally overweight individuals. There were many aspects for us to consider
before the conduct of the human study as our study
was the first human study to look at the usage of red
palm olein as cooking oil to prepare local Malaysian diets. Most of the previous human studies on red palm
oil/olein supplementation have given the oil in the formof pills, bakery products, savouries, traditional sweets
and local snacks.
Red palm olein has got strong colour, taste and aroma. Red palm oil is a rich source of phytonutrientssuch as vitamin E and carotenoids. However, storage
conditions and heating used in cooking techniques canlead to degradation/ loss of these beneficial phytonutrients and altered taste that reduce flavour acceptability.
To preserve the phytonutrients and wholesomeness ofthe oil, the 3 studies published in the Journal of Oleo
Science were conducted before the dietary intervention
to look at storage stability1), thermal stability2) and palatability acceptance3) of red palm olein.
I would like to take the opportunity to thank my coauthors [Prof. Dr Shireene Ratna Vethakkan (main supervisor from the University of Malaya), Dr Teng Kim
Tiu (co-supervisor from MPOB) and Dr Azmil Haizam―Ahmad Tarmizi (co-researcher from MPOB)] and Prof.
Dr Ammu K. Radhakrishnan (co-supervisor fromMonash University) for their fine contribution in the research work and manuscripts editing. Our sincere appreciation is also to the director-general of the MPOB
for the approval of funding and permission to publish
the articles. A big thank you for technical support fromMr Ghazali, Dr Fu Ju Yen and Ms Puvaneswari. We
also would like to thank our research assistants (Fatmawati Othman and Noraqmar Shafie) and practicaltrainees (Nor Hafizah, Azrul Arif, Samantha Ling, Shalini Selvarajah and Arul Moli Manoharan). In particular,
I would love to express my deepest appreciation andgratitude to my husband and family members for theirnever-ending support and encouragement in everything
I do. Thanks again to all those who have contributed.
References
1．Loganathan, R.; Tarmizi, A. H. A.; Vethakkan, S. R.;
Teng, K. T. Storage stability assessment of red
palm olein in comparison to palm olein. J. Oleo. Sci.
69 (10), 1163-1179 (2020).
2．Loganathan, R.; Tarmizi, A. H. A.; Vethakkan, S. R.;
Teng, K. T. Retention of carotenes and vitamin E,
and physico-chemical changes occurring upon heating red palm olein using deep-fat fryer, microwave
oven and conventional oven. J. Oleo. Sci. 69 (3), 167183 (2020).
3．Loganathan, R.; Tarmizi, A. H. A.; Vethakkan, S. R.;
Teng, K. T. Thermal stability and sensory acceptance of cupcakes containing red palm olein. J. Oleo.
Sci. 69 (7), 671-676 (2020).
4．Loganathan, R.; Vethakkan, S. R.; Radhakrishnan, A.
K.; Razak, G. A.; Teng, K. T. Red palm olein supplementation on cytokines, endothelial function and lipid profile in centrally overweight individuals: a randomised controlled trial. Euro. J. Clin. Nutr. 73 (4),609-616 (2018).

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