Judul: Characterization of Umami Fractions Obtained from Spirulina platensis and Its Acid Hydrolysate
Abstrak: Spirulina platensis is known as unicellular and fibrous blue-green phytoplankton which grows in both fresh and saltwater through photosynthesis. Spirulina platensis has high reproductive power because biomass can reach 20 times the initial weight within 4-6 days after cultivation. Dried Spirulina platensis has been consumed as a nutraceutical dietary supplement due to its health benefits. Spirulina platensis powder contains high protein which is dominated by glutamic acid. Due to its composition, Spirulina platensis exhibits a fairly high development potential for the umami material. This research is the first research to explore the umami compounds from Spirulina platensis. Hydrolyzed foods commonly have higher umami taste intensity than unhydrolyzed food, for example, the hydrolyze soybeans with strong acid such as acid-hydrolyzed vegetable protein (aHVP) have a much stronger umami taste. In this research, the Spirulina platensis was also hydrolyzed with strong acid to produce simple peptides and free amino acids that may increase the umami taste intensity. To identify the umami compounds, the water soluble extracts (WSEs) of unhydrolyzed and hydrolyzed Spirulina platensis were fractionated using ultrafiltration membrane and gel filtration chromatography. Determination of umami taste intensity in WSEs, ultrafiltration fractions, and chromatography fractions was carried out through the sensory evaluation using the taste dilution analysis (TDA). The analyses of SDS PAGE, pH, total salt, total sugar, total soluble protein, total peptide and amino acid, RP-HPLC profile, organic acid composition, amino acid composition, and peptide sequencing were carried out to determine some simple peptides that contribute to the umami taste in Spirulina platensis. The result showed that hydrolyzed WSE had umami intensity twice higher (DF = 1024) than unhydrolyzed WSE (DF = 512). Each WSE was fractionated using an ultrafiltration membrane (MWCO 3000 Da) to obtain two ultrafiltration fractions, < 3000 Da and > 3000 Da. The ultrafiltration fraction < 3000 Da of hydrolyzed WSE had four times (DF = 1024) higher umami intensity than another fraction, > 3000 Da (DF = 256). On the other hand, the ultrafiltration fraction < 3000 Da of unhydrolyzed WSE had twice (DF = 512) higher umami intensity than fraction > 3000 Da (DF = 256). The chemical composition, especially total peptide and amino acid was more abundant in the ultrafiltration fractions < 3000 Da compared with ultrafiltration fractions > 3000 Da in both treatments. Therefore, the peptides with molecular weight less than 3000 Da have the potential to give the umami taste in algal hydrolyzate. Both ultrafiltration fractions < 3000 Da were fractionated using a gel filtration chromatography (Sephadex-G25). The hydrolyzed fraction was separated into four chromatography fractions (H1, H2, H3, and H4) while the unhydrolyzed fraction was separated into three chromatography fractions (U1, U2,and U3). The umami fraction H2 and U3 had rich in salt with DF umami 512 and 256 which mean that they had high umami intensity. The free glutamic acid concentrations of fraction H2 and U3 were about 3 and 1,5 times higher than the glutamic acid threshold, however, their intensity of the umami taste can reach up to 256 and 512 times. This result indicated the role of peptides or other components
Keyword: algae, chromatography, hydrolysate, Spirulina platensis, umami peptide, umami taste

Judul: Chemical Characterization of Fermented Spirulina and Screening of Metabolic Compounds Produced by it
Abstrak: Spirulina platensis dapat menstimulasi pertumbuhan mikroba non patogenik. Penelitian sebelumnya menunjukkan Spirulina fermentasi memiliki karakteristik kimiawi dan aktivitas antioksidan. Pengeringan beku (liofilisasi) dilakukan dan digunakan dalam penelitian ini. Penelitian bertujuan menentukan karakteristik kimiawi dan penapisan senyawa metabolit dari Spirulina fermentasi setelah liofilisasi. Spirulina fermentasi liofilisasi memiliki nilai pH 4,15 ± 0,00, total asam tertitrasi (TAT) 11,96 ± 0,00 %, dan total bakteri asam laktat (BAL) <2,5 × 101 ± 0,00. Spirulina fermentasi mengandung komponen aktif flavonoid, steroid, tanin, saponin dan fenol hidrokuinon, serta negatif alkaloid. Penapisan senyawa metabolit menggunakan LC-MS/MS menghasilkan 88 senyawa, terdiri dari golongan terpen atau terpenoid, fenolik, dan alkaloid, serta kelompok asam amino, asam lemak, asam organik, natural pigmen, gula dan kelompok lainnya. Senyawa dominan teridentifikasi diantaranya propenyl pyrazine, ribonic acid, pyroglutamic acid, phenyllactic acid, 1,2-cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid, didecyl ester, cis-caftaric acid, malic acid, 1,2-cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid, cyclohexylmethylnonyl ester, dan gallic acid., Spirulina platensis can stimulate the growth of non-pathogenic microbes. Previous studies have shown that lyophilized fermented Spirulina and Spirulina biomass have antioxidant activity. The study aims to determine the chemical characteristics and screening of metabolites produced by lyophilized fermented Spirulina and Spirulina biomass. Lyophilized fermented Spirulina had a pH value of 4,15 ± 0,00, total titrated acid (TAT) 11,96 ± 0,00%, and total lactic acid bacteria (LAB) < 2,5 × 101 ± 0,00. Fermented Spirulina contains active components of flavonoids, steroids, tannins, saponins and phenol hydroquinone, as well as negative alkaloids. Screening of metabolites using LC-MS/MS resulted in 88 compounds, consisting of terpenes or terpenoids, phenolics, and alkaloids, as well as groups of amino acids, fatty acids, organic acids, natural pigments, sugars and other groups. The dominant compounds identified were propenyl pyrazine, ribonic acid, pyroglutamic acid, phenyllactic acid, 1,2- cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid, didecyl ester, cis-caftaric acid, malic acid, 1,2- cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid, cyclohexylmethylnonyl ester, and gallic acid.
Keyword: Lactobacillus plantarum SK (5), Spirulina, metabolomic, metabolites

Judul: Kerusakan bantalan rel kereta api di wilaya inspeksi 2 jalan dan bangunan perusahaan jawatan kereta api (pjka),cirebon
Abstrak: Kereta api merupakan salah satu sarana angkutan yang murah, cepat dan aman serta dapat mengangkut barang dalam jumlah besar. Kelancaran operasi sarana angkutan tersebut banyak ditentukan oleh kondisi jalan rel, termasuk kondisi bantalannya. Dalam hal ini bantalan rel kereta api dapat dibuat dari kayu, logam, atau beton. Namun demikian kayu merupakan bahan yang paling banyak digunakan sebagai pembuat bantalan rel kereta api di berbagai negara. Kenyataan menunjukkan bahwa kayu yang digunakan sebagai bantalan rel kereta api sering mengalami berbagai macam kerusakan yang menyebabkan bantalan tidak berfungsi lagi atau menurun fungsinya. Di Indonesia, informasi mengenai jenis dan tingkat kerusakan bantalan kayu masih sangat kurang, pada- hal informasi tersebut sangat penting sebagai dasar pertimbangan dalam rangka pemeliharaan jalan kereta api, agar umur pakainya (service life) lebih lama.
Keyword: bantalan rel