[2]
Problem to be Addressed
This project is being prompted by the need to develop value-added
agricultural products to augment the flagging
industries in traditional agricultural crops such
as sugar and bananas. The nutraceuticals industry
is based largely on the provision of scientific
evidence to substantiate health claims. To date,
very little scientific information has been
recorded on turmeric grown in Jamaica. Quality
control is of extreme importance to assure
consistent customer satisfaction with the products
with respect to the quantity of the active
ingredients. This project will serve to form the
basis of research to determine the suitability for
export of the varieties of turmeric grown in the
island. This information will put Jamaica in a
position to take full advantage of the
nutraceutical market available for turmeric.
Overall Goal and Purpose of the Project
The project is to be conducted in two main phases. Phase one is
designed to determine the quality of our local
turmeric and analyse how it compares with
internationally accepted produce. This will form a
scientific basis on which to explore the potential
of this crop as a nutraceutical. Bioassay work
conducted on our products will provide evidence of
the efficacy of Jamaican grown turmeric.
Phase two of the project will
involve the purchase of small-scale equipment for
the production and analysis of tablets from the
powder. A complete market and product assessment
will be required to support product development
for the international market.
Boundaries of the Project
The major components of the project are:
1) The investigation of local varieties of
turmeric collected from different locations,
2)
The assay of products from local varieties,
3)
The determination of a market for
value-added products from local varieties.
It
is anticipated that the information obtained will
be sold to clients in a technology package. The
responsibility for quality control for the new
nutraceutical industry that would develop would be
that of the Scientific Research Council (SRC).
This would produce revenue for the nation and the
Natural Products Unit of the SRC.
Methodology/ Implementation Plan
The experimental analyses
will be conducted in triplicate on fresh and dried
samples. Solar drying will occur over an 8 - 10
day period and will be effected after boiling of
the root for one hour in a mild alkaline solution.
Moisture content analyses will be conducted on the
fresh and dried samples.
The
curcumin content of the samples will be determined
by one or more of the methods below:
1)
Spectrophotometric method (ISO 5566:1982)
utilizing a spectrophotometer capable of measuring
an absorbance of 425 nm.
2)
Spectrophotometric method (ASTA Analytical
Method) utilizing a spectrophotometer capable of
measuring an absorbance of 415 - 425 nm.
3)
HPLC method.
The oil will be solvent-
extracted with hexane or petroleum ether. The oil
yield will be determined and samples analysed by
GCMS or HPLC for the concentration of the active
ingredient.
The oleoresin will be
extracted from both fresh and dried samples by
means of hot percolation, cold percolation and
soxhlet extraction. Extractions will be effected
with different solvents such as ethanol and
acetone in order to determine the ideal solvent(s)
for the isolation of the active components.
Crystallization of the
curcuminoids will be effected with varying
solvents and the most effective system determined
by literature review and trial and error. Tablets
and gel capsules will be made from the product by
methods to be determined based on equipment
resources currently available as well as those
that will be sourced.
The powder will be obtained
by milling dried samples of the root. The moisture
content of the sieved powder will be determined by
the ISO entrainment method. Analyses of the powder
for ash and starch content as well as the presence
of microbes will be conducted at ICAS.
Expertise within the Unit would facilitate the
major portion of the experimental work.
Collaboration with the Josephine Ford Cancer
Institute would facilitate the anti-cancer
screens. Preliminary clinical studies would be
undertaken with other collaborators to be
identified.
Many of the activities outlined will run
concurrently. The implementation plan is attached
in Appendix A.
Activity Time frame/Weeks
Literature Review
........................................................................................................4
Information on Islandwide Distribution/Cultivation
............................................................2
Collection/ Preparation of Turmeric (9 locations)
...........................................................12
Extraction of oil (triplicate analyses)
............................................................................16
Analysis of oil
............................................................................................................18
Extraction of oleoresin (fresh and dried samples, triplicate analyses)
..............................16
Comprehensive analysis of oleoresin
............................................................................18
Crystallization of oleoresin
...........................................................................................18
Comprehensive analysis of crystals
..............................................................................24
Encapsulation of actives (curcuminoids)
........................................................................24
HPLC analysis of encapsulated products
.......................................................................24
Powder formulation
......................................................................................................14
Comprehensive analysis of powder
................................................................................18
Procurement and analysis of sample from a major Turmeric-producing country
..................12
Procurement and analysis of Turmeric product available on the market
.............................12
Bioassay of products (oil, powder and oleoresin)
.............................................................32
Preliminary clinical study of products for efficacy
.............................................................24
The equipment requirements of the project are outlined in Table 1.
Table 1 Major equipment and material
required for Turmeric project
|
Turmeric Product |
Equipment/ Supplies
required |
Analyses required |
|
Turmeric oil |
Turmerone standard |
GC Profile |
|
GCMS Profile |
|
Turmeric Powder |
Grinding mill |
HPLC |
|
Moisture content |
|
Total Ash |
|
Acid-insoluble ash |
|
Starch |
|
Heavy metals |
|
Microbes (Yeasts, fungi,
moulds) |
|
Solubility in water |
|
Solubility in ethanol |
|
Turmeric Oleoresin |
Supercritical Fluid
Extractor |
Solvent residue testing |
|
Ethanol |
HPLC |
|
Acetone |
|
Hexane |
|
Ethyl acetate |
|
Curcuminoids |
Ethanol |
HPLC |
|
UV |
|
Encapsulated curcuminoids |
Tablet Press |
HPLC |
|
Gel capsules |
|
Acetic Acid |
|
Gelatin |
Financial Requirements
The
successful implementation of the project will
require that the equipment and supplies outlined
above be purchased. Services that the Natural
Products Unit is unable to provide will be
outsourced and is included in the budget. An
outline of the budgetary requirements for the
project is attached in Appendix B (Tables 2-4).
