Introduction
The research focus area is functional food and analytical food chemistry. The current project is on the Updates of Malaysian Food Composition Database. Other projects are on the Malaysian Edible Bird's Nest nutritional values and its effect on certain important cells in the body; food safety research on the utilization of commercial sanitizers against native microflora of mung bean seeds and sprouts, determination of biogenic amines levels and microbial contamination in local fish-based food and identifying best manufacturing practices to reduce biogenic amines levels and contaminants.
Routine diagnostic tests such as vitamin A and E in food and serum samples and proximate tests are no longer offered to the public and hospitals. All specialise tests provided are for research purposes only. Table 1 shows the number of tests for food and serum analysis done including food proximate composition, minerals, vitamin A and E in serum, urinary iodine and rapid test kits from 2009 to 2010.
Table 1: Food analysis, diagnostic tests and rapid test kit preparation performed by Nutrition Unit in 2009 and 2010.
