Development of an Optimised Functional Food Enriched with Phenolic and Flavonoid Compounds from Moringa Oleifera leaves, Kefir Milk and Tualang honey Using Response Surface Methodology

Abstract

Moringa oleifera, kefir milk, and Tualang honey are widely used as key ingredients for functional foods. Despite their high levels of polyphenols and flavonoids, the synergistic biological effects of their combination have not been extensively studied. The study aimed to develop optimised functional beverage formulations combining M. oleifera, kefir milk, and Tualang honey (MKT) with enhanced total phenolic and flavonoid content. The response surface methodology (RSM) based on a 3 factorial (33) Box-Behnken design (BBD) was used to determine the experimental design and the optimal ratio of the three ingredients.