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There are many blackberry cultivars in Brazil; however, the characteristics and applications of the Cherokee cultivar have not yet been widely studied. For this reason, this research investigated the behaviour of maltodextrin (MD), gum Arabic (GA), and pectin (PEC), as carriers combined in different proportions (20% MD, 15% MD + 5% GA, 15% MD + 5% PEC), on encapsulation of Cherokee blackberry pulp extract obtained by freeze-drying. The results of moisture content (2.73-3.36%), water activity (aw) (0.11–0.15), solubility (52.40–54.11%), hygroscopicity (17.59–21.11%), colour (hue 0.24–0.32), retention of anthocyanins (51.55–60.53%), total phenolic compounds (39.72–70.73 mg GAE/100g), antioxidant activity at 25 mg/mL (77.89–80.02%), IC50 (12.26–14.53), simulated in vitro digestion and morphology were discussed. Concerning morphology, blackberry powders had irregular structures and amorphous structures. Comparatively, the best results were obtained for MD-GA. MD-GA presented the highest content of phenolic compounds (70.73 ± 1.84 mg GAE/100g) and antioxidant activity (80.02%), as well as the lowest IC50 value (12.26). In general, all powders showed an increase in phenolic compounds during in vitro digestion, because of the pH conditions and digestive enzymes present in the simulated digestive fluid. This result shows that the wall material provides protection, since the blackberry rich extract (RE) showed degradation of phenolic compounds in in vitro digestion. In this sense, freeze-drying is a suitable technique for the encapsulation of Cherokee blackberry pulp extract. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The peel of jabuticaba, a small fruit native to Brazil, has been shown to be a potential source of antioxidants and soluble dietary fibers. In this study, flours prepared from these peels were evaluated as a source of pectin. Different extraction methods were employed: ultrasound (US) extraction followed by low temperature heating (40 °C); in a microwave (MW) without (method 1) or with cellulase (method 2) or hemicellulase (method 3); or in a water bath (method 4). Pectin yields ranged from approximately 18% for methods 1 and 4 up to 22% for enzyme-assisted extractions (methods 2 and 3). Methods that did not employ enzymes resulted in low amounts of methoxyl pectins, as opposed to high amounts of methoxyl pectins obtained after enzyme treatment. Cyanidin-3-O-glucoside (C3G) and ellagic acid were the main phenolic compounds found in jabuticaba peel pectins, with higher C3G levels obtained with enzyme-free extraction (methods 1 and 4). All pectins from jabuticaba peel presented a reddish tone, good emulsifying properties and high swelling capacity. The pectin extracted using US+MW+cellulase (method 2) presented better emulsifying performance (higher values of emulsifying activity and emulsion stability), more effective than commercially available citrus pectin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cellulosic ethanol is an alternative for increasing the amount of bioethanol production in the world. In Brazil, sugarcane leads the bioethanol production, and to improve its yield, besides bagasse, sugarcane straw is a possible feedstock. However, the process that leads to cell wall disassembly under field conditions is unknown, and understanding how this happens can improve sugarcane biorefinery and soil quality. In the present work, we aimed at studying how sugarcane straw is degraded in the field after 3, 6, 9, and 12 months. Non-structural and structural carbohydrates, lignin content, ash, and cellulose crystallinity were analyzed. The cell wall composition was determined by cell wall fractionation and determination of monosaccharide composition. Non-structural carbohydrates degraded quickly during the first 3 months in the field. Pectins and lignin remained in the plant waste for up to 12 months, while the hemicelluloses and cellulose decreased 7.4 and 12.4%, respectively. Changes in monosaccharide compositions indicated solubilization of arabinoxylan (xylose and arabinose) and β-glucans (β-1,3 1,4 glucan; after 3 months) followed by degradation of cellulose (after 6 months). Despite cellulose reduction, the xylose:glucose ratio increased, suggesting that glucose is consumed faster than xylose. The degradation and solubilization of the cell wall polysaccharides concomitantly increased the level of compounds related to recalcitrance, which led to a reduction in saccharification and an increase in minerals and ash contents. Cellulose crystallinity changed little, with evidence of silica at the latter stages, indicating mineralization of the material. Our data suggest that for better soil mineralization, sugarcane straw must stay in the field for over 1 year. Alternatively, for bioenergy purposes, straw should be used in less than 3 months. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Senna reticulata is an Amazonian tree that quickly accumulates high biomass. It grows widely in the north of Brazil occupying degraded regions and is popularly known as "matapasto" (pasture-killer) due to its aggressive colonization strategy. When its aerial parts are harvested, S. reticulata recolonizes the pasture quickly recovering biomass production. In this work, we examined the potential of S. reticulata for bioenergy production in the Amazon region and the effect of a CO2 enriched atmosphere on its biomass composition. Nearly 50% of the biomass of the aerial parts is non-structural carbohydrates (NSC). Concerning structural carbohydrates, pectins (25% and 23%), hemicelluloses (11% and 16%), and cellulose (4% and 14%) contents were very similar in leaves and stems, respectively. Lignin varied considerably among organs, being 35% in roots, 7% in stems, and 10% in leaves. Although elevated CO2 did not change significantly cell wall pools, lignin content was reduced in leaves and roots. Furthermore, starch increased 31% in leaves under elevated CO2, which improved saccharification by 47%. We conclude that Senna reticulata is a suitable species for use as a bioenergy feedstock in the tropics and specifically for remote communities in the Amazonian region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Bromeliaceae are a largely Neotropical family originating in open, dry environments. Vriesea Lindl., the third largest genus of the family, is traditionally divided between two sections. About 90% of the species of the genus occur in Brazil, where the centre of diversity is the Atlantic Rainforest. Leaf morphoanatomical studies conducted on bromeliad species have confirmed the importance of structural characters for ecological, and also for systematic purposes. Because of the wide morphological, ecological and taxonomic diversity of Vriesea, and its importance in ecosystems associated with the Atlantic Rainforest, we selected 24 Vriesea species and used anatomical and histochemical analyses to describe the leaf anatomy aiming to identify potential systematic characters, and point out possible traits that responded to environmental conditions during the evolution of the genus. The leaves are hypostomatic with peltate trichomes. They present epidermis with thickened cell walls, with lignin and pectin, covered by cuticle and epicuticular wax. The mechanical hypodermis is usually one-layered. Water-storage parenchyma occurs in both surfaces of the leaf blade. The chlorenchyma is located in the median portion of the blade. Air lacunae are associated with brachiform parenchyma. The vascular bundles are collateral, arranged alternately with the air lacunae and surrounded by a sheath of sclerified and/or parenchyma cells. Extravascular fibres occur in most of the species and are positioned below the mechanical hypodermis on the adaxial surface of the leaf blade. Leaf anatomical analysis can be useful in differential characterisation of small groups of related species but does not seem to reflect species assemblages according to the taxonomic sections or substrate type, but is consistent among the Brazilian analysed species of Vriesea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing demands to obtain chemicals via greener and more sustainable materials and processes introduces concepts that should be considered and applied from lab to larger scales. Obtaining bioactive chemicals from agro-industrial non-food biomass waste can combine benign techniques and bio-circular economy to reach this goal. After extraction, evaluating profitability and environmental impacts to decide whether separation – and to what extent – is necessary or not is indispensable. This could be integrated into an approach known as sufficiency, as an important criterion for sustainability. From this perspective, Brazil's annual generation of 8 million tons of orange waste is relevant, since citrus waste has large amounts of high-value compounds, such as pectin, d-limonene and flavonoids. This case study aimed at developing and comparing green and sustainable analytical methods to obtain flavonoids from orange peel. Homogenizer, ultrasound and microwave-assisted extractions were employed using chemometric tools, considering time, sample/solvent ratio, temperature and ethanol concentration as variables to obtain extracts containing hesperidin, naringenin, hesperetin and nobiletin. The bioactive flavonoids were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC-UV). Microwave extraction was the most efficient method for obtaining the majority of flavonoids studied, six times more for hesperidin. Moreover, orange waste from different farming models showed diverse chemical profiles showing the importance of this alternative in natural product resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presence of genes for glycosyl hydrolases in many Acidobacteria genomes indicates an important role in the degradation of plant cell wall material. Acidobacteria bacterium AB60 was obtained from Cerrado oligotrophic soil in Brazil, where this phylum is abundant. The 16S rRNA gene analyses showed that AB60 was closely related to the genera Occallatibacter and Telmatobacter. However, AB60 grew on xylan as carbon source, which was not observed in Occallatibacter species; but growth was not detected on medium containing carboxymethyl cellulose, as observed in Telmatobacter. Nevertheless, the genome analysis of AB60 revealed genes for the enzymes involved in cellulose as well as xylan degradation. In addition to enzymes involved in xylan degradation, α -l- rhamnosidase was detected in the cultures of AB60. Functional screening of a small-insert genomic library did not identify any clones capable of carboxymethyl cellulose degradation, but open reading frames coding α- l -arabinofuranosidase and α- l -rhamnosidase were present in clones showing xylan degradation halos. Both enzymes act on the lateral chains of heteropolymers such as pectin and some hemicelluloses. These results indicate that the hydrolysis of α-linked sugars may offer a metabolic niche for slow-growing Acidobacteria, allowing them to co-exist with other plant-degrading microbes that hydrolyze β-linked sugars from cellulose or hemicellulose backbones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fruits are essential for a healthy diet, as they offer a considerable supply of fibers, vitamins and minerals, in addition to other nutrients. However, preservation methods are necessary to increase its shelf-life, and the preparation of marmalade is a good option. such as peels, seeds and stems. The production of tropical fruits such as passion fruit, acerola and cajá is of socioeconomic significance in Brazil, mainly in the North and Northeast regions. Passion fruit peels, for example, can be better used, as the mesocarp is rich in pectin, a substance that is used in the manufacture of jam and marmalades. The aim of this study was to prepare passion fruit, acerola and cajá marmalades from the passion fruit mesocarp. Physical-chemical analyzes and chemical composition were carried. Sensory tests were conducted with 120 consumers. The marmalade showed satisfactory physical-chemical characteristics and nutritional composition. As for sensory analysis, the formulation made with acerola pulp obtained better averages for overall impression, as well as in the ideal test, however all formulations obtained scores above the central average for all evaluated attributes. The use of passion fruit mesocarp and tropical fruit pulp it's viable for formulation of marmalade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Passion fruit is one popular fruits in Brazil, and its annual production represents 70 % of the world production. About 60 % of fruit is mesocarp and epicarp (peel) and contains high levels of pectin that can be extracted using heating or alternative technologies. The purpose of the present work was to investigate the potential of high pressure to extract the pectin from passion fruit peel. The results showed that the extraction yield almost doubled (from 7.4 to 14.34 %) when high pressure was used as a pretreatment. The esterification degree and galacturonic acid of the pectin extracted were higher by 50 and 65 %, respectively. High pressure as a pretreatment was found to be an effective, time-saving, and eco-friendly method for the extraction of pectin from passion fruit peel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Yellow passion fruit processing in Brazil releases large amounts of waste (300,000 metric tons per year) that could be used as an alternative raw material for extracting potentially 2,000 metric tons of pectin. Valorization of pectin extracted from passion fruit rind demands the establishment of a proper protocol to maintain a high standard of product quality. In this work, a central composite experimental design of 23 was used to verify the influence of different conditions on the molecular characteristics and rheological behavior of extracted pectin. The extraction conditions were time (5-45 min), temperature (63-97C) and nitric acid concentration (8-92 mM). The responses significantly influenced ( P < 0.05) in the trials were yield extraction, the apparent viscosity and reduced viscosity. The ideal conditions for extracting pectin with the highest apparent viscosity and with a high molecular weight were obtained with short time (5 min), medium temperature (80C) and 50 mM nitric acid. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Extensive efforts have been directed toward minimizing the large amounts of waste that result from the processing of passion fruit juice in Brazil. There has also been recent interest, in Brazil and in other tropical countries, in the production of pectin from passion fruit. This article shows that controlling extraction conditions can produce high molecular weight pectin and, consequently, can improve its rheological quality for use. Furthermore, it shows that it is possible to obtain pectin from passion rinds similarly to that of the citrus and apple pectin found in markets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brazil is the world's main producer of passion fruit. Previous reports show that passion fruit rinds, an industrial waste, contain large amounts of pectin. Pectin is a dietary fiber that is widely used in the food industry as a gelling agent and stabilizer. In this study, the quality and characteristics of pectin extracted from yellow passion fruit rind flour was investigated. Pectin was extracted from both commercially available and prepared passion fruit peels using nitric acid. Once extracted, the pectin was evaluated for its molecular characteristics and chemical composition as well as for the apparent and reduced viscosity of the gel. Prepared (blanched) rind flour yielded 203.4 g kg of pectin, which contained a uronic acid content of 681 mg g, a degree of esterification of 80, a degree of methylation of 80, a reduced viscosity of 6.8 dL g and an apparent viscosity of 13.4 cP. The results suggest a clear influence of the raw material on it's the resultant characteristics of the pectin. In addition, our results show that therheological properties and molar characteristics of pectin were negatively affected when the rind flours were subjected to high temperatures. Pectin methyl esterase activity was detected in the freeze-dried, unblanched raw material. Extensive efforts have been directed towards minimizing waste and the reported results show that high quality pectin can be obtained from passion fruit rinds, an industrial waste product of passion fruit processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brazil is one of the world's largest producers and consumers of yellow passion fruit and the wastes from this juice processing industry are still subvalued. The rinds, which comprise much of this waste, could be used as an alternative raw material for extracting pectin. The purpose of this work was to characterize the yellow passion fruit's rinds as well as the extracted pectin. The pericarp was separated into three fractions and characterized. The specific analysis of pectin content (soft conditions of extraction) included yield, viscosity, degree of esterification, phenolic compounds and high performance size exclusion chromatography (HPSEC) profile. The most abundant component of pericarp was total dietary fibre (65%) and the exocarp fraction showed appreciable xylose content (123 mg⋅g-1). The highest content of pectin isolates (13.6%) of high esterification (79%) with highest viscosity (3.41 dl⋅g-1) was found in the mesocarp fraction, the lowest retention to the phenolic content of isolated pectin (15%) compared to the prepared flour prior to pectin extraction, and the HPSEC profile suggests the presence of a single population of polymers with high molar mass. This paper confirms the potential of Brazilian yellow passion fruit rinds as a raw material for the industrial pectin extraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Cupuassu (Theobroma grandiflorum, Schumann) is a Brazilian Amazonian fruit whose pulp contains volatile compounds that have been extensively studied. In this work, the pulp from fruits of cupuassu was ground, treated with MeOH–H2O, and defatted with p-Tol–EtOH. The residue (4% in relation to the fresh pulp) was submitted to sequential extractions with water, aqueous citric acid and aqueous NaOH, resulting in polysaccharide fractions with 0.3–15% yield. The main pectic fraction (7% yield) was obtained with water at 25°C (W-1 fraction) and was chosen to be better characterized. Chemical and spectroscopic analyses showed that W-1 is composed mainly of a homogalacturonan highly esterified (DE 53%; DA 1.7%) with some rhamnogalacturonan insertions, carrying side chains containing galactose and arabinose. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Aims: To study the regulation of the plg1 and plg2 genes of Penicillium griseoroseum, in order to identify the industrial potential of their products in alternative carbon sources that are cheaper and widely available in Brazil. Methods and Results: RT-PCR and Northern blot were used to investigate if plg1 and plg2 expression is under influence of catabolic repression, ambient pH and cAMP. Results demonstrated that the genes were differentially regulated depending on the carbon sources in the culture medium and pH. Sucrose, a noninducing carbon source of the pectinolytic system, was able to promote plg1 transcription but only when yeast extract was added into the culture medium. Conclusions: The plg genes are differentially expressed. The plg1 gene is more attractive for industrial use due to its expression in alternative carbon sources like sucrose and yeast extract. Significance and Impact of the Study: In recent years, industries have been trying to replace the toxic conventional treatments employed in these processes by more eco-friendly enzyme treatment. Alternative carbon sources will be tested with the aim to reduce the costs associated to pectin lyase production in Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contaminated water consumption is one of the greatest risks to human health, especially in underdeveloped and developing countries. Water is a universal right, but millions of people worldwide consume untreated surface water. The objective in this study is to evaluate water purification with Nopalea cochenillifera var. Miúda biomass. Fragments (1, 2, and 3 g) of N. cochenillifera were added to the aqueous solution containing red-yellow Chromic and Podzolic Luvisol simulating turbid water sources in Northeastern Brazil. The total, non-structural (i.e., reducing and non-reducing sugars, alcohol insoluble solids), and structural (i.e., pectin) carbohydrates, adsorption kinetics, turbidity, electrical conductivity, pH, zeta potential, and total coliforms presence were evaluated. Findings show that the Nopalea cochenillifera biomass adsorbed the suspended particles in the aqueous solution, making it more translucent due to the complex and heterogeneous adsorbents' ion exchange matrix, but the biomass addition did not eliminate total coliforms from the aqueous solution. We concluded that the Nopalea cochenillifera biomass water treatment reduces suspended dissolved particles and turbidity, but it needs to be associated with other treatments to eliminate total coliforms and ensure water safety for human consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cashew tree (Anacardium occidentale) is a tropical evergreen tree largely cultivated in Brazil, which produces the cashew apple, a peduncle rich in carbohydrates and considered an industrial waste of the nut production. Until now, there were no data available about the chemical structure of cell wall polysaccharides found in cashew apple. In this work, its pectic polysaccharides have been characterized through monosaccharide composition, HPSEC, methylation and 13C and 1H/13C HSQC-DEPT-NMR analyses. Highly methyl esterified homogalacturonan with a DE of 76% mixed with arabinogalactan were found. This latter was purified and presented a highly branched type II arabinogalactan (AG II) and small amounts of a type I rhamnogalacturonan in which the AG II could be anchored. These findings about the chemical structure of cashew apple pectins could contribute to develop future nutritional, biotechnological and pharmacological uses for this industrial waste from the cashew nut production. Image 1 • Pectins have been extracted and chemically characterized from cashew apple. • Highly methyl esterified (DE = 76%) homogalacturonan was found. • A highly branched type II arabinogalactan was also observed. • It is the first study about cashew apple pectins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]