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Onions are rich in bioactive and volatile compounds with antioxidant activity. When concentrated in plant extracts and applied directly into food matrices or packaging, they are sensitive to external factors and may have undesirable sensory attributes, such as odors. Therefore, this study sought to encapsulate red onion extract (ROE) in different concentrations (10, 20, 30, and 40%, v/v) into zein fibers by electrospinning. The major volatile compound in ROE was 3(2H)-furanone, 2-hexyl-5-methyl. Adding ROE into the polymeric solutions increased their electrical conductivity and decreased the apparent viscosity, thus decreasing the average diameter of the fibers. The loading capacity of ROE on fibers ranged from 77.3 to 91.5%. The fibers’ random and continuous morphology showed beads at the highest ROE concentration (40%). Fibers membranes showed lower values ​​for contact angles as ROE was added. The antioxidant activity of the fibers ranged from 32.5 to 57.3%.

Broccoli, kale, and cauliflower contain phenolic compounds and glucosinolates, which have several biological effects on the body. However, because they are thermolabile, many of these substances are lost in the cooking process. Electrospinning encapsulation, using zein as a preservative wall material, can expand the applications of the compounds in the food and pharmaceutical industries. The objective of this research was to characterize broccoli, kale, and cauliflower extracts and encapsulate them with the electrospinning technique using zein.Broccoli, kale, and cauliflower extracts contain five phenolic compounds and three glucosinolates. Fibers from broccoli, kale, and cauliflower showed high encapsulation efficiency, good thermal stability, and nanometric size, especially those containing extract and zein in proportions of up to 35:65.Fibers from broccoli, kale, and cauliflower containing extract and zein in proportions of up to 35:65 have the potential for effective nutraceutical application for the control of non-communicable chronic diseases or application in food packaging. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

This study aimed to produce soluble potato starch ultrafine fibers for the encapsulation of pinhao coat extract (PCE), evaluating their relative crystallinity (RC), thermal stability, antioxidant activity, antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, as well as in vitro biological digestion. In the simulation of in vitro biological digestion, the phenolic compounds release profile was also evaluated. The ultrafine fibers were produced by electrospinning, based on a polymeric solution composed of soluble potato starch (50% w/v) and formic acid. Then, PCE was incorporated at various concentrations (0.5%, 1.0%, and 1.5%, w/w, dry basis). The endothermic event of free PCE was not observed in the ultrafine fibers, which suggests its encapsulation. The RC decreased according to the increase in PCE concentration in the ultrafine fibers. The PCE resisted thermal treatments when encapsulated into the ultrafine fibers (100 and 180°C), and the ultrafine fibers with 1% PCE presented the highest amount of preserved phenolic compounds. Regarding antioxidant activity, the free PCE presented 85% of DPPH inhibition and the ultrafine fibers had 18% inhibition, not differing among the PCE concentrations (p

Among the fruits, the apple stands out among the most used for elaboration of processed foods. However, the importance of prebiotics in apple products has never been widely analyzed. Prebiotic is a food component resistant to gastric acidity, digestion by mammalian enzymes and gastrointestinal absorption. But following fermentation in the colon, prebiotics result in specific changes in the composition and / or metabolism of the gastrointestinal microbiota, conferring benefits to the health of the host. Therefore, fortifying apple-based products with additional prebiotics is an important strategy for improving consumer health benefits. In this review, after compiling and analyzing scientific and technological studies focusing on prebiotics in apple products, the following benefits of these prebiotics became evident: (1) reduction of water loss in the food matrix; (2) preservation of bioactive and volatile compounds; (3) texture improvement (thickening) in the food industry; (4) increased shelf-live and (5) increased survival of probiotic bacteria, promoting positive effects on microbiota. In addition, this review shows the benefits of different prebiotics for stability and sensory acceptance of apple processed foods.

This study aimed to evaluate the microbiological, physicochemical and fatty acid profile of the of “Tambica” (Oligosarcus robustus) raw fish meat and develop and characterize a fish burger. The fish burger was subjected to a sensory analysis. The raw fish meat showed a high content of moisture (82.3%) and minerals (3.1%), a low content of fat (1.5%) and a considerable protein content (13.1%). The raw fish showed a high count of positive coagulase Staphylococcus. Tambica lipid fraction was composed of 41.9% unsaturated and 58.2% saturated fatty acids. Palmitic acid and oleic acid were the major fatty acids in the raw meat fish. The fish burger was well accepted by sensory analysis.

Objetivo: Descrever compostos bioativos presentes em três espécies da Plinia sp. e investigar os seus benefícios à saúde. Métodos: Estudo de revisão de literatura com busca no Pubmed/Medline e ScienceDirect a partir dos descritores ('jabuticaba' OR 'jaboticaba' OR 'Plinia sp.' OR ') AND ('composition' OR 'characterization') AND ('benefícios a saúde') sem limite de tempo. Os critérios de inclusão foram artigos publicados em português, espanhol e inglês que avaliassem qualquer parte da fruta de três espécies de Plinia sp. (P. cauliflora, P. trunciflora e P. jaboticaba). Resultados: A fruta é rica em compostos fenólicos totais com grande quantidade de antocianinas na casca. A capacidade antioxidante das três espécies foi demonstrada por diferentes métodos e a atividade biológica foi relatada em 20 estudos. Além disto, foram demonstrados efeitos benéficos no metabolismo lipídico, glicídico, efeitos antiobesidade e anti-inflamatório, bem como ação benéfica nos sistemas cerebral e cardíaco. Ademais, apresentam ação contra bactérias patogênicas e melhora no microbioma, sem apresentar toxicidade. Considerações finais: Plinia sp. tem potencial para ser utilizada pela indústria farmacêutica por suas características bioativas devido à presença de compostos funcionais, ou na indústria alimentícia pelos altos teores de antocianinas.

Clove (Syzygium aromaticum, L.) essential oil is known for its antimicrobial activity against several pathogenic bacteria. Encapsulation of clove oil was proposed as a mean to disguise its strong odor that limits its uses in food industry. Thus, the aim of this study was extraction, encapsulation and assessment of the antimicrobial and antioxidant potential of clove essential oil. The essential oil showed high DPPH scavenging capacity and low hydroxyl radical inhibition. Clove essential oil showed in vitro inhibitory and bactericidal effect against S. aureus, E. coli, L. monocytogenes and S. Typhimurium. In addition, in situ antimicrobial activity of clove oil against S. aureus was superior to nitrite. The essential oil particles encapsulated with sodium alginate and emulsifiers, showed high encapsulation efficiency, low antioxidant activity and strong antimicrobial inhibition. Similar bacterial growth was observed in meat-like products after addition of either particles or nitrite.

The food industry is looking for strategies to prevent microbial growth in order to ensure food safety and shelf life. However, the use of synthetic preservatives, such as nitrate and nitrite in meat products, entails risks to human health. An alternative is the utilization of essential oils, widely known for their antimicrobial properties. This work aimed the antimicrobial potential of a bioactive coating based on chitosan incorporated with clove essential oil in in hamburger-like meat product. Through the analysis of antimicrobial activity by diffusion in agar and broth, there was an action against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Regarding Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was 3.74 mg/mL and the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) was 374.33 mg/mL for both. In the micro atmospheric diffusion test, CEO reduced by up to 70 and 76% of the E. coli and S. aureus bacteria development, respectively. CEO was applied as an active component in chitosan-based coatings in hamburger-like meat, in which it was able to promote the control of microbial proliferation of Total Coliforms, Coliforms at 45 ⁰C and Coagulase-Positive Staphylococcus throughout 7 days of storage under refrigeration. It is concluded that the bioactive coating based on chitosan incorporated with clove essential oil promotes microbiological control in hamburger-like meat product. La industria alimentaria busca estrategias que eviten el crecimiento microbiano para garantizar la seguridad y la vida útil de los alimentos. Sin embargo, el uso de conservantes sintéticos como el nitrato y el nitrito en productos cárnicos presenta riesgos para la salud humana. Una alternativa es utilizar aceites esenciales, que son ampliamente conocidos por sus propiedades antimicrobianas. Este trabajo tuvo como objetivo evaluar el potencial antimicrobiano de un recubrimiento bioactivo a base de quitosano incorporado al aceite esencial de clavo en un producto cárnico análogo a la hamburguesa. Al analizar la actividad antimicrobiana por difusión en agar y caldo, se encontró acción frente a bacterias Gram positivas y Gram negativas. En cuanto a Staphylococcus aureus y Escherichia coli, la concentración mínima inhibitoria (MIC) fue de 3,74 mg/mL y la concentración bactericida mínima (CBM) fue de 374,33 mg/mL para ambos. En la prueba de difusión en micro-atmósfera, el aceite esencial de clavo (AEC) redujo el desarrollo de las bacterias E. coli y S. aureus hasta en un 70 y 76%, respectivamente. AEC se aplicó como componente activo en recubrimientos a base de quitosano en un producto cárnico similar a una hamburguesa, que pudo controlar la proliferación microbiana de Coliformes Totales, Coliformes a 45 °C y Estafilococos Coagulasa Positivos durante 7 días de almacenamiento refrigerado. Se concluye que el recubrimiento bioactivo a base de quitosano incorporado al aceite esencial de clavo promueve el control microbiológico en productos cárnicos tipo hamburguesa. A indústria alimentícia busca por estratégias que previnam o crescimento microbiano, a fim de garantir a segurança e a vida útil dos alimentos. No entanto, o uso de conservantes sintéticos, como nitrato e nitrito em produtos cárneos, acarreta riscos à saúde humana. Uma alternativa é a utilização de óleos essenciais, os quais são amplamente conhecidos por suas propriedades antimicrobianas. Este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar o potencial antimicrobiano de um revestimento bioativo à base de quitosana incorporado ao óleo essencial de cravo-da-índia em um produto cárneo análogo a hambúrguer. Por meio da análise da atividade antimicrobiana por difusão em ágar e caldo, houve ação contra bactérias Gram-positivas e Gram-negativas. Em relação a Staphylococcus aureus e Escherichia coli, a concentração inibitória mínima (CIM) foi de 3,74 mg/mL e a concentração bactericida mínima (CBM) foi de 374,33 mg/mL para ambos. No teste de difusão em micro-atmosfera, o óleo essencial de cravo-da-índia (OEC) reduziu em até 70 e 76% o desenvolvimento das bactérias E. coli e S. aureus, respectivamente. O OEC foi aplicado como um componente ativo em revestimentos à base de quitosana em produto carne análogo a hambúrguer, no qual foi capaz de promover o controle da proliferação microbiana de Coliformes Totais, Coliformes a 45 ⁰C e Staphylococcus Coagulase-Positivo ao longo de 7 dias de armazenamento sob refrigeração. Conclui-se que o revestimento bioativo à base de quitosana incorporado ao óleo essencial de cravo-da-índia promove o controle microbiológico em produtos cárneos do tipo hambúrguer.

The need for biodegradable and innovative nanomaterials in the food packaging industry motivates the conduction of studies on the production and characterization of new nanomaterials. The aim of this study was to evaluate the encapsulation efficiency (EE), thermal resistance, and antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of carvacrol encapsulated in potato starch nanofibers. The nanofibers possessed low EE (26%–33%) and high thermal resistance, showing residual carvacrol quantities after exposure to high temperatures. They also showed reduced but stable inhibition of DPPH oxidation compared with free carvacrol (20%, 33%, and 52% for the nanofibers with 20%, 30%, and 40% carvacrol, respectively) and OH inhibition varying from 4% to 18% for the nanofibers in general. Moderate antimicrobial activity (0.98 mg/ml) was found for all nanofibers throughout minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values. Our findings highlight the potential of starch/carvacrol nanofibers for application in the food sector as an antimicrobial and antioxidant agent. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: The nanomaterial developed in this study can be applied in the elaboration of active food packages, which can act as antioxidants and/or antimicrobial agents. The end use includes packages that undergo high temperatures in their production. In addition, the packages containing the starch/carvacrol nanofibers can preserve several types of food products.

Considering the low availability of gluten-free products that are offered an affordable price and good sensory characteristics, the main objective of the study was developed a gluten-free muffin based on green banana flour and evaluate their physical–chemical and sensorial aspects. The quality of the muffin was analyzed through such moisture content, ashes, proteins, lipids, fiber, carbohydrates, total caloric content, yield mass, weight loss in the supply, antioxidant activity, protein digestibility, and hedonic scale. The results showed that the gluten-free muffin had a moisture content of 26.7%, ash of 2.39%, lipids of 15.4%, proteins of 10.3%, fibers of 1.2%, carbohydrates of 44.0%, the total caloric value of 261.2 kcal, high protein digestibility and moderate antioxidant activity. The acceptability index was 84.5%. It has been concluded that gluten-free muffin with green banana flour is a viable alternative for the reason that they have higher protein content than other alternative flours.

Compounds present in broccoli are vulnerable to the digestive process, and encapsulation becomes an alternative for their preservation. The encapsulation of broccoli extract, by electrospraying, was performed with the purpose of evaluating the effect of in vitro simulated digestion on individual compounds and antioxidant and antihyperglycemic potentials. Each digestion fraction was evaluated by chromatography, as well as for antioxidant activity and antihyperglycemic potential. The encapsulated extract showed high encapsulation efficiency and spherical morphology. Losses in the levels of phenolic compounds and glucosinolates were found in both extracts, considering the fractions submitted to digestion. The digestion promoted an increase in the inhibition of hydroxyl, nitric oxide and α-amylase, as well as a decrease in the inhibition of α-glucosidase in both extracts, when compared to undigested fractions. Thus, the digestion affects the compounds content in both encapsulated and unencapsulated extracts. However, they still promote the control of oxidative processes and hyperglycemia.

Synthetic preservatives are widely present in processed foods, but most of them have carcinogenic potential, requiring the development of new natural alternatives such as fruit extracts, for microbial control. The objective of the study was to evaluate the chemical characterization, antioxidant, and antimicrobial activity of the sugar apple pulp (Annona squamosa L.). Physicochemical characteristics were evaluated, an extract was prepared, and its antioxidant activity by DPPH method and antimicrobial by disk diffusion. Minimal inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration against strains of Salmonella typhimurium, Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, and Staphylococcus aureus were evaluated. The physicochemical analysis revealed that sugar apple pulp had 75.0% moisture, 3.0% ash, 4.0% protein, 0.2% lipids, 3.3% fibers, and 14.5% carbohydrates. The antioxidant activity of the extract by the DPPH method was 20.6%. The pulp extract from the sugar apple had inhibition zone for Staphylococcus aureus, satisfactory inhibitory effect against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, and Salmonella Typhimurium, but did not present a bactericidal effect. Sugar apple pulp presents adequate levels of nutrients and potential for food application due to its microbiological activity and antioxidant properties.

Background Thyme essential oil (TEO) is an excellent natural substitute for synthetic compounds to maintain the quality and safety of food products. It acts as an antioxidant agent. We aimed to nanoencapsulate TEO at concentrations of 1%, 3%, and 5% (v/w, dry basis) in electrospun nanofibers made of starch (50% w/v) and formic acid (75% v/v). The rheological parameters of the fiber-forming solutions were measured, and various physical and chemical properties of the nanofibers were analyzed. Results The starch/TEO nanofibers presented homogeneous morphology. The starch nanofibers showed high encapsulation efficiency (EE, 99.1% to 99.8%), which, along with the Fourier transform infra-red (FTIR) spectrum and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) analysis, indicate strong protection of the phenolic compounds of TEO. Nanofibers with 5% TEO retained up to 50% of the phenolic compounds after exposure to thermal treatment. The antioxidant activity against 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals of the starch/TEO nanofibers varied from 11.1% to 14.2% and the inhibition values (29.8%, P ≤ 0.05) against hydroxyl radicals were the same for free TEO and the nanofibers. Conclusion Owing to these properties, electrospun starch/TEO nanofibers can be applied in food products or food packaging.

Synthetic preservatives can have harmful effects on the body, so plant essential oils appear to be an attractive natural alternative. However, the use of essential oils is limited due to the low stability and possible negative effects on the sensory properties of food. Oil encapsulation was suggested as a way to overcome these drawbacks. The objective of this study was to encapsulate thyme essential oil and to evaluate its antioxidant and antimicrobial potential in vitro and in situ in of hamburger-like meat products. The casein-maltodextrin capsules produced by spray-drying were assessed for encapsulation efficiency, thermal stability, chemical compounds and morphology. Antioxidant activity was evaluated by DPPH, hydroxyl and nitric oxide methods, while antimicrobial activity was evaluated in vitro against four bacteria and in situ in hamburger-like products. The capsule showed high encapsulation efficiency and thermal stability, and spherical and irregular morphology. The casein-maltodextrin encapsulated essential oil showed antioxidant and antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella Typhimurium tested in vitro and against thermotolerants coliforms and Escherichia coli in situ, showing potential for application as a natural preservative in food.

A busca por uma alimentação saudável e que ocasione a promoção da saúde vêm aumentando nos últimos anos, e, neste sentido, as frutas e hortaliças recebem destaque, já que seu consumo está associado com a menor incidência de diversas doenças. Dentre as frutas que possuem estes benefícios está a fruta do conde (Annona squamosa, L.), que é produzida principalmente na região nordeste do Brasil. A mesma é rica em compostos fenólicos, terpenos, e as acetogeninas, ácidos graxos de cadeia muito longa exclusivas da família Annonaceous. Estes compostos são responsáveis por diversas atividades atribuídas à fruta, como atividade antioxidante, antimicrobiana, anticarcinogênica, anti-hipertensiva, antidiabética, imunossupressora, além amenizar os sintomas do hipotireoidismo, comprovando, assim, que o seu consumo é extremamente recomendável e benéfico ao organismo humano.

Essential oils have been studied to replace synthetic chemical preservatives, among these oils, the thyme essential oil stands out. However, in addition to promoting microbial control, synthetic chemical preservatives impart a characteristic color to inlaid products, a parameter not attained by the application of essential oils. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the joint addition of thyme essential oil and powdered beet juice to meat sausage, for a partial or total reduction of the addition of nitrates and nitrites. The thyme essential oil showed a high inhibitory action against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli in the concentration of 9.17 mg/mL, and bactericidal effect in the concentrations of 9.17 mg/mL and 36.68 mg/mL respectively, in all tests applied in vitro. When applied to meat sausages, it showed an inhibitory effect against coagulase-positive Staphylococcus, reducing the microorganism count, and partial inhibition of aerobic mesophilic bacteria. No interference was observed in the multiplication of thermotolerant coliforms in the meat product. When evaluated sensorially, the sausage presented good general acceptability, with acceptance levels above 75%. The combined uses of thyme essential oil and powdered beet juice showed potential viability for use in substitution for nitrates and nitrites in meat sausages.

Reactive oxygen species and development of hyperglycemia underlie the most prevalent non-communicable chronic human diseases. Thus, the use of natural products, including essential oils, to control these processes has been the subject of many studies. This study aimed to elucidate the chemical composition of essential oils of clove, thyme, oregano, and sweet orange, characterize their antioxidant activity toward 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl, hydroxyl, and nitric oxide radicals, and assess their antihyperglycemic potential, inhibiting the digestive enzymes α-amylase and α-glucosidase in vitro. The major compounds found in clove, thyme, oregano, and sweet orange essential oils were eugenol, thymol, 4-terpineol, and d -limonene, respectively. The clove essential oil shower a higher percentage of inhibition of hydroxyl radicals and nitric oxide, while the thyme essential oil displayed greater antioxidant activity toward the radical 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl compared with the other oils assessed in this study. In assays of inhibition of digestive enzymes related to development of hyperglycemia, thyme essential oil showed the greatest capacity to inhibit α-amylase, while sweet orange essential oil displayed the most potent inhibition of α-glucosidase. These results demonstrate the potential for use of these essential oils to prevent and/or treat diseases arising from oxidative stress, such as diabetes mellitus.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the in vitro susceptibility of fungi to starch/carvacrol nanofibers produced by electrospinning. The nanofibers were incorporated into bread dough or used in the development of active packages to minimize bread spoilage. In agar diffusion and micro-atmosphere assays, the nanofibers with 30 % or 40 % carvacrol presented inhibition zones with low growth and were effective inhibiting both the fungi evaluated in this work. The MICs for nanofibers with 30 % carvacrol were 0.098 and 9.8 mg/mL against Penicillium sp. and Aspergillus flavus, respectively; for the 40 % nanofibers, the MIC was 19.6 mg/mL against Aspergillus flavus. As for MFC, only the 30 % nanofibers exerted fungicidal effect. The treatments administered directly to the bread dough had low colony-forming unit. For bioactive packages, nonwovens with 30 % carvacrol were effective in preventing bread spoilage. Thus, nanofibers are a good alternative to chemical additives or bioactive packages in food industry.

Gliomas, intracranial malignant tumors, are aggressive, asymptomatic and difficult to treat due to their degree of infiltration, alternatives are needed to treat the disease. In this sense, natural compounds from the specialized metabolism of plants can act to control the disease. Glucosinolates and phenolic compounds, present in broccoli, have a potential to promote tumor cell death, however due to the low stability of these compounds, encapsulation becomes an alternative for their preservation. The objective was to encapsulate the broccoli extract by electrospraying and to evaluate its cytotoxicity in the primary cell culture of astrocytes and gliomas. The capsules were produced and characterized by encapsulation efficiency, functional groups, thermal stability and morphology, the capsule that presented the best parameters was used for the evaluation of cell cytotoxicity and antitumor activity. Capsules with equal or less than 50 % extract showed high encapsulation efficiency, high thermal stability and uniform morphology due to non-saturation of the active zein sites, which allowed a complete encapsulation of the added extract, as well as a greater protection of the compounds. The capsule with 50 % of the extract showed good results of the efficiency, morphology and thermal stability and was used to evaluate the antitumor activity, since the addition of extract in proportions greater than 60 % promoted saturation of the active sites and lower encapsulation efficiency, and directly affects the morphology and thermal stability. The encapsulated and unencapsulated extracts showed strong selective antitumor effect against glial tumor cells without toxicity to non-tumor cells.

Objetivou-se avaliar a organização social das feiras livres frente a disponibilidade de mudas e partes secas vegetais de plantas medicinais, aromáticas e condimentares (MAC), ofertadas aos consumidores em feiras livres do município de Chapecó-SC. Os dados foram coletados visualmente através de visitas às feiras livres, em dois diferentes momentos. Os resultados demonstram que as feiras livres do município estão disposta em 10 espaços distintos dentro da área urbana, totalizando 16 momentos de realização distribuídos entre os dias da semana. De maneira geral, os espaços ofertam diversos produtos aos consumidores, entre os quais estão as espécies MAC tano na forma de mudas quanto de partes secas, esta última representando, em média, 72% do total. A oferta da maioria das espécies não foi influenciada pela data de avaliação, sendo as mais recorrentes a Ruta graveolens, Matricaria chamomilla, Rosmarinus officinalis, Aloysia citriodora, Mentha pulegium, Plectranthus barbatus, Citrus sinensis, Mikania glomerata, Helichysum italicum, Mentha sp., Artemisia absinthium, Salvia officinalis, Ocimum basilicum, Origanum majorana, Achyrocline satureioides, Malva sylvestris, sendo encontradas tanto em mudas como partes secas.

Atualmente a população tem buscado uma alimentação mais saudável devido ao aumento das doenças crônicas não transmissíveis, entre os alimentos com atividades biológicas protetores se encontram o amido resistente e outros oligossacarídeos. O objetivo do presente trabalho foi realizar uma breve revisão sistemática utilizando bases de dados indexadas acerca dos benefícios do amido resistente e de outros oligossacarídeos não digeríveis sobre a saúde humana. Como resultado da breve revisão evidenciou-se que os oligossacarídeos não-digeríveis e o amido resistente apresentam diversos benefícios para a saúde, atuando principalmente sobre o funcionamento do trato gastrointestinal, sistema nervoso central, sistema imunológico, biodisponibilidade de nutrientes, prevenção do câncer colorretal e na redução dos níveis bioquímicos de glicose, triglicerídeos e colesterol.

Starch is considered an important ingredient in the preparation of safe food. Current study investigates the physicochemical, morphological, thermal and pasting properties of rice starches, subjected to HMT at 13 g/100 g moisture, at different treatment times (10, 30 and 60 min), directly in the grain paddy rice and in the isolated starch. HMT reduced extraction yield of rice starch with increasing HMT time. The HMT starches had lower gelatinisation enthalpy when compared to native starch. HMT in grain reduced extraction yield of starch by the alkaline method with increasing time of exposure to high temperatures, altering the structure of starch-protein. The HMT in grains decreases the setback of the isolated starches, due to amylose-lipid complexation induced by high temperatures applied on modification. The hydrothermal treatment increased the mechanical and thermal stability of rice starches and promoted the strengthening of links, forming a more stable structure.

Essential oils are compounds derived from the specialized metabolism of plants and have bioactive substances with strong antioxidant and antimicrobial activities in their composition However these compounds are affected by climate soil methods of oil extraction and environment Due to this encapsulation becomes a viable alternative for the preservation of these compounds

Acetylation and oxidation are chemical modifications which alter the properties of starch. The degree of modification of acetylated and oxidized starches is dependent on the catalyst and active chlorine concentrations, respectively. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of acetylation and oxidation on the structural, morphological, physical–chemical, thermal and pasting properties of barley starch. Barley starches were acetylated at different catalyst levels (11%, 17%, and 23% of NaOH solution) and oxidized at different sodium hypochlorite concentrations (1.0%, 1.5%, and 2.0% of active chlorine). Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffractograms, thermal, morphological, and pasting properties, swelling power and solubility of starches were evaluated. The degree of substitution (DS) of the acetylated starches increased with the rise in catalyst concentration. The percentage of carbonyl (CO) and carboxyl (COOH) groups in oxidized starches also increased with the rise of active chlorine level. The presence of hydrophobic acetyl groups, carbonyl and carboxyl groups caused a partial disorganization and depolymerization of starch granules. The structural, morphological and functional changes in acetylated and oxidized starches varied according to reaction conditions. Acetylation makes barley starch more hydrophobic by the insertion of acetyl groups. Also the oxidation promotes low retrogradation and viscosity. All these characteristics are important for biodegradable film production.

The objective of this work was to characterize the blueberry ( Vaccinium spp.) cultivar Climax, Rabbiteye group ( Vaccinium ashei Reade). In order to achieve that, a survey with blueberry plants (cultivar Climax), in full production, was conducted during the 2012/13 and 2013/14 seasons in the mesoregion of Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil. Data regarding the distribution of flower and vegetative buds on branches of two lengths (long and short) was collected. Another evaluation, considering three positions of flower buds in the branch (apical, medial and basal), the number of flower primordia, open flowers and fruits formed was performed. Data were subject to ANOVA and, when significant, the averages were compared using either the F or Tukey’s HSD test (p ≤ 0.05). The results demonstrate the presence of flower buds intercalated with vegetative ones. The total number of flower and vegetative buds, flower primordia, flowers and fruits was influenced by the length of the branch. Likewise, the position of the bud on the branch affected the results, with a greater number of flower primordia on the basal, a greater number of flowers on the medial and a greater number of fruits on the apical portions of the branches.