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ABSTRACT: The present study evaluated the effectiveness of using disposable masks in mitigating the spread of Staphylococcus aureus during the chicken cutting process in a large poultry abattoir. The identification of carriers of S. aureus and the influence of the time of use of disposable masks was carried out. Contamination of utensils and equipment by S. aureus and products by mesophilic aerobes was determined, with and without the use of masks. The efficiency of different commercial masks was evaluated against S. aureus under simulated conditions. The results revealed that 36% of workers on processing lines at the abattoirs carried S. aureus. An increase in S. aureus counts was observed in masks worn by employees for up to 3 h. The transfer of microbial load to utensils was enhanced in the absence of the mask and over time. The breast fillets evaluated showed no difference in the count of mesophilic bacteria with and without the use of masks by employees, conversely, the cuts of thigh and drumstick, thigh fillet and drumstick and wings showed a significant difference with average counts lower than 2 .96 Log CFU/g. Tests under simulated conditions demonstrated the effectiveness of commercial masks in retaining microorganisms. The test mask used by the abattoirs proved to be inefficient, allowing the passage of sprays containing S. aureus, at 6, 15 and 25 cm, with 2.53, 1.74 and 0.66 Log CFU/plate, respectively. This mask saturated, creating a barrier effect that increased contamination in the employees’ work area.

ABSTRACT: This study evaluated the action of commercial and non-commercial cellulases and pectinases in the hydrolysis of soybean hulls (SH) and corn stover and cobs (CSC), the effect of temperature and agitation on the lignocellulosic substrate hydrolysis and the bromatological characteristics of hydrolyzed substrates. The effect of pretreatment on the hydrolysis of lignocellulosic residues and bromatological analysis were also evaluated. The highest hydrolytic activity occurred at 300 rpm for SH (47.95 and 51.43% for cellulase and pectinase, respectively) and at 350 rpm for CSC (26.05 and 9.23% for cellulase and pectinase, respectively). Non-commercial enzymes achieved 7.26-30% of the amount of hydrolysis obtained with commercial enzymes, on the same substrates. Pretreatment with 7.5% of NaOH and a particle size of the substrate of 0.5 mm significantly increased the hydrolysis of SH and CSC for both enzymes. The bromatological characteristics showed that soybean hulls hydrolyzed with both commercial cellulase and pectinase have potential for large-scale use in animal feed production.

The use of pesticides has grown over the years and their effects on ecosystems, especially aquatic ones, have been increasingly observed. Agricultural pesticides are responsible for a large part of pollution in aquatic environments, and can reach non-target organisms, harming biodiversity. In this research, the effects of common pesticides on mortality rate and morphology of the model specie Artemia salina were evaluated. Commercial eggs of A. salina were hatched during 24-36 hours, at 37⸰C. Then, nauplli were exposed to different concentrations of insecticides Bifenthrin, Imidacloprid, Diflubenzuron, and Glyphosate herbicide. The mortality rate and lethal concentrations (LC) of each pesticide were established after 24 hours of treatment. Morphological analyses were made after treatment with the LC25 and LC50 of each pesticide. The results obtained show that Bifenthrin, Imidacloprid and Glyphosate promote linear mortality of the non-target species A. salina, while for insecticide Diflubenzuron, the mortality curve followed a logarithmic model. In addition, Diflubenzuron and Glyphosate induce changes in the morphological parameters of this specie. These results contribute to highlight the harmful effects of agricultural pollutants upon aquatic invertebrates. Besides, the present study confirms that Diflubenzuron does not affect only target species, but also has negative interference with the morphology of non-target species. This result has environmental implication since several invertebrates, including those not harmful to agriculture, can contact with Diflubenzuron in agricultural places.

The present study aimed to maximize the conventional extraction and compare it with the ultrasound-assisted method for extracting bioactive compounds obtained from the red araçá peel. The behavior of anthocyanins related to the pre-treatment of the vegetal matrix, employed solvent, extraction kinetics of both methods, the levels of total phenolic compounds, flavonoids and carotenoids, as well as the antioxidant activity were evaluated. The ultrasound-assisted extraction (40 KHz −154 W and 90 min) had an increase of 12% in the levels of anthocyanins (121.85 Eq. mg of cyanidin-3-glycoside/100 g of peel) and a 25% reduction in time extraction compared to conventional extraction by maceration (116.81 Eq. mg of cyanidin-3-glycoside/100 g of peel) using 90% ethanol, for 2 h, pH 1.5, at 40 °C and mass/volume ratio 1 g/10 mL). Analyses of the total phenolic compounds, flavonoids and carotenoids presented promising results for the ultrasound-assisted and conventional extractions, respectively. Analyzes of total phenolic compounds, flavonoids and carotenoids, show promising results for ultrasound-assisted extractions, respectively, indicating that red araçá is rich in bioactive compounds beneficial to human health, in addition to being considered natural pigments that can be used in food.

The aim of this work was to evaluate the effects of the addition of swine skin on the technological characteristics of mortadella formulations produced on industrial scale. The effects of concentrations of swine skin (1.5 to 5.5 %) and sodium chloride (2 to 3 %) on total protein, total fat, starch, moisture, water activity, sodium, pH and texture profile (hardness, adhesiveness, elasticity, cohesiveness and chewiness) were evaluated and compared to a mortadella formulation without swine skin addition. The mortadella formulations with addition of 3.5 to 5.5 % swine skin and 2 to 2.5 % sodium chloride are in accordance with Brazilian legislation and provided an increase of approximately 12 % in protein content, a decrease of 14 % in sodium content and a water activity less than 0.9488. The swine skin and sodium chloride provided stability to the mortadella and influenced its texture, mainly in hardness, elasticity and chewiness.

In this work was optimized the production of benzyl cinnamate by enzymatic catalysis using the immobilized lipase NS88011 and to evaluate its biological properties. The optimized condition for this system was 1:3 (acid:alcohol) molar ratio, 59 °C, biocatalyst concentration 4.4 mg.mL−1 for 32 h, with a yield of 97.6 %. The enzyme stability study showed that the enzyme remains active and yields above 60 % until the 13th cycle (416 h), presenting a promising half-life. In the determination of the antioxidant activity of the ester, an inhibitory concentration necessary to inhibit 50 % of the free radical 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl DPPH (IC50) of 149.8 mg.mL−1 was observed. For acute toxicity against bioindicator Artemia salina, lethal doses (LD50) of 0.07 and 436.7 μg.mL−1 were obtained for the ester and cinnamic acid, showing that benzyl cinnamate had higher toxicity, indicating potential cytotoxic activity against human tumors.

Abstract (1) Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the production and partial characterization of xylanase and avicelase by a newly isolated Penicillium sp. in solid-state fermentation, using soybean hulls as substrate. (2) Methods: Temperature, time, number of spores, and substrate moisture on xylanase and avicelase bioproduction were evaluated, maximizing activity with 30°C, 1x106 spores/g substrate, 14 and 7 days of fermentation with 70 and 76% substrate moisture contents, for xylanase and avicelase, respectively. (3) Results: Different solvents, temperatures, and agitation in the enzymatic extraction were evaluated, obtaining higher activities, 430.77 and 26.77 U/g for xylanase and avicelase using 30 min extraction and 0.05 M citrate buffer solution (pH 4.5 ), respectively at 60°C and 175 rpm and 50°C and 125 rpm. The optimum pH and temperature for enzymatic activity determination were 5.3 and 50°C. Enzyme extract stability was evaluated, obtaining higher stability with pH between 4.5 and 5.5, higher temperature of up to 40°C. The kinetic thermal denaturation (Kd), half-life time, D-value, and Z-value were similar for both enzymes. The xylanase Ed value (89.1 kJ/mol) was slightly lower than the avicelase one (96.7 kJ/mol), indicating higher thermostability for avicelase. (4) Conclusion: In this way, the production of cellulases using alternative substrates is a way to reduce production costs, since they represent about 10% of the world demand of enzymes, with application in animal feed processing, food production and breweries, textile processing, detergent and laundry production, pulp manufacturing and the production of biofuels.

The objective of this work is to characterize two types of bovine collagen (fibre and powder), evaluating its application in mixed hamburger formulations, as well as the quality characteristics of the products. The collagen fibre had a fibrillar structure, molecular mass 100 kDa and greater gel strength (146 315 Pa) and protein content (97.81 %) than the powdered collagen, which had molecular mass from 50 to 100 kDa, greater hydroxyproline content, and a morphological structure with spherical microparticles more amorphous than the collagen fibre. In this study we found that the addition of 1.5 % powdered collagen and 2.5 % flocculated soybean flour and/or 0.75 % powdered collagen and 3.5 % flocculated soybean flour did not deteriorate the technological properties or the sensory attributes of hamburgers. The use of collagen is a promising alternative, since it has functional properties, improves the texture characteristics of a product, and is of low cost

This work aimed to produce collagens and hydrolysates with antimicrobial and antioxidant activity from sheep slaughter by-products. The by-products (sheep and lamb) were treated and extracted. The collagens were hydrolyzed with the enzyme Alcalase®. The spectra of collagens and hydrolysates were similar (amide bands I, II, III, A, B). The bands presented by the collagens (α1, α2, β) were characteristic of type I collagen. The hydrolysates showed molecular weight peptides equal to/lower than 15 kDa. Collagens had a denaturation temperature of 39.32 (lamb) and 36.38 °C (sheep), whereas the hydrolysates did not undergo thermal transition. Hydrolysates showed lower values of antioxidant activity (AA) than the collagens. The collagens from lamb and from sheep displayed an AA of 13.4% (concentration of 0.0002%) and 13.1% (concentration of 0.0005%), respectively. At the concentration of 0.0020%, the lamb hydrolysates displayed an AA of 10.2%, whereas the sheep hydrolysates had an AA of only 1.98%. Collagen also showed higher antimicrobial activity compared to hydrolysates, requiring a lower concentration to inhibit the microorganisms tested. Sheep slaughter by-products proved to be a viable source for obtaining protein hydrolysates and collagens with antimicrobial and antioxidant activity, which can be applied in the development of nutraceuticals beneficial to human health.

Different solvents and extraction solutions (distilled water, NaCl, Tween 80, citrate buffer, and acetate buffer) were evaluated for enzymes recovery. The independent variables evaluated were agitation (12-348 rpm), time (4.8-55.2 min), and temperature (13.2-46.8°C) and 10 extraction cycles, using an experimental design (Central composite rotatable design 23). Pectin methyl esterase maximum recovery by solid state culture of Aspergillus niger was 11 U/gwm (31 U/gdm) using NaCl (0.1 mol/l) as solvent at a 5 : 1 (v/w) ratio, 30°C for 55.2 min, at 180 rpm, with one extraction cycle.

This work aims at characterizing linseed oil obtained using different extraction methods (hexane, subcritical propane and pressurized ethanol), and comparing the results with commercial linseed oil extracted by cold mechanical press method. An experimental design helped to evaluate temperature and pressure effects on the oil extraction using propane and ethanol. Gas chromatography assisted in evaluating the essential fatty acids. There were no significant differences among the ω-3, 6 and 9 fatty acids from linseed oil obtained using the different extraction methods. Only the acidity of linseed oil extracted by subcritical propane (0.956 %) showed significant differences among the physicochemical parameters. Extraction using organic solvent (Soxhlet) gave a 36.12 % yield. Extraction using subcritical propane at 107 Pa and 40 °C for 1.5 h gave a better yield (28.39 %) than pressurized ethanol (8.05 %) under similar conditions. Linseed oil extraction using subcritical propane was economically viable, resulting in a 124.58 US$/L product cost. The results present subcritical propane extraction as a promising alternative for obtaining linseed oil at mild temperature and pressure conditions, without losing quality and quantity of fatty acids such as ω-3, 6 and 9.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the action of commercial and non-commercial cellulase and pectinase on rice husk and Tifton 85 hay hydrolyses. The hydrolysis kinetics of the substrates with commercial cellulase and pectinase were evaluated and the hydrolysis at different temperature and agitation conditions was maximized using experimental design. The combined use of commercial and non-commercial enzymes under optimized conditions was evaluated. The pre-treatment of the residues was also investigated by milling and different concentrations of NaOH. Finally, the effect of the hydrolysis on the bromatological composition of the residues was evaluated. The best hydrolysis times of rice husk and Tifton 85 hay were 10 and 12h for commercial cellulase, 12 and 14h for non-commercial cellulase, 10 and 14h for commercial pectinase and 16 and 20h for non-commercial pectinase, respectively. The highest hydrolysis values were obtained using commercial cellulase with 1:50 (w:v enzyme:water) dilution rate, at 45ºC and 300 rpm agitation for both substrates, reaching 20.6% maximum percentage for Tifton 85 hay and 11.6% for rice husk. The combined use of commercial enzymes did not increase hydrolysis percentage. The pre-treatment using 7.5% NaOH and 0.5 mm grain size significantly increased the rice husk and Tifton 85 hay hydrolyses (60-80%), either using commercial cellulase or pectinase enzymes. The use of non-commercial enzymes provided 18-30% hydrolysis obtained from commercial ones. Bromatological analyzes indicated a reduction in neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber content for rice husk and Tifton 85 hay when using pectinases and commercial cellulases.

Aim: We compare catalase activity in SmicrideaMcLachlan, 1871 (Insecta, Trichoptera) collected in natural and agricultural streams and correlates the enzyme pattern with metal content in the water.MethodsOrganisms were collected in sites classified as natural (riparian vegetation in buffer zone) and altered/impacted (agricultural land use in drainage area) environments, located at Cravo River and Campo River sub-basins (RS, Brazil). Next the collected larvae were identified and used to proteins quantification and catalase activity measure. The concentration of Mg, Cr, Cu, Pb and Cd in the water was determined by atomic absorption spectrometry.ResultsCatalase activity in Smicridea ranged from 1.5 to 6 U, with mean values about 2.63 ± 0.096 U (SEM). The presence of metals was higher in the streams located at agricultural drainage area, except for Mg at the Cravo sub-basin and Cu at the Campo sub-basin. Catalase was higher in Smicridea collected in natural streams as compared to that agriculture streams and was correlated with Pb and Cd levels.ConclusionsThe data showed the potential of this biomarker as a useful tool for complementation of water quality biomonitoring studies using Smicridea as bioindicator.

ABSTRACT: Enzymatic hydrolysis (pepsin) assisted with or without ultrasound in the functional properties of hydrolyzates from different collagens were analyzed. Degree of hydrolysis, antioxidant activity (DPPH) and antimicrobial activity (MIC) were assessed. The treatment that resulted in greater antioxidant activity for the fiber sample was with the use of 4% of enzyme and concomitant ultrasound (40.7%), leading to a degree of hydrolysis of 21.7%. For the powdered fiber sample the hydrolysis treatment with use of 4% of enzyme resulted in lower protein content (6.97mg/mL), higher degree of hydrolysis (19.9%) and greater antioxidant activity (38.6%). The hydrolyzates showed inhibitory capacity against gram-negative bacteria Salmonella choleraesuis and gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus. It can be concluded that enzymatic hydrolysis concomitant or not with the use of ultrasound increased the functionality of the fiber and powdered fiber samples, for the other samples its use as supplementary treatment was not productive, due to the worse results of antioxidant activity (DPPH) reported. However, it provided greater hydrolysis degree.

ABSTRACT: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of adding probiotic culture (Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. Lactis Bb-12) and prebiotics (fructooligosaccharide - FOS) to yoghurt formulations stored at 4°C for 28 days, using an experimental design (independent variables: (0-3% of FOS and probiotic starter cultures 0-3%). The pH, acidity, fat, syneresis, protein, ºBrix, sugars, FOS and probiotic bacteria count were analyzed. The probiotic- and prebiotic-added yoghurt formulations showed lower acidity, syneresis and glucose than the control yoghurt and compared to formulations containing probiotic and prebiotic separately. The 3% probiotic and prebiotic formulation showed a lower loss of concentration of FOS, and after 28 days presented 1.5g of FOS per 100g (0.3% kestose, 0.7% nystose, 0.5% fructosyl-nystose). Furthermore, the addition of prebiotics exerted a protective effect on probiotic bacteria, enhancing their survival.

The goal of this study is to evaluate the in vitro effects of rosemary, salvia, oregano and clove oils at volume fractions of 1000, 750, 500, 250, 100, 50, 26, 10 and 5 μL/mL (100, 75, 50, 25, 10, 5, 3, 1 and 0.5 %) on the growth of contaminating fungi in salami. The in vitro effect of the oils against fungal growth was indicated by zones of inhibition. Rosemary oil showed an inhibition zone of 9.6 mm only at the maximal volume fraction (1000 μL/mL). Salvia oil showed inhibition zones of 12.2, 11.2 and 10.5 mm only at the three highest fractions tested. Based on the inhibition zones, clove oil at 125 and 250 μL/mL, oregano oil at 250 and 500 μL/mL and a mixture (1:1 by volume) of the two oils at 100 μL/mL were selected to be applied to the surface of salamis. A significant reduction of fungal growth in all of the oil-treated samples was confi rmed by visual inspection. A sensory analysis revealed that the samples treated with 125 μL/mL of clove oil or 100 μL/mL of a mixture of oregano and clove oil showed no significant flavour differences compared with the control. Carvacrol and eugenol were the principal compounds in oregano and clove oils, respectively, and were most likely responsible for the antifungal activity.

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of different water pressures and concentrations of lactic acid on microbial counts (mesophilic bacteria, enterobacteria and Salmonella) on pig carcasses without contamination and contaminated carcasses, before and after the last shower and before being cooled. The tests were carried out using 4, 3 and 2 bar water pressure, and 2, 1 and 0% lactic acid concentration. In general, both the pressure in the shower and lactic acid had a positive effect by reducing the microbial count. The interaction between the pressure and lactic acid caused the largest reduction in carcasses surface count for mesophiles. With regard to enterobacteria on contaminated carcasses, the most important variable was the lactic acid concentration and in uncontaminated carcasses, it was water pressure. The use of 8 bar pressure of the wash water without lactic acid caused a reduction in mesophilic bacteria and enterobacteria, for both the contaminated and uncontaminated carcasses, with results statistically equal to each other, and significantly lower than the initial counts. The water pressure at 8 bar reduced the percentage of carcasses with Salmonella in contaminated carcasses.

A compreensão da diversidade genética fornece elementos básicos sobre a dinâmica e funcionamento de populações, auxiliando na conservação e uso sustentável das espécies. Supõe-se que populações sucessionais precoces poderiam ser geneticamente mais diferenciadas do que populações sucessionais mais tardias. Visando testar esta hipótese, o presente trabalho teve como objetivo analisar a variabilidade genética de populações de Eugenia uniflora L. em manchas florestais em diferentes estádios sucessionais. Foram selecionadas duas áreas em diferentes estádios de sucessão, sendo a primeira em estádio inicial e a segunda em estádio avançado. A área de estudo apresenta um remanescente florestal em transição de Floresta Ombrófila Mista e Floresta Estacional Semidecídua. Por meio da técnica de RAPD (Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA) e análise multivariada, a diversidade gênica esperada e a porcentagem de loci polimórficos foram estimadas, além da similaridade genética entre as populações de cada mancha florestal e a diversidade de cada área por meio do índice de diversidade de Simpson. Os resultados indicaram 79% de loci polimórficos para a área em estádio avançado e 70% para a área em estádio inicial de sucessão. A similaridade genética entre pares de indivíduos variou entre 0,55 e 0,86 na área em estádio inicial de sucessão e entre 0,45 e 0,78 para a área em estádio avançado. Não houve diferenças significativas entre a diversidade das duas áreas (P = 89). Um escalonamento multidimensional não-métrico indicou menor distância genética entre os indivíduos da área em estádio inicial. Da mesma forma, uma análise de similaridade - ANOSIM indicou separação entre os indivíduos das duas áreas.Knowledge on genetic diversity provides basic information about population dynamics and functioning aiming both to conservation and sustainable use of species. It is assumed that early successional populations could genetically be more differentiated than those in late sucessional stages. To test this hypothesis, the genetic variability of Eugenia uniflora L. populations at different successional stages was investigated. Two areas at different successional stages were selected; one at early successional stage, showing several pioneer trees, and another at late successional stage. The area in study (27º54'S and 52º13'W) is covered by a remnant forest in transition from Mixed Rain Forest to Seasonal Semideciduous Forest. RAPD (Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA) and multivariate analysis were used to evaluate the expected genetic diversity and percentage of polymorphism as well as genetic similarity within and between areas and the genetic diversity by the Simpson diversity index. Results indicated 79% of polymorphic loci for the area at late successional stage and 70% for the area at early successional stage. Pairwise genetic similarity varied from 0.55 to 0.86 in the area at early successional stage and from 0.45 to 0.78 in the area at late successional stage. No differences were found for diversity between the areas (P = 0.89). A non-metric multidimensional scaling showed lower genetic distances among individuals from the area at early successional stage. Similarly, the analysis of similarities - ANOSIM -indicated a split between individuals of both areas.

The aim of this work was to compare the allelopathic effects of aqueous leaf extracts from Cryptocarya moschata and Ocotea odorifera on the seed germination and initial growth of Lactuca sativa (lettuce). The extracts were prepared by cold maceration, which was accomplished by adding distilled water to the dried plant material 1:10 (w v-1) and grinding. The treatment concentrations (0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75 and 1%) were obtained by dissolving the dried crude extract in distilled water. The allelopathic potential of the dried Ocotea odorifera and Cryptocarya moschata leaves on Lactuca sativa was observed through reduction of the percentage of seeds that germinated, the index of germination and the length of the roots as well as structural abnormalities in L. sativa seedlings. For both extracts, the extract concentration and allelopathic effect were highly correlated. However, the C. moschata extract had no effect on caulicle length at the different tested concentrations.

Rosmarinus officinalis (Rosemary) demonstrates antioxidant, antidepressant, diuretic, antinociceptive and antiulcerogenic activities. The present study was designed to examine the effects of the hydroalcoholic extract of R. officinalis on the memory of male mice. The behavioral tasks employed were social recognition (SR), the Morris water maze (MWM) and an inhibitory avoidance task (IA). The treatment with 150 and 300 mg/kg of R. officinalis improved the acquisition phase of learning of a new social memory in the SR task because a decrease was observed in the duration of social investigation. In the Morris water maze, no significant effect was observed on spatial memory when the groups were compared for the time spent in the correct quadrant. In the inhibitory avoidance task, the decrease in the step-down latencies in the test session indicate that 150 mg/kg of R. officinalis improved long-term memory when administered in the consolidation phase of learning. In conclusion, the present study showed that, the hydroalcoholic extract of R. officinalis at 150 and 300 mg/kg modulated the short- and long-term memories of mice, in a social recognition and inhibitory avoidance task, respectively. This modulator effect was shown to improve learning and memory processes.Rosmarinus officinalis L. (Alecrim) possui atividade antioxidante, antidepressiva, diurética, antinociceptiva e antiulcerogênica. O presente estudo foi delineado para investigar o efeito do extrato hidroalcoólico de R. officinallis na memória de camundongos machos. Os modelos comportamentais utilizados foram a tarefa de reconhecimento social (RS), labirinto aquático de Morris (MWM) e esquiva inibitória (EI). O tratamento com 150 e 300mg/kg de R. officinallis, mostrou ter efeito positivo na aquisição de uma nova memória social, na tarefa de reconhecimento social, mostrando redução significativa do tempo de investigação social. No labirinto aquático de Morris, não foi visto efeito significativo na memória espacial, ao comparar o tempo desprendido no quadrante correto entre os diferentes tratamentos. Na esquiva inibitória a latência de descida da plataforma, observada na sessão teste, sugere que o tratamento com a dose 150 mg/kg de R. officinallis tem um efeito positivo na memória de longo prazo, quando administrada na fase de consolidação. Conclui-se que o extrato de R. officinalis nas doses de 150 e 300 mg/kg foi capaz de modular as memórias de curto e longo prazo dos roedores nas tarefas de reconhecimento social e esquiva inibitoria, respectivamente, e esse efeito modulatório melhorou os processos de aprendizado e memória.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o potencial antioxidante do extrato de erva-mate (Ilex paraguariensis) em carne de frango. As sobrecoxas de frango foram submetidas a diferentes tratamentos (sem condimentos; com sal, sal e sálvia, sal, sálvia e extrato (0,125%); sal e extrato (0,125%), sal, sálvia e extrato (0,25%) e sal e extrato (0,25%)) e analisadas na forma crua, assada, após armazenamento sob refrigeração e após reaquecimento. A atividade antioxidante in vitro do extrato foi determinada pelo teste de DPPH (difenilpicrilhidrazina). As amostras dos diferentes tratamentos foram submetidas às análises de oxidação de lipídios (TBARS), pH, potencial de oxiredução (mV), cor objetiva (L, a, b) e análise sensorial. O teste DPPH mostrou correlação entre a atividade antioxidante (%) e concentração de extrato fornecendo IC50 de 255μg/mL. Em relação à oxidação de lipídios, as amostras sem condimentos e somente com adição de sal diferiram das demais (p

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a efi cá- cia dos processos de higienização e sanitização de alfaces comercializadas na Feira do Produtor e supermercado, localizados na cidade de Erechim, RS. Para as análises microbiológicas de detecção de bactérias aeróbias mesófi las, coliformes totais e coliformes termotolerantes, foram efetuadas 3 coletas em 3 dias diferentes, no período de abril a junho de 2010. As amostras foram coletadas em 4 bancas da Feira do Produtor (A, B, C, D) e uma procedente de um Supermercado (E). Para cada amostra foram realizadas análises in natura, após higienização com água corrente e após sanitização com hipoclorito de sódio. Todas as amostras analisadas encontraram-se dentro dos padrões legais vigentes (

O comportamento no consumo de alimentos vem sofrendo mudanças signifi cativas nos últimos anos, motivado por um maior nível de consciência dos consumidores com a saúde. A preocupação de proporcionar aos consumidores produtos de qualidade requer a adoção de medidas para limitar a oxidação durante as etapas de processamento e armazenamento dos produtos, como a adição de compostos antioxidantes nos mesmos. Neste contexto, o presente trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar o potencial do extrato de erva-mate como antioxidante em iogurte light. Também foi avaliado o comportamento dos iogurtes formulados durante a vida de prateleira. Observou-se que o percentual antioxidante atingiu 99,5% de atividade antioxidante para a concentração 750μgmL-1 e forneceu um IC50 de 254,8μgmL-1. No 60º dia de armazenamento sob refrigeração, os iogurtes com 0,1% de extrato e ambos com 0,25% de extrato de erva mate apresentaram diferença em relação às duas formulações que não receberam a adição de extrato, de forma a apresentarem os menores valores de mg de MA/kg de amostra. A presença de extrato de erva mate não infl uenciou signifi cativamente na oxidação de proteínas. Não se observou interferência do extrato de ervamate nos valores de acidez e não foi observada diferença estatística na contagem das bactérias lácticas, de maneira que o extrato de erva mate não afetou o desenvolvimento microbiológico.

A busca por substâncias antibacterianas e antioxidantes naturais tem sido alvo de diversos estudos científicos. Foi objetivo determinar as atividades antibacteriana e antioxidante e a concentração inibitória mínima do óleo essencial do cravo-da-índia, obtido por hidrodestilação. O estudo por CG-EM identificou o eugenol como o constituinte majoritário do óleo essencial e os testes de atividade antibacteriana mostraram bons resultados para quase todos os microorganismos avaliados. Os valores de concentração inibitória mínima variaram de 0,2 mg.mL-1 a 0,6 mg.mL-1. Aatividade antioxidante demonstrou uma correlação linear com a concentração de óleo essencial. Os resultados demonstraram potencial antibacteriano e antioxidante do óleo essencial de Eugenia caryophyllata, constituindo-se uma opção para a formulação de novos produtos alimentícios.

This work is focused on the chemical distribution of volatile and semi-volatile compounds of 18 native populations of Maytenus ilicifolia collected all over Brazil. The extracts of bulk samples (30 plants) of each population were obtained by supercritical CO2 extraction technique, and analyzed by GC/MS. The quantification of compounds (phytol, squalene, vitamin E, limonene, stigmasterol, friedelan-3-ol, friedelin, fridelan-3-one, palmitic acid and geranyl acetate) showed significant variations within the different populations, which could be related tom microclimate characteristics.

A progeny of Cambona-4, a female maté plant (Ilex paraguariensis) selected by its agronomical characteristics and mild flavor, was evaluated using RAPD markers in order to identify its male parents. Using RAPD markers specifics of each one of the four potential males, the paternity of 84 out of 107 offsprings was confirmed. The majority of the offsprings (83.3%) were ascribed to pollen donor A, while male plants B, C, and D represented 11.9, 4.8, and 0%, respectively. The highly desirable agronomical characteristics and product quality of Cambona-4/pollen donor A offsprings, identified by RAPD markers, lead to the planting of an orchard Cambona-4 and pollinator A to obtain bi-clonal commercial seeds.Uma progênie da matriz feminina de erva-mate (Ilex paraguariensis) denominada Cambona-4, selecionada pelas suas características agronômicas e sabor suave, foi avaliada por marcadores RAPD para a identificação dos respectivos parentais masculinos. Usando-se fragmentos específicos de RAPD de cada um dos quatro polinizadores potenciais, a paternidade de 84 de 107 descendentes foi confirmada. A maioria dos descendentes (83,3%) foi atribuída ao polinizador A, enquanto os polinizadores B, C e D representaram 11,9; 4,8 e 0%, respectivamente. As características agronômicas e de qualidade do produto, oriundas da progênie Cambona-4/polinizador A, identificado pelos marcadores RAPD, direcionaram o plantio de um pomar a partir do cruzamento destas para obtenção de sementes comerciais biclonais.

The use of compressed carbon towards extracting semi-volatile compounds present in maté leaves (Ilex paraguariensis St. Hil.) is due to the growing interest in mate constituents to develop new products in the cosmetic, pharmaceutical and food industries. The objective of this work was to assess the chemical distribution of semi-volatile compounds in 20 native populations of maté collected all over Brazil. The extracts of bulk samples (30 plants) of each population were obtained by the high-pressure carbon dioxide extraction technique, and analyzed by GC/MSD. The quantification of compounds (caffeine, theobromine, phytol, squalene, vitamin E, eicosane, pentatriacontane, and stigmasterol) showed significant variations within the different populations and compounds analyzed, which are not related to geographical origin or macroclimate characteristics. The results pointed out to the importance of genetic and local environmental factors on the chemical composition of this species.A extração empregando dióxido de carbono a altas pressões em erva-mate (Ilex paraguariensis St. Hil.), tem sido justificada pelo crescente interesse desta matriz vegetal ou de parte de seus constituintes na formulação de novos produtos, tais como cosméticos e medicamentos, entre outros. Neste contexto, o objetivo do presente trabalho é avaliar a distribuição química de compostos semi-voláteis em 20 populações de erva-mate coletadas em toda área de distribuição desta espécie no Brasil. 30 plantas foram selecionadas para produzir a amostra de cada população. Os extratos de cada amostra foram obtidos por extração com dióxido de carbono a alta pressão e, posteriormente, foram analisados por CG/EM. A quantificação de alguns compostos semi-voláteis presentes nos extratos (cafeína, teobromina, fitol, esqualeno, vitamina E, eicosano, pentatriacontano e stigmasterol), apresentaram variações significativas entre as concentrações dos diferentes compostos analisados nas diferentes populações, os quais não estão relacionados com origem geográfica ou com características de macroclima. Os resultados apontam para a importância dos fatores genéticos e/ou fatores de microclima sobre a composição química desta espécie.

This work is focused on identifying microbial contamination in the scalding asepsis and cooling processes as well as in fresh sausages obtained. Salmonella was identified in two scald water samples but was absent in the water from chiller and in the final product, which might be explained in terms of chlorine addition and temperature reduction. The analysis revealed that MPN of Escherichia coli was in the range of O objetivo deste trabalho foi identificar a contaminação microbiana no processo de escaldagem, assepsia e resfriamento do frango (chiller), e em linguiças de frango produzidas a partir destes. As amostras foram coletadas em um frigorífico de aves, em sete datas e analisadas em triplicata. A presença de Salmonella foi detectada em duas amostras da água de escaldagem não estando mais presente na água do chiller e nem no produto final. Isto se deve à redução de temperatura da água e adição de cloro. O NMP de coliformes fecais variou entre < 1 a 11/ml na água de escaldagem e < 1 a 64/ml na água do chiller, que embora em padrões aceitáveis, mostram tendência de acréscimo no chiller, devido principalmente ao processo de evisceração. As contagens de Aeromonas variaram de 5 a 3,5x10¹UFC/ml na água de escaldagem e 9 a 3,7x10²UFC/ml na água do chiller. Este acréscimo se deve, provavelmente, por Aeromonas ser psicrófila e também devido a retirada das víceras. As análises de linguiça de frango mostraram acréscimo nas contagens de Aeromonas, apresentando até 2,5x10³UFC/g. Esta tendência de aumento de crescimento no produto final, aliado a capacidade de causar infecções de Aeromonas demonstram a necessidade de incluir a análise destas nas avaliações microbiológicas de alimentos.

A conservação pós-colheita das raízes de mandioca tem sido uma preocupação das indústrias e produtores, devido ao curto tempo de estocagem e a alta perecibilidade das raízes. Dois fenômenos são apontados como responsáveis pela deterioração das raízes, um de ordem fisiológica, provocando a perda inicial da qualidade por meio do desenvolvimento da descoloração vascular do tecido parenquimatoso, e o outro, de ordem microbiana, que se segue à fisiologia, responsável pela decomposição do produto. Dessa forma, com o presente trabalho, objetivou-se estudar a conservação das raízes de mandioca (Manihot esculenta Crantz), submetidas à higienização em água clorada e armazenadas em três tipos de embalagens, bandeja de isopor envolta em filme de policloreto de vinila (PVC), embalagem multicamada (poliéster Saram-13,5µ/polietileno-100µ) com e sem vácuo e resfriadas (5 ± 0,5°C), mediante análises físico-químicas, microbiológicas, fisiológicas e sensoriais. A conservação de mandioca minimamente processada sob refrigeração para os tratamentos realizados, é possível diferenciando-se o período de armazenamento, sendo que para as amostras armazenadas em bandeja, o período de armazenamento foi de 7 dias, no selado e a vácuo foi de aproximadamente 24 dias, respectivamente.Post harvest of cassava roots has been a great concern in food industries and producers due to the short shelf life and high perishability. Several phenomena have been pointed out as responsible for root deterioration. Among them there are physiological aspects, that lead to losses in initial quality through vascular discoloration of parenchymatous tissue. On the other hand, phenomena from microbial origin, which follow the physiological alterations, are responsible for product decomposition. In this context, this work was aimed at investigating the conservation of cassava roots (Manihot esculenta Crantz) submitted to chlorinated water, and stored using different packings: expanded polystyrene trays covered with PVC, multi-shell packing (polyester Saram-13.5µ/polyethylene-100µ) with and without vacuum and exposed to a cold environment (5 ± 0.5°C). Physico-chemical, microbiological, physiological and sensorial analyses were conducted in this study. Results showed that conservation of cassava roots minimally processed under refrigeration seems to be feasible, resulting in adequate conservation for up to 7 day in trays and 24 days for samples kept sealed and under vacuum.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar as condições microbiológicas do ar ambiente, das mãos dos manipuladores e de utensílios e equipamentos utilizados na preparação dos alimentos em uma Unidade de Alimentação e Nutrição (UAN). Para detecção de Staphylococcus aureus, bactérias mesófi las, bolores e leveduras, foram efetuadas três coletas em três dias diferentes, no período de março e abril de 2009. Oito ambientes foram avaliados pela técnica de sedimentação simples. Seis manipuladores e quatro equipamentos e utensílios (bancada de preparo de carnes, faca e tábua de corte e um processador de alimentos manual) foram submetidos à avaliação microbiológica. A análise dos ambientes mostrou não haver diferença signifi cativa na contagem de bolores e leveduras, mas redução signifi cativa na média da terceira coleta, após alterações no layout da UAN. As contagens variaram de 1,7 x 102 a 1,0 x 104 UFC/cm2/semana. Encontrou-se Staphylococcus aureus nas mãos de todos os manipuladores avaliados (1,1 x 101 a 6,7 x 101 UFC/mãos). A análise dos utensílios e equipamentos mostrou que as maiores contagens microbianas foram obtidas na bancada de preparo de carnes e no processador manual (2,2 x 104 e 1,5 x 104 UFC/cm2). A tábua de corte e a faca apresentaram as menores contagens (6,3 x 103 e 8,1 x 102 UFC/cm2). A inefi ciência nas técnicas de processamento e nos procedimentos de higienização praticados no estabelecimento podem originar desde alterações de ordem sensorial nos alimentos produzidos, até a ocorrência de toxinfecções alimentares.

A progeny of Cambona-4, a female maté plant (Ilex paraguariensis) selected by its agronomical characteristics and mild flavor, was evaluated using RAPD markers in order to identify its male parents. Using RAPD markers specifics of each one of the four potential males, the paternity of 84 out of 107 offsprings was confirmed. The majority of the offsprings (83.3%) were ascribed to pollen donor A, while male plants B, C, and D represented 11.9, 4.8, and 0%, respectively. The highly desirable agronomical characteristics and product quality of Cambona-4/pollen donor A offsprings, identified by RAPD markers, lead to the planting of an orchard Cambona-4 and pollinator A to obtain bi-clonal commercial seeds.

ABSTRACT Understanding the genetic structure and diversity of plants is fundamental to their conservation and permits their sustainable use by local communities. The genus Maytenus (Celastraceae) is composed of plants possessing pharmacological and antioxidant properties. However, the genetic and economic properties of the species M. dasyclada, a typical species of Araucaria forests in Brazil and Uruguay, have been little studied. In this work, the genetic structure and diversity of natural populations of M. dasyclada located in unprotected and preserved forest remnants were investigated using RAPD and isozymes markers. The results demonstrated that in areas of preservation, populations of M. dasyclada possess a relatively high degree of polymorphism and high values for Na, Ne, Shannon index, He and Ho, indicating high genetic variability. Moreover, these protected populations are very close to each other and potentially experience significant gene flow. The results presented here highlight the relevance of preservation areas for the conservation of M. dasyclada, and that populations inhabiting these areas could serve as a genetic source for the recovery of populations in regions where genetic diversity has been lost.

Drought is the primary limiting factor affecting soybean productivity, and is exacerbated by climate change. In legumes like soybeans, biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) is the main form of nitrogen acquisition, with nitrogen being converted into ureides. A greenhouse experiment was conducted using the soybean cultivar BMX Zeus IPRO, with two water treatments applied during the vegetative phase: control (C) and water deficit (D). The relative water content and number of nodules were reduced in the D plants. Ureide concentrations (allantoin and allantoic acid) were higher in nodules under D conditions. However, no differences were observed in allantoin, total ureide, and soluble sugar concentrations in leaves. Our results suggest that reducing the number of nodules may be a key strategy for maintaining BNF under drought conditions and that ureide accumulation could be the primary metabolic response in this soybean cultivar. These findings indicate that the effects of water restriction on BNF are likely associated with local metabolic responses rather than a systemic ureide feedback mechanism inhibiting BNF.