Açai Seeds (Euterpe oleracea Mart) Are Agroindustrial Waste with High Potential to Produce Low-Cost Substrates after Acid Hydrolysis.

Açai seeds have been discarded improperly around the Amazonia region, but they can be seen as promising low-cost substrates for fermentation processes. The structural carbohydrates and physicochemical characterization of açai seeds from the Amazonia were assessed followed by the determination of the optimal hydrolysis conditions using H3PO4 (phosphoric acid) and H2SO4 (sulfuric acid) to obtain a liquor with high contents of simple carbohydrates and low levels of potential microbial inhibitors usually generated during acid hydrolysis of carbohydrates. A central composite rotational design was carried out varying the concentrations of diluted acid (0-5%, w/v), solids (0.1-25%, w/v), and hydrolysis time (9.5-110 min). Acid hydrolysis with H2SO4 was more effective in producing reducing sugars (15.9-103.1 g/L) than H3PO4 (2.9-33.9 g/L) during optimization. The optimal hydrolysis conditions with H2SO4 were 3.5% of acid (w/v), 25% of solids during 70 min at 121 °C, which provided a liquor with 55 g/L of reducing sugars and low levels of microbial inhibitors: acetic acid (1.8 g/L), hydroxymethyl furfural (338 mg/L), and furfural (10 mg/L). Thus, açai seeds were characterized as promising agroindustrial waste with high potential to be used as a low-cost substrate in biotechnological processes, comprising relevant environmental and bioeconomic aspects for the development of the Amazonia.

Biotechnological Production of Carotenoids Using Low Cost-Substrates Is Influenced by Cultivation Parameters: A Review.

Carotenoids are natural lipophilic pigments mainly found in plants, but also found in some animals and can be synthesized by fungi, some bacteria, algae, and aphids. These pigments are used in food industries as natural replacements for artificial colors. Carotenoids are also known for their benefits to human health as antioxidants and some compounds have provitamin A activity. The production of carotenoids by biotechnological approaches might exceed yields obtained by extraction from plants or chemical synthesis. Many microorganisms are carotenoid producers; however, not all are industrially feasible. Therefore, in this review, we provide an overview regarding fungi that are potentially interesting to industry because of their capacity to produce carotenoids in response to stresses on the cultivation medium, focusing on low-cost substrates.

Boas Práticas de Manipulação de farinha de mandioca na feira do Telégrafo, Belém/PA / Good practices for the manipulation of mandioca flour in Telégrafo fair, Belém / PA

O trabalho objetivou analisar e identificar falhas na manipulação de farinhas de mandioca, para futuramente contribuir para implantação de Boas Práticas de Manipulação e/ou Fabricação para feirantes do Telégrafo. Aplicou-se questionários, que visou conhecer a organização da feira; identificar as demandas para a sua melhoria e traçar um perfil do consumidor. Dos 40 manipuladores entrevistados a maioria não atendia aos requisitos básicos de higiene pessoal. Quanto aos clientes, 40% dos entrevistados acreditam que a higiene dos feirantes é ruim. O restante afirmou estar fraco, regular e bom. Para o fator higiênico do local, 38% constataram que o estado da feira está ruim. Por esse motivo, a pesquisa torna-se relevante, pois, além de avaliar as condições higiênico-sanitárias e qualidade, irá promover a conscientização dos manipuladores.

Qualidade higiênico-sanitária de uma empresa de sorvete artesanal pela técnica de swab em Belém-PA / Hygienic-sanitary quality of an antisanal ice cream company by swab technique in Belém-PA

A microbiota encontrada nos gelados comestíveis deve-se principalmente pelas condições higiênico-sanitárias dos equipamentos e manipuladores. O presente trabalho teve como objetivo realizar um diagnóstico sobre a qualidade higiênico-sanitária de uma empresa de sorvete artesanal em Belém-PA através da técnica do swab. O Swab foi realizado em dois momentos. No primeiro momento foi realizada a limpeza dos equipamentos e a lavagem das mãos de acordo com o habitual da fábrica, e posteriormente conforme as normas de Boas Práticas de Fabricação (BPF). Todas as amostras apresentavam valores superiores aos estabelecidos como limite, sendo os manipuladores e os equipamentos grande vetores de contaminação.