Amazonian palm tree fruits: From nutritional value to diversity of new food products.

The rapid growth of the world population has increased the demand for new food sources, constituting a major challenge concerning the maximum use of existing food resources. The fruits of Amazonian palm trees have excellent nutritional composition and bioactive compounds. This review highlights four fruits of Amazonian palm trees that are still little explored by the food industry: açai (Euterpe oleracea), pupunha (Bactris gasipaes), buriti (Mauritia flexuosa), and tucumã (Astrocaryum aculeatum). This paper aims to inspire new ideas for researching and developing products for the food industry. It also explores the impacts of Amazonian palm fruits on health, highlighting their role in disease prevention through their nutritional effects.

Bioactivity and volatile compound evaluation in sheep milk processed by ohmic heating.

Ohmic heating may improve bioactive compounds and processing, ensuring food safety of beverages, liquid and pasty food, or liquid with solid pieces. Due to those traits, this study conducted a comparison between ohmic heating technology and conventional heating (CH), with a focus on assessing the impact of both methods on functional compounds (such as angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition, α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibition, and antioxidant activity) in both fresh and thawed raw sheep milk, which had been frozen for up to 3 mo. Different ohmic heating conditions were applied and compared to CH (3.33-8.33 V/cm vs. CH [73°C/15 s]). A total of 18 peptides with some functional activities were identified by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry analysis. Ohmic heating samples presented the highest activities related to health, followed by CH and raw milk samples; antioxidant activity range was from 0.11% to 0.71%, antihypertensive activity ranged from 0.20% to 0.72%, and antidiabetic activity ranged from 0.21% to 0.79%. Of 51 volatile compounds detected, some were degraded by freezing, storing, and heating the sheep milk. This study showed for the first time that ohmic heating processing improved sheep milk bioactive peptides and preserved volatile compounds.

Ruminal and feces metabolites associated with feed efficiency, water intake and methane emission in Nelore bulls.

The objectives of this study were twofold: (1) to identify potential differences in the ruminal and fecal metabolite profiles of Nelore bulls under different nutritional interventions; and (2) to identify metabolites associated with cattle sustainability related-traits. We used different nutritional interventions in the feedlot: conventional (Conv; n = 26), and by-product (ByPr, n = 26). Thirty-eight ruminal fluid and 27 fecal metabolites were significantly different (P < 0.05) between the ByPr and Conv groups. Individual dry matter intake (DMI), residual feed intake (RFI), observed water intake (OWI), predicted water intake (WI), and residual water intake (RWI) phenotypes were lower (P < 0.05) in the Conv group, while the ByPr group exhibited lower methane emission (ME) (P < 0.05). Ruminal fluid dimethylamine was significantly associated (P < 0.05) with DMI, RFI, FE (feed efficiency), OWI and WI. Aspartate was associated (P < 0.05) with DMI, RFI, FE and WI. Fecal C22:1n9 was significantly associated with OWI and RWI (P < 0.05). Fatty acid C14:0 and hypoxanthine were significantly associated with DMI and RFI (P < 0.05). The results demonstrated that different nutritional interventions alter ruminal and fecal metabolites and provided new insights into the relationship of these metabolites with feed efficiency and water intake traits in Nelore bulls.

Bio-nanocomposite edible coatings based on arrowroot starch/cellulose nanocrystals/carnauba wax nanoemulsion containing essential oils to preserve quality and improve shelf life of strawberry.

This study investigated the effects of bio-nanocomposite coatings developed using arrowroot starch (AA), cellulose nanocrystals (CNC), carnauba wax nanoemulsion (CWN), and Cymbopogon martinii and Mentha spicata essential oils (CEO and MEO, respectively) on the physicochemical, microbiological, bioactive, antioxidant, and aromatic characteristics of strawberries cv. 'Oso Grande' in refrigerated storage for 12 days. The coatings improved the shelf life and stability of strawberries, minimizing their weight loss (2.6-3.9 %), as well as changes in color and texture (except for those coated with CEO), titratable acidity, pH, soluble solids, anthocyanins, phenolic compounds, ascorbic acid content, and antioxidant activity compared with uncoated control strawberries. The bio-nanocomposite coatings containing MEO and CEO also exhibited antimicrobial activity, reduced visible fungal deterioration (40-60 %), and reduced microbial load (3.59-4.03 log CFU g-1 for mesophilic aerobic bacteria and 4.45-5.22 log CFU g-1 for fungi and yeast) during storage. They also significantly reduced the severity of decay caused by inoculation with Botrytis cinerea or Rhizopus stolonifer. The coatings altered the volatile profile of the fruits during storage, decreasing aldehyde and alcohol concentrations and increasing ester concentrations. Thus, these bio-nanocomposite coatings, especially those containing MEO, can be used as antimicrobial coating materials to preserve the post-harvest quality of fresh strawberries.

Recent advances in the development of smart, active, and bioactive biodegradable biopolymer-based films containing betalains.

Betalains are natural nitrogenous water-soluble pigments found in species belonging to the Caryophyllales order and in mushrooms. Betalains can be considered multifunctional molecules due to their diverse bioactivities such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory. Furthermore, they can detect pH variations in foods and are considered promising colorimetric bioindicators. The bioactivities of betalains have improved their use as active and bioactive agents, and colorimetric indicators in the development of edible and biodegradable films for foods, which are trends in the food packaging market. Thus, this review presents the state-of-art information on the use of betalains as a multifunctional molecule in the development of smart, active, and bioactive edible and biodegradable packaging for foods. Studies have revealed that betalains can be successfully used to develop: smart films to indicate the freshness and spoilage of foods such as shrimp, fish, and chicken; active films with antimicrobial and antioxidant potentials to increase the shelf life of sausage and shrimp; and bioactive films with health benefits.

Fruit quality parameters and volatile compounds from 'Palmer' mangoes with internal breakdown.

The internal breakdown (IB) is a premature and uneven mango pulp ripening physiological disorder that is noticed only when the fruit is sliced for consumption. Thus, there is a demand for analytical methods to detect IB in mangoes to avoid consumer dissatisfaction and reduce postharvest waste. In this work, physicochemical and volatile compounds were determined to evaluate the ability to predict pulp IB. Principal components analysis (PCA) and partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) of the data show that color, firmness, and volatiles compounds are important to give some information about the physiological changes caused by IB. The volatile compounds methacrylic acid, ethyl ester, isopentyl ethanoate, limonene oxide, (E)-2-pentenal, tetradecane, and γ-elemene were identified as chemical markers of IB. Therefore, mango physical and chemical characteristics combined with PCA and PLS-DA were successfully employed for the identification of IB in mangoes, showing significant differences between healthy and IB fruits.

In vivo functional and health benefits of a prebiotic soursop whey beverage processed by high-intensity ultrasound: Study with healthy Wistar rats.

New technologies for food processing have been used to enhance the beneficial effects of foods. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a prebiotic soursop whey beverage processed by high-intensity ultrasound (HIUS) on healthy rats. Whey beverages were processed by HIUS (20KHz, 520 W of nominal power, <53 °C, 20.3 W of acoustic power, energy density of 2.9 kJ.cm-3 and 9.5 min to process 100 mL) and high-temperature short-time (HTST, 75 °C for 15 s) before being supplemented to Wistar rats by gavage for 15 days. Antioxidant, antidiabetic, anti-hypertensive, and anticancer activities, lipid peroxidation, bioactive peptides, and microstructure of the beverages were analyzed. In addition, the body mass, food, and water intake, systolic blood pressure, biochemical and oxidative stress parameters were measured. The sonicated beverage induced satiety, decreased glutathione peroxidase activity, total triglycerides, very-low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and alanine aminotransferase. These findings suggest that ultrasound technology can provide in vivo health and functional benefits.

Chemoprevention with a tea from hawthorn (Crataegus oxyacantha) leaves and flowers attenuates colitis in rats by reducing inflammation and oxidative stress.

The purpose of the study was to determine the effects of a tea from the leaves and flowers of Crataegus oxyacantha in rats with colitis. Colitis was induced by administration of 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid. Hawthorn tea (HT) (100 mg/kg) was given via gavage for 21 days and the mesalamine drug (100 mg/kg) was administrated during the period of disease onset. HT was rich in total phenolic compounds (16.5%), flavonoids (1.8%), and proanthocyanidins (1.5%); vitexin-2-O-rhamnoside was the main compound detected. Mesalamine and the HT diminished the length of the lesions formed in the colon, in addition to reducing the levels of myeloperoxidase and interleukin-1ß. Mesalamine was able to significantly reverse the body weight loss, while HT improved the activity of glutathione reductase and catalase. Histological scoring was not changed by the interventions, but it was highly correlated with the necrotic area. HT given at 100 mg/kg can be effective against colitis.

Aqueous Extract of Brazilian Berry (Myrciaria jaboticaba) Peel Improves Inflammatory Parameters and Modulates Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium in Rats with Induced-Colitis.

Natural compounds could be a complementary alternative to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) management. This study determined the effects of an aqueous extract of Myrciaria jaboticaba peel (EJP) (50 g L-1) on 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid-induced colitis. Wistar rats were randomized into five groups: HC-healthy control, CC-colitis control, DC-drug control, SJ-short-term treatment with EJP, and LJ-long-term treatment with EJP. The EJP treatments reduced body weight loss, stool consistency score, and spleen enlargement. Gut microbiota was modulated through increased Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium counts after EJP treatment. Short-chain fatty acids were also higher in the EJP treatment groups. The antioxidant enzyme activities were greater than CC or DC controls. Myeloperoxidase activity (LJ), inducible nitric oxide synthase (LJ/SJ), and intercellular adhesion molecule (SJ) levels were lower than in the CC group. EJP decreased histological scoring, mucosal thickness, and preserved the crypts and histological structure. Therefore, EJP showed beneficial effects and could be potentially used as an adjuvant in IBD treatment.

Aqueous extract of berry (Plinia jaboticaba) byproduct modulates gut microbiota and maintains the balance on antioxidant defense system in rats.

Previous studies have assessed the properties of aqueous extracts, using byproducts such as jaboticaba peel. We have assessed potential antioxidant effects of jaboticaba extract (Plinia jaboticaba) (JAE = 50 g/L) in vitro and in vivo. Healthy Wistar rats received ad libitum JAE for either 15 or 49 days in vivo. Cyanidin-3-O-glucoside, delphinidin-3-O-glucoside, gallic acid, rutin, myricetin, and quercetin were identified as the main polyphenols in JAE. Lipid peroxidation values in the serum and colon were similar throughout the groups. In addition, JAE did not disturb the antioxidant systems. JAE also altered gut microbiota, increasing since Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium and Enterobacteriaceae counts. Bacterial metabolites were higher in the colon content of rats fed with JAE than in the control group. Given these results, under healthy conditions, JAE dietary supplementation could perform in vivo modulation of gut microbiota, without disturbing the antioxidant system. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Jaboticaba (Plinia jaboticaba) peel is a rich and often-wasted source of bioactive compounds, such as polyphenols. Previous studies have shown that physiological benefits of this berry. The jaboticaba peel could contribute to antioxidant defense systems; it may also have an effect over gut microbiota related to polyphenols contents. Aqueous extraction may be a practical way of employing the bioactive compounds of jaboticaba peel; these compounds can be consumed daily and safely, and thus have attracted particular attention. This work showed positive impacts of jaboticaba peel treatments on microbiota and antioxidant defense systems, and could guide future clinical studies.

Ingesta diária dos organoclorados Lindano, Hexaclorobenzeno e p. p / Daily intake of organochlorines Lindanes, Hexachlorobenzene and p,p'-Dichlorodiphenyl dichloroethilene from sterilized milk

Foram investigadas as concentrações dos agrotóxicos organoclorados lindano, HCB e p,p'-DDE em leite esterilizado e calculada a ingesta diária desses compostos por crianças matriculadas na primeira série do Ensdino Fundamental, no município de Santa Maria, RS (Brasil). As concentrações de lindano (17,9 ng/g de gordura +- 26,5), HCB (3,4 NG/G de gordura +-1,5) e p,p'- DDE (6,5 ng/g de gordura +- 4,4) nas amostras de leite enquadraram-se abaixo do limite máximo de resíduos estabelecido pelo Codex AlimentaRius (FAO, 1993). O consumo médio de leite esterilizado pelas crianças foi de 390,9 mL/dia. A ingesta diária estimada de compostos organoclorados (0,210 ug/dia de lindano; 0,039 ug/dia de HCB e 0,076 ug/dia de p,p1-DDE) a partir de leite esterilizado ficou abaixo da ingesta diária admisspivel estabelecida pelo Codex Alimentarius. Concluiu-se que o lkeite comercializado no município de Santa Maria não representa risco toxicológico sob o aspectos avaliado

Níveis de cobre em amostras de cachaça produzidas na região noroeste do Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil / Levels of copper in “cachaça” samples produced in the Northwest region of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Com o objetivo de conhecer a qualidade, com destaque para os níveis de cobre, foram analisadas 25 amostras de cachaça artesanal, produzidas e comercializadas em 17 municípios pertencentes às microrregiões Ijuí, Cruz Alta, Santa Rosa e Três Passos, que integram o noroeste do Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil e, compararam-se os valores encontrados, com aqueles estabelecidos pela Legislação. Para as análises, procedeu-se a avaliação dos aspectos gerais das amostras através de observações visuais e olfativas, conforme as recomendações do Ministério da Agricultura para análise de bebidas alcoólicas destiladas. O teor alcoólico foi determinado utilizando-se método densimétrico e os teores de cobre foram determinados através de espectrofotometria de absorção atômica (EAA). Aplicou-se os testes de ANOVA e Tukey. Foram constatados, a partir da análise dos aspectos gerais, que 72 por cento das amostras apresentaram anormalidades de limpidez. Verificou-se que a Microrregião Três Passos apresentou 42,86 por cento de suas amostras fora dos limites estabelecidos pela legislação para o teor alcoólico, entretanto os valores médios deste mesmo parâmetro, para todas as amostras das quatro microrregiões, situaram-se dentro do que estabelece a legislação. Quanto aos níveis de cobre, a maior concentração média foi observada na Microrregião Três Passos (10,22mg L-1) enquanto que na Microrregião Cruz Alta foram observados os menores níveis médios deste metal (2,95mg L-1). Apenas as microrregiões Ijuí e Três Passos apresentaram diferenças estatisticamente significativas (P<0,05) quanto aos níveis médios de cobre quando comparadas as outras microrregiões. A média regional para os níveis deste metal nas quatro microrregiões foi de 5,71mg L-1, valor acima do limite máximo de 5mg L-1 permitido pela legislação. Os resultados do presente estudo, apesar de avaliarem apenas alguns dos parâmetros de qualidade para bebidas alcoólicas destiladas, evidenciam a necessidade de adoção de estratégias de apoio tecnológico para capacitação dos produtores, a fim de estimular e ampliar esta atividade agroindustrial importante para a competitividade e a sobrevivência do pequeno e médio produtor rural.

Fatores que influenciam o consumo de leite por crianças de 1ª série do ensino fundamental do município de Santa Maria (RS) / Factors that affect milk intake by children from the first grade of elementary school from Santa Maria (RS)

O presente trabalho estimou o consumo médio diário de leite por crianças (517) de 1ª série do ensino fundamental do Município de Santa Maria (RS) e os fatores que podem influenciar este consumo. Os dados foram levantados através de um questionário de freqüência de consumo. O consumo médio diário total de leite pelas crianças foi cerca de 440 mL. O leite consumido com maior freqüência (44 por cento) foi o esterilizado. O volume total de leite consumido pelas crianças com renda familiar entre 1 e 6 salários mínimos.