Effect of ultimate pH on quality of aged Longissimus dorsi muscle of Zebu Nellore (Bos indicus) during long-term frozen storage.

Despite the relatively high occurrence of bovine meat with intermediate to high ultimate pH (pHu), there is a lack of studies focused on the effects of long-term conventional air-blasting freezing storage on quality parameters of commercial beefs of Zebu Nellore (Bos indicus) with varying pHu ranges. The objective of this work was to evaluate the influence of pHu ranges [normal (≤5.79), intermediate (5.80 to 6.19), and high (≥6.20)] and long-term frozen storage on quality parameters of aged Longissimus dorsi beefs of Zebu Nellore (Bos indicus). The aging conditions were set at 2 °C for 14 days, while the freezing conditions were set at - 20 °C, and samples were collected after 3, 6, 9, and 12 months of storage. The results indicated that the pHu influenced meat quality parameters, as well as the chemical forms of myoglobin, which changed throughout the frozen storage, leading to a brighter red color, especially for the normal pHu beef samples, likely due to increased oxymyoglobin content. Frozen storage improved tenderness, with high pHu beef samples being the more tender after 12 months, potentially due to lower protein oxidation, as measured by the carbonyl content. Increased drip loss was observed over freezing time, with a concomitant decrease in protein solubility, especially for myofibrillar and sarcoplasmic proteins, which differed among the pHu ranges. These findings are valuable for determining freezing time as a preservation strategy to maintain beef quality within different pHu ranges.

Effects of simulated gastrointestinal digestion/epithelial transport on phenolics and bioactivities of particles of brewer's spent yeasts loaded with Brazilian red propolis.

Red propolis from northeast Brazil contains mainly isoflavonoids as bioactive compounds, and its consumption may counteract unregulated and exacerbated formation of reactive oxygen species and inflammatory cytokines/chemokines. Moreover, the production of particles using sustainable carriers have been studied to increase the use of propolis as a functional food ingredient. Hence, the objective of this work was to investigate the effects of simulated gastrointestinal digestion followed by a cell-based epithelial transport on phenolic profile, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities of particles of brewer's spent yeasts (BSY) loaded with ethanolic extract of Brazilian red propolis (EEP). As a result, the EEP phenolic diversity decreased throughout the simulated gastrointestinal system, and was modulated by the particle production, as detected by high-performance liquid chromatography - electrospray ionization - quadrupole-time-of-flight-mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS). Concomitantly, the antioxidant activity, as assessed by the ability to scavenge peroxyl and superoxide radicals, hydrogen peroxide, and hypochlorous acid, generally decreased at a higher extent for the particles of EEP with BSY (EEP-BSY) throughout the experiments. Nonetheless, after epithelial transport through the Caco-2 cell monolayer, the basolateral fraction of both EEP-BSY and EEP decreased the activation of pro-inflammatory transcription factor NF-κB by 83% and 65%, respectively, as well as the release of TNF-α (up to 51% and 38%, respectively), and CXCL2/MIP-2 (up to 33% and 25%, respectively). Therefore, BSY may be an interesting carrier for EEP bioencapsulation, since it preserves its anti-inflammatory activity. Further studies should be encouraged to investigate the feasibility of adding it in formulations of functional foods, considering its effect on sensory attributes.

Dynamic gastrointestinal digestion/intestinal permeability of encapsulated and nonencapsulated Brazilian red propolis: Active compounds stability and bioactivity.

The objectives were to investigate the effect of dynamic gastrointestinal digestion/Caco-2 cell transport on active compounds stability and antioxidant/anti-inflammatory activities of the ethanolic extract of Brazilian red propolis (EEBRP), whether encapsulated or not; and the in vivo acute toxicity of the EEBRP after digestion. Eight isoflavonoids, one flavanone, and one chalcone were identified by HPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS, and quantified by HPLC-PDA. Bioaccessibility was higher for the encapsulated EEBRP (21.4%-57.6%) than for the nonencapsulated (19.3%-30.2%). Conversely, the Caco-2 cell transport was higher for the nonencapsulated EEBRP. Similarly, the nonencapsulated EEBRP showed higher ability to scavenge reactive oxygen species, which was especially attributed to calycosin, and to decrease NF-κB activation, and the levels of TNF-α and CXCL2/MIP-2 after Caco-2 cell transport. Hence, there is an indication that EEBRP is a promising alternative dietary source of bioavailable isoflavonoids. Further studies on encapsulation should be encouraged to improve bioactivity, and expand its food applications.

Chitosan suspension as extractor and encapsulating agent of phenolics from acerola by-product.

The polymeric suspension of chitosan (Ch) has been an effective media for the extraction of total phenolic compounds (TPC) from the acerola by-product. It facilitates the subsequent production of nanoparticles loaded with the phenolics (Np-TPC) by ionic gelation. However, neither the effects of Ch concentration on encapsulation efficiency (EE%) of TPC nor which compounds are extracted in its media are known, being it the first objective of this study. The second objective was to analyze the stability of the Np-TPC under accelerated conditions and its release profile at pHs 3.0 and 7.0. The results showed that Ch does not affect the extraction of TPC. However, the EE increased from 35.0 to 48.1 % with the increase of Ch concentration (0.4 to 1.0 %). LC/ESI-QTOF MS analysis showed that phenolic acids and flavonoids are extracted in 0.8 % Ch medium. After encapsulation, microscopy images revealed particle sizes ranging between 110 and 150 nm. Additionally, the presence of phenolics did not change the stability of the particles under accelerated conditions and the actives were fully released into the released medium for 10 h. The Np-TPC suspension appears to be useful for the production of edible antioxidant coatings to preserve fruits/vegetables, with potential application as carrier of other food ingredients.

Plant genetic diversity by DNA barcoding to investigate propolis origin.

Identify the botanical origins of a certain type of propolis may be challenging and time demanding, since it involves bee's behavior observation, plant resins collection and chemical analysis. Thus, this study aimed to determine the plant genetic materials in propolis from southern Brazil using the DNA barcoding to investigate their botanical origins, as well as to compare it with the phytochemical composition determined by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS) and with the pollinic profile. As principal results, non-native Populus carolinensis Moench (Salicaceae) was almost the only DNA source in some propolis samples, which coincided with the presence of flavonoids typical from poplar exudates. Conversely, other propolis samples had DNA material coming mainly from native plant species, most of them characterized to the species level, although no specific chemical markers from those plants could be identified by UHPLC-HRMS. However, pollen from several plants identified by the DNA barcoding were extracted from some propolis samples. Despite the identification of typical diterpenes, DNA material from Araucaria angustifolia (Bertol.) Kuntze (Araucariaceae), which have been indicated as a major resin source for propolis from preservation areas in southern Brazil, was found in very small abundancies, likely because bees do not drag tissue material containing DNA when collecting resin from this native species. In conclusion, DNA barcoding analysis successfully provided information about the provenance of propolis, although, depending on the plant resin sources, this information is likely to come from pollen.

Lignans as new chemical markers of a certified Brazilian organic propolis.

Commercially certified organic propolis produced in areas of environmental conservation and reforestation forests of Southern Brazil are generally poor in flavonoids, although one of its variants - Brazilian certified organic propolis 1 (OP1) - has shown strong antioxidant activity. The objective was to identify active compounds from OP1 related to its strong antioxidant activity. OP1 ethanolic extracts were subjected to liquid-liquid fractionation, and the fractions presenting the strongest antioxidant activity were combined and purified into subfractions. Compounds isolated from the most active subfractions had their structure elucidated by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR). As a result, five lignans and two lignan-precursors were isolated, and four of them are herein reported for the very first time in propolis. Hence, these compounds may be used as chemical markers for product standardization and authentication purposes, since OP1 is only produced by honeybees in native forests and its botanical origins remain unknown.

Isolation of diterpenes from Araucaria sp Brazilian brown propolis and development of a validated high-performance liquid chromatography method for its analysis.

Propolis comprises a complex resinous product composed of plant's parts or exudates, pollen, bee wax, and enzymes. Brazilian brown propolis from Araucaria sp displays several biological activities. Considering the lack of validated analytical methods for its analysis, we are reporting the development of a validated high-performance liquid chromatography with photodiode array detector method to analyze Araucaria brown propolis. The crude propolis were extracted and chromatographed, furnishing six main diterpenes. The isolated standards were used to draw the analytical curves, allowing the studies of selectivity, precision, accuracy, recovery, robustness, the determination of limits of detection and limits of quantification. The mobile phase consisted of 0.1% acetic acid in water and acetonitrile, using an octadecylsilane column, 1 mL/min flow rate and detection at 200 or 241 nm. Relative standard deviation values obtained for intra-day and inter-day precision were lower than 4% for all diterpenes. From the five parameters for robustness, wavelength detection and flow rate were the critical ones. Limits of detection and quantification ranged from 0.808 to 10.359 µg/mL and from 2.448 to 31.392 µg/mL, respectively. The recoveries were between 105.03 and 108.13%, with relative standard deviation values around 5.0%. The developed method is precise, sensitive, and reliable for analyzing Araucaria brown propolis.

Caffeine in Brazil: intake, socioeconomic and demographic determinants, and major dietary sources

Background: The objectives of the study were to describe caffeine intake by 10 years of age or older Brazilian individuals and to investigate possible associations with demographic and socioeconomic determinants as well as the major dietary sources. Methods: The data used are from the personal food consumption module (n= 34,003) of a country-representative household budget survey. Consumed foods and beverages were identified during the application of food diaries. Caffeine contents in food and beverage sources were obtained primarily in national publications. Multivariate regressions were calculated to assess the correlations between population factors and caffeine intake. Results: The daily intake per person was estimated as 115.7 mg, ranging from 84.7 mg, for 10­13 years of age children and adolescents, to 139.8 mg, for individuals with no education. The percentage of individuals whom diet reveals daily caffeine intake higher than 400 mg is up to 3.0 %, according to age groups. Males and individuals living in the Northeast or South regions or in the states of Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, and Espírito Santo are likely to ingest higher contents of the substance. The major dietary sources are coffee (63.1 %) and coffee with milk (24.9 %), cola soft drinks (3.6 %) and yerba mate (1.9 %).Conclusions: Caffeine intake in Brazil is below the recommended limit reference value for adults, and the percentage of individuals whom diet reveals excessive content of caffeine is low. Thus, excessive caffeine intake may not be a health issue in Brazil and depends on the domicile and gender. The major source in the Brazilian diet is coffee.