Diseases and pests noxious to Pleurotus spp. mushroom crops.

The Pleurotus genus is one of most extensively studied white-rot fungi due to its exceptional ligninolytic properties. It is an edible mushroom that possesses biological effects, as it contains important bioactive molecules. It is a rich source of nutrients, particularly proteins, minerals as well as vitamins B, C and D. In basidiomycete fungi, intensive cultivations of edible mushrooms can often be affected by some bacterial, mold and virus diseases that rather frequently cause dramatic production loss. These infections are facilitated by the particular conditions under which mushroom cultivation is commonly carried out such as warm temperatures, humidity, carbon dioxide (CO2) levels and presence of pests. There is not much bibliographic information related to pests of mushrooms and their substrates. The updated review presents a practical checklist of diseases and pests of the Pleurotus genus, providing useful information that may help different users.

Ripe and unripe inajá (Maximilia maripa) fruit: A new high source of added value bioactive compounds.

Flours obtained from unripe and ripe inajá palm tree fruit pulp, as well as co-products that were generated after oil extraction, were evaluated for the first time. In addition, the oils extracted using ethanol as a solvent were also analyzed. The oils showed similar thermal characteristics, such as thermal stability up to about 253 °C, while also presenting a rich composition of phenolic compounds, antioxidant capacity and carotenoid content. Concerning the raw flours and their defatted counterparts, their free and bound phenolic compounds, which comprised gallic acid, 4-dihydroxybenzoic acid, ferulic acid, p-coumaric acid, and m-coumaric acid, were identified and quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography. Moreover, the defatting process improved thermal stability and decreased the peak viscosity of the unripe and ripe flours. The presence of starch and bioactive compounds in all the inajá flours provides a rationale for the development of new food and non-food products.

Chemical composition and antioxidant activity of yerba-mate (Ilex paraguariensis A.St.-Hil., Aquifoliaceae) extract as obtained by spray drying.

Yerba-mate or maté (Ilex paraguariensis A.St.-Hil., Aquifoliaceae) leaves are typically used for their stimulant, antioxidant, antimicrobial, and diuretic activity, presenting as principal components polyphenolic compounds. In this study, the objective was to develop a yerba-mate dry extract by using spray drying technology and to evaluate the dry extract antioxidant activity and chemical composition. The results obtained by means of the DPPH assay show that the extract presents an IC(50) of 2.52 mg/mL. The yerba-mate spray-dried extract presents high catalase-like activity, suggesting that it is a strong free-radical scavenger. The antioxidant activity as expressed as catalase-like activity was related to total polyphenol content. In addition, the results show that the spray-dried extract presents high polyphenol content, namely, high concentrations of caffeic acid (1.54 mg/g), 5-caffeoylquinic acid (91.40 mg/g), rutin (5.38 mg/g), and total phenolics (178.32 mg/g), which justifies its high antioxidant activity.

Desenvolvimento de gelatina funcional de erva-mate / Development of functional yerba-mate jelly

O objetivo deste estudo foi desenvolver formulações para gelatina funcional com extrato de erva-mate verde e fibras solúveis como inulina (INU), frutooligossacarídeos (FOS) e a polidextrose (PD), avaliando o efeito desses ingredientes na gelatina funcional por meio da análise física da textura (firmeza, consistência e coesividade), análise sensorial (sabor e preferência de compra) e composição química. As formulações INU, PD e composição INU/PD/FOS apresentaram textura desejável para uma sobremesa de gelatina, não diferindo (P>0,05) do padrão com sacarose. Pela análise sensorial, a gelatina funcional com INU obteve o maior índice hedônico para sabor e preferência de compra acima de 70 por cento, superior ao padrão. Considerando os resultados obtidos neste estudo, a aplicação tecnológica do extrato de erva-mate verde e das fibras solúveis apresenta evidente potencial para o desenvolvimento de alimentos saudáveis e funcionais.

The objective of this study was to develop formulations for functional jelly with extract of green yerba-mate and soluble fibers as inulin (INU), fructooligosaccharides (FOS) and polidextrose (PD), evaluating the effect of those ingredients in the functional jelly through texture physical analysis (firmness, consistence, cohesiveness), sensorial analysis (flavor and purchase preference) and chemical composition. The formulations INU, PD and composition INU/PD/FOS presented desirable texture for jelly dessert and not differing (P>0.05) of the reference standard with sucrose. For the sensorial analysis the functional jelly with INU obtained the largest index hedonic for flavor and purchase preference above 70 percent, higher than the reference standard. Considering the results obtained in this study, the technological application of green yerba-mate extract and of soluble fibers, presents evident potential for the development of healthy and functional foods.