Amazonian Vegetable Oils and Fats: Fast Typification and Quality Control via Triacylglycerol (TAG) Profiles from Dry Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-of-Flight (MALDI-TOF) Mass Spectrometry Fingerprinting

Amazonian oils and fats display unique triacylglycerol (TAG) profiles and, because of their economic importance as renewable raw materials and use by the cosmetic and food industries, are often subject to adulteration and forgery. Representative samples of these oils (andiroba, Brazil nut, buriti, and passion fruit) and fats (cupuacu, murumuru, and ucuba) were characterized without pre-separation or derivatization via dry (solvent-free) matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). Characteristic profiles of TAG were obtained for each oil and tat. Dry MALDI-TOF MS provides typification and direct and detailed information, via TAG profiles, of their variable combinations of fatty acids. A database from spectra could be developed and may be used for their fast and reliable typification, application screening, and quality control.

Antioxidant Capacity and Larvicidal and Antifungal Activities of Essential Oils and Extracts from Piper krukoffii

The leaves and twigs of Piper krukoffii, collected in the Carajas National Forest, north Brazil, yielded essential oils (2.0% and 0.8%), the main constituents of which were myristicin (40.3% and 26.7%), apiole (25.4% and 34.1%) and elemicin (2.8% and 3.0%). The antioxidant activities of the oils, methanol extract and its sub-fractions were evaluated. The DPPH EC(50) values varied from the ethyl acetate sub-fraction (73.4 +/- 3.7 mu g/mL) to the methanol extract (24.9 +/- 0.8 mu g/mL), and the ABTS TEAC values ranged in the same order from 265.7 to 349.2 mu Mol TE/g. These results indicated a significant antioxidant activity for the plant. The lignans (-)-kusunokin, yatein, (-)-hinokin and cubebin were identified in the methanol extract. The hydro-methanolic sub-fraction showed a high value for total phenol content (106.5 +/- 0.7 mg GAE/g), as well as (1)H NMR signals for sugar moieties. Crude extracts and sub-fractions were also able to inhibit beta-carotene bleaching, varying from 22.4 to 47.1%. The oils from the leaves and twigs showed strong larvicidal (21.4 and 3.6 mu g/mL) and fungicide (0.5 and 0.1 mu g/mL) activities.

Perception of eating practices and stages of change among Brazilian adolescents

Objective. To evaluate the perception of eating practices and the stages of change among adolescents. Methods. Cross-sectional study involving a representative sample of 390 adolescents from 11 public schools in the city of Piracicaba, Brazil, in 2004. Food consumption was identified by a food frequency questionnaire and the perception of eating practices evaluation was conducted by comparing food consumption and individual classification of healthy aspects of the diet. The participants were classified within stages of change by means of a specific algorithm. A reclassification within new stages of change was proposed to identify adolescents with similar characteristics regarding food consumption and perception. Results. Low consumption of fruit and vegetables and high consumption of sweets and fats were identified. More than 44% of the adolescents had a mistaken perception of their diet. A significant relationship between the stages of change and food consumption was observed. The reclassification among stages of change, through including the pseudo-maintenance and non-reflective action stages was necessary, considering the high proportion of adolescents who erroneously classified their diets as healthy. Conclusion. Classification of the adolescents into stages of change, together with consumption and perception data, enabled identification of groups at risk, in accordance with their inadequate dietary habits and non-recognition of such habits. (C) 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Densities and Viscosities of vegetable oils of nutritional value

Densities and viscosities of five vegetable oils (Babassu oil, Buriti oil, Brazil nut oil, macadamia oil, and grape seed oil) and of three blends of Buriti oil and soybean oil were measured as a function of temperature and correlated by empirical equations. The estimation capability of two types of predictive methodologies was tested using the measured data. The first group of methods was based on the fatty acid composition of the oils, while the other was based on their triacylglycerol composition, as a multicomponent system. In general, the six models tested presented a good representation of the physical properties considered in this work. A simple method of calculation is also proposed to predict the dynamic viscosity of methyl and ethyl ester biodiesels, based on the fatty acid composition of the original oil. Data presented in this work and the developed model can be valuable for designing processes and equipment for the edible oil industry and for biodiesel production.

Garlic powder and wheat bran as fillers: Their effect on the physicochemical properties of edible biocomposites

Biocomposites with two different fillers, garlic and wheat bran, were studied. They were based on cassava starch and contained glycerol as a plasticizer and potassium sorbate as an antimicrobial agent and were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and infrared spectroscopy (IR). The mechanical performance at room and lower temperatures was also studied. SEM micrographies of fractured surfaces of the wheat bran composite films showed some ruptured particles of fiber while fibrils of garlic on the order of nanometers were observed when garlic composite films were studied. Mechanical tests, at room temperature, showed that the addition of wheat bran led to an increment in the storage modulus (E`) and hardening and a decrease in Tan delta, while the garlic composite showed a diminishing in the E` and hardening and did not produce significant changes in Tan delta values when compared with systems without fillers (matrix). In the range between -90 degrees C and 20 degrees C. all the materials studied presented two peaks in the Tan delta curve. In the case of the wheat bran composite, both relaxation peaks shifted slightly to higher temperatures, broadened and diminished their intensity when compared with those of the matrix; however garlic composite showed a similar behavior to the matrix. DSC thermograms of aqueous systems showed a slight shift of gelatinization temperature (T(gelatinization)) to higher values when the fillers were present. Thermograms of films showed that both, garlic and wheat bran composites, had a lower melting point than the matrix. IR data indicated that interaction between starch and fillers determined an increase in the availability of hydroxyl groups to be involved in a dynamic exchange with water. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Reduction of oil uptake in deep fat fried chicken nuggets using edible coatings based on cassava starch and methylcellulose

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of edible coatings based on methylcellulose (MC) and cassava starch (CS) to reduce oil uptake and improve water retention of chicken nuggets during deep fat frying. Edible coatings were prepared with I g of MC/100 g solution and 4 g of CS/100 g solution, with 25 or 55 g glycerol/100 g biopolymer. These solutions were applied to nugget samples before battering. Pre-fried and fried nuggets were analyzed to determine lipid and water contents. Color and texture were also measured in the fried nuggets. In general, there was no effect of the two concentrations of plasticizer of either of the biopolymers on the water retention of whole nuggets. But, higher oil uptake reduction, and consequently, lower lipid content was observed on nuggets coated with CS and 25% plasticizer. The coated samples were darker and had a brighter yellow color when compared with the control. There was also a significant decrease in the shearing force of the fried coated samples, indicating reduced hardness of these samples.

Life-history, thallus ontogeny, and the effects of temperature, irradiance and salinity on growth of the edible green seaweed Gayralia spp. (Chlorophyta) from Southern Brazil

Gayralia K.L. Vinogr. is a monostromatic green alga of commercial importance in the southern Brazil, and its cultivation is being considered. This paper reports some basic aspects of the biology of this poorly known genus. Two populations of Gayralia spp., from outer and inner sectors of Paranagua Bay, showed an asexual life history with a distinct pattern of thallus ontogeny. In one population (Gayralia sp. 1), zooids developed an expanded monostromatic blade directly, while in the other (Gayralia sp. 2) zooids produced an intermediate saccate stage, before giving rise to a monostromatic blade. Thalli of the two species differ in size and in cell diameter. The effects of temperature (16-30 degrees C), irradiance (50-100 mu mol photons m(-2) s(-1)), and salinity (5-40 psu) on the growth of both populations were assessed. Plantlets of Gayralia sp. 1 from in vitro cultures showed a broader tolerance to all salinity and irradiance levels tested, with the highest growth rate (GR; mean 17% day-1) at 21.5 degrees C and 100 mu mol photons m(-2) s(-1). Plantlets of Gayralia sp. 1 collected during the winter in the field showed higher GR, ranging from 5% day(-1) to 7.5% day(-1) in salinities from 20 to 40 psu, and 2.0% day(-1) and 4.3% day(-1) for plantlets collected during the summer. Gayralia sp. 2 from the field showed highest GR at salinity of 15 psu. These results suggest distinct physiological responses of the two species, in accordance with their distribution: Gayralia sp. 2 is limited to the inner areas of the estuary, while Gayralia sp. 1 grows in outer areas, where salinity values are higher than 20 psu. These data indicate that Gayralia sp. 1 has a higher potential for aquaculture than Gayralia sp. 2 due to its larger thalli, higher GR, and wider tolerance to environmental variations.

Underutilized Annona Species from the Brazilian Cerrado and Amazon Rainforest: A Study on Fatty Acids Profile and Yield of Seed Oils

Annona (Annonaceae) is an important source of fruits in the Brazilian Cerrado and the Amazon Rainforest. Some Annona species are widely commercialized as fresh fruit or as frozen pulp. Seeds are accustomedly discarded. Our main goal was to analyze fatty acids profile from seeds of A. crassiflora and A. coriacea from Cerrado, A. montana from Amazon Forest, and three cultivars (A. cherimola cv. Madeira, A. cherimola x A. squamosa cv. Pink`s Mammonth and A. cherimola x A. squamosa cv. Gefner). The total oil yield ranged between 20 and 42% by weight of dry mass. The A cherimola x A. squamosa cv. Gefner has significantly higher total lipid yield than all other samples. 100 g of fruit of this species present 6-8 g of seeds. Considering the fruit production of Chile (over 221 ton of fruits/year), more than 1300 ton of seed/year could be obtained, which could provide at least 200 ton of seed oil. Oleic acid was predominant for most samples, but for A. montana linoleic acid was the most abundant FA. Phenotypic variation on FAME profile was observed. These new data are an urgent requirement for supporting conservation programs, mainly for Cerrado areas in Brazil.

Chemical Composition, Seasonal Variation and Evaluation of Antimicrobial Activity of Essential Oils of Talauma ovata A. St. Hil. (Magnoliaceae)

The essential oils isolated by hydrodistillation from trunk bark and leaves of Talauma ovata A. St. Hil. (Magnoliaceae), collected in four seasons, were analyzed by capillary GC and GC/MS. Altogether 52 components were identified, The oils were characterized by predominance of cyclic sesquiterpenes. The main components were linalool, trans-beta-guaiene, germaerene D, germacrene B, spathulenol, caryophyllene oxide, viridiflorol and alpha-endesmol. The content of individual components was variable during the year. All oils were screened against several strains of bacteria and yeasts, using the agar well-diffusion technique. The antimicrobial activity of oils showed strong dependence with the season. Significant activity was found for oils obtained in the spring and summer.

Composition and antifungal activity against Candida albicans, Candida parapsilosis, Candida krusei and Cryptococcus neoformans of essential oils from leaves of Piper and Peperomia species

This study was addressed to investigate the composition and antifungal activity of essential oils from leaves of Piperaceae species (Piper aduncum, Piper amalago, Piper cernuum, Piper diospyrifolium, Piper crassinervium, Piper gaudichaudianum, Piper solmsianum, Piper regnellii, Piper tuberculatum, Piper umbelata and Peperomia obtusifolia) against Candida albicans, C. parapsilosis, C. krusei and Cryptococcus neoformans. The essential oils from P. aduncum, P. gaudichaudianum and P. solmsianum showed the highest antifungal activity against Cryptococcus neoformans with the MIC of 62.5, 62.5 and 3.9 mg.mL-1, respectively. The oil from P. gaudichaudianum showed activity against C. krusei with MIC of 31.25 mg.mL-1.

Application of solid sampling device for direct determination of chromium and nickel in lubricating oils by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry

One method using a solid sampling device for the direct determination of Cr and Ni in fresh and used lubricating oils by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry are proposed. The high organic content in the samples was minimized using a digestion step at 400 degrees C in combination with an oxidant mixture 1.0% (v v(-1)) HNO3+15% (v v(-1)) H2O2+0.1% (m v(-1)) Triton X-100 for the in situ digestion. The 3-field mode Zeeman-effect allowed the spectrometer calibration up to 5 ng of Cr and Ni. The quantification limits were 0.86 mu g g(-1) for Cr and 0.82 mg g(-1) for Ni, respectively. The analysis of reference materials showed no statistically significant difference between the recommended values and those obtained by the proposed methods.

Effect of enzymatic pretreatment and increasing the organic loading rate of lipid-rich wastewater treated in a hybrid UASB reactor

This study aimed at evaluating the effect of increasing organic loading rates and of enzyme pretreatment on the stability and efficiency of a hybrid upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor (UASBh) treating dairy effluent. The UASBh was submitted to the following average organic loading rates (OLR) 0.98 Kg.m(-3).d(-1), 4.58 Kg.m(-3).d(-1), 8.89 Kg.m(-3).d(-1) and 15.73 Kg.m(-3).d(-1), and with the higher value, the reactor was fed with effluent with and without an enzymatic pretreatment to hydrolyze fats. The hydraulic detention time was 24 h, and the temperature was 30 +/- 2 degrees C. The reactor was equipped with a superior foam bed and showed good efficiency and stability until an OLR of 8.89 Kg.m(-3).d(-1). The foam bed was efficient for solid retention and residual volatile acid concentration consumption. The enzymatic pretreatment did not contribute to the process stability, propitiating loss in both biomass and system efficiency. Specific methanogenic activity tests indicated the presence of inhibition after the sludge had been submitted to the pretreated effluent It was concluded that continuous exposure to the hydrolysis products or to the enzyme caused a dramatic drop in the efficiency and stability of the process, and the single exposure of the biomass to this condition did not inhibit methane formation. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Phase equilibria study of systems composed of refined babassu oil, lauric acid, ethanol, and water at 303.2 K

Deacidification of vegetable oils can be performed using liquid-liquid extraction as an alternative method to the classical chemical and physical refining processes. This paper reports experimental data for systems containing refined babassu oil, lauric acid, ethanol, and water at 303.2 K with different water mass fractions in the alcoholic solvent (0, 0.0557, 0.1045, 0.2029, and 0.2972). The dilution of solvent with water reduced the distribution coefficient values, which indicates a reduction in the loss of neutral oil. The experimental data were used to adjust the NRTL equation parameters. The global deviation between the observed and the estimated compositions was 0.0085, indicating that the model can accurately predict the behavior of the compounds at different levels of solvent hydration. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Development and Evaluation of a Novel pH Indicator Biodegradable Film Based on Cassava Starch

A pH indicator film based on cassava starch plasticized with sucrose and inverted sugar and incorporated with grape and spinach extracts as pH indicator sources (anthocyanin and chlorophyll) has been developed, and its packaging properties have been assessed. A second-order central composite design (2(2)) with three central points and four star points was used to evaluate the mechanical properties (tensile strength, tensile strength at break, and elongation at break percentage), moisture barrier, and microstructure of the films, and its potential as a pH indicator packaging. The films were prepared by the casting technique and conditioned under controlled conditions (75% relative humidity and 23 degrees C), at least 4 days before the analyses. The materials were exposed to different pH solutions (0, 2, 7, 10, and 14) and their color parameters (L*, a*, b*, and haze) were measured by transmittance. Grape and spinach extracts have affected the material characterization. Film properties (mechanical properties and moisture barrier) were strongly influenced by extract concentration presenting lower results than for the control. Films containing a higher concentration of grape extract presented a greater color change at different pH`s suggesting that anthocyanins are more effective as pH indicators than chlorophyll or the mixture of both extracts. (C) 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 120: 1069-1079,2011

Effect of surfactants on the functional properties of gelatin-based edible films

The aim of this research was to evaluate the plasticizing effect of natural surfactants lecithin or yucca extract from Yucca schidigera on gelatin-based films Films containing yucca extract showed higher tensile strength values (similar to 90-40 MPa) and moisture contents (similar to 15%) and less elongation (similar to 5%) and water vapor permeability values (similar to 0 22-009 g mm m(-2) h(-1) kPa(-1)) compared to films containing lecithin Soluble films (similar to 20-50%) were obtained when yucca extract was used while lecithin produced low soluble films (<10%) The opacity of the films (similar to 14 5-16 2%) was similar for both surfactants and the film surface morphologies were continuous and homogeneous X-ray diffraction indicated that the addition of surfactants produced amorphous films compared to gelatin-based films and FT-Infrared spectroscopy showed no evidence of association between the surfactants and the gelatin The plasticizing effect was not obtained after surfactants addition and casting technique (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd All rights reserved