Estudo da secagem do feijão verde (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp) - análise experimental do processo combinado leito fixo/leito de jorro

Green bean is considered as one of most traditional Brazilian Northeast dishes. Green beans drying preliminary experiments show that combine processes, fixed-bed/spouted bed, resulted in dehydrated beans with uniform humidity and the recovery of the beans properties after their rehydration. From this assays was defined an initial humidity suited for the spouted bed process. A fixed-bed pre-drying process until a level of 40% humidity gave the best results. The spouted bed characteristic hydrodynamic curves were presented for different beans loads, where changes in the respective beans physical properties were evidenced during the fluidynamic assay, due simultaneous drying process. One 22 factorial experimental design was carried out with three repetition in the central point, considering as entry variables: drying air velocity and temperature. The response variables were the beans brakeage, water fraction evaporated during 20 and 50 minutes of drying and the humidity ratio. They are presented still the modeling of the drying of the green beans in fine layer in the drier of tray and the modeling of the shrinking of the beans of the drying processes fixed-bed and spouted bed

Polpa de jambolão (Eugenia jambolana Lam.) fresca e desidratada: características físico-químicas, bioativas e funcionais, efeitos biológicos em Caenorhabditis elegans e uso para produção de frozen yogurt caprino probiótico

This work evaluated the fresh, spray dried (with 10 % of Arabic Gum) and freeze dried jambolan pulp (Eugenia jambolana Lam.) in regard to physicochemical (pH, moisture, water activity, average particle diameter, solubility and color), bioactive [total phenolic content (TPC), monomeric anthocyanin, pronathocyanidin (PA), total elagic acid (TEA), myricetin and cyanidin] and in vitro functionality (antioxidant, antienzymatic and antimicrobial activities]. In addition, the in vivo functionality of jambolan pulp was investigated using the Caenorhabditis elegans model for insulin signaling, longevity and induced neurodegeneration (Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease related symptoms). The dried jambolan pulp presented TPC retention (50% to 75%), PA (90% to 98%), TEA (31% to 83%), myricetin (40% to 84%), cyanidin (72% to 84%) and antioxidant activity (15%). The fresh jambolan pulp, the freeze dried pulp and the spray dried jambolan pulp presented high enzymatic inhibitory activity against pancreatic lipase (4,4 to 5,8 mg/mL), alpha-glycosidase (10,3 to 13,8 mg/mL) and alpha-amylase (8,9 to 11,2 mg/mL). They also were active inhibitors against the pathogen S. aureus. The dried jambolan experimental samples were able to increase the expression of several genes linked to the insulin signaling pathways (SIR-2.1, PPTR-1, DAF-16, SOD-3, e CTL) and increased the lifespan in C. elegans (18,07 % - 24,34 %), besides decreasing the amyloid AB1-42 aggregation induced paralysis and MPP+ (1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium) induced neurodegeneration. Based on that, the jambolan pulp and the spray dried jambolan pulp were further selected for the production of caprine frozen yogurt with the addition of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BI-07. The final product were evaluated in regard to their physicochemical (pH, acidity, total solids, protein, total reducing sugars, fat, ashes, overrun, melting test), bioactive (TPC and monomeric anthocyanin, antioxidant activity, probiotic viability and sensory analysis (sensory acceptance). The results showed that samples with probiotic had lowest pH and higher acidity, TPC, anthocyanin and antioxidant activity. It was also observed low overrun (14.2% to 22.6%). vi Samples with probiotic had lower flavor scores. Overall, this research presents the jambolan as a highly functional bioactive-rich fruit with the potential to modulate important biological pathways, extend lifespan and retard the development of neurodegenerative diseases. Jambolan is an underexploited exotic fruit with a high colorant potential and this thesis shows for the first time in the literature important technological, biological and scientific data about this fruit that could be used towards the development of health-oriented food products.