Optimization of osmotic dehydration of papaya followed by air-drying

FERNANDES, Fabiano A. N. et al. Optimization of Osmotic Dehydration of Papaya of followed by air-drying. Food Research Internation, v. 39, p. 492-498, 2006.

Micropartículas de poli (ácido lático-co-ácido glicólico) obtidas por spray drying para a liberação prolongada de metotrexato

Methotrexate (MTX) is a drug used in the chemotherapy of some kind of cancers, autoimmune diseases and non inflammatory resistant to corticosteroids uveits. However, the rapid plasmatic elimination limits its therapeutic success, which leads to administration of high doses to maintain the therapeutic levels in the target tissues, occurring potential side effects. The aim of this study was to obtain spray dried biodegradable poly-lactic acid co-glycolic acid (PLGA) microparticles containing MTX. Thus, suitable amounts of MTX and PLGA were dissolved in appropriate solvent system to obtain solutions at different ratios drug/polymer (10, 20, 30 and 50% m/m). The physicochemical characterizing included the quantitative analysis of the drug using a validate UV-VIS spectrophotometry method, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), infrared spectrophotometry (IR), thermal analyses and X-ray diffraction analysis. The in vitro release studies were carried out in a thermostatized phosphate buffer pH 7.4 (0.05 M KH2PO4) medium at 37°C ± 0.2 °C. The in vitro release date was subjected to different kinetics release models. The MTX-loaded PLGA microparticles showed a spherical shape with smooth surface and high level of entrapped drug. The encapsulation efficiency was greater then 80%. IR spectroscopy showed that there was no chemical bond between the compounds, suggesting just the possible occurrence of hydrogen bound interactions. The thermal analyses and X-ray diffraction analysis shown that MTX is homogeneously dispersed inside polymeric matrix, with a prevalent amorphous state or in a stable molecular dispersion. The in vitro release studies confirmed the sustained release for distinct MTX-loaded PLGA microparticles. The involved drug release mechanism was non Fickian diffusion, which was confirmed by Kornmeyer-Peppas kinetic model. The experimental results demonstrated that the MTX-loaded PLGA microparticles were successfully obtained by spray drying and its potential as prolonged drug release system.

Micropartículas de poli (ácido láctico)/ poloxámero obtids por spray drying para liberação modificada de metotrexatro

New drug delivery systems have been used to increase chemotherapy efficacy due the possible drug resistance of cancer cells. Poly (lactic acid) (PLA) microparticles are able to reduce toxicity and prolong methotrexate (MTX) release. In addition, the use of PLA/poloxamer polymer blends can improve drug release due to changes in the interaction of particles with biological surfaces. The aim of this study was developing spray dried biodegradable MTX-loaded microparticles and evaluate PLA interactions with different kinds of Pluronic® (PLUF127 and PLUF68) in order to modulate drug release. The variables included different drug:polymer (1:10, 1:4.5, 1:3) and polymer:copolymer ratios (25:75, 50:50, 75:25). The precision and accuracy of spray drying method was confirmed assessing drug loading into particles (75.0- 101.3%). The MTX/PLA microparticles showed spherical shape with an apparently smooth surface, which was dependent on the PLU ratio used into blends particles. XRD and thermal analysis demonstrated that the drug was homogeneously dispersed into polymer matrix, whereas the miscibility among components was dependent on the used polymer:copolymer ratio. No new drug- polymer bond was identified by FTIR analysis. The in vitro performance of MTX-loaded PLA microparticles demonstrated an extended-release profile fitted using Korsmeyer- Peppas kinetic model. The PLU accelerated drug release rate possible due PLU leached in the matrix. Nevertheless, drug release studies carried out in cell culture demonstrated the ability of PLU modulating drug release from blend microparticles. This effect was confirmed by cytotoxicity observed according to the amount of drug released as a function of time. Thus, studied PLU was able to improve the performance of spray dried MTX-loaded PLA microparticles, which can be successfully used as carries for modulated drug delivery with potential in vivo application

Incorporação de cinzas da casca de café na produção de placas cerâmicas para revestimento

Brazil is the world s leading coffee producer. In 2008, 45.99 million of 60 kg bags of benefited coffee were produced. In the process of improvement 50% is grain and 50% is husk, thus, 1.38 million tons of coffee husk are produced annually. The husk is used as combustible in the drying and improvement ovens in the coffee farms, generating ash as residue. These ashes contain a high concentration of alkaline metals and earth metals, mainly K2O and CaO. This work studies the use of this residue in the ceramic tiles industry, as fluxing agents in substitution to the feldspar. Ten mixtures with equal ratios of clay and kaolin, proceeding from Bahia and the residue (varying from 30 to 5%) were defined and produced in uniaxial tool die of 60x20mm with approximately 5 mm of thickness and 45MPa compacting pressure. The samples were fired in four different temperatures: 1100 °C, 1150 °C, 1185 °C and 1200 °C during 60 minutes and characterized by means of X-ray fluorescence, X-ray diffraction, gravimetric thermal analysis and differential thermal analysis. The results of water absorption, apparent porosity, linear shrinkage, XRD, dilatometry, flexural strength and SEM were also analysed. The test specimen with addition of 10% of ash fired in 1200 °C resulted in 0.18% water absorption and 40.77 MPa flexural strength, being classified as porcelain stoneware tiles according to ABNT, UNI and ISO norms

Análise técnica e econômica do processo de obtenção de espaguetes com adição de farinha de trigo integral e farinha de linhaça

This work studies the fabrication of spaghetti through the process at high temperatures through the use of flour added to flour and flaxseed meal, with the aim of evaluating the final product quality and estimate the cost of production. The values of moisture, ash, protein, wet gluten, gluten index, falling number and grain of flour and mixtures to test to be the possible use in mass manufacturing and technological criteria for compliance with current legislation. Spaghetti noodles type were manufactured by adding 10% and 20% flour and 10% and 20% flaxseed meal with performance of physical-chemical, sensory and rheological properties of the products. Further analysis was performed on the product acceptance and estimation of production cost in order to create subsidies to enable the introduction of products with greater acceptance and economic viability in the market by the food industry. On the rheology of the product test was cooking the pasta, specifying the volume increase, cooking time and percentage of solid waste. In the sensory evaluation was carried out the triangular test of product differentiation with 50 trained judges and acceptance testing by a hedonic scale with evaluation of the aspects color, taste, smell and texture. In defining the sensory profile of the product was performed with ADQ 9 judges recruited and trained at the factory, using unstructured scale of 9 cm, assessing the attributes of flavor of wheat, flax flavor, consistency, texture of raw pasta, raw pasta color and color of cooked pasta. The greater acceptance of product quality was good and the pasta with 20% flour, 10% followed by the full product, 10% and 20% flaxseed characterized the average quality of the criterion of loss analysis of solids, together with mass full commercial testing. In assessing the estimated cost of production, the two products more technologically feasible and acceptable (20% whole and 10% flaxseed) were evaluated in high temperature processes. With total cost of R $ 4,872.5 / 1,000 kg and R $ 5,354.9 / 1,000 kg respectively, the difference was related to the addition of lower inputs and higher added value in the market, flour and flaxseed meal. The comparative analysis of cases was confirmed the reduction in production time (10h), more uniform product to the drying process at high temperature compared to conventional

Secagem de grãos de girassol em leito fixo e em leito de jorro

This work studies two methods for drying sunflower grains grown in the western region of Rio Grande do Norte, in the premises of the Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia do Rio Grande do Norte - IFRN - Campus Apodi. This initiative was made because of the harvested grain during the harvest, being stored in sheds without any control of temperature, humidity etc. Therewith, many physical, chemical and physiological characteristics are compromised and grains lose much quality for oil production as their germination power. Taking into account that most of the stored grain is used for replanting, the studied methods include drying of grains in a thin layer using an oven with air circulation (fixed bed) and drying in a spouted bed. It was studied the drying of grains in natura, i.e., newly harvested. The fixed bed drying was carried out at temperatures of 40, 50, 60 and 70°C. Experiments in spouted bed were performed based on an experimental design, 2² + 3, with three replications at the central point, where the independent variables were grains load (1500, 2000 and 2500 g) and the temperature of the inlet air (70, 80, and 90 °C), obtaining the drying and desorption equilibrium isotherms. Previously, the characteristic curves of the bed were obtained. Both in the fixed bed as in the spouted bed, drying and desorption curves were obtained by weighing the grains throughout the experiments and measurements of water activity, respectively. The grains drying in the spouted bed showed good results with significant reduction of processing time. The models of FICK and PAGE were fitted to the experimental data, models which will represent the drying of grains both in the fixed bed as in the spouted bed. The desorption curves showed no influence of the processing temperature in the hygroscopic characteristics of the grains. The models of GAB, OSWIN and LUIKOV could well represent the desorption isotherms

Estudo da reidratação do feijão verde (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp) desidratado por micro-ondas com e sem pré-tratamento osmótico

The green bean has organoleptic and nutritional characteristics that make it an important food source in tropical regions such as the Northeast of Brazil. It is a cheap source of protein and important for nutrition of rural population contributing significantly in subsistence farming of the families from Brazil s northeast. It is consumed in entire region and together with the dry meat and other products composes the menu of typical restaurants, being characterized as an important product for economy of Northeast. The green bean is consumed freshly harvested and has short cycle, being characterized as a very perishable food, which hampers your market. The drying method is an alternative to increase the lifetime and provide a reduction volume of this product making easier your transportation and storage. However is necessary to search ways of drying which keep the product quality not only from the nutritional standpoint but also organoleptic. Some characteristics may change with the drying process such as the coloring, the rehydration capacity and the grains cooking time. The decrease of drying time or of exposure of the grains to high temperature minimizes the effects related with the product quality loss. Among the techniques used to reduce the drying time and improve some characteristics of the product, stands out the osmotic dehydration, widely used in combined processes such as the pretreatment in drying food. Currently the use of the microwaves has been considered an alternative for drying food. The microwave energy generates heat inside of materials processed and the heating is practically instantaneous, resulting in shorter processing times and product quality higher to that obtained by conventional methods. Considering the importance of the green beans for the Northeast region, the wastefulness of production due to seasonality of the crop and your high perishability, the proposal of this thesis is the study of drying grain by microwaves with and without osmotic pretreatment, focusing on the search of conditions of processes which favor the rehydration of the product preserving your organoleptic characteristics. Based on the analysis of the results of osmotic dehydration and dielectric properties was defined the operating condition to be used in pretreatment of the green bean, with osmotic concentration in saline solution containing 12,5% of sodium chloride, at 40°C for 20 minutes. The drying of green bean by microwave was performed with and without osmotic pretreatment on the optimized condition. The osmotic predehydration favored the additional drying, reducing the process time. The rehydration of dehydrated green bean with and without osmotic pretreatment was accomplished in different temperature conditions and immersion time according to a factorial design 22, with 3 repetitions at the central point. According to results the better condition was obtained with the osmotically pretreated bean and rehydrated at a temperature of 60°C for 90 minutes. Sensory analysis was performed comparing the sample of the green bean in natura and rehydrated in optimized conditions, with and without osmotic pretreatment. All samples showed a good acceptance rate regarding the analyzed attributes (appearance, texture, color, odor and taste), with all values above 70%. Is possible conclude that the drying of green bean by microwave with osmotic pretreatment is feasible both in respect to technical aspects and rehydration rates and sensory quality of the product