Estudo da secagem do pedúnculo do caju em sistemas convencional e solar: modelagem e simulação do processo

This work aims to study the drying of cashew-nut pulp with different lay-out of dryers using conventional and solar energy. It concerns with the use of exceeding of the regional raw material and the suitable knowledge for the applicability of the drying systems as pathway for food conservation. Besides, it used renewable sources as solar energy to dry these agroindustrial products. Runs were carried out using a conventional tray-dryer with temperature, air velocity control and cashew slice thickness of 55°C, 65°C, 75°C; 3.0; 4.5, 6.0 m s-1; 1.0; 1.5 and 2.0 cm, respectively, in order to compare the studied systems. To evaluate the conventional tray-dryer, it was used a diffusional model of 2nd Fick´s law, where the drying curves were quite well fitted to an infinite flat plate design. For the drying runs where the room temperature had no control, it was developed a phenomenological-mathematical model for the solar dryer with indirect radiation under natural and forced convection based on material and energy balances of the system. Besides, it was carried out assays in the in natura as well as dehydrated, statistic analysis of the experimental drying data, sensorial analysis of the final dry product and a simplified economical analysis of the systems studied

Das farinhadas à produção para o mercado: a dinâmica da atividade mandioqueira no agreste potiguar.

El Agreste Potiguar es el territorio de Rio Grande do Norte en que más se produce yuca. La formación de ese territorio asociase a la ganadería y al cultivo de algodón y de cultivos de autoconsumo, de entre los cuales, la yuca. En lo concerniente, específicamente al cultivo de la yuca, esa planta siempre ha sido sumamente importante para la subsistencia de los agrestinos , sobre todo, de los pobres. Hasta la década de 1980, la yuca era cultivada en pequeñas parcelas de tierra y era destinada a la fabricación de harina, que juntamente con el frijol, era la base de la alimentación de los trabajadores agrestinos. Además, era bastante útil para la producción de ración para el ganado. A partir de esa década, la actividad mandioquera (cultivo de la yuca con la transformación de ésta en harina y en otros derivados) desencadenada en el Agreste Potiguar empieza a pasar por un proceso de modernización, siendo implementadas transformaciones técnicas y en las relaciones de trabajo, bajo la lógica capitalista. Dentro de esa lógica, el cultivo de la yuca pasa a ser hecho con el uso de máquinas y de abonos químicos; la transformación en harina es actualmente realizada en manufacturas y en industrias de harina, que vienen siendo, cada vez más, marcadas por instrumentos técnicos movidos a electricidad, disminuyendo la necesidad de mano de obra; y la yuca no es más cultivada por los productores con el objetivo primordial de garantizar su subsistencia, pero sí con el de atender a la demanda por materia prima de las manufacturas y de las industrias de harina. De este modo, el objetivo del trabajo es comprender la dinámica de la actividad mandioquera en el Agreste Potiguar, considerando el uso pasado y actual del territorio, la modernización de esa actividad y su contribución al desarrollo del territorio en cuestión. Como procedimientos metodológicos, adoptamos la realización de investigaciones bibliográficas, empíricas (entrevistas y conversaciones) y el análisis de datos secundarios. Finalmente, sabiéndose que el proceso de modernización estudiado sigue la lógica capitalista, concluimos el trabajo afirmando que la modernización de la actividad mandioquera no viene contribuyendo al desarrollo territorial del Agreste Potiguar.

Diagnóstico regional do processo de queijo coalho comercializado em Natal/RN

Coalho cheese is a typical product of the Northeastern Brazil, which is consumed both raw and cooked. The present work aimed to study the characteristics of artisanal and industrial processes in the production of coalho cheese sold in Natal / RN in order to evaluate its quality and consumer s profile. Four artisanal cheeses plants were monitored and a questionnaire was sent to different cheese industries. Besides this, eight cheese samples (four artisanal and four industrial) were evaluated in regard to the microbiological quality, physical-chemical and sensory attributes. The sensory acceptance was evaluated by using 108 non-trained panelists by using the hedonic scale. The consumer s profile survey was applied to 400 consumers of coalho cheese. The lack of hygiene control was detected at the artisanal cheese production, which uses raw milk as its raw material. Research has shown that the industrialized cheeses are made from pasteurized milk provided by their own production or by a third party, as observed in cheese making dairies. In general, the results indicate variation in the manufacturing process of coalho cheese, which results in the lack of product standardization. Regarding the physical-chemical analysis, most artisanal and industrial samples presented moisture content between 36 and 40 %, classified as medium moisture cheese, which is the only parameter that showed no significant difference (p>0.05). However, the water activity (Aw), pH and acidity results differed significantly. All artisanal samples showed coliform contamination at 35 °C, which confirms the poor hygienic conditions. In regard to coliforms at 45 °C, 75 % of artisanal coalho cheese samples had value higher than 103 MPN / g, a value above the lawful limits determined by RDC nº 12. Fifty percent of industrial coalho cheese samples showed coagulase-positive Staphylococcus values above the limit allowed by the RDC nº 12, indicating poor handling. The sensory evaluation revealed that the taste was the only parameter that showed significant difference, and this difference was only between two industrial brands. The consumer s survey showed that the coalho cheese flavor is the most important reason for buying this kind of cheese. Although coalho cheese is mainly bought in supermarkets, open street markets and country shops are still important selling points. It is concluded that there is no coalho cheese standardization in the RN state, which leads to variations in physical-chemical and sensory attributes. Moreover, it is necessary greater hygiene control in the production and handling procedures of coalho cheese.

Belmiro Borba, um homem de abismos: um personagem em conflito sob o prima da melancolia na obra O amanuense Belmiro, de Cyro dos Anjos

This master‘s thesis presents an analytical reading of Cyro dos Anjos (1906-1994)‘s novel O amanuense Belmiro (1937) and its main objective is to analyze the way some aspects of melancholy, together with the notion of memory, diary writing as well as time permeate all the narrative of this unique book in the Brazilian literary scenario. Anjos‘ novel is an atypical work in the fiction of the 1930s as it is considered a dissonant voice compared to the regional and social productions of the time it was published. Among other themes, the book depicts the relationship of man with life; the present and the past; love and frustrations and the hero in search of itself. Belmiro Borba, character-narrator, is a sentimental man, often handicapped by his inner life. For this matter, Borba decides to write a book in order to register his stories, memories, feelings, meditations and illusions. From this perspective, this research aims to deal with issues related to the aesthetics of melancholy, especially its relationship with the creative process, which belongs to Borba‘s attempt to write literature. Throughout our academic research, we used the work of Aristotle (1998), Lambotte (2000), Benjamin (2011) and Kristeva (1989) to articulate relevant issues of melancholy; Halbwachs (2006) on the concept of memory, among other theorists who were essential to the completion of this study.