Avaliação da qualidade de óleos de fritura utilizados em restaurante universitário

Frying is a widely used method of preparing food, because it is a very fast and convenient process, and because it provides specific characteristics of color, flavor, odor, and texture, besides having great consumer acceptance. Therefore, the interest in the physiological effects that oils heated at high temperatures can cause to the human body arises. The aim of this work was to analyze the levels of frying used oil alteration in different kinds of foods served at the university restaurant at “Instituto de Biociências, Letras e Ciências Exatas” (IBILCE), in São José do Rio Preto-SP. In addition, it aims to make the restaurant aware of the good ways to fry and the commitment of providing good quality food to students and professionals of the Institute. With this purpose, determination of total polar compounds, conjugated dienoic acids, peroxide value, and fatty acid profile were analyzed. Two rapid tests were also used: 3M Fat Monitor and Oil Test kit. The results were compared with limits recommended for the disposal of oils and fats used in frying by the Brazilian Health Surveillance Agency (ANVISA), by other countries, and by other researches. Thus, it was concluded that the university restaurant provides the consumers with fried food of good quality, since none of the analyses showed results above recommended, although there is a need of improvement in the quality control of the oil used, in order to avoid unnecessary costs to the university restaurant.

Análise dos métodos de leira estática e de revolvimento manual na compostagem de resíduos orgânicos gerados em restaurante universitário

Composting is considered a process that enables adding value to organic solid waste turning them into organic fertilizer. In this process, factors such as mishandling the windrow, failed to control the temperature, aeration and moisture content will result in the quality of waste decomposition, and thus affect the quality of the final compound. Decentralized systems such as home composting, composting in restaurants, food courts and schools are one of the solutions for valuing these waste in a non expensive way and with greater quality. For this purpose, the project aims to analyze the conditions for composting of solid waste of the University Restaurant of Rio Claro- SP, through two different composting systems: manual revolving windrow and static pile. It was found that in University Restaurant (RU) on average 33% by weight of the total waste generated in the property are capable of composting. In this sense, in order to investigate the preliminary process operation parameters were mounted one manual windrow composed of 100% of the UR waste and a static pile composed of 60% of the UR waste and 40% of pruning and grass residues (PG). This study analyzed the manual revolving windrow and static pile systems for the parameters: moisture content, pH, C / N ratio and temperature. The study of the proportions of the PG and UR waste pointed to the need for pruning and grass residues addition for composting, considering that the manual revolving windrow composed by 100% of the UR waste had no satisfactory performance due to low temperatures measured during 60 days analysis. The best ratio for manual revolving windrow method analyzed in this study was 60% of the UR waste and 40% of PG waste, in dry weight. From this proportion a static pile was assembled, composed of 60% of UR waste e 40% of PG waste from the maintenance activities of the green area of the university. The biological activity in the static pile reached the maximum temperature of ...

Qualidade microbiológica de alimentos servidos em restaurantes self-service

Collective food services have been increasing worldwide, and the self-service restaurant has been the current preference by consumers. Considering the importance of hygienic quality of food, the microbiological composition of ready-to-eat food was assessed. In the second semester of 2008, 20 samples of meals, mainly meat-based foods, were collected from different self-service restaurants in Araçatuba city, SP. Bacteriological analyses were performed following the conventional methodologies, and the results were compared with the standards established by the effective Brazilian legislation. Coliforms at 35ºC were detected in 90% of analyzed samples. Coliforms at 45°C were found in 55% of the samples and, among these, in 63.63%, the occurrence of Escherichia coli was confirmed. Coagulase-positive staphylococci were detected in 10% of samples and no sample showed Salmonella spp. or Bacillus cereus contamination. Sulfite reducing clostridia at 42o C were not investigated in this study. These findings indicate the need for a rigorous approach for improving the sanitary conditions during preparation and presentation of ready-to-eat food, as the consumption of contaminated products represents a potential risk to public health.