Pre-treatment of thermoduric spores in CO2 modified atmosphere and their survivability during food extrusion

The aim of this experiment was to evaluate how susceptible spores become to mechanical damage during food extrusion after being submitted to CO2. B. stearothermophilus spores sowed to corn and soy mix were submitted to 99% CO2 for 10 days and extruded in a single-screw extruder. The treatments were: T1 - spore-containing samples, extruded at screw rotational speed of 65 rpm and barrel wall temperature of 80 °C; T2 - as T1, except for screw rotational speed of 150 rpm; and T3 - as T2, except that samples were submitted to the modified atmosphere. The results for cell viability, minimum and maximum residence times, and static pressure were T1 - 19.90 ± 3.24%, 123.3 ± 14.50 seconds; 203.3 ± 14.05 seconds; 2.217 ± 62 kPa; T2 - 21.42 ± 8.24%, 70.00 ± 5.77 seconds; 170.00 ± 4.67 seconds; 2.310 ± 107 kPa; and T3 - 11.06 ± 2.46%, 86.00 ± 7.23 seconds; 186.00 ± 7.50 seconds; 2.403 ± 93 kPa, respectively. It was concluded that the extrusion process did reduce the cell count. However, screw rotational speed variation or CO2 pre-treatment did not affect cell viability.

Effect of controlled atmosphere on postharvest quality of 'Douradão' peaches

This study was carried out with one of the most important cultivar grown in the State of Sao Paulo, Brazil, which has gained the preference of consumers, due to its sweet taste, intense skin color and large size; however, these fruits are susceptible to chilling injury when cold stored for long periods. The use of controlled atmosphere (CA) with elevated CO2 and reduced O2 concentrations prevent the onset of the chilling symptom. Thus, the effect of three different conditions of controlled atmosphere (CA1, CA2, CA3 and Control) was evaluated in order to extend the storage life of 'Douradão' peaches. After 14, 21 and 28 days, samples were withdrawn from CA and kept in fresh air at 25 ± 1 °C and 90 ± 5% RH to complete ripening. On the day of removal and after 4 days, were the peaches quality characteristics were evaluated. The results showed that the use of CA during cold storage reduced weight loss and prevented postharvest decay. CA2 and CA3 treatments were effective in keeping good quality of 'Douradão' peaches during 28 days of cold storage, the ripe fruits showed reduced incidence of woolliness, adequate juiciness and flesh firmness. CA1 and Control treatments did not present marketable conditions after 14 days of cold storage.

Sensory profile of 'Douradão' peaches cold stored under controlled atmosphere

The sensory quality of 'Douradão' peaches cold stored in three different conditions of controlled atmosphere (CA1, CA2, CA3 and Control) was studied. After 14, 21 and 28 days of cold storage, samples were withdrawn from CA and kept for 4 days in ambient air for ripening. The sensory profile of the peaches and the descriptive terminology were developed by methodology based on the Quantitative Descriptive Analysis (QDA). The panelists consensually defined the sensory descriptors, their respective reference materials and the descriptive evaluation ballot. Fourteen panelists were selected based on their discrimination capacity and reproducibility. Seven descriptors were generated showing similarities and differences between samples. The data were analyzed by ANOVA, Tukey test and Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Results showed significant differences in the sensory profiles of the peaches. The PCA showed that CA2 and CA3 treatments were more characterized by the fresh peach flavor, fresh peach appearance, juiciness and flesh firmness, and were effective in keeping the good quality of the 'Douradão' peaches during the 28 days of cold storage. The Control and CA1 treatments were characterized by the mealiness and were ineffective for quality maintenance of the fruits during cold storage.

Quality of yellow passion fruit stored under refrigeration and controlled atmosphere

In this study, it was evaluated the quality of yellow passion fruits stored under refrigeration and controlled atmospheres of different composition aiming to extend the postharvest life of the fruits. The characteristics of skin color, appearance, mass loss, as well as the chemical quality of the juice of yellow passion fruits stored at: 21% O2 plus 0.03% CO2; 1% O2 plus 0.03% CO2; 5% O2 plus 0.03% CO2; 12% O2 plus 5% CO2; and 5% O2 plus 15% CO2, with 1 control treatment (refrigeration at 13 ºC and 90% UR) were determined. The analyses were performed before and after 30 days of storage and after removing the controlled atmospheres and storage for 9 days under refrigeration at ambient atmosphere. The data were interpreted by simple statistical analysis using the test by confidence intervals with 95% of probability. It was concluded that the application of atmospheres with low oxygen concentration and high carbon dioxide level minimized quality losses. At atmosphere with 5% O2 and 15% CO2, it was observed the lowest color change indexes and mass loss, and also the smallest decrease in acidity, soluble solids content, vitamin C, reducing sugars, and total soluble sugars.

Sensory evaluation of "dulce de leche" with coffee and whey using different affective data analysis methods

This study sought to evaluate the acceptance of "dulce de leche" with coffee and whey. The results were analyzed through response surface, ANOVA, test of averages, histograms, and preference map correlating the global impression data with results of physical, physiochemical and sensory analysis. The response surface methodology, by itself, was not enough to find the best formulation. For ANOVA, test of averages, and preference map it was observed that the consumers' favorite "dulce de leche" were those of formulation 1 (10% whey and 1% coffee) and 2 (30% whey and 1% coffee), followed by formulation 9 (20% whey and 1.25% coffee). The acceptance of samples 1 and 2 was influenced by the higher acceptability in relation to the flavor and for presenting higher pH, L*, and b* values. It was observed that samples 1 and 2 presented higher purchase approval score and higher percentages of responses for the 'ideal' category in terms of sweetness and coffee flavor. It was found that consumers preferred the samples with low concentrations of coffee independent of the concentration of whey thus enabling the use of whey and coffee in the manufacture of dulce de leche, obtaining a new product.

Modified atmosphere efficiency in the quality maintenance of Eva apples

Modified atmosphere is a method of food preservation that provides increased lifetime, decreases deterioration losses, and facilitates marketing. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of different plastic films in modifying the atmosphere around Eva apples to assure quality maintenance during postharvest storage. The fruits were cleaned and separated into three treatment groups: polypropylene, low density polyethylene, and high density polyethylene packing with a total of 5 fruits per package for each evaluation period. A group of control apples was not submitted to atmospheric modification. After the treatment, all fruits were stored at 0.5±0.5°C (cold storage) for up to 225 days. The analyses were performed at 45, 135, and 225 days after cold storage. Respiration, ethylene production, firmness, mass loss, total pectin, soluble pectin, soluble solids, total acidity, and epidermis background color of each treatment group were evaluated. The high density polyethylene film treatment did not show a decrease in ethylene production during storage and allowed the fruits to maintain a greater firmness and smaller percentage of mass loss during the study period. Moreover, the storage of the Eva apple cultivar under modified atmosphere allowed the preservation of quality for up to seven months.

Effect of modified atmosphere applied to minimally processed radicchio (Cichorium intybus L.) submitted to different sanitizing treatments

Stability of minimally processed radicchio (Cichorium intybus L.) was evaluated under modified atmosphere (2% O2, 5% CO2, and 93% N2) on 3, 5, 7 and 10 days of storage at 5°C. The samples were hygienized in sodium hypochlorite or hydrogen peroxide solutions to identify the most effective sanitizing solution to remove microorganisms. Microbiological analysis was conducted to identify the presence of coliforms at 35°C and 45°C, mesophilic microorganisms, and yeast and mold. Physicochemical analyses of mass loss, pH, soluble solids, and total acidity were conducted. The color measurements were performed using a Portable Colorimeter model CR-400. The antioxidant activity was determined by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and 2,2-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic methods. The sensory evaluation was carried out using a hedonic scale to test overall acceptance of the samples during storage. The sodium hypochlorite (150 mg.L-1) solution provided greater safety to the final product. The values of pH ranged from 6.17 to 6.25, total acidity from 0.405 to 0.435%, soluble solids from 0.5 to 0.6 °Brix, mass loss from 1.7 to 7.2%, and chlorophyll from 1.068 to 0.854 mg/100g. The antioxidant activity of radicchio did not show significant changes during the first 3 days of storage. The overall acceptance of the sample stored in the sealed package without modified atmosphere was 70%, while the fresh sample was obtained 77% of approval. Although the samples packaged under modified atmosphere had a higher acceptance score, the samples in sealed packages had satisfactory results during the nine days of storage. The use of modified atmosphere, combined with cooling and good manufacturing practices, was sufficient to prolong the life of minimally processed radicchio, Folha Larga cultivar, for up to ten days of storage.

Climate governance in an international system under conservative hegemony: the role of major powers

In the last five years, climate change has been established as a central civilizational driver of our time. As a result of this development, the most diversified social processes - as well as the fields of science which study them - have had their dynamics altered. In International Relations, this double challenge could be explained as follows: 1) in empirical terms, climate change imposes a deepening of cooperation levels on the international community, considering the global common character of the atmosphere; and 2) to International Relations as a discipline, climate change demands from the scientific community a conceptual review of the categories designed to approach the development of global climate governance. The goal of this article is to discuss in both conceptual and empirical terms the structure of global climate change governance, through an exploratory research, aiming at identifying the key elements that allow understanding its dynamics. To do so, we rely on the concept of climate powers. This discussion is grounded in the following framework: we now live in an international system under conservative hegemony that is unable to properly respond to the problems of interdependence, among which - and mainly -, the climate issue.

Nitrogen fertilizer (15N) leaching in a central pivot fertigated coffee crop

Nitrogen has a complex dynamics in the soil-plant-atmosphere system. N fertilizers are subject to chemical and microbial transformations in soils that can result in significant losses. Considering the cost of fertilizers, the adoption of good management practices like fertigation could improve the N use efficiency by crops. Water balances (WB) were applied to evaluate fertilizer N leaching using 15N labeled urea in west Bahia, Brazil. Three scenarios (2008/2009) were established: i) rainfall + irrigation the full year, ii) rainfall only; and iii) rainfall + irrigation only in the dry season. The water excess was considered equal to the deep drainage for the very flat area (runoff = 0) with a water table located several meters below soil surface (capillary rise = 0). The control volume for water balance calculations was the 0 - 1 m soil layer, considering that it involves the active root system. The water drained below 1 m was used to estimate fertilizer N leaching losses. WB calculations used the mathematic model of Penman-Monteith for evapotranspiration, considering the crop coefficient equal to unity. The high N application rate associated to the high rainfall plus irrigation was found to be the main cause for leaching, which values were 14.7 and 104.5 kg ha-1 for the rates 400 and 800 kg ha-1 of N, corresponding to 3.7 and 13.1 % of the applied fertilizer, respectively.

Influence of the use of acids and films in post-harvest lychee conservation

Lychee (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) has a high commercial value; however, it has a short shelf-life because of its rapid pericarp browning. The objective of this study was to evaluate the shelf-life of 'Bengal' lychee fruits stored after treatment with hydrochloric acid and citric acid, associated with cassava starch and plastic packaging. Uniformly red pericarp fruits were submitted to treatments: 1-(immersion in citric acid 100 mM for 5 minutes + cassava starch 30 g L-1 for 5 minutes), 2-(immersion in hydrochloric acid 1 M for 2 minutes + starch cassava 30 g L-1 for 5 minutes), 3-(immersion in citric acid 100 mM for 5 minutes + polyvinyl chloride film (PVC, 14 µm thick)) and 4-(immersion in hydrochloric acid 1 M for 2 minutes + PVC film). During 20 days, the fruits were evaluated for mass loss, pericarp color, pH, soluble solids and titratable acidity, vitamin C of the pulp and pericarp and activities of polyphenol oxidase and peroxidase of the pericarp. The treatment with hydrochloric acid associated with PVC was the most effective in maintaining the red color of the pericarp for a period of 20 days and best preservation of the fruit. The cassava starch associated with citric acid, and hydrochloric acid did not reduce the mass loss and did not prevent the browning of lychee fruit pericarp.

Cantaloupe melon ( Cucumis melo L.) conservation using hydrocooling

ABSTRACT Maintaining cantaloupe melon at field temperature impairs conservation as it speeds up cell metabolism and transpiration, and, consequently, reduces shelf life. This study aimed to evaluate the conservation of Torreon hybrid cantaloupe using the hydrocooling treatment. Fruits were harvested at the commercial maturity stage (60 days after planting), in the morning, at the Nova California Farm, municipality of Mossoró-RN, in September 2007. One set of fruit was immersed in chilled water at 5 ºC for 5 min, at the packing house, while the remaining set was not hydro cooled. Then, both sets (treated and untreated with hydrocooling) were pre-cooled in air forced tunnels at 7 ºC, until the temperature in the pulp reached 10 ºC. Both fruit sets were stored for 0, 14, 21, 28 and 35 days under modified atmosphere at 3 ± 1 oC and 90 ± 5% RH. After each storage period, the fruits were incubated in an atmosphere-controlled chamber at 20 ± 2 oC and 80 ± 5% de RH, for seven days. The following characteristics were evaluated: external and internal appearance, mass loss, soluble solids, firmness and titrable acidity. The experiment was arranged in a completely randomized split-plot design with four replications of three fruits. The plots consisted of the hydrocooling conditions (with and without fruit soaking in chilled water), and the sub-plots consisted of the storage times (0, 14, 21, 28 and 35 days).The treatment with hydrocooling was efficient in keeping the firmness and soluble solids of the fruits and shortened the pre-cooling time in the cooling tunnel. However, hydrocooling did not increase fruit shelf-life.

Occurrence of suicide and seasonal variation

OBJECTIVE: To review the estimated suicide rates for the Region Metropolitan, the main socio-political center in Chile, for the period 1979-1994, and to determine whether they follow a seasonal pattern. METHOD: Data available for the period 1979-94 at the Forensic Services in Chile was analyzed using ANOVA. RESULTS: It was register 5.386 suicides. While the "warm" months (October, November, December & January) concentrated 39.0% of cases, the so called "cold" months reported 28,7%. This contrast is made even clearer by the month-to-month analysis, showing the highest suicide rate in December (10.9%) against the lowest rate in June (7.0%). Further statistical analysis revealed these differences to be significant. CONCLUSION: The study shows that in Chile, representing as it does the Southern Hemisphere, the suicide rates tend to present a seasonal variation as has elsewhere been determined for in the North Hemisphere.

Use of psychoactive drugs and related falls among older people living in a community in Brazil

INTRODUCTION: Population aging in Brazil has increased the prevalence of neurodegenerative diseases (Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease) and affective disorders (anxiety, depression), all common in old age. A retrospective study was carried out with the purpose of ascertaining if there is an association between falls and psychoactive medication use among older residents of a community in Brazil. METHODS: All residents aged 65+ (n=161) of one neighborhood of Campo Belo, Brazil (population of 48,000) were evaluated regarding the use of psychoactive drugs and the occurrence of falls in the 12 months preceding the study. Vision and hearing screenings were also performed. RESULTS: From the study population, 9.3% were taking prolonged half-life benzodiazepines, 4.4% anticonvulsants (mostly barbiturates), 2.5% antidepressants (all cyclics) and 8.1% alpha-methyldopa. No subject reported use of hypnotics, neuroleptics or drugs to treat Alzheimer's or Parkinson's diseases (except biperiden). As a whole, drugs that increase the risk of falls were used by 1/5 of this population. In the 12-month period preceding the study, 27 residents (16.8%) experienced falls and, of those, 4 (14.8%) had fracture(s). There was an independent association between psychoactive drug use and falls when variables such as age, gender, vision and hearing were controlled (p=0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Although the population of this neighborhood must be considered young (only 4% are 65 years old or more), there are already problems related to the use of psychoactive drugs among people. Prescribed anxiolytics, anticonvulsants, antidepressants and antihypertensives are not appropriate for this age group and their use is associated with falls.

Risk of drug interaction: combination of antidepressants and other drugs

OBJECTIVE: To assess the frequency of combination of antidepressants with other drugs and risk of drug interactions in the setting public hospital units in Brazil. METHODS: Prescriptions of all patients admitted to a public hospital from November 1996 to February 1997 were surveyed from the hospital's data processing center in São Paulo, Brazil. A manual search of case notes of all patients admitted to the psychiatric unit from January 1993 to December 1995 and all patients registered in the affective disorders outpatient clinic in December 1996 was carried out. Patients taking any antidepressant were identified and concomitant use of drugs was checked. By means of a software program (Micromedex®) drug interactions were identified. RESULTS: Out of 6,844 patients admitted to the hospital, 63 (0.9%) used antidepressants and 16 (25.3%) were at risk of drug interaction. Out of 311 patients in the psychiatric unit, 63 (20.2%) used antidepressants and 13 of them (20.6%) were at risk. Out of 87 patients in the affective disorders outpatient clinic, 43 (49.4%) took antidepressants and 7 (16.2%) were at risk. In general, the use of antidepressants was recorded in 169 patients and 36 (21.3%) were at risk of drug interactions. Twenty different forms of combinations at risk of drug interactions were identified: four were classified as mild, 15 moderate and one severe interaction. CONCLUSION: In the hospital general units the number of drug interactions per patient was higher than in the psychiatric unit; and prescription for depression was lower than expected.