High HTLV-1 proviral load, a marker for HTLV-1 associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis, is also detected in patients with infective dermatitis associated with HTLV-1

Salvador (BA, Brazil) is an endemic area for human T-cell lymphotrophic virus type 1 (HTLV-1). The overall prevalence of HTLV-1 infection in the general population has been estimated to be 1.76%. HTLV-1 carriers may develop a variety of diseases such as adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma, HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) and infective dermatitis associated with HTLV-1 (IDH). IDH is a chronic and severe form of childhood exudative and infective dermatitis involving mainly the scalp, neck and ears. It has recently been observed that 30% of patients with IDH develop juvenile HAM/TSP. The replication of HTLV-1 has been reported to be greater in adult HAM/TSP patients than in asymptomatic HTLV-1 carriers. In the current study, the proviral load of 28 children and adolescents with IDH not associated with HAM/TSP was determined and the results were compared to those obtained in 28 HTLV-1 adult carriers and 28 adult patients with HAM/TSP. The proviral load in IDH patients was similar to that of patients with HAM/TSP and much higher than that found in HTLV-1 carriers. The high levels of proviral load in IDH patients were not associated with age, duration of illness, duration of breast-feeding, or activity status of the skin disease. Since proviral load is associated with neurological disability, these data support the view that IDH patients are at high risk of developing HAM/TSP.

Estabilidade do suco tropical de acerola (Malpighia emarginata d.c.) adoçado envasado pelos processos hot-fill e asséptico

Este trabalho objetivou avaliar a estabilidade do suco tropical de acerola adoçado, elaborado pelos processos hot fill (garrafas de vidro) e asséptico (embalagens cartonadas), com relação às alterações químicas e físico-químicas (pH, sólidos solúveis totais, acidez total titulável, cor, açúcares redutores, não redutores e totais), sensoriais e microbiológicas, durante 350 dias de armazenamento em condições similares às de comercialização (28 °C ± 2 °C). Ao final do experimento, constatou-se que as amostras de suco de ambos os processos mantiveram uma adequada estabilidade microbiológica. O suco do processo hot fill teve maior aceitação global, enquanto o do processo asséptico manteve, ao final dos 350 dias, a aceitação inicial. As amostras do processo asséptico apresentaram inicialmente melhor sabor em comparação com as do processo hot fill, no entanto, as do processo hot fill mantiveram o sabor estável, enquanto o sabor do suco do processo asséptico teve menor aceitação ao longo do armazenamento. Ainda foram observadas, alterações químicas e físico-químicas nos sucos de ambos os processos. Em geral, o processo hot fill foi o mais eficiente em manter a estabilidade do suco.

Estabilidade de componentes bioativos do suco tropical de goiaba não adoçado obtido pelos processos de enchimento a quente e asséptico

A goiaba é um dos frutos tropicais de maior valor nutricional, rico em vitamina C e pró-vitamina A, possuindo uma excelente aceitação para consumo in natura, como também uma vasta aplicação industrial. A vitamina C, os carotenoides, as antocianinas e os compostos fenólicos são considerados substâncias com atividade antioxidante, e seu consumo regular tem ação protetora efetiva contra os processos oxidativos que naturalmente ocorrem no organismo. Este trabalho objetivou estudar a estabilidade da vitamina C, carotenoides totais, antocianinas totais e compostos fenólicos totais do suco tropical de goiaba não adoçado obtido pelos processos de enchimento a quente e asséptico durante 250 dias de armazenamento à temperatura ambiente (28 ± 2 ºC). Os resultados demonstraram que os conteúdos de carotenoides totais e os fenólicos totais não apresentaram variação durante o armazenamento, enquanto que a vitamina C apresentou redução.

Identification of volatile compounds in thinning discards from plum trees (Prunus salicina Lindl.) cultivar Harry Pickstone

Plum (Prunus salicina Lindl. cv. Harry Pickstone), a China indigenous fruit, is widely produced and consumed in countries such as Japan and Brazil. The practice of thinning is common in horticulture and the fruits removed are discarded as waste. Like the great majority of vegetables, these thinning discards also contain essential oils which have not been investigated until the present time. The extraction of the plum thinning discards volatile oil, through the hydrodistillation method, produced a yield of 0.06% (m/m) and a total of 21 components were identified, with 11 of them being responsible for 72,9% of the total oil composition. The major compounds determined through GC and GC-MS were Z-α-bisabolene (13.7%), n-hexadecanoic acid (12.7%), phytol (12.7%), and β-caryophyllene (10.4%).

Thermodynamic properties of water sorption of jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam.) as a function of moisture content

The Jackfruit tree is one of the most significant trees in tropical home gardens and perhaps the most widespread and useful tree in the important genus Artocarpus. The fruit is susceptible to mechanical and biological damage in the mature state, and some people find the aroma of the fruit objectionable, particularly in confined spaces. The dehydration process could be an alternative for the exploitation of this product, and the relationship between moisture content and water activity provides useful information for its processing and storage. The aim of this study was to determine the thermodynamic properties of the water sorption of jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam.) as a function of moisture content. Desorption isotherms of the different parts of the jackfruit (pulp, peduncle, mesocarp, peel, and seed) were determined at four different temperatures (313.15, 323.15, 333.15, and 343.15 K) in a water activity range of 0.02-0.753 using the static gravimetric method. Theoretical and empirical models were used to model the desorption isotherms. An analytical solution of the Clausius-Clapeyron equation was proposed to calculate the isosteric heat of sorption, the differential entropy, and Gibbs' free energy using the Guggenhein-Anderson-de Boer and Oswin models considering the effect of temperature on the hygroscopic equilibrium.

Characterization and classification of pequi trees (Caryocar brasiliense Camb.) based on the profile of volatile constituents using headspace solid-phase microextraction - gas chromatography - mass spectrometry and multivariate analysis

In order to determine the variability of pequi tree (Caryocar brasiliense Camb.) populations, volatile compounds from fruits of eighteen trees representing five populations were extracted by headspace solid-phase microextraction and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Seventy-seven compounds were identified, including esters, hydrocarbons, terpenoids, ketones, lactones, and alcohols. Several compounds had not been previously reported in the pequi fruit. The amount of total volatile compounds and the individual compound contents varied between plants. The volatile profile enabled the differentiation of all of the eighteen plants, indicating that there is a characteristic profile in terms of their origin. The use of Principal Component Analysis and Cluster Analysis enabled the establishment of markers (dendrolasin, ethyl octanoate, ethyl 2-octenoate and β-cis-ocimene) that discriminated among the pequi trees. According to the Cluster Analysis, the plants were classified into three main clusters, and four other plants showed a tendency to isolation. The results from multivariate analysis did not always group plants from the same population together, indicating that there is greater variability within the populations than between pequi tree populations.

Glycemic index and glycemic load of tropical fruits and the potential risk for chronic diseases

The objective was to determine the glycemic index and glycemic load of tropical fruits and the potential risk for chronic diseases. Nine fruits were investigated: coconut water (for the purpose of this study, coconut water was classified as a “fruit”), guava, tamarind, passion fruit, custard apple, hog plum, cashew, sapodilla, and soursop. The GI and GL were determined according to the Food and Agriculture Organization protocol. The GL was calculated taking into consideration intake recommendation guidelines; 77.8% of the fruits had low GI although significant oscillations were observed in some graphs, which may indicate potential risks of disease. Coconut water and custard apple had a moderate GI, and all fruits had low GL. The fruits evaluated are healthy and can be consumed following the daily recommended amount. However, caution is recommended with fruits causing early glycemic peak and the fruits with moderated GI (coconut water and custard apple).

Sensory descriptors of cocoa beans from cultivated trees of Soconusco, Chiapas, Mexico

The odor and taste profile of cocoa bean samples obtained from trees cultivated in southern Mexico were evaluated by trained panelists. Seven representative samples (groups) of a total of 45 were analyzed. Four attributes of taste (sweetness, bitterness, acidity and astringency), and nine of odor (chocolate, nutty, hazelnut, sweet, acidity, roasted, spicy, musty and off-odor) were evaluated. A sample (G7) with higher scores in sweet taste and sweet and nutty odors was detected, as well as a high association between these descriptors and the sample, analyzed through principal component analysis (PCA). Similarly, samples that showed high scores for non-desired odors in cocoas such as off-odor and musty were identified and related by PCA to roasted odor and astringent taste (G2 and G4). Based on this scores, the samples were listed in descending order by their sensory quality as G7> G5> G6> G3> G1> G4> G2.