Determinação de substitutos da manteiga de cacau em coberturas de chocolate através da análise de triacilgliceróis

Brazilian regulations prohibit the addition of cocoa butter replacements to chocolate, in total or partial substitution. The objective of the present work was to check the quality standards of four of coating bitter Brasilian chocolate bars and five of coating milk chocolate bars, commercialized in Campinas. In order to check the possible addition of substitutes, the triacylglycerol composition was determined, and the results were analysed by Padley & Timms mathematical method. The triacylglycerol composition of each sample was determined by high temperature gas chromatography (HTGC). The presence of cocoa butter replacements was not detected in the brands of coating chocolate.

Hidrocarbonetos aromáticos policíclicos em margarina, creme vegetal e maionese

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a group of compounds that have been the subject of much concern due to their toxic potential. In this study, margarine?s, vegetable cream and mayonnaise available on the Brazilian market were analyzed for pyrene, chrysene, benzo(a)pyrene, benzo(b)fluoranthene and dibenzo(a,h)anthracene. The analytical methodology involved liquid-liquid extraction, clean-up on silica gel column and determination by high performance liquid chromatography using fluorescence detector. Variable levels of contamination were found within differents brands of the same product and within differents batches of the same brand. The total PAH content was in the range of 4.1 to 7.1mug/kg in vegetable cream, 1.7 to 3.9mug/kg in margarine and 1.0 to 21.7mug/kg in mayonnaise. In general the products which according to the label contain corn oil showed the highest levels of contamination. Based on these results and on the importance of fat, oils and derived products for the intake of PAHs, it is recommended that producers of margarine, vegetable creams and mayonnaise start to control the contamination of the vegetable oils used in the elaboration of these products, in order to reduce the exposure of consumers to excessive amounts of potentially carcinogenic compounds.

Long-term follow-up of an 8-year-old boy with insulinoma as the first manifestation of a familial form of multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1

Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) is an autosomal dominant hereditary cancer syndrome characterized mostly by parathyroid, enteropancreatic, and anterior pituitary tumors. We present a case of an 8-year-old boy referred because of hypoglycemic attacks. His diagnosis was pancreatic insulinoma. Paternal grandmother died due to repeated gastroduodenal ulcerations and a paternal aunt presented similar manifestations. At a first evaluation, the father presented only gastric ulceration but subsequently developed hyperparathyroidism and lung carcinoid tumor. During almost 15 years of follow-up, three brothers and the index case presented hyperparathyroidism and hyperprolactinemia. Molecular study showed a G to A substitution in intron 4, at nine nucleotides upstream of the splicing acceptor site, causing a splicing mutation. All affected members of the family have the same mutation. Paternal grandmother and aunt were not studied and the mother does not carry any mutation. MEN1 is a rare condition that requires permanent medical assistance. Early clinical and genetic identification of affected individuals is essential for their own surveillance and also for genetic counseling.