Stability of curcumin microencapsulated by spray and freeze drying in binary and ternary matrices of maltodextrin, gum arabic and modified starch

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Physicochemical characterisation and radical-scavenging activity of Cucurbitaceae seed oils

Oils extracted from Cucurbitaceae seeds were characterised for their fatty acid and tocopherol compositions. In addition, some physicochemical characteristics, total phenolic contents and the radical-scavenging activities were determined. Oil content amounted to 23.9% and 27.1% in melon and watermelon seeds, respectively. Physicochemical characteristics were similar to those of other edible oils and the oils showed significant antioxidant activities. Fatty acid composition showed total unsaturated fatty acid content of 85.2–83.5%, with linoleic acid being the dominant fatty acid (62.4–72.5%), followed by oleic acid (10.8–22.7%) and palmitic acid (9.2–9.8%). The oils, especially watermelon seed oil, showed high total tocopherol and phenolic contents. The γ-tocopherol was the predominant tocopherol in both oils representing 90.9 and 95.6% of the total tocopherols in melon and watermelon seed oils, respectively. The potential utilisation of melon and watermelon seed oils as a raw material for food, chemical and pharmaceutical industries appears to be favourable.

Freeze-drying for microencapsulation of turmeric oleoresin using modified starch and gelatin

The aims of this study were to assess the turmeric oleoresin microencapsulation by freeze-drying with modified starch/gelatin and to evaluate its stability during storage at different temperatures and light. Encapsulated turmeric oleoresin w stored at −20, 25 and 60C, in the absence of light, and at 25C in the presence of light, and analyzed over a period of 6 weeks for curcumin and total phenolic contents and color. The different concentrations of wall material showed no significant effect on the curcumin retention. The best conditions for microencapsulation of turmeric oleoresin were: wall material composed of 30 g/100 g of modified starch + 1 g/100 g gelatin and mechanical homogenization. Encapsulated material was more stable during storage at −20C and less stable at 25C in the presence of light.

Produção de fitases por fermentação em estado sólido e imobilização das enzimas por srpay drying

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Aplicação de biofungicidas no controle do fungo Aspergillus flavus L. em amendoim (Arachis hypogaea)

Pós-graduação em Engenharia e Ciência de Alimentos - IBILCE

Metabolite profiles of essential oils in citrus peels and their taxonomic implications

China is an important center of origin for the genus Citrus L. of the family Rutaceae and is rich in wild Citrus species. The taxonomy of Citrus has been a subject of controversy for more than a half century. We propose that the metabolite profiles of Chinese native Citrus species can be used for classification and understanding of the taxonomic relationships within the Citrus germplasm. In this study, triplicate gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) metabolite profiles of 20 Citrus species/varieties were acquired, including 10 native varieties originating in China. R-(+)-limonene, alpha-pinene, sabinene and alpha-terpinene were found to be major characteristic components of the essential oils analyzed in this study, and these compounds contributed greatly to the metabolic classification. The three basic species of the subgenus Eucitrus (Swingle's system), i.e., C. reticulata Blanco, C. medica L. and C. grandis Osb., were clearly differentiated based upon their metabolite profiles using hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) and partial least square-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA). All the presumed hybrid genotypes, including sweet orange (C. sinensis Osb.), sour orange (C. aurantium L.), lemon (C. limon Burm.f.), rough lemon (C. jambhiri Lush.), rangpur lime (C. limonia Osb.) and grapefruit (C. paradisi Macf.), were grouped closely together with one of their suggested parent species in the HCA-dendrogram and the PLS-DA score plot. These results clearly demonstrated that the metabolite profiles of Citrus species could be utilized for the taxonomic classification of the genus and are complementary to the existing taxonomic evidence, especially for the identification and differentiation of hybrid species.

Improvement of water transport and carotenoid retention during drying of papaya by applying ultrasonic osmotic pretreatment

The effect of ultrasound and osmotic dehydration pretreatments on papaya drying kinetics was investigated. The ultrasound pretreatment was carried out in an ultrasonic bath at 30 A degrees C. The osmotic pretreatment in sucrose solution was carried out in an incubator at 34 A degrees C and agitation of 80 rpm for 210 min. The drying process was conducted in a fixed bed dryer at 70 A degrees C. Experimental data were fitted successfully using the Page model for dried fresh and pretreated fruits, with coefficient of determination greater than 0.9992 and average relative error lower that 14.4 %. The diffusional model was used to describe the moisture transfer, and the effective water diffusivity was identified in the order of 10(-9) m(2) s(-1). It was found that drying rates of osmosed fruits were the lowest due to the presence of infused solutes, while the ultrasound pretreatment contributed to faster drying rates. Evaluation of the dried fruit was performed by means of total carotenoids retention. Ultrasound treatments in distilled water prior to air-drying gave rise to dried papayas with retention of carotenoids in the range 30.4-39.8 % and the ultrasonic-assisted osmotic dehydration of papayas showed carotenoids retention values up to 64.9 %, whereas the dried fruit without pretreatment showed carotenoids retention lower than 24 %.

Essential oils from herbs against foodborne pathogens in chicken sausage

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

In vitro antibacterial and chemical properties of essential oils including native plants from Brazil against pathogenic and resistant bacteria

The antimicrobials products from plants have increased in importance due to the therapeutic potential in the treatment of infectious diseases. Therefore, we aimed to examine the chemical characterisation (GC-MS) of essential oils (EO) from seven plants and measure antibacterial activities against bacterial strains isolated from clinical human specimens (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and sensitive (MSSA), Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella Typhimurium) and foods (Salmonella Enteritidis). Assays were performed using the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC and MIC90%) (mg/mL) by agar dilution and time kill curve methods (log CFU/mL) to aiming synergism between EO. EO chemical analysis showed a predominance of terpenes and its derivatives. The highest antibacterial activities were with Cinnamomun zeylanicum (0.25 mg/mL on almost bacteria tested) and Caryophyllus aronzaticus EO (2.40 mg/mL on Salmonella Enteritidis), and the lowest activity was with Eugenia uniflora (from 50.80 mg/mL against MSSA to 92.40 mg/mL against both Salmonella sources and P aeruginosa) EO. The time kill curve assays revealed the occurrence of bactericide synergism in combinations of C. aromaticus and C. zeylanicum with Rosmarinus. officinalis. Thus, the antibacterial activities of the EO were large and this can also be explained by complex chemical composition of the oils tested in this study and the synergistic effect of these EO, yet requires further investigation because these interactions between the various chemical compounds can increase or reduce (antagonism effect) the inhibitory effect of essential oils against bacterial strains.

Influence of alternative drying aids on water sorption of spray dried mango mix powders: a thermodynamic approach

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Enhancement of quality and stability of dried papaya by pectin-based coatings as air-drying pretreatment

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Effects of edible coatings on convective drying and characteristics of the dried pineapple

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Glycerol combined with oils did not limit biohydrogenation of unsaturated fatty acid but reduced methane production in vitro

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Chemical composition of essential oils from the vegetative and reproductive structures of Copaifera langsdorffii Desf

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Olive oils from Campos de Hellin (Spain) exhibit significant varietal differences in fatty acid composition, sterol fraction, and oxidative stability

The Spanish region of Campos de Hellin (Albacete) is characterized by a wide range of olive varieties (Arbequina, Benizal, Cornicabra, Cuquillo, Injerta, Manzanilla Local, Manzanilla de Sevilla, Negrilla, Picual), which provides different physicochemical and sensory characteristics to the oils. Thus, the knowledge of these characteristics may help develop more balanced oils. Monovarietal virgin olive oils from the different varieties grown in this area were characterized from the physicochemical and sensory points of view during four consecutive years. Clear differences among the varieties were found when principal component analysis was applied to the data from the studied parameters. The varieties were grouped according to their oleic and linoleic acid content, oxidative stability, and campesterol and total sterols content. The differences were significant with a 95% confidence level. The variety effect on the oil characteristics was stronger than the effect of the crop year. Practical applications: Chemical and sensory characteristics of monovarietal virgin olive oils play an important role in the elaboration of blends. In olive-growing regions where there is more than one variety cultivated, the characterization of monovarietal oils could increase the value of the olive oil produced due to the development of more balanced oils tailored to the preferences of consumers. This work shows that the chemical and sensory differences between varieties make possible the elaboration of a new range of virgin olive oils. This could encourage the development and marketing of quality oils, and thus increase the competitiveness of the mills in the oil market.