Uma abordagem ergonômica para análise da qualidade do pescado, desde sua captura ao seu desembarque na praia, resultante da atividade dos jangadeiros de Ponta Negra - Natal/RN

The artisan fishing activity, which involves historical - cultural, environmental, social, political, economi c, among other factors, presents, nowadays, as an important source of income, creating jobs and food, contributing to the permanence of man in their own birthplace. However, the fish, considered one of the most perishable foods, requires a proper handling and conservation, from capture to its availability in the market, in order to slow the deterioration process. Thereby, this dissertation aims to study the effect of the manipulation practices on fish quality, from capture to its landing on the beach, resul ting from fisherman’s activity from Ponta Negra - Natal/RN. It also presents the purpose of analyzing the quality of the fish and propose recommendations for their proper handling and possible solutions to add value to the product, through the improvement of the quality and good handling practices. For this purpose, the methodology used was based on ergonomic analysis of their work through observational techniques and interactional with the focus group, the jangadeiros, to understand their activity and eval uated the freshness and quality of the fish by sensory analysis, and microbiological parameters and physicochemical from existing legislation Ordinance No. 185 of May 13, 1997 and RIISPOA - amended on December 1, 2007 and RDC No. 12, dated January 2, 2001. According to the results obtained in laboratory tests, it can be established, the acceptable quality of fish as the existing rules and regulations parameters , not getting significant deterioration caused by poor handling and improper storage of fish.

Development of a long-life vacuum-packaged ready-to-eat meat product based on a traditional Portuguese seasoned meat

Carne do alguidar is a Portuguese traditional pork fried meat, usually manufactured for self-consumption purposes. This study developed a ready-to-eat (RTE) meat product, to meet today's consumers’ convenience, manufactured at the industrial scale evaluating its quality and shelf-life, assessing the effect of vacuum packaging and the use of an antioxidant (50 ppm BHT) to enhance oxidative stability. Physicochemical and microbiological parameters were assessed and a sensory analysis was performed. Interestingly, no significant differences were recorded between control (non-BHT) and antioxidant (BHT) samples. Microbiological counts remained at low levels throughout the storage period, ensuring the product’s required microbiological quality. At later storage stages, higher values of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances arose and off flavours and aromas were perceived. Still, overall appreciation was not affected until 12 months storage and a significant depreciation was perceived only after 15 months. Fibrousness and rising of off flavours were negatively correlated with overall appreciation.

Evaluación fisicoquímica y microbiológica del agua potable de la planta potabilizadora del cantón Chordeleg

tratamiento debe ser evaluado y controlado periódicamente, para garantizar su calidad para el consumo humano. El objetivo principal del presente estudio fue evaluar mediante un estudio físico-químico y microbiológico el Sistema de Calidad y Tratamiento del Agua que se efectúa en la Planta Potabilizadora del cantón Chordeleg. Se realizó un estudio no experimental, de campo, descriptivo y de corte no longitudinal. Para el análisis físico-químico se evaluaron 176 muestras en las 8 semanas, realizando 1 muestreo al día. En cada muestreo se realizó el análisis de 11 muestras que corresponden: 2 muestra de agua cruda, 2 muestras de agua pre-filtrada, 6 muestras de agua filtrada y 1 muestra de agua tratada realizándose un total de 22 muestras a la semana, en los cuales se determinó los parámetros físico-químicos: temperatura, sólidos totales disueltos, turbiedad y color, pH, dureza, alcalinidad, hierro, sulfato, nitritos, nitratos y cloro libre residual; parámetros microbiológicos: Coliformes totales y fecales. Los resultados obtenidos en las pruebas realizadas, mediante el análisis estadístico demostraron que los parámetros fisicoquímicos cumplen con lo establecido en la norma INEN 1108-2014, mientras que en los parámetros microbiológicos se estableció que los Coliformes fecales se encuentran dentro del rango establecido por la norma INEN 1108-2014 y los Coliformes totales fuera de lo establecido por la OMS(ausencia).

The potential of Asparagopsis armata to control the bacterial load associated to live feed to improve Seabream (Sparus aurata) larvae performance

Dissertação de mestrado, Aquacultura e Pescas, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade do Algarve, 2014

Evaluación de la eficiencia del ozonificador en el tratamiento de agua utilizada para consumo humano en la fundación María Amor de la parroquia Sayausí

En la Fundación “María Amor” de la parroquia de Sayausí, se utiliza un equipo de ozonificación para el proceso de desinfección para obtener agua inocua. En este trabajo, se realizó la evaluación de la eficiencia del ozonificador cuya función es disminuir la carga bacteriana del agua, para lo cual se efectuó el análisis microbiológico de la misma, mediante la determinación de la presencia de coliformes totales y fecales que son empleados como parámetros indicadores de calidad sanitaria del agua. Para la evaluación de la eficiencia del ozonificador se determinó coliformes totales y fecales mediante el método del NMP (número más probable). Se analizaron64 muestras, tomadas en la Fundación María Amor, de las cuales 32 corresponden al agua entubada (antes de ser ozonificada) y 32 corresponden al agua ozonificada con este equipo, en ellas se procedió a realizar el análisis microbiológico mediante el método indicada, verificando el cumplimiento de los parámetros establecidos en la normativa ecuatoriana INEN 1108:2014 en cuanto a la calidad microbiológica del agua. Con los resultados obtenidos de la reducción de la carga microbiana se evaluó la eficiencia del equipo de ozonizaciónestablecido en la norma mexicana NOM-1809-SSA1-1998. En los resultados de los parámetros microbiológicos se realizó un análisis descriptivo y de varianza con un nivel de significancia del 5%, en el cual se determinó que los valores de eficiencia estaban por debajo de lo establecido para cumplir con un proceso de ozonificación eficiente.

Impact of salt reduction on biogenic amines, fatty acids, microbiota, texture and sensory profile in traditional blood dry-cured sausages

Meat industry needs to reduce salt in their products due to health issues. The present study evaluated the effect of salt reduction from 6% to 3% in two Portuguese traditional blood dry-cured sausages. Physicochemical and microbiological parameters, biogenic amines, fatty acids and texture profiles and sensory panel evaluations were considered. Differences due to salt reduction were perceptible in a faint decline of water activity, which slightly favoured microbial growth. Total biogenic amines content ranged from 88.86 to 796.68 mg kg 1 fresh matter, with higher amounts, particularly of cadaverine, histamine and tyramine, in low-salt products. Still, histamine and other vasoactive amines remained at low levels, thus not affecting consumers’ health. Regarding fatty acids, no significant differences were observed due to salt. However, texture profile analysis revealed lower resilience and cohesiveness in low-salt products, although no textural changes were observed by the sensory panel. Nevertheless, low-salt sausages were clearly preferred by panellists.

Characterisation of "Catalão" and "Salsichão" Portuguese traditional sausages with salt reduction

The present study evaluated the effect of salt reduction on traditional dry-cured sausages' safety, quality and product acceptance, comprising physicochemical and microbiological parameters, biogenic amines, fatty acids, texture profile and sensory analysis. According to our results, salt content had a major effect on microbiological counts, although not compromising the products' safety. Marked differences were identified regarding biogenic amines, in particular for histamine, tyramine and cadaverine, which were detected in larger amounts in products with 3%. Moreover, significant differences in the fatty acids profile have also been found, but only in less abundant components such as linoleic, lauric and heneicosanoic acids. Texture profile analysis of low-salt products, revealed a decrease in hardness and chewiness, along with an increase in adhesiveness values. Sensory evaluations revealed that despite the less intense aroma, products with 3% salt, had a more balanced salt perception. Our results suggest that salt content may be reduced to 50% in dry-cured products, with the obvious health-related advantages.

ADDITION OF VINEGAR TO EXTEND THE SHELF-LIFE OF CABEÇA DE XARA

Cabeça de xara is a ready-to-eat meat product, whose production is very characteristic in Alentejo, a particular region of Portugal. It is a galantine usually moulded into parallelepiped shape made with various meats obtained from the Alentejano pig breed reared in the same region, namely deboned pork heads, tongue and connective tissue to which a number of condiments like salt, parsley, wine and pepper, are added. This work intended to test the feasibility of adding vinegar in order to increase the shelf-life of cabeça de xara, by reducing the contaminating microbiota responsible for spoilage, as well as controlling the pathogen Listeria monocytogenes. Three independent batches were produced and proximate composition, pH, aw, microbiological parameters and biogenic amines content evaluated. A sensory analysis was also performed throughout the storage period. No significant differences between control and vinegar samples was found regarding the proximate composition of cabeça de xara. As expected, pH is lower in the vinegar samples, however no differences in aw were observed between the two treatments. L. monocytogenes was present from the first month on only in one batch in the control treatment. However, it is inhibited by the addition of vinegar until the third month of storage, where L. monocytogenes is present but below the limit established in the 2073/2005 regulation. The presence of vinegar significantly decreased the content in biogenic amines, particularly cadaverine, putrescine and tyramine, throughout the storage period. Concerning sensory evaluation, no vinegar taste was reported by the panellists in a depreciating way.

EFFECT OF SALT REDUCTION ON THE SAFETY AND STABILITY OF TRADITIONAL BLOOD DRY-CURED SAUSAGES

Health issues such as cardiovascular disease are often due to dietary habits. Thus, meat industry needs to reduce salt in their products. However, production of low-salt content dry-cured not affected. The current study evaluated the effect of salt reduction from 6% to 3% in two Portuguese traditional blood dry-cured sausages. Physicochemical and microbiological parameters, biogenic amines content, fatty acids profile, texture profile analyses and sensory panel evaluations were considered. Differences due to salt reduction were noticeable in a faint increase in water activity, which slightly favoured microbial growth, with the highest yeasts numbers found in 6% salt sausages. Total biogenic amines content ranged from 224.72 to 1302.81 mg kg-1 dry matter, with higher amounts, particularly of cadaverine, histamine and tyramine, in low-salt products. Still, histamine significant differences were observed due to salt content. However, texture profile analysis revealed that low-salt products showed lower resilience and cohesiveness, even though no textural changes were observed by the panellists. Nevertheless, low-salt sausages were clearly preferred. Still, taking the safety of these traditional meat products into account, the results obtained for pH, aw and biogenic amines, have shown that a reduction in salt content should be accompanied by complementary safety measures, such as the use of starter cultures to minimise microbiological and chemical risks.

Evaluation of tropical water sources and mollusks in southern Brazil using microbiological, biochemical, and chemical parameters

Florianopolis, a city located in the Santa Catarina State in southern Brazil, is the national leading producer of bivalve mollusks. The quality of bivalve mollusks is closely related to the sanitary conditions of surrounding waters where they are cultivated. Presently, cultivation areas receive large amounts of effluents derived mainly from treated and non-treated domestic, rural, and urban sewage. This contributes to the contamination of mollusks with trace metals, pesticides, other organic compounds, and human pathogens such as viruses, bacteria, and protozoan. The aim of this study was to perform a thorough diagnosis of the shellfish growing areas in Florianopolis, on the coast of Santa Catarina. The contamination levels of seawater, sediments, and oysters were evaluated for their microbiological, biochemical, and chemical parameters at five sea sites in Florianopolis, namely three regular oyster cultivation areas (Sites 1, 2, and oyster supplier), a polluted site (Site 3), and a heavily polluted site (Site 4). Samples were evaluated at day zero and after 14 days. Seawater and sediment samples were collected just once, at the end of the experiment. Antioxidant defenses, which may occur in contaminated environments in response to the increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by organisms, were analyzed in oysters, as well as organic compounds (in oysters and sediment samples) and microbiological contamination (in oysters and seawater samples). The results showed the presence of the following contaminants: fecal coliforms in seawater samples (four sites), human adenovirus (all sites), human noroviruses GI and GII (two sites), Hepatitis A viruses (one site), JC Polyomavirus in an oyster sample from the oyster supplier, Giardia duodenalis cysts, and Cryptosporidium sp oocysts (one site). Among organochlorine pesticides, only DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) and HCH (hexachlorocyclohexane) were detected in some sediment and oysters samples in very low levels; site 4 had the highest concentrations of total aliphatic hydrocarbons. PAHs, and linear alkylbenzenes (LABs) found either in oysters or in sediment samples. The major concentration of fecal sterol coprostanol was found at site 4, followed by site 3. After 14 days of allocation in the four selected sites, there was a significant difference in the enzymes analyzed at the monitored spots. The detection of different contaminants in oysters, seawater, and sediment samples in the present study shows the impact untreated or inadequately treated effluents have on coastal areas. These results highlight the need for public investment in adequate wastewater treatment and adequate treatment of oysters, ensuring safe areas for shellfish production as well as healthier bivalve mollusks for consumption.

Microbiological Assay for Apramycin Soluble Powder

The aim of this study was to validate an agar diffusion method through the parameters linearity, precision and accuracy, to quantify apramycin in soluble powder. The calibration curve of apramycin was constructed by plotting log of concentrations (mu g ml(-1)) versus zone diameter (mm) and shows good linearity in the range of 1.0-4.0 mu g.ml(-1). The precision of the assay was determined by assaying samples at the same day (repeatability - R.S.D. = 2.00%) and on different days (intermediate precision - R.S.D. = 5.06%) and indicate good precision. The accuracy expresses the agreement between the accepted value and the value found. The mean recovery was found to be 100.49 % for apramycin soluble powder. The results indicated that the microbiological assay proposed in this work hold linearity, precision and accuracy being an acceptable alternative method for routine quality control of apramycin in the pharmaceutical dosage form studied.

Clinical, Histological, and Microbiological Findings in Peri-Implant Disease: A Pilot Study

Objectives: This study is intended to verify the correlation among clinical indices of the peri-implant soft tissues, the histological condition and the presence of 3 pathogens commonly associated with peri-implant diseases (Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, and Tannerella forsythia). Materials: Four clinical indices, Gingival Index (GI), Sulcus Bleeding Index, GI modified by Mombelli, and Plaque Index modified by Mombelli (mPI) were evaluated around I dental implant of each subject (n = 10). Subgingival plaque was collected for bacterial analysis (polymerase chain reaction) and a biopsy of peri-implant soft tissues for histological analysis was harvested. The clinical indices and detected pathogens correlated with a developed histological index (HI). Results: There was no statistically significant relationship between the clinical indices (GI, Sulcus Bleeding Index, and GI modified by Mombelli) and the HI, except for the mPI on the central area of lingual aspects (r = 0.85, P = 0.0029). There was a tendency for a positive correlation between the mPI on the central area of buccal aspects and the HI (r = 0.63, P = 0.0544). The counting of lymphocytes and plasmocytes correlated positively with 111, thus suggesting the index reliability. The prevalence of A. actinomycetemcomitans, P. gingivalis, and T. forsythia did not present a significant relationship with the HI. Conclusion: Despite the small number of samples and the poor statistical significance, the mPI seems to be useful for evaluation of inflammatory severity on soft tissue around dental implants as demonstrated by its relationship with the HI. Further studies are necessary to elucidate this subject. (Implant Dent 2009;18:334-344)