Older people's university students in Spain: a comparison of motives and benefits between two models

This study examines both the motives for and the benefits of attending a uni- versity programme for older people (UPOP) in Spain, and how they vary with the type of UPOP. Two UPOP models were assessed: The"Older People"s Classes" of the University of Barcelona, which is organised as a lecture course, and the"University of Experience" at the University of Valencia, which is a three- or four- year variant of regular university degrees. A sample of 321 older students (mean age 67.5 years) was gathered from the two UPOPs, 161 participants from the former and 157 from the latter. The findings suggest that expressive motives such as acquiring knowledge, expanding the mind or learning for the joy of learning were the most important reasons for joining a UPOP, and that among the perceived benefits from taking classes at university featured"gaining more friends","enhanced self or life-satisfaction" and"joy in life". Perceived benefits were particularly high among the less educated and the older students. While students participating in the Older People"s Classes were older and included relatively more women, differences between the two models in motives and benefits did not exist or were slight. These results are discussed in the context of new strategies to improve university courses aimed at older students.

New England idyls, Op. 62

Soitinnus: Piano.

Asiantuntijuus kokemuksena

Artikkeli perustuu kirjoittajan väitöskirjaan Joy and struggle for renewal : a narrative inquiry into expertise in job transitions (Helsingin yliopisto 2005).

Hjärtats vanor, tankens välvilja och handens gärning : dygd som vårdetiskt grundbegrepp

The main aim of the study is to elucidate the meaning and dimensions of the concept of „virtue‟, and to find the place of virtue in a caritative caring ethics, i.e. a caring ethics based on human love and mercy. The intention is to create a theory model which utilizes the possibilities of virtue in developing the caritative caring ethics as a whole. The caritative caring ethics has a universal potential – it is primarily not a professional ethics, but it may form a frame of reference and basis for formulating ethical codes, and for ethical discussions within different caring contexts. The hermeneutic approach of the study is inspired by Gadamer‟s philosophical hermeneutics combined with the view of hermeneutics as a hypothetical-deductive process. The study is guided by Eriksson‟s model of definition of concepts. The concept of „virtue‟ is studied focusing on its ethical dimensions. These ethical dimensions of virtue are seen as anchored to an inner ethos, whereas ethos stands for the ontological goodness, a basic notion of the Good that permeates the entity of the human being, and forms the base of the culture where he lives and acts. The overarching research questions are: 1. What is virtue? 2. What is „virtue‟ as a basic concept in caring science? 3. What place does virtue have in caritative caring ethics? The answer of the first question is mainly searched for by an ontological determination comprising partly an etymologic and semantic analysis of „virtue‟, and partly a determination of the essence of virtue. The answer to the second and third questions are mainly searched for using a contextual determination, where the purposive context and pragmatic features of virtue are studied in relation to caring ethics. The ontological and contextual determinations are brought together through hermeneutical interpretation, forming a new whole, which constitutes the results of the study. The results of the study are depicted in a theory model, in which the movement of virtue from ethos to deed is moulded as caritative caring ethics. The material of the study consists of dictionaries, texts written by Aristotle and St. Thomas Aquinas, articles, dissertations, and books, as well as parts of a pilot survey answered by 33 nurses. The results of the study show that the essence of virtue is primarily functional, not ethical. The ethical emerges when virtue is contextualized in a human communion. Virtue makes something fulfil its function well; makes the human being good, and gives him morals and morality. The human being needs prudence, love, and humility to acquire and develop the moral virtues. Virtue is a power, related to a value, which considering a caritative caring ethics consists of the caritas motif. Human love is shown through deeds, making the human being do what he is expected to do. Virtue, as an active power of becoming, affirms and clarifies the human being‟s ability to develop in the direction of the Good. Virtue becomes essential and unifying when morality appears in the human mind as auctoritas, an inner, prompting power based on divinity or a transcendental ethos. Together ethos and virtue create opportunities for an inner ethics based on voluntariness and joy in being and doing the true, the good, and the beautiful.

Lyssnande : en vårdvetenskaplig betraktelse

Denna vårdvetenskapliga studie har sökarljuset riktat mot lyssnande som något fundamentalt för människan. Studiens syfte är att utifrån forskarens traditionstillhörighet och en klart uttalad teorikärna, värdegrund, ontologisk grund samt en hermeneutisk ansats avtäcka nytt inseende om vad lyssnande är samt vad som är vårdande i lyssnande. Studiens avsikt är att bringa ontologisk klarhet, klargöra lyssnandets plats inom vårdvetenskaplig teoribildning samt bidra med bilder av det vårdande med relevans för klinisk praxis. Det hermeneutiska arbetssättet är en ständig rörelse mellan det enskilda och gemensamma. Den vårdvetenskapliga traditionens grundläggande ordning utgör siktet för kunskapssökandet samtidigt som det är gentemot den caritativa vårdteorin som nytt inseende ur historiska källor reflekteras för att lysa upp och synliggöra det evidenta och ursprungliga om lyssnande. Begreppsutredningen av lyssna som begrepp ger förståelse för begreppets historiska ursprung och dess starka band med begreppen lyss, lystra, lyda, följa, iaktta, se samt lust, begär, böjelse och glädje. Läsning och begrundan av filosoferna Bubers, Lévinas och författaren Dostojevskijs livsverk avtäcker vittnesbörd och stillbilder som tolkas för att synliggöra tolkningsantaganden om lyssnandets väsen och gestaltning. Jag har läst och begrundat texterna med öppenhet, lyhördhet och en kvardröjande hållning för att låta dem beröra, tilltala mig och framträda som något nytt. Ur de enskilda texterna avtäcks mönster av en gemensam inre ordning och en gemensam stillbild och tolkningsantaganden om lyssnande formas. När den gemensamma inre ordningen får sammanstråla med studiens vårdvetenskapliga grund synliggörs en urbild och teser om lyssnande samt det vårdande i lyssnande. Avtäckandet visar att lyssnande är en grundhållning till livet självt. Människan lyssnar till sitt innersta väsen för att tillägna sig en inre grundordning samt hörsamma sin tillhörighet i en mera allomfattande gemenskap till den skapande, den andre och det oändliga. I ljuset av kärlekens kraft och bejakandet av mänskligt lidande kan ensamhet och gemenskap sluta förbund med varandra i en mellanverklighet som bär oändlighetens och evighetens kännetecken, och som får toner av det heliga och eviga att ljuda i allt och alla i en närvaro här och nu. Lyssnande är en väsenshandling som uttalas genom en vårdande hållning att tjäna, offra och bära ansvar för den andre med medmänsklig barmhärtighet och medmänskligt medlidande. Band till den andre knyts genom den egna sårbarheten och genom att med ödmjukhet, äkthet och gästfrihet bjuda in och välkomna den andre i sin annanhet. Den vårdande gemenskapen skapar en rörelse som bär på en livsbringande kraft genom vilken människan uppnår frihet att varda, finna näring och försoning.

Jeg strikker, derfor er jeg! : læring og identitet i uformelle læringsrum

The dissertation ´I knit, therefore I am!´ Learning and identity in informal space has two main purposes. The first purpose being an investigation of how new value attributions and thinking can generate novel and usable knowledge to the field of craftsmanship, and the second purpose being a display of a different and overlooked philosophical and cultural potential in a reflexive mode of expression, which is able to reflect the normative comprehension of craftsmanship. The dissertation focuses on learning and identity in informal spaces of learning and how it is possible to relate such a learning perspective to crafts training in educational establishments. The empirical foundation of this dissertation is ‘craftivism’. In the dissertation activists from the Nordic countries have been interviewed about what they do when they put up their textile graffiti on lamp posts and house walls. Three research problems are presented: 1) What stories do people who work as crafts activists, tell about ways of relating and methods of action when they make crafts? 2) What do these stories tell about learning and identity? 3) How may the research results influence training and education in craftsmanship? These questions are being asked in order to acquire new knowledge in two aspects; first aspect being knowledge about crafts in relation to techniques, tradition and the objects in crafts, and the second aspect being knowledge about learning and identity in informal spaces of learning. The dissertations theoretical foundation is post structural and sociocultural combined with hermeneutical-inspired qualitative interviews. The author’s position and pre-understanding is subject to discussion in relation to the informant; the performing activist, as the background for both of them is craftsmanship. Starting from cultural studies, it is possible to see the activist subject’s conditions of possibilities in the culture, as the activism of the sub-cultural phenomenon’s craft lights up through a performing approach to the individual’s actions. First the research material has been analysed for events of textile graffiti and possible themes in the events, after which the results have been summarised. Next the research material has been analysed for events about learning and identity due to the author’s wish of comprehending the background of and motivational force in activism. The analysis is divided in main perspectives with different dimensions. The results of the analysis show the activist subject’s construction of an individual who actively takes part in a community by e.g. creating joy, changing the world’s perception of sustainability or by feminizing the public space. By taking crafts over the borders (and away from the class room) crafts become contextualized in a novel fashion thus obtaining an independent status. In this fashion the dissertation writes itself into a new method of comprehending and performing traditional craftsmanship techniques.

Glädje i vårdandets värld

The present study is made in the context of basic research within the field of caring science. The overall aim is to uncover and make joy visible as an idea in the world of caring. The core of caring has historically always been to alleviate suffering and to serve life and health in a spirit of love and mercy. This study has a comprehensive direction focusing on history of ideas and culminates in a pattern of ideas contenting joy in the world of caring. Knowledge formation is based on creating understanding, wholeness and meaning with regard to the knowledge related to a context. For that a hermeneutical approach is used throughout the study. In order to understand joy more deeply, the original idea, the essence and expression, the concept of 'joy' and the related concepts of 'glad' and 'light' are examined in etymological dictionaries and in Swedish, English and Latin dictionaries. To support the interpretation classical texts containing philosophers’ thoughts about joy are used. Joy as an idea glimpses forth and is presented in the form of seven-fold pattern of ideas. Through the meaning-nuances of synonyms a realization of joy could be discerned and anchored in the heart. The seven-fold pattern form the background and represent a guide for the hermeneutic reading of joy, as it appears in the stories about caring for the years 1900–1933. The historical sources consist of the trade magazine Svensk sjukskötersketidning, books containing stories about caring, archival materials and textbooks on nursing. The result culminates in the seven-fold pattern of ideas contenting what makes joy active as caring. The true heart's pure joy - love, joy is a proof of love. The ardent heart's deep joy - joy of living, joy inspires and generates strength. The bearing heart's radiant joy - generosity, joy is a gift to the other with the promise of help. The inviting heart's sparkling joy – communion, joy invites communion. The elated heart's exhilarated joy - integration, joy enables the human to forget his or her suffering and approach to what he or she wants to be. The atmospheric heart's solemn joy - dignifying, joy creates a mood and an atmosphere where people perceive themselves dignified. The peaceful heart's great joy - rescuing, a joy turns out when the human has received what may be requested of what is good, is eluded from what is evil and is contented with his or her living lot. It is hoped that this basic research will open up for a vision that can contribute to joys further attention in the world of caring and be articulated there.

Transition : en betydelsefull fas i den långtidssjuka ungas vård

The aim of this caring science thesis is to deepen the understanding for the long-term ill adolescents care. In particular it aims to reach a better understanding of transition in health care, with a focus on how young people perceive health care. The goal is to build a model, a consistent theoretical framework that makes it possible to listen to the adolescent´s own voice, providing a better understanding of what good care consists in from their point of view. This Master's thesis consists of a literature overview on the concept of transition and a themed interview with young patients regarding transition of health care. The overall issue is 1. What is good care during the transition according to the adolescents themselves? 2. How does transition affect the young people's health and lives? The theoretical perspective of this thesis lies in the caring science tradition that has been developed at the Åbo Akademi University department of caring science with the caritative nursing theory as a basis. The epistemological and ontological assumptions are based on the caritative nursing theory, which in itself is ethical. Understanding of the concept of transition is based on A. Meleis transitions theory. The methodological approach is hermeneutical. The theme interview has been analyzed by using S. Kvales method. The material consists of a thematic interview with 10 long-term ill adolescents, about their views of the care received. This thesis research even in how NOBABs standards appears in the litterature as well as how they are implemented from the point of view of young people. The findings of this thesis shows that good care for the adolescent is a true presence with the young and an understanding of the direction in which the young move toward during the transition of care. Good care for an adolescent consists in being recognized as a person who is seen, known, appreciated and understood. Good care for the young involves recognizing her strength and joy of life including the contrast she experiences between health and suffering. To recognize their personal strength and courage supports the adolescents during the process of transitions of care Good care for the young involves responsibility for the individual person and humility in approaching her, giving attention to her view of life and aspirations. Openness and humility in the approach lays the foundation for a trusting relation during the transition of care. A unified theoretical framework is needed to promote the long-term ill adolescents care during transition of care. When the young and her individual needs is the centerpiece of healthcare creates this the basis for empowering care that supports the young in her quest for health. This master thesis adds a given model to the long-term ill adolescents` healthcare.

Paul and death : a study in psychological coping

The present investigation looks into the attitudes toward death in Paul’s authentic letters, and puts them in relation to modern theories of psychological coping. Drawing on psychologically-oriented hermeneutic theory, and theories about psychological coping in particular, I argue that each case of psychological coping must be understood in its historical situation as strategies emanating from a specific person’s subjective appraisal (cf. Pargament, Lazarus and Folkman). Paul’s letters frequently refer to persecution and violent death. To aid in psychological coping is often integral to the purpose of the letters, which makes the perspective of psychological coping akin to their genre. In the course of a tentatively assumed chronological order of 1 Thessalonians, Galatians, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Romans, Philippians, and Philemon, Paul moves from the perception of Jesus dying for the faithful to the understanding of dying with Jesus. His coping strategies concerning death are gradually transformed from conservative and deferring coping styles, to a more self-directing coping style, to collaborative and transformative coping styles, and finally to a new sense of deferring coping style in prison. The last case of deferring coping carries the traits of generosity and flexibility even in the face of death, which is in contrast to his previous letters. Through his correspondence, we see Paul’s attitude toward death transformed from denial to reaction, to processing, to acceptance (cf. Lindemann, Kübler-Ross, Bowlby, Parkes, among others). His strategies also shift in accordance with these understandings. Denial is accompanied by diversion, threat by aggression, processing by rumination, and acceptance by joy. The study shows the hermeneutic benefits of reading Paul’s letters as the rhetorically framed expressions of a person in a particular historical situation. The letters open small windows through which we can glimpse the coping process of a person of antiquity. In adopting the method of psychological exegesis, the study shows that the variety of attitudes toward death in Paul’s letters makes sense from the perspective of psychological coping. The psychological aspect of these letters is an underexamined richness that can extend into areas of contemporary individual and group identity, and from there to public policy and ethics.

Livets källa kärleken : hälsans urkraft

This basic research focuses on the ethos of health and the human being's becoming in health. The theoretical perspective consists of the caring tradition within caring science developed at Åbo Akademy University. The aim of the present doctoral thesis is to uncover a new understanding as well as to deepen and attain a more nuanced understanding of the ethos of health, the essence of health, by penetrating to the core of what gives the human being the strength for experiencing a becoming in health. The research questions are as follows: l) What is the human being's source of strength? and 2) What reveals the source of strength so that the human being can perceive it and dedicate its strength in order to experience a becoming in health? The primary methodology used in the dissertation is hermeneutical. The material consists of the work Kärlekens gerningar by Kierkegaard, texts from focused interviews with respondents who have lived through severe personal suffering, as well as the book Det bländande mörkret by Wikström. These texts are interpreted through hermeneutical reading. The new horizon of understanding that emerges is reflected towards Eriksson's caritative theory, towards prior research within the tradition of caring science at Åbo Akademy University and towards previous national and international studies within this field. The new understanding shows that the human being's source of strength is love, the essence and origin of life. The substance of health is love, which, through the trinity of faith, hope and love, also makes possible the existence of the source of strength. Love has a deeper dignity than faith and hope, is connected with eternity and is the uniting link between temporality and eternity. The human being's inner longing entails an ontological attraction towards the source of strength. This source of strength is hidden, which provides and maintains its force, like a mystery connected with the darkness of suffering that hides the secret representing the source of strength, life's mystery, bu t w hi ch is revealed in both the darkness of suffering and in the light of joy. The dedication of strength requires freedom, willingness and courage to see the light, despite awareness of shame and guilt. Creative acts liberate the human being for the dedication of strength, which is preceded by a holy presence where, in solitude, the human being makes sacrifices for the sake of his or her human smallness and weakness, and allows himself or herself to be enclosed by the darkness of suffering to discover the light from the source. This entails being enraptured in a quiet "doing" in order to experience the beauty that bears witness to the holy which creates unity. The source of strength is revealed through beauty. The ethos of the human being and the ethos of health have the same fundamental substance, whilst the ethos of life possesses the deepest dimension and concerns the mysterious and infinite eternity. The ethos of life, eternity, which is a wellspring of strength, is not in itself strength-giving unless it is allied with love. Health can be understood in the light of life, of which death is an inevitable part. Life itself constitutes and creates the source which, through its alliance with eternity' s primordial wellspring of strength, generates strength from which the human being's source of strength, love, receives its eternal fervour. The human being is fundamentally interconnected with an abstract other, the first love, a universal wellspring of strength. Through Communion with this abstract other a dedication of the strength to experience a becoming in health becomes possible. Love for one's neighbour is the fundamental substance in the movement of becoming in health. Becoming in health presupposes a simultaneous movement in which the human being practices the human calling through ethos. As one loves one's neighbour through actions the still forces of eternity are in motion. When life emerges in the foreground and becomes the home of the human being, a dedication of the power of love is possible. Life itself determines the human being's becoming in health. A humble fundamental attitude towards life constitutes the basis for a continuous dedication of vitality from this source.

Filmes e coberturas comestíveis compostas à base de amidos nativos e gelatina na conservação e aceitação sensorial de uvas Crimson

Filmes compostos de gelatina com amidos nativos de trigo, sorgo, batata e arroz foram produzidos separadamente e caracterizados quanto às propriedades físico-químicas (solubilidade em água e barreira ao vapor de água), físicas (espessura e opacidade) e mecânicas (resistência à tração e porcentagem de elongação na ruptura). As mesmas soluções filmogênicas foram preparadas e aplicadas em uvas Crimson para avaliação sensorial e acompanhamento da perda de massa durante 22 dias. As coberturas de sorgo e arroz foram as mais eficientes na extensão da vida útil (aumento de 10 dias). Entretanto, em relação aos atributos sensoriais, as uvas com cobertura de arroz não diferiram estatisticamente do controle, que apresentou as menores notas para os parâmetros de aparência global e intenção de compra. O filme de sorgo apresentou uma permeabilidade ao vapor de água de 5,40 g.mm.m-2.d.kPa, resistência à tração de 85,89 MPa, elongação de 6,61% e opacidade de 40%. Mesmo não apresentando os melhores valores de caracterização, como filme, tornou-se a melhor opção como cobertura. Na avaliação sensorial, as uvas cobertas obtiveram aceitação igual ou maior que o controle quanto à aparência global, brilho, cor e intenção de compra. Na degustação das uvas, nenhuma das coberturas exerceu influência significativa no aroma, sabor e textura, sendo aceitas pelo consumidor em todos os parâmetros.

Aplicação de lipase e monoglicerídeo em pão de forma enriquecido com fibras

Neste trabalho, estudou-se a aplicação da enzima lipase e do emulsificante monoglicerídeo em pão de forma enriquecido com fibras, com o objetivo de verificar a possibilidade de substituição do emulsificante pela enzima. Inicialmente, foi realizada a caracterização das matérias-primas principais (farinha e farelo de trigo). Os pães de forma foram elaborados pelo método de massa direta. Foi utilizado um planejamento experimental do tipo composto central rotacional com duas variáveis independentes: i) dosagem de lipase; e ii) dosagem de monoglicerídeo e, paralelamente, realizou-se um teste controle (sem adição de lipase e monoglicerídeo) para comparação. As variáveis dependentes foram as características de qualidade dos pães: i) volume específico; ii) aceitação sensorial (aparência, textura, aroma e sabor); e iii) vida de prateleira avaliada pela umidade do miolo e firmeza dos pães após 1, 4 e 7 dias do forneamento. Dentro das faixas estudadas, foi possível verificar que somente a umidade dos pães no quarto e sétimo dia após o processamento foi influenciada pela variação das dosagens de lipase e monoglicerídeo. Na avaliação sensorial, verificou-se que as notas médias atribuídas aos pães do teste controle foram inferiores à menor nota média dos ensaios do planejamento experimental, com exceção do sabor e aroma. Como não foi possível obter modelos matemáticos para todas as respostas, foram selecionados os ensaios 5 (1% monoglicerídeo), 7 (25 ppm lipase) e 9 (25 ppm lipase e 1% monoglicerídeo) do planejamento experimental, e o teste controle, para a avaliação dos resultados por análise de variância. Nas condições em que os ensaios foram conduzidos e para as faixas de lipase (0 a 50 ppm) e monoglicerídeo (0 a 2%) estudadas, verificou-se a possibilidade de substituir o monoglicerídeo por lipase em formulação de pão de forma enriquecido com fibras.

Desenvolvimento de massa alimentícia fresca funcional com a adição de isolado protéico de soja e polidextrose utilizando páprica como corante

A tendência do consumidor atual é utilizar alimentos de fácil preparo que, adicionalmente à qualidade nutritiva, tragam benefícios à saúde. Neste trabalho, uma massa alimentícia fresca funcional foi desenvolvida pela incorporação de Isolado Protéico de Soja (IPS) e polidextrose, utilizando páprica como corante. O consumo de IPS pode contribuir para a diminuição dos níveis de colesterol, enquanto a polidextrose, funcionando como fibra, pode promover a redução de risco de câncer de cólon. A otimização da formulação foi realizada utilizando-se um delineamento fatorial completo 23, considerando como variáveis independentes os teores de: i) IPS; ii) polidextrose; e iii) páprica. Os efeitos destas variáveis na qualidade da massa alimentícia foram avaliados em função das características físico-químicas (cor e teste de cozimento), textura instrumental e propriedades sensoriais. Na avaliação dos parâmetros físicos, observou-se que a cor instrumental da massa crua foi influenciada apenas pelo teor de páprica; já o tempo de cozimento (2,5 minutos), o aumento de massa (1,40 a 1,64%) e a perda de sólidos (3,80 a 5,56%) não foram influenciados pelos ingredientes utilizados; e a elasticidade (parâmetro da textura instrumental) foi reduzida com o aumento do teor de polidextrose. Na avaliação sensorial da massa crua, o aumento na porcentagem de IPS e a redução na porcentagem de polidextrose afetaram positivamente a aceitação global e a intenção de compra; e os aumentos nas porcentagens de IPS e de páprica aumentaram a aceitação da cor. Na avaliação sensorial da massa cozida, observou-se que o IPS teve influência positiva sobre a textura, enquanto que a polidextrose e a páprica afetaram negativamente este parâmetro. Entretanto, na avaliação da intenção de compra da massa cozida, não houve influência dos ingredientes adicionados. Os percentuais ideais de adição de polidextrose, isolado protéico de soja e páprica foram de 3,5, 8,0 e 1,5%, respectivamente.

Biscoitos de polvilho azedo enriquecidos com fibras solúveis e insolúveis

O presente trabalho avaliou a utilização de farelo de trigo e polidextrose como fontes de fibra no enriquecimento de biscoitos de polvilho. Utilizou-se a Metodologia de Superfície de Resposta para verificar a influência da adição destes ingredientes nos parâmetros de qualidade dos biscoitos. As respostas avaliadas do planejamento experimental fatorial completo 2² foram o volume específico, a dureza instrumental, a umidade e a cor - parâmetros L, a* e b*. Para as respostas: volume específico e dureza instrumental, todos os fatores foram significativos, a 95% de confiança, com R² = 0,9307 e 0,8091, respectivamente. Pela análise das superfícies geradas, pode-se observar que o farelo de trigo e a polidextrose reduziram o volume específico e o farelo teve maior efeito no aumento da dureza. A substituição de polvilho azedo por farelo de trigo e polidextrose nas proporções de 1,5 e 5%, respectivamente, gerou uma amostra rica em fibras, com 6,23% de fibra alimentar (calculado teoricamente), sem prejuízo considerável para as características de expansão e dureza, e com boa aceitação sensorial.

Avaliação físico-química de bolo de chocolate com coberturas comestíveis à base de gelatina, ácido esteárico, amido modificado ou cera de carnaúba

Coberturas comestíveis biodegradáveis são uma alternativa às embalagens sintéticas, que causam preocupações ambientais. Este trabalho avaliou o efeito de diferentes tipos de coberturas sobre propriedades físico-químicas de bolo de chocolate durante a estocagem, em comparação com bolo sem cobertura (CO) e bolo sem cobertura embalado em polipropileno (EMB). As seguintes coberturas foram aplicadas sobre os bolos: 10% gelatina (GE), 10% gelatina com 10% ácido esteárico (GE + AE), 18% cera de carnaúba (CE), 10% amido modificado (AM) e fondant (FO). Os bolos foram avaliados durante 10 dias de estocagem. FO e EMB apresentaram menor perda de massa, enquanto todos os demais tratamentos apresentaram valores superiores a CO. GE, GE + AE e EMB apresentaram a menor redução da atividade de água, enquanto CE e CO apresentaram a maior redução. As superfícies dos bolos recobertos estavam mais duras que as de CO e EMB. Os maiores valores para dureza e mastigabilidade foram encontrados para CE e CO e os menores, para EMB, GE e GE + AE. Em relação à cor, GE + AE foi diferente dos demais tratamentos, devido à presença do ácido esteárico. Os resultados indicam que a perda de massa dos bolos pode ser atribuída também à perda de água das coberturas.