Mapping socio-environmental vulnerability and environmental health promotion in a rural community of Lamarão, Federal District, Brazil, 2011

Objetivo: realizar atividade de ensino e extensão com alunos de graduação para construção de diagnóstico participativo sobre as condições de vida, ambiente e trabalho em núcleo populacional rural, visando subsidiar ações de promoção da saúde pela equipe de agentes comunitários da Estratégia Saúde da Família. Métodos: trabalho realizado no Núcleo Rural do Lamarão, no Distrito Federal, de outubro/2010 a janeiro/2011. Alunos, conjuntamente com agentes comunitários de saúde, por meio de entrevistas, visitas e oficinas, aplicaram instrumentos de Estimativa Participativa Rápida e de construção de mapa de vulnerabilidade socioambiental e de contextos de promoção da saúde ambiental. Resultados: identificaram-se como promotores da vida na comunidade: diversidade de produção de alimentos, liberdade e segurança, união e organização da comunidade, geração de empregos e natureza. Foram considerados ameaçadores à vida: cultura alimentar, uso inadequado de agrotóxicos, uso incorreto de equipamentos de proteção individual, pulverização aérea, falta de lazer, falta de transporte, uso de drogas lícitas e ilícitas. Conclusão: a partir do diagnóstico, será construído um projeto de intervenção participativo que incorporará características de ensino, pesquisa e extensão na relação Saúde, Trabalho, Ambiente e Nutrição.Objective: To involve undergraduate students in an extension activity aimed at conducting a participatory diagnosis on life, environment, and work conditions in a rural settlement, with the purpose of raising goals for future health promotion actions performed by community health agents of the Family Health Strategy. Methods: The study was held between October 2010 and January 2011 in the rural community of Lamarão, located in the Federal District in Brazil. By means of interviews, visits, and workshops, students and community health agentes used Participatory Rapid Appraisal instruments as well as tools for mapping socio-environmental vulnerability and health promotion related issues. Results: The following were identified as life promotion factors in the community: food production diversity, freedom and safety, unity and community organization, job generation, and nature. Considered as threatening to life were: food culture, improper use of pesticides, inadequate use of personal protective equipment, aerial spraying, lack of leisure, lack of transportation, use of licit and illicit drugs. Conclusion: A participatory intervention project will be developed, which will incorporate teaching, research and extension activities regarding Health, Work, Environment, and Nutrition

Optimizing dehydration of apples Malus Domestica with fructo-oligosaccharide incorporation

The objective of the present study was to study the effect of the variables of the osmotic dehydration process on sliced Fuji apples (Malus domestica) using a 2 x 3² factorial design. The variables studied in the apple slices were the pretreatment (blanching or acidification), the temperatures (30, 45 and 60ºC) and the FOS concentration (40%, 50% and 60% m/v) of the osmotic solution. There was no difference among the pretreatments for the water activity and titratable acidity. The slices pre-treated by the acidification presented less enzymatic browning (greatest luminosity L* value) combined with a greater soluble solid contents (thus, this treatment was selected). Treatments T4 (45ºC and 40% m/v) and T7 (60ºC and 40%m/v), using the acidification presented responses within the recommended standards and FOS were validated by the repetition