Compuestos de hierro para la fortificación de alimentos: El desarrollo de una estrategia nutricional indispensable para países en vía de desarrollo. – Una revisión

La deficiencia de hierro (Fe) ha sido reconocida como un problema de salud pública, debido a sus implicaciones económicas y en el bienestar de la población humana. Para países en desarrollo como Colombia, esta deficiencia afecta a gran parte de sus habitantes, especialmente a los niños y a las mujeres en estado de gestación. De allí la importancia de generar estrategias como la fortificación de alimentos con hierro, con el objetivo de mejorar los niveles de consumo en la población y contrarrestar las consecuencias que se generan con la carencia de este mineral, entre las que se incluyen fallas en el desarrollo mental y motor, y alteraciones del sistema inmune. Por lo anterior, en la presente revisión se plasman los principales conceptos sobre la fortificación de alimentos con hierro, incluyendo los factores que influyen en su aprovechamiento a nivel fisiológico, su importancia desde el punto de vista nutricional, las tecnologías aplicadas durante la fortificación de alimentos y las últimas tendencias de este tipo de productos, como la bio-fortificación y la nanotecnología, con el fin de contribuir a los procesos de investigación y desarrollo de estrategias nutricionales cuyo eje central sea la prevención y el control de la deficiencia de hierro

Iron compounds for food fortification: The development of an essential nutritional strategy for developing countries. A review

Iron (Fe) deficiency has been recognized as a public health problem due to its health and economic implications. In developing countries like Colombia this deficiency still affects a large part of its population, especially children and women in gestation. Hence the importance of developing strategies such as food fortification with iron to improve the levels of consumption in the population and offset the consequences generated by the lack of this mineral, including mental and motor development, and immune system disorders. In this review, the main concepts of iron food fortification are developed, including the main factors which influence their physiological use, its importance from the nutritional point of view, the technologies used for food fortification and the latest trends in this type of products, such as biofortification and nanotechnology, all this in order to contribute to the research and development process of nutritional strategies whose central point is iron deficiency as an strategy of prevention and control

Propiedades de la sericina de seda colombiana

Introduction: During Colombian silk transformation to obtain threads, a protein called sericin is removed and discarded. Nevertheless, due to its properties, it should be industrially recovered and used. Objective: Characterize the sericin obtained, through spray drying, from Colombian silk threads. Materials and methods: The sericin was extracted using hot water in autoclave and later spray-dried. Obtained solution was dehydrated in dry spray equipment. The obtained powdered sample was characterized by morphological tests (SEM), isoelectric point and protein content, antimicrobial activity, solubility, aqueous activity (aw) and color. Results: The results obtained by SEM showed that the degumming process extracted the most of sericin from the threads. In addition, it was seen that dehydrated samples have a spherical shape, with a rough, concave and collapsed surface. The protein content and the isoelectric point of sericin were 99.5 % and 4.07, respectively. No antimicrobial properties were observed against the microorganisms studied. The solubility of the protein increased with temperature (44.11 % ± 5.75 at 90 °C), its aw was 0.287, and its color showed a white trend whose CIELAB coordinates are L: 89.55 ± 0.20, a*: +0.44 ± 0.04 and b*: +5.16 ± 0.30. Conclusions: The results show that it is possible to extract sericin from silk threads using autoclave, with high percentages of yield. Additionally, it was observed that the sample is susceptible to be dehydrated by spray drying, showing characteristics that can be studied in greater depth to evaluate the viability of using this protein in the development of different products.Resumo Introdução: Colômbia produz atualmente seda natural. Durante a transformação desta aos fios, retira-se e descarta-se a sericina, uma proteína que recobre as fibras e que apresenta diferentes propriedades que podem ser aproveitadas industrialmente. Objetivo: Caracterizar a sericina obtida a partir de fios de seda colombianos e secagem por aspersão. Materiais e métodos: A sericina foi extraída usando água quente no autoclave e posteriormente desidratada com secagem por aspersão. A amostra em pó obtida caracterizou-se mediante provas morfológicas (SEM), determinação do ponto isoelétrico, contido de proteína, atividade antimicrobiana, solubilidade, atividade aquosa (aw) e cor. Resultados: Os resultados obtidos pelo SEM amostram que conseguiu-se remover a maior parte da sericina presente nos fios, e quando esta se seca adquire uma forma esférica, com superfície rugosa, côncava e colapsada. Encontrou-se que a amostra tem um contido de proteína e um ponto isoeléctrico de 99,50% e 4,07 respetivamente, e não apresenta propriedades antimicrobianas frente aos microrganismos estudados. A solubilidade aumenta com a temperatura, atingindo um 44,11% ± 5,75 a 90 °C. O aw foi de 0,287 e sua cor mostra uma tendência ao branco (coordenadas CIELAB: L: 89,55 ± 0,20, a*: +0,44 ± 0,04 y b*: +5,16 ± 0,30). Conclusões: Os resultados mostram que é possível extrair sericina desde fios de seda usando autoclave, com altos percentagens de rendimento. Observa-se que a amostra é suscetível de ser desidratada com secagem por aspersão, mostrando características que podem ser estudadas com maior profundidade para avaliar a viabilidade de utilizarla no desenvolvimento de diferentes produtos.Introducción: Colombia produce actualmente seda natural. Durante la transformación de esta a hilos, se retira y descarta la sericina, una proteína que recubre las fibras y que presenta diferentes propiedades que pueden ser aprovechadas industrialmente. Objetivo: Caracterizar la sericina obtenida a partir de hilos de seda colombiana y secada por aspersión. Materiales y métodos: La sericina fue extraída usando agua caliente en autoclave y posteriormente secada por aspersión. La muestra en polvo obtenida se caracterizó mediante pruebas morfológicas (SEM), determinación del punto isoeléctrico, contenido de proteína, actividad antimicrobiana, solubilidad, actividad acuosa (aw) y color. Resultados: Los resultados obtenidos por SEM mostraron que se logró remover la mayor parte de sericina presente en los hilos, y que cuando esta se seca adquiere una forma esférica, con superficie rugosa, cóncava y colapsada. Se encontró que la muestra tiene un contenido de proteína y un punto isoeléctrico de 99,50% y 4,07 respectivamente, y no presenta propiedades antimicrobianas frente a los microorganismos estudiados. La solubilidad aumenta con la temperatura, alcanzando un 44,11% ± 5,75 a 90 °C. El aw fue de 0,287 y su color muestra una tendencia al blanco (coordenadas CIELAB: L: 89,55 ± 0,20, a*: +0,44 ± 0,04 y b*: +5,16 ± 0,30). Conclusiones: Los resultados muestran que es posible extraer sericina desde hilos de seda usando autoclave, con altos porcentajes de rendimiento. Se observa que la muestra es susceptible de ser secada por aspersión, mostrando características que pueden ser estudiadas con mayor profundidad para evaluar la viabilidad de utilizarla en el desarrollo de diferentes productos

Development of a fortified drink from the mixture of small colombian native fruits

Strawberry (Fragaria ananassa), blackberry (Rubus glaucus), Peruvian cherry (Physalis peruviana L.) and purple passion fruit (Passiflora edulis Sims) are important fruit crops in Colombia, due to their organoleptic properties and nutritional qualities, making them attractive for international markets. This study was undertaken to characterize the physicochemical properties of these four fruits and to present an alternative for their use. To achieve this goal, the moisture, pH, soluble solids, acidity, color, iron and vitamin C concentration were determined, and a fortified mixed fruit drink was developed. All of the fruits can be classified as high acidity products due to the acidity results. Purple passion fruit and Peruvian cherry presented the highest content of soluble solids, while blackberry, purple passion fruit and Peruvian cherry did not exhibit statistically significant differences in their iron contents, and strawberry exhibited the highest contribution of vitamin C.La fresa (Fragaria ananassa), la mora (Rubus glaucus), la uchuva (Physalis peruviana L.) y la gulupa (Passiflora edulis Sims) son cultivos frutales importantes en Colombia por sus propiedades organolépticas y nutritivas. Este estudio se realizó para caracterizar las propiedades fisicoquímicas de estos cuatro frutos y presentar una alternativa para su uso. Para lograr este objetivo, se caracterizaron las cuatro frutas determinando humedad, pH, sólidos solubles, acidez, color, contenido de hierro y la concentración de vitamina C. Posteriormente se desarrolló una bebida fortificada de frutas. De acuerdo a los resultados de acidez, todos los frutos se pueden clasificar como productos de alta acidez. La gulupa y la uchuva, presentaron el mayor contenido de sólidos solubles, mientras que la mora, la gulupa y la uchuva, no presentaron diferencias estadísticamente significativas en su contenido de hierro. La fresa presentó la mayor contribución de la vitamina C

Development of a fortified drink from the mixture of small colombian native fruits

Strawberry (Fragaria ananassa), blackberry (Rubus glaucus), Peruvian cherry (Physalis peruviana L.) and purple passion fruit (Passiflora edulis Sims) are important fruit crops in Colombia, due to their organoleptic properties and nutritional qualities, making them attractive for international markets. This study was undertaken to characterize the physicochemical properties of these four fruits and to present an alternative for their use. To achieve this goal, the moisture, pH, soluble solids, acidity, color, iron and vitamin C concentration were determined, and a fortified mixed fruit drink was developed. All of the fruits can be classified as high acidity products due to the acidity results. Purple passion fruit and Peruvian cherry presented the highest content of soluble solids, while blackberry, purple passion fruit and Peruvian cherry did not exhibit statistically significant differences in their iron contents, and strawberry exhibited the highest contribution of vitamin C