The impact of the wine routes in the international promotion and exports of the Portuguese wine : the case of Península de Setúbal wine route

The aim of this study is to examine the role of the wine routes as an international promoter and an export developer of wines. The focus will be in the Portuguese case, more specifically on Península de Setúbal Wine Route, also named Blue Coast Wine Route. Examining the wineries that are part of this route, the goal is to assess the impact of the route on the international image of the wines and exports and evaluate its importance and limitations.O objetivo desta tese é avaliar o papel das Rotas dos Vinhos na promoção internacional e exportações do vinho. Vou centrar-me num caso português, mais concretamente na Rota dos Vinhos da Península de Setúbal, também designada como Rota dos Vinhos da Costa Azul. Examinando as adegas pertencentes à Rota, a finalidade é compreender o impacto da rota na promoção internacional da imagem dos vinhos, assim como nas exportações, avaliando a sua importância e limitações

The effect of drying temperatures on morphological and chemical properties of dried chestnut flours

The effect of drying conditions on morphological and chemical properties of two Portuguese Castanea sativa varieties (Longal and Martainha) was evaluated. All chestnut drying curves were found to be different according to drying temperatures (40 C, 50 C, 60 C and 70 C). Those conditions also affected both chemical composition of flours and morphological properties of starch. Colour parameters of the flours (L* c*h ) generally decreased with increasing drying temperature, total colour difference (TCD*) also significantly changed for samples dried at different tested conditions. The drying temperature seems to affect starch morphology, with Longal starch granules always somewhat smaller. The results showed that the higher the drying temperature, the higher the reducing sugars content and the lower the starch content. In what concerns differences among the studied varieties, it can be stated that Longal presents whiter flours, higher reducing sugars content, lower starch and sucrose contents. In opposition, Martainha flours presented lower percentage of amylose and damaged starch. From the results it can be concluded that the marked effects that drying temperature exerted on the characteristics and properties of chestnut flours are different in both varieties studie

Morphology and structure of acorn starches isolated by enzymatic and alkaline methods

Research articleMorphology and structure of starch from fruits of two acorns species, Quercus rotundifolia Lam. (QR) and Quercus suber Lam. (QS), isolated by enzymatic (ENZ) and alkaline (A3S) methods were studied. Acorn starches granules presented a round and oval shape, consisting of medium/small granules, with a mean granule size ranging between 9 and 13 μm. Isolated acorn starches appear as light grayish-brown in naked eye, with high values of L* for starches isolated by the ENZ method, and QR starches were duller than QS. No differences were observed for all the samples in FTIR spectra results. Acorn starches showed a C-type pattern, with a relative crystallinity between 43.1 and 46.6%. The 13C CP/MAS NMR spectra are different for the used isolation methods but are similar for both acorn species. However, acornisolated starches presented a predominant A-type allomorph packing type, and the A3S starches showed a higher degree of crystalline material. Those differences in the structure of acorn starches would be helpful to better understand the relationships among structure and functional properties for a possible potential industrial application of chestnut starchesinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Inulin potential for encapsulation and controlled delivery of Oregano essential oil

The ability of inulin, a prebiotic material, as encapsulation matrix was explored. Microcapsules of Raftiline were produced by spray drying inulin solutions at different solids content (5, 15 and 25%) at 120, 155 and 190 °C, according to a Central Composite Rotatable design. Produced capsules were analysed for morphology and size by SEM and physiochemical characterized by DSC, IR and RAMAN. Oregano essential oil was incorporated in the inulin solutions at 15% solids basis and the emulsions dried at the same conditions. The above mentioned methodologies were applied to evaluate the encapsulation ability and the changes induced by the presence of the EO in capsules morphology and structure. Furthermore the kinetics and amount of release was assessed by a spectrophotometric method. Results showed that it was possible to produce regular spherical inulin microcapsules (3–4.5 μm) for all the tested experimental conditions. According to IR and Raman results mainly drying temperature affected the structure of the capsules, three groups being clearly formed. These groups could be related to the morphology of inulin crystals. The EO was successfully encapsulated in the system as demonstrated by IR and Raman analysis. The differences found in the EO releasing amount, make clear that different degrees of core material retention is achieved, what should be related to structural changes in the matrix wall, denoting in some processing conditions interactions phenomena among inulin and EO. Those different releasing profiles patterns may be quite useful in finding different potential uses for the encapsulates.Thanks are due for the financial support given by Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) through the project PTDC/AGR/ALI/67194/2006 and through a post-doctoral grant of first author (SFRH/BPD/44200/2008) supported by programme QREN - POPH - Tipologia 4.1. The authors also express their gratitude to Mr Octavio Chaveiro from INIAV for the given support in microscopy studies

The effect of starch isolation method on physical and functional properties of Portuguese nut starches. 2. Q. rotundifolia Lam. and Q. suber Lam. acorns starches

A new starch was isolated from fruits of two acorn species, Quercus rotundifolia and Quercus suber by alkaline (A3S) and enzymatic (ENZ) methods and physical and functional properties were studied. The isolation method induced changes in most of those properties in the isolated starches, mainly in resistant starch content, syneresis, pasting, thermal and rheological properties. Isolated acorn starches presented high amylose content (53e59%) and resistant starch content (30.8e41.4%). Acorn starches showed limited and similar solubility values and swelling power values, showing a gradual increase from 60 C to 90 C. The pasting temperatures ranged from 67.5 to 72.0 C and pastes did not present breakdown, which is suggestive of a high paste stability of acorn starches during heating. At ambient temperature the turbidity and syneresis values were low, but when held at freezing temperatures the syneresis significantly increased. Thermal analysis revealed that the acorn starches easily undergo transition phenomena as shown by the low To and enthalpy values (4.1e4.3 J/g), these effects were more evident in starches isolated by ENZ method. Pastes are more elastic than viscous and form strong gels after cooling. Q. suber starch was shown to be more sensitive to the effect of isolation method. Generally, starch isolated by enzymatic method presented less interesting functional properties, since this isolation procedure greater affected the raw structure of starche

Crómio, fisiologia e fisiopatologia

Dissertação para obtenção do grau de Mestre no Instituto Superior de Ciências da Saúde Egas MonizO crómio é um metal que desempenha funções essenciais no organismo em quantidades escassas, sendo por isso considerado um oligoelemento. Este micronutriente é um componente muito importante no metabolismo dos hidratos de carbono, dos lípidos e das proteínas. Assim, em condições de carência ou excesso de crómio, ocorre uma desregulação da sua atividade, que resulta no desenvolvimento de patologias graves, tais como diabetes mellitus e doenças cardiovasculares. Na presente dissertação é descrita a quantidade de crómio necessária ao organismo, as suas funções metabólicas, bem como as fisiopatologias a ele associadas. Visto que o crómio é essencial para o bom funcionamento do nosso organismo, a sua deficiência pode ser tratada com suplementos existentes no mercado. Uma das situações que pode levar à disfunção do metabolismo do crómio é a administração de nutrição parentérica, que quando aplicada sem suplementação deste oligoelemento pode levar a doenças associadas à sua carência. Porém, quando existe suplementação de crómio na nutrição parentérica é extremamente importante o controlo dos níveis deste metal, de forma a evitar situações de toxicidade para o organismo. Todos estes temas são também desenvolvidos neste trabalho. Por último, são salientadas as situações quotidianas, como é o caso da perda de peso, onde se usam suplementos alimentares ricos em crómio. Até à data, no mercado português, a maioria dos produtos dietéticos possuem elevadas quantidades de crómio na sua composição

Effect of drying temperatures on chemical and morphological properties of acorn flours

Drying curves at different temperatures were established for Quercus suber and Quercus rotundifolia fruits. Flours produced by milling fruits dried at different conditions were evaluated for colour, starch granules morphology, amylose and sugars content. The drying temperature was positively related to the reducing sugar content and negatively to starch content. The amilose content generally increased with drying temperature and the effect was more evident for the Q. rotundifolia. Results showed that flour colour parameters generally decreased with increased drying temperature. However, the drying temperature does not seem to affect starch morphology. It can also be stated that Q. suber produced darker flours, higher amylose and reducing sugar content, and bigger starch granules. Q. rotundifolia showed a lower level of damaged starch and higher fat and disaccharides content. According to the results, it was possible to conclude that drying temperature exerted marked effects on the properties of acorn flours in both studied specie

The effect of the matrix system in the delivery and in-vitro bioactivity of microencapsulated oregano essential oil

Microencapsulation allows bioactive compounds protection from external factors. Innovation in food industry often requires adding functional ingredients, to tailor flavour and texture, to improve preservation, to control bioactive compounds stability and controlled release during processing/storage. Oregano, besides richness in aroma compounds, is also known by potential antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. These sensitive compounds need protection in order to allow their use in a wider range of processes. In this study, oregano essential oil (EO) was microencapsulated by spray/freeze drying in: rice starch (with/without bonding agents), gelatine/sucrose and inulin, dried at different temperatures. Microencapsulates were analysed for morphology and structure (SEM, CLSM, X-ray diffraction and FTIR). Releasing ability of entrapped EO (UV–VIS spectroscopy) was evaluated by diffusion coefficient (D). Antioxidant activity (AA) - ORAC and HORAC- and antimicrobial activities against pathogens were evaluated. Rice starch spherules, presenting interconnecting cavities, were formed. Spray-dried inulin and gelatine/sucrose systems formed continuous walled and smooth surface spherical capsules (3-4.5 and 0.9-10m, respectively). EO was uniformly distributed inside the structures (CLSM) and its presence confirmed by FTIR. Depending on the system, D varied among 10-13 (starch), 10-13-10-15, (gelatine/sucrose) and 10-16 m2/s (inulin). In starch system, D was mainly influenced by the gelatin concentration, increasing with it. X- ray diffraction and FTIR results suggest some kind of linkage between gelatine and starch. Spray-dried gelatine/sucrose system, revealed to be unsuitable for EO encapsulation due to capsules disintegration but freeze-drying was effective. The D of EO from inulin capsules decreases when these are produced above 140 ºC. The impact of encapsulation method on EO bioactivity and product stability during 6 months, was verified through the determination of microcapsules AA, using free EO value as reference. The results obtained provide information on the release/stability of oregano EO from different matrices, relevant for functional ingredients microencapsulation

Effect of the matrix system in delivery and in vitro bioactivity of microencapsulated Oregano essential oil

Available at ScienceDirectThe effect of encapsulating matrix on retention, protection and delivery of Oregano essential oil (EO) was studied. EO was encapsulated in rice starch porous spheres, inulin and gelatine/sucrose capsules by spray drying. Gelatine/sucrose matrix was also dried by freeze drying. Experimental designs were applied to test the effect of bonding agents and solids content for rice starch and drying temperature and solids content for inulin and gelatine/sucrose systems. The ratio of gelatine/sucrose was also tested. EO was identified (confocal laser scanning microscopy and FT-IR) in all tested matrices and the release profiles, antioxidant activity and antimicrobial activity of encapsulates evaluated. Results showed that the three tested materials are able to encapsulate Oregano EO. Higher diffusion coefficients were obtained for starch microcapsules (about 10 13 m2/s) followed by spray-dried gelatine/sucrose systems (about 10 15 m2/s) and inulin microcapsules (about 10 16 m2/s). Gelatine/sucrose microparticles exhibit high antioxidant and antimicrobial activity while inulin and rice starch microencapsulates ensure higher stabilit