Sustainable starch-based edible films with agrifood residues as potential carriers for the probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus

Acknowledgments This work was supported by “Santander Universidades and University of Coimbra” through the project “Projetos Semente Santander UC: Era Pos-COVID-19: ´ uma sociedade mais sustentavel, ´ resiliente e justa” and by Fundaçao ˜ para a Ciˆencia e a Tecnologia (FCT): FCT/MCTEs (UIDB/00102/2020 and UIDP/00102/2020, of CIEPQPF, UIDB/04539/2020, UIDP/04539/2020 and LA/P/0058/2020, of CIBB, and UI/ 05704/2020 of ciTechCare. M. C. Gaspar acknowledges FCT for the financial support through the Institutional Scientific Employment Stimulus (CEECINST/00060/2021).Edible films are promising carriers for probiotics and can be composed by agrifood residues, which are usually rich in polymers and bioactive compounds. In this work, starch-based films were enriched with three types of agrifood residues (quince, potato and orange peels) and the incorporation of the probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus was studied, as well as the addition of inulin as a protective prebiotic. The resulting films were characterized in terms of mechanical properties, physicochemical properties, lactobacilli viability and microbiological properties. The mechanical properties of the films generally decreased with the introduction of L. rhamnosus, although this was highly dependent on the film composition. All films exhibited water vapor permeabilities in the typical range of starch-based films and were not greatly affected by the inclusion of probiotics. The loss of probiotic viability during films production was strongly related to the pH of the film-forming solutions. Films with agrifood residues had a slower loss of probiotic viability during storage, when compared to plain starch films, which may be explained by the presence of antioxidant compounds. Inulin was expected to improve viability, but this was not observed. Microbiological analysis showed that agrifood residues powders contained natural contaminant bacteria that were partially eliminated during film formation. Moreover, none of the target foodborne pathogens were detected in the analyzed samples. Overall, the results suggest that edible films containing agrifood residues can be a promising material for the delivery of probiotics and/or as primary packaging for some food products.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Edible films produced from agrifood by-products and wastes

Acknowledgements This work was financially supported by Projetos Semente SantanderUC through the Santander Universidades and University of Coimbra award, and by COMPETE 2020, Fundaçao ˜ para a Ciˆencia e Tecnologia (FCT, Portugal), through the projects CIEPQPF (UIDB/00102/2020 and UIDP/00102/2020), and ciTechCare (UI/05704/2020). M. C. Gaspar acknowledges FCT for the financial support under Scientific Employment Stimulus (CEECIND/00527/2017 and CEECINST/00060/2021).This study aims to develop edible films using agrifood by-products (pumpkin seeds, broken rice and orange pectin) and wastes (quince peel, potato peel, potato pulp, orange peel, pumpkin peel). The physicochemical characteristics of the films were investigated, including their mechanical and barrier properties. Higher amounts of plasticizer induced poorer mechanical and barrier properties in the films. The most promising ones were obtained with orange pectin, broken rice and pumpkin peel, with water contact angles (WCA) between 48° and 57°, maximum water vapor transmission rate and water vapor permeability of 575 g.m−2.d−1 and 108 × 10−12 g.Pa−1.s−1.m−1, respectively, Young's modulus between 350 and 800 MPa, maximum tensile strength between 9.0 and 26.25 MPa, and elongation at break between 2.28 and 9.3%. Orange pectin and broken rice are promising raw materials since they led to higher WCA, better barrier and mechanical properties. Broken rice and quince peel can be good substitutes for commercial starch and glycerol, respectively. Agro-industrial by-products and wastes revealed potential for the production of sustainable edible films.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Particle size distribution and mineralogy of Brazilian Ferralsols: Significance for the structure and hydraulic properties.

The Cerrados Biome is one of the major regions of Brazil with 24% of the Brazilian territory (204.106 ha). It is mainly located in the center of Brazil and corresponds to the whole Central Plateau. About 49% of the soils are Ferralsols and approximately 79.106 ha of these soils are dedicated to agriculture. The main characteristics of Ferralsols are a poor horizonation, a weak development of the macrostructure, and a strong submillimetric granular microstructure

Hydrodynamic and thermal evaluation of fouling mitigation in hydrogenerators heat exchangers

Paper presented at the 8th International Conference on Heat Transfer, Fluid Mechanics and Thermodynamics, Mauritius, 11-13 July, 2011.The effectiveness of a mitigation technology for undesired formation of mineral inlay (fouling) and biological material (biofouling) in the plate heat exchangers of the bearings refrigeration system in the hydrogenerators of the power plant "Fontes Nova" (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) was studied. These incrustations change the thermal and hydrodynamic characteristics of the system due to the increase in the pressure drop and the drastic reduction of the thermal effectivity of the heat exchangers. The technology that was object of the study "excites the flow" because of the appli-cation of an electric field generated by an electronic device. To evaluate the effectivity of the mitigation method, the plate heat exchangers was instrumented. Water quality is also studied to analyze the environmental impact and the need to explain the undesired mechanism of biofouling.pm201

Design Specifications for an Auxiliary Incision Retractor in Dacryocystorhinostomy Surgeries

It is presented the design specifications for a Retractor Robotic System (RRS) based on the surgical necessities in the incisions procedure for a dacryocystorhinostomy. The specifications are conformed by a mathematical model, the experimental data measured, a modular flexible architecture, energy supplier system, the mechanical group, and the safety system. The specifications suggest that the use of flexible polymeric materials for the RRS provide a mayor adaptability of the system with the biological tissue; so a pneumatic actuator could be a suitable option.This research was funded by CONACYT (Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología) Grant No. 86356

In vitro nematicidal activity of naphthoquinones against the root-lesion nematode Pratylenchus thornei

The root-lesion nematode Pratylenchus thornei is a widely distributed and important parasite of cereals and legumes. As migratory endoparasites, P. thornei are difficult to manage  because they enter and leave host roots and may remain quiescent inside roots or in soil when conditions are unfavourable for plant growth. The number of available nematicides to manage these nematodes is restricted, so new, effective and eco-friendly sustainable management strategies are needed. The effects of naphthoquinones (juglone, 1,4-naphtoquinone and plumbagin) produced by some plants species, including walnut (Juglandaceae), were assessed against P. thornei. An additional treatment of a mixture of juglone and 1,4-naphtoquinone (2:1, w/w), was included because these compounds are frequently found at these propotion in walnut extracts. Juveniles and adult nematodes were exposed to different concentrations of each naphthoquinone and nematode mortality was assessed. Juglone and 1,4-naphthoquinone (at 500 ppm) were more effective than plumbagin, and gave 100% mortality after 24 h of exposure. A synergistic effect was not detected when juglone and 1,4-naphthoquinone (2:1, w/w) were combined. Estimated lethal concentrations causing 50% P. thornei mortality (LC50s) (72 h exposure) were: 134.7 ppm for juglone, 161.2 ppm for 1,4-naphthoquinone, 207.6 ppm for juglone + 1,4-naphthoquinone (2:1, w/w), and 178.8 ppm for plumbagin. This study has demonstrated the nematicidal potential of these naphthoquinones against P. thornei, and has shown that walnut residues may be valuable sources for extraction of these compounds

Post-natal parental care in a Cretaceous diapsid from northeastern China

Post-natal parental care seems to have evolved numerous times in vertebrates. Among extant amniotes, it is present in crocodilians, birds, and mammals. However, evidence of this behavior is extremely rare in the fossil record and is only reported for two types of dinosaurs, and a varanopid ‘pelycosaur’. Here we report new evidence for post-natal parental care in Philydrosaurus, a choristodere, from the Yixian Formation of western Liaoning Province, China. We review the fossil record of reproduction in choristoderes, and this represents the oldest record of post-natal parental care in diapsids to our knowledge