Drying kinetics modeling of apple and zucchini slices vacuum impregnated with anthocyanins

The aim of this research was to study the drying kinetics of apple and zucchini slices enriched with anthocyanins and to evaluate the influence of drying temperature on the anthocyanin content of apple and zucchini snacks. Apple (Granny Smith) and zucchini (Cucurbita pepo) slices were enriched with anthocyanins by vacuum impregnation with blueberry juice. Then, slices were dehydrated at 40, 50 and 60 ºC with 1.0 m/s air flow. Dehydrated samples were referred to as anthocyanin enriched snacks. Diffusion coefficient values improved by increasing the drying temperature, within the 2.81×10-10 to 5.78×10-10 m2/s range for apple slices and 2.02×10-10 to 3.99×10-10 m2/s for zucchini slices. The activation energy was 31.19 kJ/mol and 80.33 kJ/mol for apple and zucchini slices respectively. Page, Weibull, Logarithmic, Henderson-Pabis and Lewis models best fitted the experimental data. Snacks obtained at 60 °C retained a higher concentration of anthocyanins, reaching values of 592.81±52.55 and 464.62±48.44 mg of cyaniding-3-glucoside equivalent/kg dry matter in apple and zucchini snacks respectively. Combination of vacuum impregnation and hot air drying was a technological alternative for producing snacks with functional properties

Estabilidad de antocianinas durante el almacenamiento de jugos de arándanos

Los arándanos y productos de arándano tienen alto valor nutricional, especialmente por su alto contenido de antocianinas. Estas son potentes antioxidantes y poseen alta capacidad de secuestrar radicales libres. Así, los arándanos y productos de arándanos han resultado atractivos para los consumidores interesados en alimentos funcionales. Sin embargo, los tratamientos térmicos y posterior almacenamiento de productos alimenticios influyen en el contenido de antocianinas. La cinética de degradación de las antocianinas puede ser evaluada desde una perspectiva termodinámica, basada en funciones como energía libre, entalpía, entropía y energía de activación. Objetivos: Se estudió el efecto de la pasteurización y la estabilidad de antocianinas presentes en jugos de arándanos, sin pasteurizar y pasteurizados, durante el almacenamiento. Métodos: Jugos de arándanos sin pasteurizar y pasteurizados fueron almacenados a -18, 0, 5 y 10°C durante 148 días. A intervalos de tiempos se cuantificó la concentración de antocianinas monoméricas totales. Se realizó un Análisis de Componentes Principales y los resultados experimentales se ajustaron a modelos cinéticos de orden cero y uno, y a los modelos de Arrhenius y Eyring. Resultados: La pasteurización provocó disminución del 28,5% en la concentración inicial de antocianinas monoméricas totales, mientras que para todas las temperaturas estudiadas, la disminución de antocianinas en función del tiempo de almacenamiento siguió una cinética de primer orden. En el jugo sin pasteurizar, la constante de velocidad de degradación varió entre 0,0080 - 0,0084 días-1 y el tiempo de vida media, entre 75 - 87 días. En el jugo pasteurizado, la constante de velocidad de degradación varió entre 0,0023 - 0,0060 días-1 y el tiempo de vida media, entre 116-301 días. En éste la energía de activación, la energía libre de Gibbs, entalpía y entropía de activación fueron 44,66 kJ/mol, 83,80 kJ/mol, 42,35 kJ/mol y -139,09 J/mol.K, respectivamente'. Conclusiones: El tratamiento de pasteurización provocó disminución del 28,5% en la concentración de antocianinas monoméricas totales iniciales de los jugos de arándano. La estabilidad de las antocianinas durante el almacenamiento fue mayor en los jugos pasteurizados, siendo mayor cuando se almacenaron a 0°C; mientras que en los jugos pasteurizados almacenados a -18°C las antocianinas mostraron menor estabilidad

Impact of Maternal Exposure to Wood Smoke Pollution on Fetal Lung Morphology in a Rat Model

Residential heating with wood is an important source of ambient air pollution. Evidence links air pollution to serious health effects such as respiratory and cardiovascular mortality and morbidity. We hypothesized that prenatal exposure to wood smoke pollution causes morphological changes in the development of the rat lung, leading to altered lung structure and function during later life. We presumed that analysis of the fetal lung stereology provides novel insights into the underlying processes mediating particulate matter associated developmental changes and damage. The objective of the study was to investigate the effects of exposure during gestational period to wood smoke pollution on lung fetal morphology. To test this, pregnant rats were exposed during pregestational and gestational periods to wood smoke pollution. Complete lungs samples were obtained from 24 fetus from healthy female G3 rats subjected to cesarean at 19 days post-fecundation. The lungs were prepared for histological and stereological analysis. The volume fraction of terminal bronchioles V-V [tb, lung] and volume fraction of parenchyma V-V [par, lung], surface density of terminal bronchioles S-V [tb, lung] as well as numerical density of bronchiolar exocrinocytes N-A [ec,lung] were calculated by light microscopy. Statistical analysis detected significant differences between groups in volume density V-V [tb, lung; %] (p=0.0012) and surface density S-V [tb, lung; mm(2)/mm(3)] (p<0.0001) of the terminal bronchioles. However, it did not show differences between groups in the stereological parameter volume density V-V [par, lung; %] (p=0.0838) and numerical density of bronchiolar exocrinocytes N-A [ec,lung; n degrees/mm(2)] (p=0.0705). The analysis of the evidence obtained indicates that exposure to environmental pollution was affects lung maturation, and particularly the proportion and area of terminal bronchioles in the fetal lung. In conclusion, maternal exposure to wood smoke pollution during pregnancy was associated with a decrease in the lower conducting airways of lungs, which, according to urban pollution studies, could be related to early childhood lower respiratory illness. The public health implications of this study are that reducing or avoiding exposure to wood smoke is important before and during pregnancy

Exposure to Wood Smoke Pollution During Pre-Gestational Period of Rat has Effects on Placenta Volume and Fetus Size

Studies in humans showed that prenatal exposure to urban air pollution (AP) influences fetal development, and increases the incidence of adverse pregnancy outcomes and some diseases in postnatal life. However, most of these were performed in environments where the main source of environmental particulate matters (PM) emission is diesel combustion by motor vehicles and industries, thereby ignoring the effects produced by wood smoke pollution. We hypothesized that morphological changes in the placenta could contribute to the reduction in fetal size associated with different periods of exposure to AP produced by wood smoke pollution prior to and during pregnancy. The objective of the study was to investigate the quantitative effects of long-term exposure to environmental levels of wood smoke pollution on the macroscopic and microscopic morphology of the placenta in rats. To test this, pregnant rats were exposed during pregestational and gestational periods to wood smoke pollution in indoor and outdoor environments. At 19 days of gestation, the placentas were obtained by caesarean and were prepared for histological, planimetric and stereological analysis. The volume and proportions of the placental compartments were estimated. In addition, stereological estimators in fetal capillaries were calculated in the labyrinth region. Crown rump length, fetus weight and litter weight were influenced by pregestational and gestational exposure periods. Exposure to wood smoke pollution during pregestational period has significant effect on the volume of the placenta, and consequently on fetal height. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that long-term outdoor exposure to wood smoke pollution from residential heating affects fetal health, decreasing the absolute volume of the entire placenta and the placental interface between the mother and fetus, decreasing the total volume of blood vessels present in the labyrinth region of the placenta and affecting the size of the fetus

Effects of aspirin on rat fetuses with reduction of uterine perfusion pressure Efectos de la aspirina en fetos de rata con reducción de la presión de la perfusión uterina

Preeclampsia (PE) is a hypertensive disorder induced by pregnancy where there is a reduction in the uterine perfusion pressure. Research supports the use of low dose aspirin (LDAAS) and its usefulness in the prevention of PE in pregnant women with risk factors. Their benefits in animal models subject to RUPP are not determined. The objective of the investigation was to analyze the systemic blood pressure and the morphological findings at renal level in fetuses of rats with reduction of uterine perfusion pressure (RUPP) exposed to LDAAS compared to those not exposed. Four groups of pregnant female rats Sprague Dawley (n=5) were formed. At 14.5 days post-conception (dpc), surgical RUPP was induced, ligating uterine arteries, with the RUPP group and RUPP+LDAAS group being given 5 mg/kg/day of aspirin orally. The control group was made up of those not operated and the LDAAS group was administered aspirin in the same dose from 14.5 dpc. A 18.5 dpc, prior to euthanasia systemic blood pressure was measured with flow plethysmograph Insight v2.11 and fetuses were extracted. The cephalo-caudal length (CCL) was measured, processed and stained with hematoxylin-eosin, describing transverse histological sections at the kidney level. It was determined that in the mean arterial pressure, there were significant differences between the group RUPP and RUPP+LDAAS (p &lt;0.05). The size of the fetuses was lower in the RUPP group (p &lt;0.0001), where one fetus presented congenital umbilical hernia. The quantification of renal vesicles was also lower (p &lt;0.005). In conclusion, the administration of LDAAS decreases the effects induced by RUPP in terms of fetal size, renal morphology and congenital malformations such as umbilical hernia. Regarding the systemic blood pressure, effects would only mean arterial pressure