Otimização e inovação do processo de clarificação de óleos vegetais / Optimization and innovation of the clarification process of vegetable oils

A etapa de clarificação é um processo de adsorção de pigmentos e impurezas presentes nos óleos vegetais. Este processo ocorre pelo emprego de um agente adsorvente mineral de elevado custo de aquisição. Devido tal adversidade, optou-se por realizar uma revisão bibliográfica com o intuito de levantar informações a respeito da otimização do processo de clarificação. Foram selecionados cinco estudos que tratam da otimização da clarificação de óleos vegetais e o emprego de novas tecnologias para melhoria da performance do processo. Os estudos demonstram que a matéria prima exerce influência nos parâmetros de processo sendo dependente de fatores como temperatura, tempo de reação e dosagem de adsorvente. O emprego de novas tecnologias auxiliares do processo de clarificação são potencias agentes de otimização do processo, pois apresentam resultados satisfatórios comparadas ao processo convencional de adsorção. A bibliografia consultada apresenta dados relevantes a respeito da otimização do processo de clarificação de óleos vegetais.

Atividade antimicrobiana de kefir fermentado com subproduto de uva contra Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris / Antimicrobial activity of fermented kefir with a byproduction

Alicyclobacillus spp. they are spore-forming bacteria that deteriorate acidic fruit-based drinks, causing economic losses, with A. acidoterrestris being the most studied, responsible for causing sensory changes, especially in orange juice. The use of natural antimicrobial agents in foods can be an option with great advantages for the industry and the consumer. Therefore, the objective of this work was to investigate the antimicrobial activity of extracts fermented by kefir, from a grape by-product, against A. acidoterrestris. Four extracts were prepared with kefir grains, being 1 - grape extract and kefir grains; 2 - grape extract, brown sugar and kefir grains; 3 - grape extract, ultrasound and kefir grains; and 4 - grape extract, ultrasound, brown sugar and kefir grains. The four extracts were fermented at 28 ºC for 7 days. The extracts were centrifuged at 10,000 rpm for 10 min and the supernatant was subjected to membrane filtration (0.22 μm). The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined by the serial microdilution technique of extracts of 50 to 0.1% concentration in Bacillus acidoterrestris (BAT) medium. The minimum bactericidal concentration (CBM) was also determined. Structural changes in cells after treatment were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The MIC value capable of inhibiting the visible growth of A. acidoterrestris for all extracts was 1.6%, while the CBM was 50% for extracts 1 and 3, while for extracts 2 and 4 the CBM was 25%. The results show that extracts 2 and 4 obtained better CBM value, possibly because kefir produced more secondary metabolites with the addition of brown sugar, in addition, the use of ultrasound did not interfere. The results of the inhibitory and/or bactericidal concentration indicate that the extracts have activity against A. acidotrrestris

Use of nanoencapsulated curcumin against vegetative cells and spores of Alicyclobacillus spp. in industrialized orange juice

Pathogenic and deteriorating bacteria are a great concern to food safety. In this sense, the present study evaluated the fight against microbial contamination through the use of nanoparticles containing curcumin, in addition to analyzing the physical properties of these nanoparticles. Efficient curcumin encapsulation was determined by Fourier transform infrared spectra evaluation and differential scanning calorimetry. Transmission electron microscopy images showed irregular shaped nanoparticles with broad size distribution (20–250 nm). The antibacterial activity was considered satisfactory, since curcumin in the form of nanoparticles demonstrated antimicrobial and antibacterial activity superior to curcumin in its free form, against both pathogenic bacteria, such as Staphylococcus aureus (MIC 125 μg/mL), and deteriorates, such as Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris (MIC 62.5 μg/mL). Since curcumin nanoparticles may be consumed as a food additive, the bioactive properties of the nanoencapsulated curcumin were also evaluated in relation to antioxidant capacity (Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and oxidative hemolysis inhibition assays) and cytotoxicity against four carcinoma cell lines, as well as two non-tumor cells. As a proof of concept, nanoparticles were incorporated in orange juice, with the juice maintaining satisfactory pH, °Brix, and color stability, during three days of storage (8 °C).This study was financed in part by the Coordenaç˜ao de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - Brasil (CAPES) - Finance Code 001. The authors thank the “Central Analítica Multiusu´ario da UTFPR Campo Mourão” (CAMulti-CM) for the analyses. Fernanda V. Leimann (process 039/2019) would like to thank Fundação Araucária (CP 15/2017- Programa de Bolsas de Produtividade em Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento Tecnológico) and CNPq (process number 421541/2018-0, Chamada Universal MCTIC/CNPq n◦ 28/2018). The authors are also grateful to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) for financial support through national funds FCT/MCTES to CIMO (UIDB/00690/ 2020); L. Barros and C. Pereira also thank FCT, P.I., through the institutional scientific employment program-contract.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Crescimento e esporulação de Alicyclobacillus Acidoterrestris em meio de cultura e em suco de laranja industrializado/ Determination of the growth and sporulation of Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris in the culture medium and industrialized orange juice

Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris é microrganismo aeróbio, Gram-positivo, ácido-termorresistente, não patogênico e formador de esporos. Devido a sua capacidade de esporulação, esse microrganismo é frequentemente encontrado em sucos cítricos industrializados, pois sobrevivem a etapas térmicas do processamento, multiplica-se e acarreta a deterioração do produto, devido ao seu metabolismo. Desta maneira, leva ao desenvolvimento de atributos sensoriais indesejáveis no alimento, como a produção de 2,4-dibromofenol e 2-metoxifenol (guaiacol). Dessa forma, representam sério problema para o setor citrícola brasileiro, uma vez que o Brasil é responsável por mais da metade da produção mundial e exportação de suco de laranja. Assim, este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar o crescimento, enumeração, esporulação de A. acidoterrestris. Foram utilizados no presente estudo o meio de cultura específico (BAT) e o suco de laranja reconstituído (11 °Brix) como meio de cultivo. Realizou-se a curva de crescimento para determinação e enumeração das células vegetativas e da esporulação, foram utilizados o meio BAT, pH 4,0 e suco de laranja reconstituído incubados a 45 ºC nos tempos 0, 3, 6, 9 e 12 horas. Ambos os meios de cultivos avaliados resultaram em valores de contagem de células vegetativa sem função do tempo de incubação. No tempo 0 a contagem foi de 2,301 e 1,699 log UFC/mL no meio BAT e no suco de laranja, respectivamente. Após 12h de incubação a contagem obtida no meio BAT foi de 8 log UFC/mL e 6,279 log UFC/mL no suco de laranja. Nos ensaios efetuados para a quantificação de esporos, onde se utilizou o choque térmico (80 °C/10min), apenas após 9 horas de incubação foi possível obter contagem de células, 4,477 log UFC/mL, esses resultados indicam a germinação de esporos ocorrida devido ao choque. Este mapeamento detalhado auxilia na busca de alternativas para o monitoramento e controle rápido de A. acidoterrestris no processamento industrial, visto que esta espécie está sendo utilizada como indicador de qualidade do suco de laranja

Brazilian Flora 2020: Leveraging the power of a collaborative scientific network

International audienceThe shortage of reliable primary taxonomic data limits the description of biological taxa and the understanding of biodiversity patterns and processes, complicating biogeographical, ecological, and evolutionary studies. This deficit creates a significant taxonomic impediment to biodiversity research and conservation planning. The taxonomic impediment and the biodiversity crisis are widely recognized, highlighting the urgent need for reliable taxonomic data. Over the past decade, numerous countries worldwide have devoted considerable effort to Target 1 of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC), which called for the preparation of a working list of all known plant species by 2010 and an online world Flora by 2020. Brazil is a megadiverse country, home to more of the world's known plant species than any other country. Despite that, Flora Brasiliensis, concluded in 1906, was the last comprehensive treatment of the Brazilian flora. The lack of accurate estimates of the number of species of algae, fungi, and plants occurring in Brazil contributes to the prevailing taxonomic impediment and delays progress towards the GSPC targets. Over the past 12 years, a legion of taxonomists motivated to meet Target 1 of the GSPC, worked together to gather and integrate knowledge on the algal, plant, and fungal diversity of Brazil. Overall, a team of about 980 taxonomists joined efforts in a highly collaborative project that used cybertaxonomy to prepare an updated Flora of Brazil, showing the power of scientific collaboration to reach ambitious goals. This paper presents an overview of the Brazilian Flora 2020 and provides taxonomic and spatial updates on the algae, fungi, and plants found in one of the world's most biodiverse countries. We further identify collection gaps and summarize future goals that extend beyond 2020. Our results show that Brazil is home to 46,975 native species of algae, fungi, and plants, of which 19,669 are endemic to the country. The data compiled to date suggests that the Atlantic Rainforest might be the most diverse Brazilian domain for all plant groups except gymnosperms, which are most diverse in the Amazon. However, scientific knowledge of Brazilian diversity is still unequally distributed, with the Atlantic Rainforest and the Cerrado being the most intensively sampled and studied biomes in the country. In times of “scientific reductionism”, with botanical and mycological sciences suffering pervasive depreciation in recent decades, the first online Flora of Brazil 2020 significantly enhanced the quality and quantity of taxonomic data available for algae, fungi, and plants from Brazil. This project also made all the information freely available online, providing a firm foundation for future research and for the management, conservation, and sustainable use of the Brazilian funga and flora