Natural pigments of anthocyanin and betalain for coloring soy-based yogurt alternative

The aim of this work was to evaluate the color stability of betalain- and anthocyanin-rich extracts in yogurt-like fermented soy, in order to develop a preliminary understanding of how these pigments behave in this type of food system during storage for 21 days at 4 °C. Thus, the extracts of red beetroot, opuntia, hibiscus and red radish were integrated into the yogurt-like fermented soy in two different ways—directly after lyophilization, and encapsulated in nanosystems based in soybean lecithin—as this approach has never been used to further increase the value and potential of the dairy-free alternatives of yogurt-like fermented soy. The results showed that non-encapsulated betalain-rich extracts from red radish are the most promising for coloring yogurt-like fermented soy. However, encapsulated opuntia extracts can also be an alternative to supplement the soy fermented beverages with betalains, without changing significantly the color of the system but giving all its health benefits, due to the protection of the pigments by nanoencapsulation.This research was funded by COMPETE 2020 program, co-financed by the FEDER and the European Union, PTDC/ASP-AGR/30154/2017 (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-030154). Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal), and FEDER-COMPETE-QREN-EU funded research centers CQ-UM (UID/QUI/00686/2019), CF-UM-UP (UID/FIS/04650/2019) and REQUIMTE (UIDB/50006/2020)

Topological correlations in soap froths

Correlation in two-dimensional soap froth is analysed with an effective potential for the first time. Cells with equal number of sides repel (with linear correlation) while cells with different number of sides attract (with NON-bilinear) for nearest neighbours, which cannot be explained by the maximum entropy argument. Also, the analysis indicates that froth is correlated up to the third shell neighbours at least, contradicting the conventional ideas that froth is not strongly correlated.Comment: 10 Pages LaTeX, 6 Postscript figure

Beetroot as a source of natural dyes for ham

Beetroot (Beta vulgaris L.) was subjected to extraction procedures in order to obtain the respective extracts containing the natural dyes and subjected to cytotoxicity assays in AGS cell line. Encapsulation of the extracts in nanosystems based on soybean lecithin and maltodextrin was performed. Lyophilized extracts before and after encapsulation in maltodextrin were applied in the formulation of leg ham and used in pilot scale of production. The colour of ham samples from the different assays was evaluated visually and by colorimetry.Dias, S.; Pereira, D.M.; Castanheira, E.M.S.; Fortes, A.G.; Pereira, R.; Gonçalves, a.M.S.T. Beetroot as a Source of Natural Dyes for Ham. Proceedings 2019, 41, 82. https://doi.org/10.3390/ecsoc-23-0662

Valorization of plant extracts by encapsulation in lipid nanosystems for application as potential insecticides

Plants have been used for centuries to treat diseases and are considered an important source of new antimicrobial agents. Plant extracts can be obtained and their composition determined, being widely employed in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. A less explored and potential application is the use as green insecticides/insect repellents, as an alternative to current pesticides. Despite the desirable properties, many of the isolated components (phytochemicals) present limitations on their use, due to high volatility and easy degradation when exposed to air. Nanoencapsulation techniques arise as promising strategies to allow the preservation and controlled release of plant extracts. In this work, a series of plant materials, Tamus communis L., Tagetes patula L. and Ruta graveolens L., were subjected to Soxhlet extraction using various solvents and times of extraction. The extracts obtained were submitted to biological studies, to assess their potential against the insect cell line Sf9. Encapsulation assays in lipid nanosystems were carried out, with encapsulation efficiencies higher than 70%.This research was funded by Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) for financial support to the research centres CQ/UM (UID/QUI/00686/2016 and UID/QUI/00686/2019) and CF-UM-UP (UID/FIS/04650/2019). Funding by FCT, COMPETE2020 and FEDER through project PTDC/ASP-AGR/30154/2017 (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-030154) is also acknowledged. The NMR spectrometer Bruker Avance III 400 (part of the National NMR Network) was financed by FCT and FEDER

Seleção de primares para análise molecular em genótipos de dendezeiro.

PIBIC 2010

Statistical Mechanics of Two-dimensional Foams

The methods of statistical mechanics are applied to two-dimensional foams under macroscopic agitation. A new variable -- the total cell curvature -- is introduced, which plays the role of energy in conventional statistical thermodynamics. The probability distribution of the number of sides for a cell of given area is derived. This expression allows to correlate the distribution of sides ("topological disorder") to the distribution of sizes ("geometrical disorder") in a foam. The model predictions agree well with available experimental data