Rotulagem nutricional: quem lê e por quê?

A alimentação saudável apresenta mérito especial para a saúde e o bem estar físico do homem. Neste contexto,as regulamentações sobre rotulagem nutricional são vistas como ferramentas educacionais que permitem ao consumidorselecionar melhor sua dieta. O presente estudo objetivou caracterizar e avaliar o comportamento dos consumidores desupermercados em relação a utilização de rotulagem nutricional. A metodologia empregada consistiu da aplicação de umquestionário em uma amostra populacional de 200 consumidores selecionados aleatoriamente em supermercados da cidadede Umuarama-Paraná. Dos entrevistados 68,5% afi rmaram consultar os rótulos nutricionais dos alimentos sendo que apenas23% lêem a rotulagem nutricional no supermercado, antes da compra dos alimentos. Os usuários de rotulagem nutricionalsão na maioria consumidores do sexo feminino, casados, com grau de instrução médio ou superior e acima dos quarentaanos. As informações nutricionais mais lidas foram o valor calórico e os conteúdos de gordura e colesterol, todos associadoscom riscos à saúde. A fonte de informação mais utilizada para se obter conhecimentos sobre alimentação e nutrição é atelevisão, no entanto a falta de informação sobre alimentação e nutrição foi citada como a principal barreira para utilizaçãoda rotulagem nutricional para melhorar a qualidade da dieta. O grupo de usuários de rotulagem nutricional valoriza antes dacompra do alimento o valor nutricional, a qualidade e a embalagem, enquanto que os não-usuários de rotulagem nutricionalvalorizam o preço e a marca

Chemical Characterization of Lippia Alba Essential Oil: An Alternative to Control Green Molds

The essential oil of Lippia alba is reported as an antifungal against human pathogenic microorganisms but few articles report its use as an alternative to synthetic fungicides on green mould control. The objective of this study was to determine chemical characteristics of L. alba essential oil and its antifungal activity against green molds as an alternative to synthetic fungicides. Essential oil was extracted by Clevenger hydrodistillation, characterized by GC-MS analysis, and the structure of the main compounds confirmed by H-1 and C-13-NMR spectroscopy. Microdilution assays evaluated the essential oil minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC). Commercial fungicides Ketoconazole and Bifonazole were used as control. Essential oil yield is of 0.15% and the major components are neral (33.32%) and geranial (50.94%). The L. alba essential oil has MIC of 0.300-1.250 mg/mL and MFC of 0.600-1.250 mg/mL. Ketoconazole and Bifonazole show MIC ranging from 0.025-0.500 to 0.100-0.200 mg/mL, and MFC ranging from 0.250-0.100 to 0.200-0.250 mg/mL, respectively. L. alba essential oil is classified as citral type and the results indicate that it is a potential alternative to synthetic fungicides

Low carbon/nitrogen ratio increases laccase production from basidiomycetes in solid substrate cultivation

Basidiomycetes are laccase producers used for hydrolysis of lignocellulosic byproducts in fermentative processes and could be used on biofuel production or ruminant feeding. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of concentrations of non-protein nitrogen sources on laccase production and mycelial growth of Pleurotus ostreatus, Lentinula edodes and Agaricus blazei. The fungi were grown on soybean hulls to which urea (U), ammonium sulfate (AS) or mixture of AS:U (1:1) were added to achieve carbon/nitrogen (C/N) ratios of 5, 15, 20 or 30. The average longitudinal mycelial growth was measured and laccase activity was determined by the oxidation of 2,2'-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid. Higher C/N ratios increased mycelial growth and decreased laccase production. The highest activities were obtained with a C/N ratio of 5. P. ostreatus, L. edodes and A. blazei produced more laccase when AS, AS:U and U, respectively, were added. In addition, C/N ratios lower than 30 induced laccase syntheses, inhibited mycelial growth and were a better condition for pre-hydrolysis of plant residues.Basidiomicetos são produtores de lacases utilizadas na hidrólise de subprodutos lignocelulósicos em processos fermentativos e pode ser utilizado na produção de biocombustíveis ou na alimentação de ruminantes. Avaliou-se o efeito da adição de fontes e concentrações de nitrogênio não-protéico na produção de lacase e no crescimento micelial de Pleurotus ostreatus, Lentinula edodes e Agaricus blazei. Os fungos foram cultivados em cascas de soja com adição de uréia (U), sulfato de amônio (AS) ou AS:U (1:1) de forma a manter a relação carbono/ nitrogênio (C/N) de 5, 15, 20 ou 30. O crescimento micelial longitudinal médio foi medido, e a atividade da lacase foi determinada pela oxidação do ácido 2,2'-azino-bis-3-etilbenzotiazolina-6-sulfônico. O crescimento micelial foi diretamente proporcional à relação C/N, enquanto a atividade de lacase foi inversamente proporcional. Os maiores valores de atividade foram obtidos para a relação C/N de 5. As melhores fontes de N para a produção de lacase por P. ostreatus, L. edodes e A. blazei foram, respectivamente, AS, AS:U e U. Relações C/N menores que 30 induziram a síntese de lacase e inibiram o crescimento micelial, proporcionando condições ideais para a pré-hidrólise de resíduos vegetais

Antimicrobial activity, chemical composition and cytotoxicity of: Lentinus crinitus basidiocarp

Lentinus crinitus (L.) Fr. (Basidiomycota: Polyporales) is a wild mushroom with several biotechnological applications; however, there are few studies on its chemical composition and antimicrobial activity. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the chemical composition, cytotoxicity, and antimicrobial activity of L. crinitus basidiocarp. For that, its nutritional value (AOAC procedures) and its composition in some hydrophilic and lipophilic compounds (chromatographic techniques) were assessed. Moreover, the potential hepatotoxic effects were evaluated using a primary cell culture obtained from porcine liver, and its growth inhibitory capacity was also evaluated against four human tumour cell lines (spectrophotometric assays). The antimicrobial activity was evaluated by microdilution against eight bacteria and fungi. The basidiocarp has a high content of carbohydrates and, therefore, a relatively high energetic value. It is also rich in soluble sugars, β-tocopherol, phenolic acids, mainly p-hydroxybenzoic acid, and organic acids, mainly malic acid. L. crinitus did not show cytotoxicity in non-tumour cells, but it did not inhibit the growth of human tumour cell lines either. The basidiocarp has a wide antimicrobial activity, inhibiting the growth of different species of bacteria and fungi. It showed minimum bactericidal and fungicidal concentration values similar to or lower than those verified by commercial antibiotics or food additives used as preservatives. The antimicrobial activity was more evident against Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella enterica, and Penicillium ochrochloron, followed by Aspergillus ochraceus and Trichoderma viride, when compared to the controls. The results obtained in this study showed that L. crinitus basidiocarp has great potential to be used by the industry without toxicity risks.The authors thank Paranaense University, Fundação Araucária, Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior – Brazil (CAPES) -finance code 001-, and Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) for the financial support and the fellowship. The authors also thank the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) for financial support through national funds FCT/MCTES to CIMO (UIDB/00690/2020); national funding by FCT, PI, through the institutional scientific employment program-contract for L. Barros’s contract, to the project Valor Natural for the contract of F. Reis (Mobilized Project Norte-01-0247- FEDER-024479), and the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of Republic of Serbia (451-03-68/ 2020-14/200007).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Cytotoxicity and anti-inflammatory activities of Gallesia integrifolia (Phytolaccaceae) fruit essential oil

The chemical composition of Gallesia integrifolia fruits essential oil was obtained by hydrodistillation using a modified Clevenger apparatus was investigated by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC/MS). In addition, the cytotoxicity activity against human tumor cell lines MCF-7 (breast adenocarcinoma), NCI-H460 (large cell lung carcinoma), HeLa (cervical carcinoma), and HepG2 (hepatocellular carcinoma), and non-tumor PLP2 (porcine liver primary cells) as well as the anti-inflammatory action was proposal. The compounds were predominantly organosulfates (2,8-dithianonane, dimethyl trisulfide, and lenthionine). Anti-inflammatory activity that provides 50% inhibition of nitric oxide production (55 µg/mL) of essential oil of the fruits. It also presents cytotoxic activity against MCF-7 (GI50 = 66 µg/mL), NCI-H-460 (GI50 = 147 µg/mL), HeLa (GI50 = 182 µg/mL) and HepG2 (GI50 = 240 µg/mL). The essential oil is more active in tumor cells than in non-tumor cells and the GI50 values for essential oil reported in our work support future studies.The authors thank Universidade Paranaense, UniCesumar, Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) and FEDER under Programme PT2020 for financial support to CIMO (UID/AGR/00690/2019) and to national funding by FCT, P.I., through the institutional scientific employment program-contract for R.C. Calhelhas contract, Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - Brazil (CAPES) -finance code 001-, Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq), and Fundação Araucária for the financial support and the fellowship.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio