Cinética da degradação de carotenoides e da alteração de cor do azeite de pequi submetido ao aquecimento em temperatura de fritura / Kinetics of carotenoids degradation and color change of pequi oil submitted to heating at frying temperature

O azeite de pequi possui coloração vermelho-alaranjada devido à presença de carotenoides. Possíveis alterações químicas nesses compostos durante o processamento podem influenciar em modificações físicas do produto que ocorrem quando este é submetido ao aquecimento. Este estudo teve como objetivo utilizar parâmetros cinéticos para avaliar a degradação de carotenoides e a alteração de cor do azeite de pequi submetido ao aquecimento em temperatura de fritura. Para avaliar o efeito do aquecimento, o azeite de pequi foi tratado termicamente a 180°C em intervalo crescente de 10 minutos até uma hora de aquecimento. Realizaram-se as análises de carotenoides totais e cor e com esses resultados determinaram-se os parâmetros cinéticos. Ao longo do aquecimento, o teor de carotenoides foi praticamente todo degradado e consequentemente a cor foi bastante alterada. A cinética de degradação dos carotenoides foi de primeira ordem e da alteração de cor foi de ordem zero. Essas cinéticas refletiram as observações visuais das amostras do azeite de pequi obtidas depois de cada tratamento.

The pequi oil has red-orange color due to carotenoids content. Possible chemical modifications on these compounds during processing may influence physical modifications to the product when this oil is submitted to heating. This study aimed to use kinetic parameters to evaluate carotenoids degradation and color change of the pequi oil submitted to heating at frying temperature. To evaluate the effect of heating, pequi oil was heated at 180°C in 10 minutes increasing intervals until one hour. Analyses were performed for total carotenoids and color and these results were used to determine kinetic parameters. Along the heating the carotenoids content was almost completed degraded and consequently, the color changed significantly. Kinetics of carotenoids degradation was of first order and the color change was of zero order. These kinetics reflected the visual observations of pequi oil samples obtained after each treatment.

Microbiological quality and other characteristics of refrigerated chicken meat in contact with cellulose acetate-based film incorporated with rosemary essential oil

Antimicrobial active packaging delays or inhibits microorganism growth in packed products, and it can be used in a variety of food systems. The objective of the present research was to develop packaging incorporated with natural antimicrobial agents (active film). The effects of the active film on the spoilage, pathogenic microorganism counts, pH and color of the refrigerated chicken breast cuts were analyzed. Cellulose acetate-based active films incorporating two concentrations (20% and 50%, v/w) of rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) essential oil were manufactured and placed in contact with the chicken breast cuts for six days. An analysis of variance and mean comparison tests (Tukey's test, p<0.05) were performed on the results. The films that contained 20% essential oil and were intercalated with chicken breast samples did not demonstrate significant effects on the control of psychrotrophic or total coliform microorganisms during the storage period; however, the films incorporated with 50% essential oil demonstrated efficacy toward the control of coliforms during the storage of the samples (6 days, 2 ± 2ºC). The pH was related to the psychrotrophic microorganism count and was not influenced by the treatment. The color was not influenced by the time of storage or the treatment. The results demonstrate that active films incorporating 50% rosemary essential oil are effective at controlling certain microorganisms in chicken breast cuts.

Avaliação do volume de oxigênio absorvido por sachê absorvedor de oxigênio em diferentes temperaturas e umidades relativas / Evaluation of the amount of oxygen absorbed by oxygen absorbers at different temperatures and relative humidities

O uso de absorvedores de oxigênio em embalagens de produtos alimentícios acondicionados tem apresentado uma demanda crescente. Assim, o conhecimento da eficiência desses absorvedores em diferentes condições de umidade relativa e temperaturas definidas, são de fundamental importância. Portanto, foram determinadas equações para predizer o volume absorvido de oxigênio para as temperaturas de 10±2 ºC e 25±2 ºC, dependendo da umidade relativa na faixa de 75 por cento a 85 por cento e da taxa de permeabilidade a oxigênio da embalagem. Para a temperatura de 25±2ºC a equação é: V = -32,770+10,440*UR-104,385*ln(TPO2), com um R² = 0,9151. Para a temperatura de 10±2ºC a equação é: V=107,321+6,221*UR-105,166 ln(TPO2) com um R² = 0,8729. Dessa forma, o tempo de atividade do sachê pode ser determinado pela equação T = (V-Vi) / (TPO2*A). Utilizando essas equações e, considerando uma embalagem de área 0,05m² por face, com uma permeabilidade de 8,63 cm3.m-2.dia-1, uma umidade relativa de 80 por cento e o volume de oxigênio inicial dentro da embalagem de 2,5 mL, após o envase, o tempo de atividade do sachê quando armazenado a 10±2ºC foi de 435 dias e a 25±2ºC de 666 dias.

Oxygen absorbers have been presenting a growing demand for application in food packaging. Thus, it is important to know the efficiency of those absorbers in different relative humidity and temperatures. Therefore, equations were developed to predict the volume of absorbed oxygen at 10±2 ºC and 25±2 ºC, according as the relative humidity ranging from 75 percent to 85 percent and the oxygen transmission rate through the package. At 25±2ºC the equation was V = -32,770+10,440*RH-104,385*ln(O2 TR), with R² = 0,9151. At 10±2ºC, V=107,321+6,221*RH-105,166 ln(O2 TR) with R² = 0,8729. As a consequence, activity time for the oxygen absorbers can be calculated with the following equation: T = (V-Vi) / (ln(O2 TR*A). Using these equations and considering a packaging area of 0,05m² for each face, oxygen transmission rate of 8,63 cm³.m-².dia-1, relative humidity of 80 percent and an initial oxygen volume inside the package of 2,5 mL, absorber activity times when stored at 10±2ºC and 25±2ºC were 435 and 666 days, respectively.