Estabilidade físico-química e microbiológica de banana passa orgânica / Stability physical-chemical and microbiological of organic dehydrated banana

O objetivo do trabalho foi avaliar a estabilidade física, físico-química e microbiológica da banana passa orgânica das variedades Caipira, Pacovan Ken e Prata Anã, durante 180 dias de armazenamento, bem como ajustar as curvas de secagem. As bananas foram desidratadas em estufa de circulação de ar forçada a 65°C, até umidade final entre 20-25% (b.u.). A variedade Pacovan Ken atingiu a umidade final após 37h de desidratação. O valor da atividade de água, para as três variedades, manteve-se estável aos 180 dias e caracteriza o produto como de umidade intermediária. Não se observou, em nenhum tratamento, variação significativa dos parâmetros físico-químicos pela análise de variância. Houve escurecimento do produto nas três variedades, com perda significativa do brilho (L*) e da intensidade da cor amarela (b*) e aumento da intensidade da cor vermelha (a*) durante o armazenamento. Houve estabilidade microbiológica do produto, com baixa contagem de bolores e leveduras e ausência de Salmonella e coliformes totais a 35°C em todas as variedades, conforme Legislação vigente. A banana passa orgânica apresentou estabilidade comercial nos meses de estudo.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the physical, physico-chemical and microbiological stability of dried organic banana varieties Caipira, Pacovan Ken and Prata Anã, 180 days of storage, as well as adjust the drying curves . The bananas were dried in an oven with forced air circulation at 65 ° C until final humidity of 20-25 % ( wb). The variety Pacovan Ken reached the final moisture after 37h of dehydration . The value of water activity for the three varieties, remained stable at 180 days and features the product as intermediate moisture. Not observed in any treatment, significant variation of physico-chemical analysis of variance parameters. There darkening of the product in all three varieties, with a significant loss of brightness (L*) and the intensity of the yellow color (b*) and increased intensity of red color (a*) during storage. There was microbiological stability of the product, with low count of yeasts and molds and Salmonella and coliforms at 35°C in all varieties, according to current legislation. The dried organic banana trade showed stability in the months of study.

Laboratory studies on mosquito larvicidal efficacy of aqueous & hexane extracts of dried fruit of Solanum nigrum Linn.

Background & objectives: Aqueous and organic solvent extracts of plants/plant parts were effective in killing the mosquito larvae. Comparative efficacy of the aqueous and hexane extracts of dried fruit of Solanum nigrum was tested against five laboratory colonized strains of mosquito species, namely Anopheles culicifacies species A, An. culicifacies species C, An. stephensi, Culex quinquefasciatus and Aedes aegypti to assess the possibility for use of these extracts for their control. Methods: Concentrations of aqueous extract of dried fruit in the range of 62.5 to 2000 ppm and hexane extract of dried fruit in the range of 0.781 to 150 ppm were used in bioassays. The mortality data were subjected to log probit regression analysis to detertmine the median lethal concentrations (LC50 and LC90) to kill 50 and 90 per cent of the treated larvae of the respective species. Results: All the five species registered 100 per cent mortality in larval bioassays at 1000 ppm with aqueous extract and at 100 ppm with hexane extract of dried fruit. In bioassays with aqueous extract An. culicifacies species A registered the lowest LC50 of 208.5 ppm (range-208.5-359 ppm for different mosquito species) while with hexane extract, An. stephensi registered the lowest LC50 of 6.25 ppm (6.25- 17.63 ppm for different mosquito species). The LC50 of aqueous extract was 13-39 fold higher than the values of hexane extract of dried fruit for different species. The calculated LC90 for hexane extract of dried fruit for different species was in the range of 43.38-95.28 ppm. Interpretation & conclusion: Hexane extract showed good mosquito larvicidal efficacy than that of the aqueous extract. The calculated LC 90 for the extract for different species was below 100 ppm and could be effective for comprehensive control of disease vectors.

Composição química do óleo fixo obtido dos frutos secos da [Chamomilla recutita (L.) Rauschert] produzida no município de Mandirituba, PR. / Chemical composition of the fixed oil from [Chamomilla recutita (L.) Rauschert] dried fruits native to the municipality of Mandirituba, Paraná (PR)

A camomila [Chamomilla recutita (L.) Rauschert], é uma planta empregada na indústria de medicamentos, cosméticos e alimentos. Os frutos secos da camomila conhecidos por "sementes" são provenientes dos capítulos florais, dos quais pode-se extrair um óleo fixo rico em ácidos graxos insaturados. Através da técnica de extração com hexano em dispositivo de soxhlet, foi obtido o óleo bruto dos frutos secos da camomila em 19 por cento de rendimento. O óleo foi caracterizado pela técnica de CG-EM, revelando um elevado teor de ácido linoleico na sua composição. Portanto, o óleo oriundo dos frutos secos da camomila vem a ser uma matéria-prima potencialmente útil na dermo-farmácia.

Chamomile [Chamomilla recutita (L.) Rauschert], is a plant employed in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic and food industries. The chamomile dried fruits known as "seeds" they derive from floral chapters from which fixed oil rich in unsatured fatty acids can be extracted. Through the use of a soxhlet apparatus, using hexane as solvent, the chamomile dried fruits crude oil was obtained in 19 percent yields. This oil, was characterized by GC-MS technique and showed a high ratio of linoleic acid in its composition. Therefore, the chamomile dried fruits oil is a potential material to be used in the dermatological-pharmacy.