Oven-drying and decontamination effects on crude protein concentration and in vitro crude protein digestibility of yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae).

The study aims to assess the impact of oven-drying and decontamination on crude protein concentration and in vitro crude protein digestibility of yellow mealworms. Two kilograms of 12-wk-old mealworm larvae were subjected to freezing prior to the drying process. Approximately 1.5 kg of mealworm larvae were divided into 3 groups and exposed to oven-drying at temperatures of 50 °C for 36 h, 60 °C, and 70 °C for 24 h each. At intervals of 2 h, sets of 3 replicates were withdrawn to record water loss. Consistent weight stabilization was observed at 36 h for 50 °C (T50), 18 h for 60 °C (T60), and 14 h for 70 °C (T70). The remaining 0.5 kg of mealworm larvae was divided and dried under treatments T50, T60, and T70. Each treatment was then split into 2 portions, with one portion subjected to 90 °C for 15 min (denoted as T50-90, T60-90, T70-90) to eliminate microbial contamination. The 6 treatments were then used to determine concentrations of dry matter, crude ash, crude protein, pre-caecal protein digestibility, and dry matter residues after neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, and acid detergent lignin treatments. No interaction was observed between drying and decontamination treatments (P > 0.17). Pre-caecal crude protein digestibility increased with decreasing temperature (T50: 58% crude protein; T60: 51% crude protein; T70: 50% crude protein). Therefore, lower temperatures for longer times preserve crude protein digestibility. These findings are crucial for understanding how drying temperature and time impact protein bioavailability.

Influence of pre-treatment and drying process of the shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) exoskeleton for balanced feed production.

Shrimp industry wastes can be transformed and used as raw material for the development of new products. The aim of this research was to evaluate the influence of pre-treatment and drying process of the shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) exoskeleton for balanced feed production. The balanced feed was made with shrimp flour (25.74%), cotton seed cake (24.56%), rice bran (22.06%), beef tallow (16.18%), sweet potato flour (5.81%), and cassava flour (5.66%). To obtain the flour, shrimp processing waste (heads and exoskeletons) were blanched, dried, ground and sieved. Blanching was carried out using a full factorial 22 experimental design, where temperature and time were evaluated as independent variables. The drying kinetics of the blanched exoskeletons were performed in a tray dryer at different temperatures (40 and 50 °C) and air velocity (1, 1.5 and 2 m/s). The blanching process showed no significant effect on the protein content present in shrimp by-products. The drying kinetics showed that the greatest loss of moisture occurs in the period of decreasing velocity, dominated by mass transfer by diffusion. The Page model showed the best fit for the experimental data. From the mixture of shrimp flour with the other ingredients in the proportions indicated by the Solve software, fish food pellets were obtained. These met the nutritional requirements of fish (tarpon) in the juvenile-commercial stage.

Impact of the pre-drying process on the volatile profile of on-farm processed Ecuadorian bulk and fine-flavour cocoa varieties.

Aiming to improve the quality of cocoa, preconditioning of cocoa after harvesting and before fermentation has become an on-farm processing step of great interest in recent times. The present work aimed to evaluate the influence of a pre-drying process on the volatile composition of Ecuadorian bulk (Forastero and CCN-51) and fine-flavour (ETT103 and LR14) cocoa at the end of primary processing. A total of 63 volatile compounds including aldehydes, alcohols, acids, ketones, esters, terpenes, lactones and other miscellaneous compounds were identified in cocoa samples by HS-SPME-GC-MS. The use of a pre-drying step revealed a varietal homogenization and a reduction in the fermentation time, making this preconditioning step an inexpensive and attractive option for farmers. Moreover, different varietal behaviour was observed after pre-drying, the fine-flavour varieties obtaining a clear improvement in aromatic quality with higher levels of compounds imparting positive notes.

Preservation of phenolic compounds on dried leaf infusion of Bauhinia forficata Link

Abstract Bauhinia forficata Link aqueous extract is usually recommended as a phytomedicine to reduce blood glucose levels and its biological activity has been linked to the presence of phenolic compounds from B. forficata preparations. Several drying processes are used in the production of dry herbal extracts, which may influence the chemical composition and efficacy of final herbal medicines. Due to significant chemical changes, defining appropriate drying processes is essential for phytopharmaceutical drug development. In view of this, we analyzed dried B. forficata leaf infusion (BFLI) extracts by HPLC-UV-MSn, followed by molecular networking analysis to evaluate the chemical profiles from dried extracts yielded by freeze-and spray-drying processes. The main metabolites detected included 11 ferulic/isoferulic acid derivatives and 13 glycosylated flavonoids. The qualitative chemical profiles were alike for both drying processes, whereas the relative abundance of some flavonoids was higher using spray-drying. Taken together, our results showed that freeze-and spray-drying preserved the phenolic profile of BFLI and suggested that spray-drying may be the most suitable to obtain its dried products. Along with studying the chemical profiles of dried herbal extracts, evaluating the influence of drying processes on the quality and chemical profiles of final products is pivotal and may benefit future research.

Experimental and Numerical Study of a Turbulent Air-Drying Process for an Ellipsoidal Fruit with Volume Changes.

It is common in the numerical simulations for drying of food to suppose that the food does not experience a change of volume. The few numerical studies that include volume changes assume that the shrinkage occurs symmetrically in all directions. Therefore, this effect has not been fully studied, and it is known that not considering it can be detrimental for the accuracy of these simulations. The present study aims to develop a three-dimensional model for the simulation of fruits that includes the volume changes but also takes into consideration the asymmetry of the shrinkage. Physalis peruviana is taken as the subject of study to conduct experiments and imaging analyses that provided data about the drying kinetics and asymmetric shrinkage mode. The effective diffusion coefficient is found to be between 10-12 m2 s-1 and 1.75 × 10-9 m2 s-1. The shrinkage occurs essentially in only one direction, with an average velocity of 8.3 × 10-5 m/min. A numerical modelling scheme is developed that allows including the shrinkage effect in computer simulations. The performance of the model is evaluated by comparison with experimental data, showing that the proposed model decreases more than 4 times the relative error with respect to simulations that do not include volume changes. The proposed model proves to be a useful method that can contribute to more accurate modeling of drying processes.

Early Optimization Stages of Agave lechuguilla Bagasse Processing toward Biorefinement: Drying Procedure and Enzymatic Hydrolysis for Flavonoid Extraction.

Agave lechuguilla agro-waste is a promising renewable material for biorefining purposes. The procurement of added-value co-products, such as bioactive phytochemicals, is required to improve bioprocesses and promote the bio-based economy of the productive areas of Mexico. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effect of post-harvest management and enzymatic pretreatment as the first stages of the A. lechuguilla valorization process. Four drying methods were compared, and enzymatic hydrolysis was optimized to obtain a flavonoid-enriched extract applying ultrasound-assisted extraction. In both experiments, the total phenolic (TPC) and flavonoid (TFC) contents, HPLC-UV flavonoid profiles, and radical scavenging capacity (DPPH) were considered as response variables. The results demonstrated that light exposure during the drying process particularly affected the flavonoid content, whereas oven-dehydration at 40 °C in the dark preserved the flavonoid diversity and antioxidant functionality of the extracts. Flavonoid glycoside recovery, particularly anthocyanidins, was 1.5-1.4-fold enhanced by enzymatic hydrolysis using the commercial mix Ultraflo© under optimized conditions (pH 4, 40 °C, 180 rpm, and 2.5 h) compared to the unpretreated biomass. The extraction of flavonoids from A. lechuguilla bagasse can be carried out using a scalable drying method and enzymatic pretreatment. This study confirmed the potential of this agro-waste as a source of marketable natural products.

Spray dried extract of Calophyllum brasiliense Cambés produces a potent hypoglycemic effect and improves total serum cholesterol and triglycerides in diabetic rats / El extracto secado por pulverización de Calophyllum brasiliense cambés produce un potente efecto hipoglucémico y mejora el colesterol sérico total y los triglicéridos en ratas diabéticas / O extrato seco por aspersão de Calophyllum brasiliense Cambés produz um potente efeito hipoglicemiante e melhora o colesterol total e triglicérideos em ratos diabéticos

SUMMARY Introduction: The species Calophyllum brasiliense Cambés (Calophyllaceae) is widespread throughout Central and South America. The stem bark infusion is used for lowering blood glucose. Aim: To optimize the spray dry extract ofthis plant using a D-optimal experimental design. Materials and methods: As factors were used the air-drying speed (3.5-4.5 m3/h), the feed flow rate of the suspension (5-11 mL/ min), and the inlet air temperature (90-130 °C). The dried extract was characterized by measuring the phenolics and flavonoids content, moisture, the water activity, apparent densities, flowability, and compressibility. The antioxidant activity, the inhibitory activity of lipase and alpha-glycosidase, and the antiglycant activity of the spray dried extract (SDE) were evaluated. Subsequently, the hypoglycemic activity was evaluated in rats by monitoring the blood glucose level, triglycerides, and cholesterol. Results: Inlet air temperature and feed flow rate were the factors that most affected the yield and phenolic content. SDE showed a potent antioxidant effect (IC50 1.83 μg/mL), a potent a-glycosidase (IC50 74.45 μg/mL) and pancreatic lipase (IC50 27.33 μg/mL) inhibition. A potent antiglycation effect (IC50 9.45^g/mL) was also observed. Conclusion: the SDE showed a potent hypoglycemic effect at 100 mg/kg. These results suggest that SDE could activate four important pathways that can contribute to diabetes control.

Resumen Introducción: la especie Calophyllum brasiliense (Calophyllaceae) está muy extendida en Centro y Suramérica. La infusión del tronco reduce los niveles de glucosa en sangre. bjetivo: optimizar el extracto seco por aspersión (SDE) de esta planta utilizando un diseño experimental D-óptimal. Materiales y métodos: como factores se utilizaron la velocidad del gas secante (aire, 3,5-4,5 m3/h), la temperatura de entrada del aire fue 90-130 °C y la velocidad de alimentación, 5-11 mL/min. Se determinó el contenido de fenoles y flavonoides en el extracto seco, la humedad residual, la actividad del agua, las densidades aparentes, fluidez y compresibilidad. Se evaluó la actividad antioxidante e inhibidora de lipasa y alfa-glicosidasa y la actividad antiglicante. También se evaluó la actividad hipoglicemiante midiendo glucosa en sangre, triglicéridos y colesterol. Resultados: la temperatura del aire de entrada y la velocidad de alimentación afectaron, significativamente, el rendimiento y contenido de fenoles. El SDE mostró un potente efecto antioxidante (IC50 1,83 μg/mL), una potente inhibición de a-glicosidasa (IC50 74,45 μg/mL) y de lipasa pancreática (IC50 27,33 μg/ mL). Se observó un fuerte efecto antiglicante (IC50 9,45 μg/mL). Conclusiones: el SDE mostró un potente efecto hipoglicemiante a 100 mg/kg. Estos resultados sugieren que el SDE podría actuar activando cuatro vías importantes para el control de la diabetes.

RESUMO Introdução: a espécie Calophyllum brasiliense (Calophyllaceae) é amplamente distribuída na América do Sul e Central. A infusão da casca do caule reduz os níveis de glicose no sangue. Objetivo: otimizar o extrato seco por pulverização (SDE) desta planta usando um planejamento experimental D-ótimo. Materiais e métodos: a velocidade do gás de secagem ar (3,5-4,5 m3/h), a temperatura de entrada do ar (90-130 °C) e a taxa de alimentação (5-11 mL/min) foram usados como fatores. Foi determinado o teor de fenóis e flavonóides no extrato seco, a umidade residual, a atividade de água, as densidades aparentes, a fluidez e a compressibilidade. Avaliou-se a atividade antioxidante e a atividade inibitória de lipase e alfa-glicosidase, e a atividade antiglicante do extrato seco. A atividade hipoglicêmica foi avaliada em ratos diabeticos, medindo a glicose no sangue, triglicerídeos e colesterol. Resultados: a temperatura de entrada do ar e a taxa de alimentação afetaram significativamente o desempenho e o conteúdo de fenois. O SDE mostrou um potente efeito antioxidante (IC50 1,83 μg/mL), uma significativa inibição de a-glicosidase (IC50 74,45 ig/mL) e da lipase pancreática (IC50 27,33 μg/mL). Um forte efeito antiglicante também foi observado (IC50 9,45 μg/mL). O SDE mostrou um forte efeito hipogli-cemiente à concentração de 100 mg/kg. Conclusões: Esses resultados sugerem que o SDE poderia atuar ativando quatro vias importantes para o controle do diabetes.

Kinetics Drying of Blackberry Bagasse and Degradation of Anthocyanins and Bioactive Properties.

The process of drying food is necessary to preserve it; however, some bioactive compounds can be degraded during drying process. In this work, the convective drying process of Peruvian blackberry bagasse and the degradation of anthocyanins, total phenolic content (TPC), and antioxidant capacity (AC) were studied. The logarithmic model fitted well to the data and could predict the process, showing that 6 h of drying at 90 °C is enough to reach equilibrium moisture. Anthocyanin degradation followed a first-order kinetic model with reaction rate constant between 5.45 × 10-2 ± 4.68 × 10-3 and 1.21 × 10-1 ± 2.31 × 10-2 h-1, and activation energy of 25.11 kJ/mol. The highest retention (84.38%) of anthocyanins was obtained in 1 h at 50 °C and the highest degradation (68.54%) in 6 h at 90 °C. The TPC and AC increased with the drying time and temperature due to the increased water evaporation.

Active food additive based on encapsulated yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis) extract: effect of drying methods on the oxidative stability of a real food matrix (mayonnaise).

The drying process used to obtain active food additives is critical to ensure its functionality. In this study, freeze- and spray-drying techniques were evaluated for encapsulation of extracts with antioxidant activity from yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis), using maltodextrin (MD) as wall material. Additionally, the oxidative stability in a real food matrix (mayonnaise) was assessed. Both MD addition and drying methods affected the physical properties [moisture content, water activity (aW)] and oxidative stability. MD addition diminished moisture content and prevented polyphenol compounds from degradation. The spray-dried powders displayed the lowest moisture content (1.6 ± 0.3% bs), the highest polyphenol content (135.4 mg GAE/g pure extract), and oxidative stability than the freeze-dried samples. The antioxidant capacity of the encapsulated powder subjected to spray-drying increased the oxidative stability of the mayonnaise (258 ± 32 min) more than the other assayed system (165 ± 5 min). Therefore, a natural spray-dried antioxidant food additive was obtained with potential use in the food industry.

Evaluation of freeze-dried milk-blackberry pulp mixture: Influence of adjuvants over the physical properties of the powder, anthocyanin content and antioxidant activity.

The blackberry fruit (Rubus spp.) presents an attractive color ranging from purple red to blue, due to the high content of bioactive compounds, such as anthocyanins. Bioactive compounds have antioxidant properties, acting as free radical scavengers and are also frequently linked to the prevention of cardiovascular and other chronic diseases. Due to native-form anthocyanins instability against environmental stress, bioactive compounds are not always as effective in improving human health as they could be. Therefore, the production of powders using adjuvants is a promising approach for encapsulating anthocyanins-rich pastes, in order to improve their stability and application. Thus, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the influence of adjuvants on the physical properties of the powder, and on anthocyanin content and antioxidant activity of the pastes and freeze-dried milk-blackberry pulp mixtures. The pastes formulated were of milk-blackberry pulp (25%:75%, (weight/weight (w/w)) and of milk-blackberry pulp-adjuvant (25%:70%:5%, (w/w/w)), and the adjuvants employed were maltodextrins 10DE and 20DE and Capsul®. The addition of maltodextrin 20DE and Capsul® resulted in pastes with high anthocyanins content (451.6 ±â€¯80.0 µg/g and 453.1 ±â€¯26.0 µg/g, respectively), similar to the paste without adjuvants (568.6 ±â€¯3.4 µg/g). Also, maltodextrin 20DE and Capsul® showed a high protection capacity of the anthocyanins present on the powders (around 96% of anthocyanins retention). When no adjuvants were used, the anthocyanins retention was very low (40.1%). The freeze-drying process maintained the antioxidant capacity of the bioactive compounds and the powders obtained showed good quality with low moisture content and hygroscopicity.

Nonlinear stabilization for a class of time delay systems via inverse optimality approach.

This paper is devoted to obtain a stabilizing optimal nonlinear controller based on the well known Control Lyapunov-Krasovskii Functional (CLKF) approach, aimed to solve the inverse optimality problem for a class of nonlinear time delay systems. To determine sufficient conditions for the Bellman's equation solution of the system under consideration, the CLKF and the inverse optimality approach are considered in this paper. In comparison with previous results, this scheme allows us to obtain less conservative controllers, implying energy saving (in terms of average power consumption for a specific thermo-electrical process). Sufficient delay-independent criteria in terms of CLKF is obtained such that the closed-loop nonlinear time-delay system is guaranteed to be local Asymptotically Stable. To illustrate the effectiveness of the theoretical results, a comparative study with an industrial PID controller tuned by the Ziegler-Nichols methodology (Z-N) and a Robust-PID tuned by using the D-partition method is presented by online experimental tests for an atmospheric drying process with time delay in its dynamics.

Stevia rebaudiana Leaves: Effect of Drying Process Temperature on Bioactive Components, Antioxidant Capacity and Natural Sweeteners.

Stevia leaves are usually used in dried state and undergo the inevitable effect of drying process that changes the quality characteristics of the final product. The aim of this study was to assess temperature effect on Stevia leaves through analysis of relevant bioactive components, antioxidant capacity and content of natural sweeteners and minerals. The drying process was performed in a convective dryer at constant temperatures ranging from 30 to 80 °C. Vitamin C was determined in the leaves and as expected showed a decrease during drying proportional to temperature. Phenolics and flavonoids were also determined and were found to increase during drying below 50 °C. Antioxidant activity was determined by DPPH and ORAC assays, and the latter showed the highest value at 40 °C, with a better correlation with the phenolics and flavonoids content. The content of eight natural sweeteners found in Stevia leaves was also determined and an increase in the content of seven of the sweeteners, excluding steviol bioside, was found at drying temperature up to 50 °C. At temperatures between 60 and 80 °C the increase in sweeteners content was not significant. Stevia leaves proved to be an excellent source of antioxidants and natural sweeteners.

Influência do processo de secagem e condição de armazenamento de extratos secos de Bauhinia forficata e Passiflora alata sobre seu perfil de dissolução / Influence of the drying process and storage condition on the dissolution behavior of dried extracts of Bauhinia forficata and Passiflora alata

No Brasil, os produtos fitoterápicos são considerados medicamentos, sendo necessário o estabelecimento de estudos que assegurem a manutenção dos requisitos de qualidade durante o processamento e o armazenamento. Testes de dissolução podem ser empregados para se estimar a biodisponibilidade de um fármaco, sendo uma análise rotineira no desenvolvimento e controle de qualidade de medicamentos alopáticos. A determinação do perfil de dissolução de fitoterápicos também pode ser um importante critério para avaliação da sua qualidade lote-a-lote, bem como para os estudos de desenvolvimento e de estabilidade. O objetivo deste trabalho foi investigar a influência dos métodos de secagem e da condição de armazenagem sobre os perfis de dissolução dos flavonoides totais de extratos secos de duas plantas medicinais bastante difundidas no Brasil, a Bauhinia forficata e a Passiflora alata. Os extratos secos foram produzidos pelo processo de secagem em leito de jorro e em spray drying, sendo submetidos a condições de armazenagem aceleradas (temperatura de 40 ± 2ºC e umidade relativa de 75 ± 5%, por um período de 90 dias). Os perfis de dissolução foram obtidos para amostras de extratos secos antes e após o período de armazenamento. O teor de flavonoides totais foi quantificado por espectrofotometria. Os extratos secos de B. forficata e P. alata apresentaram adequada liberação de flavonoides nos ensaios de dissolução. Os extratos secos de Passiflora alata apresentaram completa dissolução dos flavonoides, 92% e 98% dos teores originais após 60 minutos de ensaio, respectivamente para o extrato seco em leito de jorro e em spray drying.

In Brazil, most of the herbal medicinal products are considered as medicine. Therefore, it is necessary the establishment of tests to guarantee the maintenance of quality requirements during their processing and storage. The dissolution test is used to estimate the bioavailability of drugs and is routinely used in the development and the quality control of allopathic medicines. The determination of the dissolution profile of herbal products can also be an important criterion for assessing the batch-to-batch quality as well as for studies of product development and stability. This work aimed to investigate the dissolution profiles of dried extracts of two medicinal plants widely used in Brazil, the Bauhinia forficata and Passiflora alata, by assessing the effect of the drying methods and storage condition on the release of the total flavonoid contents. Spouted bed and spray drying were the processes used for the production of the dried extracts. The products were subjected to accelerated storage conditions (temperature of 40 ± 2ºC and relative humidity of 75 ± 5%, for 90 days). The dissolution profiles of the dried extracts, before and after storage, were determined. The concentration of total flavonoids was quantified by spectrophotometry. Adequate dissolution profiles of flavonoids from B. forficata and P. alata were obtained for all the dried extracts produced. The dried extracts of Passiflora alata showed the complete dissolution of flavonoids in the dissolution media investigated, respectively 92% and 98% of flavonoids present in the dried extracts in spouted bed and spray drying after 60 minutes of the dissolution testing.

Development of a mechanical homogenizer coffee / Desenvolvimento de um revolvedor mecânico de café

The crop Coffee demands investments to the machines development, which it enables the processes ofpost-harvesting, becoming them faster, meanwhile improving the working. The use of stationary layer dryers are responsible for good results at drying and product quality, but it requires a constant revolving, in order to homogenize the grain mass and improve the air distribution inside the drying chamber. The shortage of workmanship, associated to the need of constant revolving and the heavy working conditions, it becomes it indispensable to mechanize, in some way, this step. The agricultural machine design is considered of great complexity, regarding it must be concerned with the interactions among the operator, machine and environment. When designing a machine, the experience and the dominion of several standpoints have to be interpreted clearly. With the increasing competitiveness on the consumer market and agricultural machines, several companies have joined the research centers, because in general, do not make use of systematic procedures during the project, which can result in failures during operation. This article aimed to design and build a semi-mechanized revolving prototype used to mix the coffee beans. The revolving prototype with the helical screw principles proved to be able to performing the grains transport efficiently.

A cafeicultura demanda investimentos para o desenvolvimento de máquinas que viabilizem os processos pós-colheita, dando celeridade e melhorando as condições de trabalho. A utilização de secadores de camada estacionária resulta em bons resultados quanto à secagem e qualidade do produto, mas necessitam de revolvimento constante para homogeneizar a massa de grãos. A escassez de mão de obra associada à necessidade de revolvimento constante e as pesadas condições de trabalho obrigam a mecanização desta etapa. O projeto de uma máquina agrícola é considerado de grande complexidade, preocupando-se com as interações entre o operador, a máquina e o ambiente. Ao projetar uma máquina, as experiências e o domínio sobre os diversos pontos de vista tem que ser interpretados de forma clara. Com o aumento da competitividade, diversas empresas de máquinas e implementos agrícolas tem buscado os centros de pesquisa, pois em geral não utilizam dos procedimentos sistemáticos durante o projeto, o que pode resultar em falhas de operação. Objetivou-se com a realização deste trabalho projetar e construir um protótipo revolvedor semimecanizadopara realizar a mistura dos grãos de café. O protótipo revolvedor com o princípio de rosca helicoidal se mostrou capaz de realizar a movimentação dos grãos com eficiência. 

Development of a mechanical homogenizer coffee / Desenvolvimento de um revolvedor mecânico de café

The crop Coffee demands investments to the machines development, which it enables the processes ofpost-harvesting, becoming them faster, meanwhile improving the working. The use of stationary layer dryers are responsible for good results at drying and product quality, but it requires a constant revolving, in order to homogenize the grain mass and improve the air distribution inside the drying chamber. The shortage of workmanship, associated to the need of constant revolving and the heavy working conditions, it becomes it indispensable to mechanize, in some way, this step. The agricultural machine design is considered of great complexity, regarding it must be concerned with the interactions among the operator, machine and environment. When designing a machine, the experience and the dominion of several standpoints have to be interpreted clearly. With the increasing competitiveness on the consumer market and agricultural machines, several companies have joined the research centers, because in general, do not make use of systematic procedures during the project, which can result in failures during operation. This article aimed to design and build a semi-mechanized revolving prototype used to mix the coffee beans. The revolving prototype with the helical screw principles proved to be able to performing the grains transport efficiently.

A cafeicultura demanda investimentos para o desenvolvimento de máquinas que viabilizem os processos pós-colheita, dando celeridade e melhorando as condições de trabalho. A utilização de secadores de camada estacionária resulta em bons resultados quanto à secagem e qualidade do produto, mas necessitam de revolvimento constante para homogeneizar a massa de grãos. A escassez de mão de obra associada à necessidade de revolvimento constante e as pesadas condições de trabalho obrigam a mecanização desta etapa. O projeto de uma máquina agrícola é considerado de grande complexidade, preocupando-se com as interações entre o operador, a máquina e o ambiente. Ao projetar uma máquina, as experiências e o domínio sobre os diversos pontos de vista tem que ser interpretados de forma clara. Com o aumento da competitividade, diversas empresas de máquinas e implementos agrícolas tem buscado os centros de pesquisa, pois em geral não utilizam dos procedimentos sistemáticos durante o projeto, o que pode resultar em falhas de operação. Objetivou-se com a realização deste trabalho projetar e construir um protótipo revolvedor semimecanizadopara realizar a mistura dos grãos de café. O protótipo revolvedor com o princípio de rosca helicoidal se mostrou capaz de realizar a movimentação dos grãos com eficiência.

Effect of fermentation time and drying temperature on volatile compounds in cocoa.

The effects of fermentation time and drying temperature on the profile of volatile compounds were evaluated after 2, 4, 6, and 8 fermentation days followed by drying at 60, 70 and 80°C. These treatments were compared with dry cocoa controls produced in a Samoa drier and by a sun-drying process. A total of 58 volatile compounds were identified by SPME-HS/GC-MS and classified as: esters (20), alcohols (12), acids (11), aldehydes and ketones (8), pyrazines (4) and other compounds (3). Six days of fermentation were enough to produce volatile compounds with flavour notes desirable in cocoa beans, as well as to avoid the production of compounds with off-flavour notes. Drying at 70 and 80°C after six fermentation days presented a volatile profile similar to the one obtained by sun drying. However, drying at 70°C represents a lower cost. Given the above results, in the present study the optimal conditions for fermentation and drying of cocoa beans were 6days of fermentation, followed by drying at 70°C.

Influência dos processos de secagem sobre o teor de flavonoides e na atividade antioxidante dos extratos de Baccharis articulata (Lam.) Pers., Asteraceae / The Influence of drying processes on flavonoid level and the antioxidant activity of Baccharis articulata (Lam.) extracts

O objetivo deste trabalho foi verificar o teor de quercetina obtido dos extratos de partes aéreas de Baccharis articulata (Lam.) Pers., Asteraceae, submetidas a diferentes técnicas de secagem, bem como a avaliação de sua atividade antioxidante in vitro. Foi verificada maior concentração deste flavonoide nas amostras secas em estufa, porém não houve diferença significativa na atividade farmacológica das amostras analisadas.

The objective of this work was to verify the influence of different drying processes on the levels of quercetin of the aerial parts of Baccharis articulata (Lam.) Pers., Asteraceae, as well as the evaluation of the in vitro antioxidant activity of these extracts. We demonstrated that the highest concentration of this flavonoid was detected in oven-dried samples, although there no significant difference in their pharmacological activity of all analyzed samples could be shown.

Fiber Bragg grating sensor to monitor stress kinetics in drying process of commercial latex paints.

In this paper, we report a study about the application of packaged fiber Bragg gratings used as strain sensors to monitor the stress kinetics during the drying process of commercial latex paints. Three stages of drying with distinct mechanical deformation and temporal behaviors were identified for the samples, with mechanical deformation from 15 µm to 21 µm in the longitudinal film dimension on time intervals from 370 to 600 minutes. Drying time tests based on human sense technique described by the Brazilian Technical Standards NBR 9558 were also done. The results obtained shows that human sense technique has a limited perception of the drying process and that the optical measurement system proposed can be used to characterize correctly the dry-through stage of paint. The influence of solvent (water) addition in the drying process was also investigated. The paint was diluted with four parts paint and one part water (80% paint), and one part paint and one part water (50% paint). It was observed that the increase of the water ratio mixed into the paint decreases both the mechanical deformation magnitude and the paint dry-through time. Contraction of 5.2 µm and 10.4 µm were measured for concentrations of 50% and 80% of paint in the mixture, respectively. For both diluted paints the dry-through time was approximately 170 minutes less than undiluted paint. The optical technique proposed in this work can contribute to the development of new standards to specify the drying time of paint coatings.

EFEITO DA TREALOSE NA MANUTENÇÃO DA VIABILIDADE DE CÉLULAS DE LEVEDURAS DESIDRATADAS POR LIOFILIZAÇÃO

To evaluate the influence of the endogenous trehalose and also the use of trehalose as a cryoprotectant medium on the maintenance of yeast cell viability, after the freeze-drying process, strains TA (M-300-A) and SA (strain isolated from Usina Santa Adélia S/A) of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and the strain IZ-1904 of the yeast Saccharomyces boulardii were tested. After accumulation of endogenous trehalose by heat treatment at 45oC during 2 hours in a potassium citrate buffer (2M pH 4,0 with 2.0% glucose) the yeasts were suspended in one of three cryoprotectant solutions (skimmed milk 10%, sucrose 10% and trehalose 10%), freeze-dried and analysed for their cell viability after 0, 10, 40 and 90 days of storage. Higher viability maintenance after the freeze-drying process occured for all yeasts at the higher endogenous trehalose levels. The solution of skimmed milk 10% was the best cryoprotectant medium for the yeast cells.

O presente trabalho teve por objetivo avaliar a influência da trealose endógena e também o uso da trealose como crioprotetor, na preservação da viabilidade celular de leveduras de interesse industrial quando submetidas ao processo de liofilização. Foram utilizadas as cepas TA (M-300-A) e SA (cepa isolada da Usina Santa Adélia S/A) da levedura Saccharomyces cerevisiae e a cepa IZ-1904 da levedura Saccharomyces boulardii, as quais passaram por um tratamento de acúmulo da trealose endógena, através de tratamento térmico a 45oC por duas horas em meio tampão citrato de potássio 2M, pH 4,0, acrescido de 2% de glicose, e, a seguir, foram suspensas em cada uma de três soluções crioprotetoras, que foram: leite desnatado a 10%, sacarose a 10% e trealose a 10%. Em seguida as massas de levedura foram liofilizadas e, aos 0, 10, 40 e 90 dias após o processo de liofilização, foram determinadas suas viabilidades. Para todos os crioprotetores, as culturas de levedura que passaram pelo tratamento de acúmulo da trealose endógena apresentaram maior viabilidade após a liofilização do que aquelas que não passaram pelo tratamento. Dentre os crioprotetores testados, a solução de leite desnatado a 10% foi o que proporcionou melhor crioproteção às células de levedura.

Efeito da trealose na manutenção da viabilidade de células de leveduras desidratadas por liofilização

To evaluate the influence of the endogenous trehalose and also the use of trehalose as a cryoprotectant medium on the maintenance of yeast cell viability, after the freeze-drying process, strains TA (M-300-A) and SA (strain isolated from Usina Santa Adélia S/A) of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and the strain IZ-1904 of the yeast Saccharomyces boulardii were tested. After accumulation of endogenous trehalose by heat treatment at 45oC during 2 hours in a potassium citrate buffer (2M pH 4,0 with 2.0% glucose) the yeasts were suspended in one of three cryoprotectant solutions (skimmed milk 10%, sucrose 10% and trehalose 10%), freeze-dried and analysed for their cell viability after 0, 10, 40 and 90 days of storage. Higher viability maintenance after the freeze-drying process occured for all yeasts at the higher endogenous trehalose levels. The solution of skimmed milk 10% was the best cryoprotectant medium for the yeast cells.

O presente trabalho teve por objetivo avaliar a influência da trealose endógena e também o uso da trealose como crioprotetor, na preservação da viabilidade celular de leveduras de interesse industrial quando submetidas ao processo de liofilização. Foram utilizadas as cepas TA (M-300-A) e SA (cepa isolada da Usina Santa Adélia S/A) da levedura Saccharomyces cerevisiae e a cepa IZ-1904 da levedura Saccharomyces boulardii, as quais passaram por um tratamento de acúmulo da trealose endógena, através de tratamento térmico a 45oC por duas horas em meio tampão citrato de potássio 2M, pH 4,0, acrescido de 2% de glicose, e, a seguir, foram suspensas em cada uma de três soluções crioprotetoras, que foram: leite desnatado a 10%, sacarose a 10% e trealose a 10%. Em seguida as massas de levedura foram liofilizadas e, aos 0, 10, 40 e 90 dias após o processo de liofilização, foram determinadas suas viabilidades. Para todos os crioprotetores, as culturas de levedura que passaram pelo tratamento de acúmulo da trealose endógena apresentaram maior viabilidade após a liofilização do que aquelas que não passaram pelo tratamento. Dentre os crioprotetores testados, a solução de leite desnatado a 10% foi o que proporcionou melhor crioproteção às células de levedura.