Microfiltered red-purple pitaya colorant: UPLC-ESI-QTOF-MSE-based metabolic profile and its potential application as a natural food ingredient.

Complete characterization of microfiltered red-purple pitaya colorant (MRPPC) and its potential applications in foods is described. Using sensorial analysis, products that use carmine or beetroot dye as a food colorant in their formulations were compared. The effect of storage under refrigeration on the microbiological, physicochemical, and chemical changes of MRPPC were evaluated. The results showed that UPLC-ESI-QTOF-MSE was effective for the simultaneous determination of twenty metabolites, putatively identified as carbohydrates, flavonoids, and betalains. The MRPPC was shown to have microbiological and physicochemical stability through twelve weeks of storage, and chemometric analyses efficiently distinguished the metabolic profile in each storage period. Sensory analysis revealed that the MRPPC was useful as a food colorant in yogurt, where it improved color quality without affecting aroma and other characteristics. These results indicate that MRPPC is promising food ingredient as a natural red-purple colorant.

Tropical fruit juice: effect of thermal treatment and storage time on sensory and functional properties.

Tropical fruits rich in polyphenols, ascorbic acid, and high antioxidant capacity can enhance the functional composition, flavor as well as the overall acceptance of their juices. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of pasteurization and storage time on the physical, chemical, and sensory quality parameters of two formulations of tropical fruit juice blends with high antioxidant capacity. Two formulations with different concentrations of acai, camu-camu, acerola, cashew apple, yellow mombin, and pineapple were pasteurized at 85 °C for 30 s, hot-filled in glass bottles, and stored in refrigerated conditions (5 °C). Analyses for color, total antioxidant activity, total polyphenols, carotenoids, ascorbic acid, and sensory quality were performed before and after pasteurization as well as at 90 and 180 day of storage. Pasteurization did not negatively affect the concentration of functional components and sensory properties. However, the storage time negatively influenced the sensory quality and reduced the ascorbic acid content of both the formulations. Further, the acceptability and the nutritional quality were still high in these products after 180-days of storage, thus, not preventing their consumption.

Estudos de palatabilidade de medicamentos: análise sensorial e aceitabilidade de formulações pediátricas / Palatability studies of oral formulations: an overview about drug acceptance in pediatrics

Introdução: Crianças geralmente rejeitam medicamentos não palatáveis. Formulações pediátricas contêm edulcorantes e flavorizantes para mascarar o sabor desagradável e evitar problemas na administração e adesão. A avaliação do sabor é parte essencial do desenvolvimento de medicamentos líquidos orais. Objetivo: Este trabalho visa contextualizar a palatabilidade, sua avaliação e influência na aceitação de medicamentos pediátricos. Método: Revisão narrativa da literatura através das bases eletrônicas PubMed e Google Acadêmico. Excluíram-se artigos relacionados ao desenvolvimento de formulações, uso de língua eletrônica e resumos sem acesso ao trabalho completo. Resultados: O sabor é considerado um dos principais determinantes para a adesão em pediatria. O acesso a formulações pediátricas palatáveis e seguras pode ter um efeito substancial sobre a morbidade infantil. Adultos e crianças apreciam gostos de formas diferentes, então testes sensoriais em crianças são o método mais confiável para a avaliação do sabor de formulações para esse público. Estudos da percepção sensorial e aceitação de medicamentos já utilizados pelas crianças podem ser eticamente viáveis, dadas as preocupações acerca de pesquisas com crianças. Conclusões: Análises sensoriais devem ser realizadas sempre que se deseje introduzir no mercado uma nova formulação, destinada a diferentes faixas etárias e contextos culturais, a fim de avaliar a aceitabilidade do produto.

Introduction: Children often reject non-palatable medications. Pediatric formulations contain sweeteners and flavorings to mask the unpleasant taste and avoid problems in administration and adherence. Taste assessment is an essential part of the development of oral liquid medicines. Objective: This paper aims to contextualize assessment and influence of palatability on the acceptance of pediatric medicines. Method: Narrative review of the literature through the electronic databases PubMed and Google Scholar. Articles related to the development of formulations, use of electronic tongue, and abstracts without access to the complete work were not considered. Results: Flavor is considered one of the main determinants for medications' adhesion in pediatrics. Access to palatable and safe pediatric formulations can have a substantial effect on infant morbidity. Adults and children appreciate flavors in different ways, so sensory testing with children is the most reliable method regarding formulations for this population. Studies of sensory perception and acceptance of medications already used by children may be ethically feasible, given the concerns about research with children. Conclusions: Sensory analyzes should be carried out whenever there is a new formulation to be introduced on the market, addressed to different age brackets and cultural contexts, in order to assess the product's acceptability.

Sensory and volatile profiles of monofloral honeys produced by native stingless bees of the brazilian semiarid region.

Monofloral honeys produced by stingless bees M. subnitida Ducke and M. scutellaris Latrelle in typical flowering of the Brazilian semi-arid Ziziphus juazeiro Mart (juazeiro), Croton heliotropiifolius Kunth (velame branco) and Mimosa arenosa willd Poir (jurema branca) were characterized in relation to volatile and sensorial profile. It identified 11 sensory descriptors and 96 volatile compounds. It was noticed a strong effect of flowering in sensorial profile and volatile of honeys. Juazeiro honey stood out with a higher characteristic aroma, taste sweet, caramel flavor and levels of aromatic aldehydes; jurema honey has been described with herb and beeswax aroma and the presence of sulfur compounds and ketones; volatile acids associated with acid taste, medicinal taste and clove aroma characterized the velame branco honey. These results demonstrate that the knowledge of the sensory and aroma profile of these honeys can contribute to characterization of its floral and geographical identity.

Volatile profile of cashew apple juice fibers from different production steps.

This study aimed to determine the volatile profile of cashew apple fibers to verify which compounds are still present after successive washings and thus might be responsible for the undesirable remaining cashew-like aroma present in this co-product, which is used to formulate food products like vegetarian burgers and cereal bars. Fibers were obtained from cashew apple juice processing and washed five times in an expeller press. Compounds were analyzed by the headspace solid-phase micro extraction technique (HS-SPME) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), using a DB-5 column. Sensory analysis was also performed to compare the intensity of the cashew-like aroma of the fibers with the original juice. Altogether, 80 compounds were detected, being esters and terpenes the major chemical classes. Among the identified substances, 14 were classified as odoriferous in the literature, constituting the matrix used in the Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Odoriferous esters were substantially reduced, but many compounds were extracted by the strength used in the expeller press and remained until the last wash. Among them are the odoriferous compounds ethyl octanoate, γ-dodecalactone, (E)-2-decenal, copaene, and caryophyllene that may contribute for the mild but still perceptible cashew apple aroma in the fibers that have been pressed and washed five times. Development of a deodorization process should include reduction of pressing force and stop at the second wash, to save water and energy, thus reducing operational costs and contributing to process sustainability.

The use of headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) to assess the quality and stability of fruit products: an example using red mombin pulp (Spondias purpurea L.).

The present study aimed to evaluate the volatiles profile of red mombin (Spondias purpurea) pulp and its powder produced by spray-drying (SD) as an example to show utility of headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) in the analysis of parameters such as the quality and stability of fruit products. Volatiles profiles of the pulp were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), quantified by gas chromatography-flame ionization detector (GC-FID) and compared to the profile of the powder stored at 0, 60 and 120 days in plastic (PP) or laminated packages (LP). The results showed that the technique was able to identify 36 compounds in the red mombin pulp, 17 out of which have been described for the first time in this fruit, showing that red mombin fresh pulp appears to be unique in terms of volatiles composition. However, only 24 compounds were detected in the powder. This decrease is highly correlated (r2 = 0.99), at least for the majority of compounds, to the degree of volatility of compounds. Furthermore, the powder stored in PP or LP showed no statistical differences in the amounts of its components for a period of 120 days of storage. Finally, this work shows how HS-SPME analysis can be a valuable tool to assess the quality and stability of fruit products.

Aceitação de cultivares de bananas resistentes à Sigatoka Negra junto ao consumidor da região Nordeste do Brasil / Acceptance of banana cultivars resistant to Black Sigatoka by the consumer market of Northeast Brazilian region

O Mal da Sigatoka Negra é devastador para as cultivares tradicionais de banana. No Brasil, cultivares resistentes estão sendo desenvolvidas, mas se a preferência do consumidor não for considerada, o programa de melhoramento pode falhar. Neste trabalho, a aceitabilidade de quatro cultivares resistentes foi acessada no Nordeste brasileiro e comparada a quatro variedades comerciais. Dois grupos de consumidores participaram: adultos jovens e donas de casa. Escala hedônica foi aplicada para aparência externa dos cachos, aceitação global e aceitação por atributos dos frutos (aparência sem a casca, aroma, sabor e textura), além de testes de preferência e intenção de compra. Os dados foram submetidos à ANOVA e Mapa de Preferência Interno. Mulheres e jovens mostraram opiniões semelhantes. As cultivares 'Preciosa' e 'Pacovan Ken' mostraram ser as mais promissoras, sendo que a primeira já pode substituir as cultivares comerciais 'Prata' e 'Pacovan' sem prejudicar a sua aceitabilidade, mas a 'Pacovan Ken' ainda precisa ser melhorada quanto à aparência.

The Black Sigatoka Disease is devastating to traditional banana cultivars. In Brazil, resistant cultivars are being developed but if the consumer's preference is not taken into account, the breeding program may not succeed. In this research the acceptability of four resistant cultivars was accessed in the Northeastern Brazilian region and compared to four commercial varieties. Two groups of consumers participated: young adults and housewives. Hedonic scale was applied to external appearance of bunches, global acceptance and acceptance of fruits' attributes (appearance without peel, aroma, flavor and texture). Preference and purchase intent were also evaluated. Data were submitted to ANOVA and Preference Mapping. Women and young adults showed similar opinions. 'Preciosa' and 'Pacovan Ken' cultivars showed to be the most promising ones. 'Preciosa' can already substitute the commercial 'Prata' and 'Pacovan' cultivars without impairing their global acceptability, but 'Pacovan Ken' still needs to be improved regarding its appearance.

Teores de ácido anacárdico em pedúnculos de cajueiro Anacardium microcarpum e em oito clones de Anacardium occidentale var. nanum disponíveis no Nordeste do Brasil / Anacardic acid content in cashew apples from Annacardium microcarpum and eight clones of Anacardium occidentale from Northeastern Brazil

O ácido anacárdico, composto fenólico presente em pedúnculos de caju e em algumas plantas medicinais, vem sendo associado a uma série de atividades biológicas específicas. O objetivo deste trabalho foi determinar o teor deste composto em pedúnculos de cajueiro A. microcarpum e em oito clones de A. occidentale var. nanum disponíveis na região Nordeste do Brasil, avaliando, também, algumas características físico-químicas e sensoriais destes pedúnculos. Os pedúnculos do clone BRS 189 apresentaram os maiores teores de ácido anacárdico. Pedúnculos da espécie Anacardium microcarpum e pedúnculos de cajueiro anão precoce, clones END 189 e 183, Embrapa 50 e 51 e CCP 09 não diferiram significativamente dos pedúnculos procedentes do clone controle, CCP 076. Pedúnculos do clone CCP 1001 apresentaram os menores teores de ácido anacárdico. As análises físico-químicas e sensoriais confirmaram evidências de que os clones CCP 09 e 1001 não são apropriados para o consumo in natura.