Novel Brazilian hop (Humulus lupulus L.) extracts through supercritical CO2 extraction: Enhancing hop processing for greater sustainability.

Hop cultivation has been increasing in the past decade in Brazil, demanding a better understanding of how the processing influences the national hop varieties. Despite the hop process being well-established in the producer countries, there is still room for optimization to reduce energy consumption for a more sustainable process. This study's main purpose was to understand the influence of drying and supercritical CO2 extraction on the quality of hop extracts. The hop quality during drying was evaluated regarding color, bitter acids, xanthohumol, total essential oil content, and volatile profile. Supercritical CO2 extraction yields, and bitter acid recovery were assessed by HPLC in a range of different temperatures (40 or 60 °C) and pressure (15, 20, 25, or 30 MPa) conditions. Hop processing was optimized to produce a greater extract quality from a Brazilian hop variety, saving energy and solvent consumption, and consequently, reducing the process footprint. Furthermore, this study established supercritical CO2 extraction conditions for Brazilian hop extract production, offering the national beer industry an alternative to overpriced products.

Study on coffee quality improvement by self-induced anaerobic fermentation: Microbial diversity and enzymatic activity.

The postharvest fermentation process of coffee has rapidly advanced in the last few years due to the search for quality and diversity of sensorial profiles. A new type of fermentation, named self-induced-anaerobic fermentation (SIAF), is a promising process that has been increasingly used. This study aims to evaluate the sensorial improvement of coffee beverages during SIAF and the influence of microorganism's community and enzymatic activity. The SIAF process was conducted in Brazilian farms for up to 8 days. The sensorial quality of coffee was evaluated by Q-graders; the microbial community was identified by the high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA and ITS regions; and the enzymatic activity (invertase, polygalacturonase, and endo-ß-mannanase) was also investigated. SIAF increased up to 3.8 points in the total score of sensorial evaluation (compared to the non-fermented sample), in addition to presenting more flavor diversity (especially within the fruity and sweetness descriptors). The high-throughput sequencing identified 655 bacterial and 296 fungal species during the three processes. The bacteria Enterobacter sp., Lactobacillus sp., Pantoea sp., and the fungi Cladosporium sp. and Candida sp. were the predominant genera. Fungi that are potential producers of mycotoxin were identified throughout the process, which indicates a risk of contamination since some of them are not degraded in the roasting process. Thirty-one species of microorganisms were described for the first time in coffee fermentation. The microbial community was influenced by the place where the process was carried out, mainly in relation to the diversity of fungi. Washing the coffee fruits before fermenting led to a fast reduction of pH; a fast development of Lactobacillus sp. and a fast dominance of Candida sp.; a reduction of the fermentation time necessary to achieve the best sensorial score; an increase in the invertase activity in the seed; a more expressive invertase activity in the husk; and a decreasing trend in polygalacturonase activity in the coffee husk. The increase in endo-ß-mannanase activity suggests that coffee starts germinating during the process. SIAF has a huge potential to increase the quality and add value to coffee, but further studies must be conducted to access its safety. The study allowed a better knowledge of the spontaneous microbial community and the enzymes that were present in the fermentation process.

UPLC–QTOF–MS and NMR analyses of graviola (Annona muricata) leaves

ABSTRACT Graviola leaves (Annona muricata L., Annonaceae) are used by some people to try to treat or even cure cancer, even though over-consumption of the fruit, which contains the neurotoxins annonacin and squamocin has caused an atypical form of Parkinson's disease. In previous analyses, the fruits were extracted with methanol under ambient conditions before analyses. In the present study, UPLC–QTOF–MS and NMR were used to analyze freeze-dried graviola leaves that were extracted using dry methanol and ethanol at 100 ºC and 10 MPa (100 atm) pressure in a sealed container. Methanol solubilized 33% of the metabolites in the lyophilized leaves. Ethanol solubilized 41% of metabolites in the lyophilized leaves. The concentrations of total phenolic compounds were 100.3 ± 2.8 and 93.2 ± 2.0 mg gallic acid equivalents per g of sample, for the methanolic and ethanolic extracts, respectively. Moreover, the toxicophore (unsaturated γ-lactone) that is present in neurotoxic acetogenins was found in the lipophilic portion of this extract. The concentrations of the neurotoxins annonacin and squamocin were found by UPLC–QTOF–MS to be 305.6 ± 28.3 and 17.4 ± 0.89 µg/g-dw, respectively, in the dried leaves. Pressurized methanol solubilized more annonacin and squamocin than ethanol. On the other hand, a hot, aqueous infusion solubilized only 0.213% of the annonacin and too little of the squamocin to be detected. So, graviola leaves contain significant amounts of the neurotoxins annonacin and squamocin, as well as some potentially healthy phenolic compounds. Finally, the potential neurotoxicity of whole leaves in dietary supplements could be much higher than that of a tea (hot aqueous infusion) that is made from them.

Virulence of Trypanosoma cruzi in Açai ( Euterpe oleraceae Martius) Pulp following Mild Heat Treatment.

Outbreaks of acute Chagas disease (ACD) in northern Brazil can be caused by the ingestion of unprocessed açai pulp contaminated with Trypanosoma cruzi . The aim of this study was to determine the minimum thermal process required to inactivate T. cruzi in açai pulp. Trypomastigotes (100,000) of T. cruzi Y strain were added to 0.15 M NaCl or açai pulp and continuously mixed while being heat treated at 37 to 49°C for up to 1 h. When necessary, parasites were separated from açai pulp by forced sieving. Inocula were administrated intraperitoneally in inbred immunodeficient C.B-17-Prkdcscid/Pas Unib mice, and the recipients were monitored for parasitemia and mortality. Mice received prophylactic antibiotic therapy by using cephalexin to prevent bacterial infection from the açai pulp. T. cruzi retained its virulence in 0.15 M NaCl and açai pulp at 44 ± 0.1°C for 10 min and at 43 ± 0.1°C for 20 min, respectively, causing ACD and death in mice up to 24 days after infection. Incubation of açai pulp inoculum above 43°C for 20 min neutralized T. cruzi virulence, thereby preventing ACD and death in murine recipients. The heating of açai pulp above 43°C for 20 min is a practical and effective measure to prevent foodborne ACD caused by T. cruzi .

Sobrevivência e infectividade do Trypanosoma cruzi na polpa de açaí: estudo in vitro e in vivo / Survival and infectivity of Trypanosoma cruzi in açaí pulp: in vitro and in vivo study

Objetivo: estudar a sobrevivência e a infectividade de Trypanosoma cruzi na polpa de açaí. Métodos: foram realizados experimentos in vitro e in vivo. Alíquotas de polpa provenientes da cidade de Belém (capital do estado do Pará, região Norte do Brasil) foram misturadas a 105 tripomastigotas e mantidas às temperaturas ambiente, 4°C e -20°C, com diferentes períodos de incubação; posteriormente, os parasitos foram isolados e inoculados em camundongos imunodeficientes C.B-17-Prkdcscid/PasUnib pelas vias intraperitoneal, oral ou gavagem. Resultados: todas as vias foram eficientes. Houve retardo de 5 dias no início da parasitemia na infecção oral. À temperatura ambiente por 48 horas, a polpa preservou a virulência do parasito. Refrigeração a 4°C por 144 horas e congelamento a -20°C por 26 horas não eliminaram o parasito. Conclusão: os testes sugerem a possibilidade de os surtos de doença de Chagas aguda no Norte do Brasil estarem relacionados ao consumo de polpa de açaí.

Objective: to evaluate infectivity by Trypanosoma cruzi and its survival in açaí pulp. Methods: experiments were performed in vitro and in vivo; aliquots of pulp from Belém City (capital of the state of Pará, Northern Region of Brazil) were mixed with 105 trypomastigotes, and maintained at room temperature, and at temperatures of 4°C and -20 °C, within different incubation periods; following that, the parasites were isolated and inoculated into immunodeficient mice CB-17-Prkdcscid/PasUnib, by intraperitoneal, oral, orgavage routes. Results: all routes showed effectiveness. There was a delay of 5 days in the beginning of the parasitemia by oral infection; the pulp at room temperature for 48h kept the parasite virulence preserved. Keeping the samples cooled at 4ºC during 144h and the freezing at -20°C for 26h did not kill the parasite. Conclusion: tests suggest that açaí pulp consumption may be related to outbreaks of acute Chagas' disease in Northern Brazil.

Survival in vitro and virulence of Trypanosoma cruzi in açaí pulp in experimental acute Chagas disease.

Chagas disease is a parasitic infection with high socioeconomic impact throughout Latin America. Although this severe, incurable disease can be transmitted by several routes, oral transmission is currently the most important route in the Amazon Basin. Açaí pulp has nutritional properties and is popular throughout Brazil and abroad. However, this pulp has been associated with microepidemics of acute Chagas disease (ACD) in northern Brazil, where açaí fruit is the main food supplement. In this study, we examined the in vitro survival and in vivo virulence of Trypanosoma cruzi Y strain in açaí pulp. Aliquots of in natura açaí pulp produced in Belém city in the northern Brazilian state of Pará were mixed with 105 trypomastigotes. The samples were incubated at room temperature or at 4 or -20°C for various periods, and the parasites were isolated by forced sieving. The resulting eluates were examined by microscopy, and the trypomastigotes were administered intraperitoneally, orally, or by gavage to immunodeficient mice (C.B-17-Prkdc(scid)/PasUnib) that had been pretreated with antibiotics. Parasitemia was quantified by the Brener method, and mortality was recorded daily. All routes of administration resulted in ACD. A 5-day delay in the onset of parasitemia occurred with oral administration. The survival and virulence of the parasites were unaffected by prior incubation at room temperature for 24 h, at 4°C for 144 h, and at -20°C for 26 h. These results indicate that T. cruzi can survive and retain its virulence in açaí pulp under various conditions and that cooling and freezing are not suitable methods for preventing foodborne ACD.

Transmission of chagas disease (American trypanosomiasis) by food.

In April 2009, the centenary of the discovery of the American trypanosomiasis, or Chagas disease, was celebrated. A hundred years after the discovery, little has been invested in diagnostics and treatment because the disease affects mainly poor people in developing countries. However, some changes in the epidemiology of the disease are of great importance today. Chagas disease transmitted through food is a public health concern in all areas where there is a reservoir of Trypanosoma cruzi in wild animals (e.g., mammals and marsupials) and/or where infected triatomine bugs are in contact with human food source items (especially fruits and vegetables). Recently, several outbreaks of illness related to the ingestion of food contaminated with T. cruzi have been recorded in Brazil, Colombia, and Venezuela.

Control of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides (penz.) Sacc. In yellow passion fruit using Cymbopogon citratus essential oil

The use of antibiotics in agriculture is limited when compared to their applications in human and veterinary medicine. On the other hand, the use of antimicrobials in agriculture contributes to the drug resistance of human pathogens and has stimulated the search for new antibiotics from natural products. Essential oils have been shown to exert several biological activities including antibacterial and antifungal actions. The aim of this study was to determine the activity of 28 essential oils from medicinal plants cultivated at CPMA (Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Collection), CPQBA/UNICAMP, against Colletotrichum gloeosporioides (Penz.) Sacc., the anthracnose agent in yellow passion fruit (Passiflora edulis Sims f. flavicarpa Deg), as well as evaluating their effect in the control of post-harvest decay. The oils were obtained by water-distillation using a Clevenger-type system and their minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) determined by the micro-dilution method. According to the results, 15 of the 28 essential oils presented activity against Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, and the following four oils presented MIC values between 0.25 and 0.3 mg/mL: Coriandrum sativum, Cymbopogon citratus, Cymbopogon flexuosus and Lippia alba. The evaluation of Cymbopogon citratus essential oil in the control of post-harvest decay in yellow passion fruit showed that the disease index of the samples treated with the essential oil did not differ (P < 0.05) from that of the samples treated with fungicide. The present study shows the potential of Cymbopogon citratus essential oil in the control of the anthracnose agent in yellow passion fruit.

O açaí como veículo de transmissão da doença de chagas aguda (DCA) pela via oral / Açai as a vehicle of transmission of chagas disease acute (DCA) by oral

O açaí (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) consiste de uma pequena fruta roxa de sabor levemente amargo e cujo conteúdo de polpa é proporcionalmente menor do que o caroço. O fruto é bastante perecível e além da carga microbiana a ele naturalmente associada, muitas falhas higiênicas ocorrem nas etapas de colheita, transporte e processamento do mesmo, fazendo com que haja um incremento dessa microbiota no produto final. O consumo dessa polpa de açaí in natura vem sendo apontado como principal veículo de transmissão da Doença de Chagas Aguda (DCA) pela via oral na região da Amazônia Brasileira. Somente nos últimos anos, devido a um surto ocorrido no estado brasileiro de Santa Catarina em 2005 e a diversos surtos que vêm ocorrendo nos últimos três anos na Amazônia Brasileira, associados principalmente ao consumo de suco de açaí, esta rota de transmissão vem merecendo atenção de estudiosos e pesquisadores. Assim, a Doença de Chagas, nas regiões em que é endêmica, deve passar a ser encarada como uma enfermidade passível de transmissão alimentar. Mecanismos de controle e prevenção da contaminação de alimentos susceptíveis pelo protozoário T. cruzi, bem como medidas educacionais devem ser adotadas.

Control of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides (penz.) Sacc. In yellow passion fruit using Cymbopogon citratus essential oil.

The use of antibiotics in agriculture is limited when compared to their applications in human and veterinary medicine. On the other hand, the use of antimicrobials in agriculture contributes to the drug resistance of human pathogens and has stimulated the search for new antibiotics from natural products. Essential oils have been shown to exert several biological activities including antibacterial and antifungal actions. The aim of this study was to determine the activity of 28 essential oils from medicinal plants cultivated at CPMA (Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Collection), CPQBA/UNICAMP, against Colletotrichum gloeosporioides (Penz.) Sacc., the anthracnose agent in yellow passion fruit (Passiflora edulis Sims f. flavicarpa Deg), as well as evaluating their effect in the control of post-harvest decay. The oils were obtained by water-distillation using a Clevenger-type system and their minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) determined by the micro-dilution method. According to the results, 15 of the 28 essential oils presented activity against Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, and the following four oils presented MIC values between 0.25 and 0.3 mg/mL: Coriandrum sativum, Cymbopogon citratus, Cymbopogon flexuosus and Lippia alba. The evaluation of Cymbopogon citratus essential oil in the control of post-harvest decay in yellow passion fruit showed that the disease index of the samples treated with the essential oil did not differ (P ≤ 0.05) from that of the samples treated with fungicide. The present study shows the potential of Cymbopogon citratus essential oil in the control of the anthracnose agent in yellow passion fruit.

Chagas' disease as a foodborne illness.

Various researchers have studied the importance of the oral transmission of Chagas' disease since the mid-20th century. Only in recent years, due to an outbreak that occurred in the Brazilian State of Santa Catarina in 2005 and to various outbreaks occurring during the last 3 years in the Brazilian Amazon basin, mainly associated with the consumption of Amazonian palm berry or açaí (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) juice, has this transmission route aroused the attention of researchers. Nevertheless, reports published in the 1960s already indicated the possibility of Chagas' disease transmission via food in Brazil, mainly in the Amazonian region. Recently, in December 2007, an outbreak of Chagas' disease occurred in Caracas, Venezuela, related to ingestion of contaminated fruit juices. The objective of this article is to point out the importance of foodborne transmission in the etiology of Chagas' disease, on the basis of published research and Brazilian epidemiology data.

Secagem de café em terreiro e em estufa / Drying of coffee in a greenhouse and terrace

O Brasil ocupa historicamente a posição de maior produtor e exportador de café verde do mundo (1,37 milhões de toneladas métricas de café em 2003, segundo a FAO, 2005).Existe atualmente uma forte demanda por cafés especiais, de bebida superior, pelos países importadores, entre eles destacam-se o Canadá, os Estados Unidos e a França, o que tem levado a busca de técnicas para produção de cafés de melhor qualidade. Sabe-se que qualidade final do grão beneficiado é resultante de vários fatores, incluindo cultivo, colheita, pós-colheita, pré-secagem, secagem, beneficiamento, armazenamento e industrialização (moagem e torração). Normalmente a etapa de pré-secagem é realizada em terreiro aberto, o que expõe o produto às condições ambientais, e completada em secadores rotativos. Nos últimos anos surgiu como alternativa o uso de estufas de lona plástica com a finalidade de proteger o produto, durante a etapa de pré-secagem, de eventuais precipitações que ocorram durante essa fase. A velocidade do ar e temperatura durante a pré-secagem são fatores fundamentais no processo que influenciam a qualidade do produto e a sua microbiota. Com base nessas considerações, o objetivo desse estudo foi comparar a pré-secagem do café em terreiro e em estufas, fechada e parcialmente aberta, avaliando as taxas de secagem em cada ambiente, a qualidade do produto seco e a microbiologia do produto...

Otimização do processamento da castanha de caju / Optimization of the processing of cashew nuts

Em termos econômicos, a oferta mundial de castanha de caju acusa constante crescimento com pequenas oscilações de queda. Os principais compradores de amêndoas do Brasil são os EUA, Canadá, México, Líbano, alguns países da Europa (Alemanha e Espanha) e América do Sul (Argentina, Venezuela e Uruguai). A industrialização da castanha de caju consiste basicamente na retirada da amêndoa do interior da castanha, trabalho que envolve uma série de operações. A longa etapa de umidificação pode ser diminuída drasticamente com o aumento da temperatura, sendo uma etapa essencial para diminuir quebras no processo, pois amêndoas úmidas são menos quebradiças. Especial atenção deve ser dada à etapa de classificação, quando as castanhas são separadas por tamanho, pois foi constatado que falhas na classificação levam a uma série de problemas em cascata. A etapa de cozimento ou fritura, por exemplo, foi prejudicada pela seleção inadequada das castanhas, com tempos de fritura diferentes para castanhas com tamanhos de amêndoas bem distintos. As demais etapas podem ser facilitadas se as etapas preliminares foram realizadas com sucesso.

Boas práticas de fabricação e aplicação da análise de perigos e pontos críticos de controle no processamento de água de coco / Practices of making and application from the analysis of dangers and control critics points in the coconut water processing

As características de baixa acidez da água de coco (pH > 4,5 e atividade de água próximo de 1,0), aliada ao seu crescente consumo, a tornam um produto passível de problemas de saúde pública. Deste modo, a aplicação do Sistema de Análise de Perigos e Pontos Críticos de Controle (APPCC) é fundamental para garantir a segurança alimentar desse produto. Esse estudo teve por objetivo aplicar o sistema APPCC para água de coco natural, congelada, e para aquelas obtidas pelos processos de descontaminação por luz ultravioleta (UV), esterilização Ultra High Temperature (UHT) e pasteurização. A implementação do programa de Boas Práticas de Fabricação é essencial para todas as formas de apresentação do produto, sobretudo para a água de coco natural, cuja garantia da qualidade concentra-se no manuseio higiênico da matéria-prima e processo. Foram estabelecidos pontos críticos de controle (PCC) para as etapas de filtração em membranas no sistema de descontaminação por UV, nas etapas de pasteurização, esterilização (produto e embalagem) e armazenamento refrigerado daqueles produtos que dependem de cadeia de frio. Face às características intrínsecas do produto, à presença de perigos na matéria-prima e ao crescente consumo de água de coco no país, é necessário um maior rigor na produção, comercialização, distribuição deste produto; além de maiores estudos sobre a segurança alimentar em toda a cadeia produtiva.

Comparaçäo entre processos por cascata e imersäo em autoclave / Comparison between cascate and immersion retort processes

Através da adaptaçäo de uma bandeja a uma autoclave Stock Pilot Rotor 900, foi comparado o sistema de tratamento térmico por cascata com sistemas convencionais de esterilizaçäo de embalagens flexíveis (imersäo em água com sobrepressäo de vapor, com e sem agitaçäo). Foram realizados ensaios de penetraçäo de calor em leite em embalagens de Polietileno de Alta Densidade de 1 litro e a transferência de calor no sistema por cascata mostrou-se mais eficiente que nos processos convencionais. Além disso, o sistema por cascata apresentou um tratamento mais homogêneo de cada embalagem.