Eric Batista Ferreira

Studies of chemical and enzymatic characteristics of Yacon (Smallanthus sonchifolius) and its flours

Due to the importance of studies on yacon related to health, its in natura pulp, in natura peel, pulp flour, and peel flour were chemically analyzed in terms of its centesimal composition, specific minerals, total dietary fiber and fractions, pH, total soluble solids, total titratable acidity, tannins, oxalic acid, and nitrate. The polyphenoloxidase and peroxidase enzymatic activities were evaluated for in natura pulp and peel only. Yacon pulp and peel flour presented average yield of 7.94% and 10.86%, respectively. The in natura pulp presented a higher moisture and carboydrate content and lower lipid, protein, total dietary fiber, and ash than those of the peel flour. The same pattern was observed for pulp flour when compared to peel flour. The highest tannin, nitrate, and oxalic acid levels were found in the peel flour, 15,304.5 mg.kg-1, 1,578.3 mg.kg-1, and 7,925.0 mg.kg-1 (wet weight), respectively. The polyphenoloxidase and peroxidase enzymes presented higher enzymatic activity in the yacon peel. Based on the results obtained, it can be said that the yacon and its derivatives are important dietary carbohydrate and mineral sources and contain antinutritional substance contents lower than those harmful to health.

Characterization of food bars manufactured with agroindustrial by-products and waste

Food bars are products obtained from the union of a number of components, standing out in the snack category due to their portability attribute with a focus on convenience and health. Utilization of by-products and agroindustrial food waste as ingredients in the making of food bars is highly important due to the utilization of leftovers of marked nutritional and functional value and decrease of the production cost. This work intended to evaluate the chemical and physicochemical aspects of food bars made with the by-products broken rice (BR) and pequi nut (PN), soybean extract residue (SER), and pineapple waste (PW). Distinct proportions of BR: SER respectively were used, amounting to five treatments: 1:0 (A); 3:1 (B); 1:1 (C); 1:3 (D) and 0:1(E) and fixed amounts of the other components. For the statistical analysis, variance analysis and the Tukey test were performed to 5% significance. The moisture, protein, lipid, ash, mineral, and dietary fiber contents were directly increased as the SER was increased and the amount of BR was decreased. However, the opposite was found with both carbohydrates and calories. The soluble solids, pH and water activity values presented increases with the increased soybean extract residue. All the treatments presented slightly acidic pH and water activity bellow 0.6, favoring microbiological safety. In the chemical score, treatment A presented lysine as the limiting aminoacid in relation to the Food and Agriculture Organization - FAO/WHO reference (1990). The food bars can be considered rich in dietary fiber and with considerable nutritional support. Treatments D and E proved better in the set of the variables studied for human consumption.

Spiritual Religious Coping is Associated with Quality of Life in Institutionalized Older Adults

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between spiritual/religious coping (SRCOPE) strategies and quality of life (QoL) in institutionalized older adults. This is a cross-sectional, correlational study, with a sample of 77 older adults in Brazil. The present study found long-term care patients use religious and spiritual coping strategies to deal with their chronic health conditions. Positive SRCOPE and Total SRCOPE have positive correlations with most QoL domains from the WHOQOL-OLD and WHOQOL-BREF. On the other hand, Negative SRCOPE strategies correlated negatively with the facets of “death and dying” from the WHOQOL-OLD. These results suggest the need for an integrative approach for long-term care patients, considering the positive and negative aspects of coping.

PREVALENCE OF PARACOCCIDIOIDOMYCOSIS INFECTION BY INTRADERMAL REACTION IN RURAL AREAS IN ALFENAS, MINAS GERAIS, BRAZIL

This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of paracoccidioidal infection by intradermal reaction (Delayed-Type Hypersensitivity, DTH) to Paracoccidioides brasiliensis in rural areas in Alfenas, Southern Minas Gerais (MG) State, Brazil, and to assess risk factors (gender, occupation, age, alcohol intake and smoking) associated with infection. We conducted a population-based cross-sectional study using intradermal tests with gp 43 paracoccidioidin in 542 participants, who were previously contacted by local health agents and so spontaneously attended the test. Participants underwent an interview by filling out a registration form with epidemiological data and were tested with an intradermal administration of 0.1 mL of paracoccidioidin in the left forearm. The test was read 48 hours after injection and was considered positive if induration was greater than or equal to 5 mm. Out of 542 participants, 46.67% were positive to the skin test. Prevalence increased in accordance with an increase of age. There was statistical significance only for males. Occupation, alcohol intake and smoking habits were not significantly associated with the risk of paracoccidioidomycosis infection. There is relevance of paracoccidioidomycosis infection in such rural areas, which suggests that further epidemiological and clinical studies on this mycosis should be done in the southern part of Minas Gerais State.

Comparação de métodos no ajustamento de curvas de lactação de bovinos por meio de Simulação

Curvas de lactacao representam a producao de leite de uma femea leiteira em funcao do tempo. Uma vez que tais curvas variam aleatoriamente de animal para animal, devido a fatores tanto geneticos quanto ambientais, o modelo misto conhecido como regressao aleatoria e apropriado para ajustar os dados de producao de um rebanho. A regressao aleatoria foi avaliada neste estudo mediante simulacao de dados. Producoes de cinco animais em cinco idades foram simuladas em mil conjuntos de dados independentes, em tres niveis de precisao, ou seja, a razao entre a variância de regressao e a total igual a 0,9 (variância alta), 0,5 (variância media) e 0,1 (variância baixa) e tres graus medios de parentesco entre os animais. A regressao aleatoria foi utilizada de duas maneiras, admitindo-se ou nao que as variâncias geneticas e de meio fossem conhecidas, comparando-a com o metodo de quadrados minimos ordinario. Pelos resultados pode-se concluir que, com baixa precisao, os modelos tiveram comportamento semelhante quanto ao erro quadratico medio e desvios absolutos medios. O nivel de precisao foi o fator mais influente do que o grau de parentesco no desempenho relativo dos modelos. De maneira geral, a regressao aleatoria com variâncias conhecidas propiciou predicoes mais precisas, seguida da regressao aleatoria estimando-se tais variâncias. Concluiu-se que a regressao aleatoria e potencialmente util sob condicoes de alta variabilidade ambiental relativa, mesmo com variâncias desconhecidas.

Estudos dos padrões de não aleatoriedade dos gráficos de controle de Shewhart: um enfoque probabilístico

In the last two decades, the Brazilian consuming market was modified by the insertion of products of better quality and minor cost. Statistical Process Control (SPC) and control charts look after significant characteristics products and processes, in real time, guaranteeing quality levels, in a cost demanded by the market. In that context, an important procedure is the interpretation of the control charts; this is made through non-random patters. A study was made illustrating and arguing such standards. Standards had been illustrated and one revealed which of them, rejected the nullity hypothesis, under a determined significance. One concluded that the standards mentioned in literature are not so informative and can be improved.

Changes in glucose levels and fecal excretion of lipids due to consumption of yacon flour

Purpose As studies investigating the effects of fructan sources, such as yacon, on glucose and lipid metabolism showed different results, additional research is required to establish a clear relationship between them. Thus, this paper aims to evaluate possible effects of the consumption of the yacon pulp flour (YPF) on biological and metabolic parameters such as food consumption, weight gain, serum glucose levels and fecal lipid excretion of rats, as well as determine the role of glycemic index (GI) of the diets added of this ingredient on those parameters. Design/methodology/approach For this purpose, 24 male albino Wistar rats were divided into four groups, which received the following treatments for 17 days: Group 1 (G1) (Control) – American Institute of Nutrition (AIN)-M; Group 2 (G2) – AIN-M added 5 per cent YPF; Group 3 (G3) – AIN-M added 10 per cent YPF and Group 4 (G4) – AIN-M added 15 per cent YPF. Analysis of fasting and postprandial glycemia was conducted for elaboration of the glycemic curve and calculation of the GI of the diets. Lipids loss was measured by quantification of crude fat in feces after consumption of the diet. Findings YPF, regarding the concentration in the diets, did not elevate the fasting glucose among the groups. The postprandial glucose of the animals declined in different postprandial glucose peaks of the groups ingesting YPF in relation to the control one, especially in group treated with 15 per cent YPF, between 30 and 60 min (p <0,05), confirming the influence of the dietary fiber on the absorption of the glucose. The ingestion of YPF increased dragging of lipids to the animal feces, proportional to the amounts of YPF added to the diets. According to the regression analysis, followed by regression testing to 5 per cent, there was a significant difference between the experimental groups, being that the elevation of the percentage of YPF added to the diet caused a proportional increase in the lipid levels in the animal feces. Originality/value YPF could be an alimentary source of interest, mainly when the focus is on disease risk prevention such as diabetes, obesity and dyslipidemias.

MICROSTRUCTURAL AND RHEOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF IRRADIATED RICE

The culinary quality of rice directly results in its market value and consumer acceptance. Thus, the present study evaluated the effect of gamma irradiation on the properties of the polished white rice starch, as well as their characteristic pulp. Doses of 6.5 kGy and 7.5 kGy did not alter the microstructure of rice starch granules, but interfered with rheological properties when compared to the control treatment, resulting in a reduction of the maximum and final viscosity and retrogradation. Since the microstructural and rheological properties within the values associated with rice quality, it was inferred that gamma irradiation did not alter the decisive characteristics for the acceptability of this cereal.

The Coffee Protective Effect on Catalase System in the Preneoplastic Induced Rat Liver

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of organic/conventional coffee in liver tissues in the cancer process, taking into account the level and activities of catalase. The experiments were carried out with 8 groups of rats during 12 weeks. They received two injections of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid solution 1.5% (v/v) prepared in 0.9% NaCl or 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH) subcutaneous dose of 40 mg·kg−1·bw−1 for 2 weeks. The organic/conventional coffee infusions were at 5, 10, and 20% and were incorporated to feed (100 mL of infusion·kg−1 of diet). The catalase activity showed a decrease for livers which received DMH and DMH plus organic coffee at 5% and 10%. However, an increase was observed for those receiving organic 20% and conventional 10% coffee, slowing down and favoring the reversibility of the carcinogenic process. By SDS-PAGE, we observed an intensity decrease of 59 kDa bands, as the percentage of coffee was increased. The iron concentration (by ET-AAS) confirmed the electrophoretic results, suggesting that the DMH influenced the catalase expression conditions, reducing the activity by the loss of iron ions. Thus, the coffee may restore the catalase system in the liver, exerting its chemopreventive effects.

Quality of beef burger with addition of wet okara along the storage

Aliar o consumo de residuos agricolas e satisfazer o consumidor e um desafio que pode resultar em aporte financeiro para as industrias de alimentos carneos congelados, alem de originar produtos com valor nutricional diferenciado e qualidade tecnologica satisfatoria. Sendo assim objetivou-se elaborar e avaliar as caracteristicas fisicas, quimicas e microbiologicas de hamburgueres congelados crus e fritos de carne bovina com adicao de okara em sua forma umida ao longo do seu armazenamento em congelamento por um periodo de 120 dias. Observou-se que a inclusao de okara foi proporcional a diminuicao do teor proteinas, ao aumento dos teores de lipideos e umidade das formulacoes cruas e fritas e que apos os 120 dias de armazenamento as formulacoes atendiam o preconizado pelo Regulamento Tecnico de Identidade e Qualidade de Hamburgueres. A inclusao de okara aumentou a luminosidade dos hamburgueres e foi diminuindo com o passar dos dias de armazenamento, exceto nas formulacoes com 5 e 10% fritas. Para as formulacoes cruas no tempo zero observam-se menores valores de b*, a* quando comparados ao tempo zero dos hamburgueres fritos, o que leva uma coloracao marrom clara e indicando o clareamento na cor com o aumento da inclusao de okara. Os hamburgueres fritos tambem possuem esta indicacao, porem apresentaram-se marrom mais escuro. A cromaticidade foi maior conforme a inclusao de okara e o passar do tempo. Conclui-se que apos 120 dias de armazenamento os hamburgueres atendiam o preconizado pelo Regulamento Tecnico de Identidade e Qualidade de Hamburgueres no que diz respeito aos teores de proteinas, lipideos e umidade e que atendiam a legislacao do ponto de vista microbiologico. A coloracao marrom dos produtos modificou-se com a inclusao de okara sem, no entanto alterar a coloracao caracteristica de hamburgueres.