José Benício Paes Chaves

Quinoa: Nutritional, functional, and antinutritional aspects

ABSTRACT We have prepared a review of the physical-chemical composition and the functional and anti-nutritional properties of quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.). It is a plant of the Chenopodiaceae family, originally from the Andean regions, adaptable to different types of soils and climatic conditions. Its composition has attracted the attention of scientific community for its high nutritional value, being rich in proteins, lipids, fibers, vitamins, and minerals, with an extraordinary balance of essential amino acids. It is also gluten-free, a characteristic that enables its use by celiac patients. In spite of all these attributes, quinoa is not widely used by consumers due to the high cost of imported grain and little knowledge of its benefits. More studies are required to increase knowledge about this “pseudo-cereal” to demonstrate its functional and nutritional benefits and to study its anti-nutritional effects, since it presents high commercial value and excellent nutritional quality.

Tocoferois e tocotrienois em óleos vegetais e ovos

The distribution and content of vitamin E isomers was investigated in vegetable oils and raw and cooked egg yolk in commercial restaurants. The analysis of the eight vitamin E isomers was carried out by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) with fluorescence detection. The tocopherol and tocotrienol composition of foods varied considerably. Tocopherols were detected in greater quantity and frequency. The α-tocopherol predominated in egg yolks and olive oil while γ-tocopherol was found in high quantities in soybean and canola oils. Cooking did not cause major losses for most of the vitamin E isomers in egg yolks.

Hunter color dimensions, sugar content and volatile compounds in pasteurized yellow passion fruit juice (Passiflora edulis var. flavicarpa) during storage

Changes in Hunter L, a and b values, glucose, fructose and sucrose contents, concentration of four volatile compounds (ethyl butirate, ethyl caproate, hexyl butirate and hexyl caproate) and furfural, were studied in yellow passion fruit juice (Passiflora edulis var. flavicarpa) pasteurized at 75oC/60s, 80oC/41s or 85oC/27s, during storage at room temperature (25±5oC) and refrigeration (5±1oC) for 120 days. While the sucrose content decreased, the glucose and fructose contents increased significantly over storage time. The Hunter L and b values behaved similarly, with a tendency to decrease over time, inversely to Hunter a value. Volatile compound concentrations also decreased over time, inversely to the furfural content. Pasteurization at 85oC/27s resulted minimum changes in the studied passion fruit characteristics, while that at 75oC/60s was the most harmful. Storage under refrigeration tended to keep the best quality characteristics of the juice.

Pró-vitaminas A em hortaliças comercializadas no mercado formal e informal de Viçosa (MG), em três estações do ano

With the aim of providing data on the influence of climate and form of commercialization on carotenoid of vegetables, this study evaluate the content of a and b carotene and vitamin A value of seven vegetables (sweet potato, carrot, squash, green pepper, okra, tomato and green bean) market in Vicosa (MG), Brazil, using High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). It was compared vegetables commercialized in two local markets and in the free market during spring, summer and autumn. Carrot presented the highest values of a and b-carotene (31.17 e 58.18 µg/g, respectively), followed by squash (4.33 and 23.16 µg/g, respectively), while sweet potato presented the lowest value of b carotene (0.51 µg/g). The vitamin A values varied as the profile of a and b-carotene content. The results showed that, except for carrot and okra, there was no significant influence of the market type on the content of carotenoids. The variation of the content of a and b-carotene in the seasons was not important, and only green pepper presented significantly different values. Portions of 100 g of analyzed vegetables supply 3 to 78% of vitamin A recommendation.

Carotene and provitamin A content of vegetables sold in Viçosa, MG, Brazil, during spring and winter

Investigou-se o conteudo de α e β-caroteno e avaliou-se o valor pro-vitaminico A de quatro hortalicas folhosas comercializadas em mercados locais e feira- livre de Vicosa, MG durante a primavera e o inverno de 2002. Os carotenoides foram analisados por Cromatografia Liquida de Alta Eficiencia (CLAE). O α-caroteno foi detectado em todas as amostras analisadas na primavera, porem no inverno, somente algumas amostras de alface crespa e lisa, e couve apresentaram tal carotenoide. O β-caroteno foi encontrado, em quantidades apreciaveis, em todas as hortalicas folhosas analisadas. O teste de Duncan (α=5%) detectou que o conteudo de α-caroteno em alface crespa e o valor de vitamina A em agriao de folha larga foram estatisticamente superiores na primavera. Os teores medios de β-caroteno e de valor de vitamina A para agriao de folha larga e hidroponico, alface crespa e lisa, couve e espinafre foram: 7544; 8751; 2584; 2792; 8193; 5338 μg/100g e 666; 760; 227; 238; 698; 460 μg RAE/100g, respectivamente. Todas as hortalicas folhosas analisadas constituem importantes fontes de provitamina A e suprem grande parte das recomendacoes diarias de criancas e adultos.

Indicação geográfica de alimentos e bebidas no Brasil e na União Europeia

Among rights related to intellectual property, the geographical indication (GI) comes up as mean to stimulate the socioeconomic development of a society. Some countries, especially in Europe, for long have been using legal protection provided by GI certification as a way to make their products more competitive, contributing to the development of less favored regions. In Brazil, the subject is, still, recent and needs to be studied in order to be better understood. This justifies a comprehensive review.

Sensory stability of whole mango juice: influence of temperature and storage time

This study investigated the degradation kinetics of the sensory attributes of commercial whole mango (cv. Uba) juice and evaluated its sensory acceptability during storage. Samples of the product were stored in a BOD incubator at 25, 35, and 45 °C under 24 hours light (650 lux) for 120 days. Sensory analyses (Quantitative Descriptive Analysis - QDA) were conducted with trained panel and consumers. The correlations between sensory and physicochemical characteristics (instrumental color and vitamin C content) were also assessed. Flavor, aroma, and color vary with temperature and time of storage. Aroma and flavor were most affected by temperature with values of Q 10 and E a equal to 4.16 and 25.31 kcal.mol -1 ; and 3.61 and 22.80 kcal.mol -1 , respectively. The sensory changes observed by the trained panel are related to the degradation of vitamin C and changes in the color coordinates (L* and ∆E*) of mango juice. However, consumers were unable to detect changes in the overall quality of the juices. It was observed that the QDA can be a useful tool to assess shelf-life.

Influência da torra sobre a aceitação da bebida café

Sensory study of the roast type about acceptance of the coffee beverage The coffee is one of the few agricultural products that it is valued with base in qualitative parameters, in that as better the larger quality will be the obtained price. This quality, however, it is dependent of several factors that link in all the stages of the production of the coffee, from the choice of the variety or cultivars to be planted until the preparation of the beverage. The roasting is a very important stage for the quality of the coffee being directly related the acceptance of the beverage. The present work had for objective to evaluate the acceptance of the drink coffee of the type’s soft, hard and “rio” was submitted to three different types of roast (light, express and dark). An acceptance test was accomplished with 65 consumers of coffee using a hedonic scale of nine points, being evaluated the color, the aroma, the flavor and the global impression. The results obtained were analyzed by Internal Preference Map (PREFMD). The samples of roast dark independent of the class were of the consumers larger preference in relation to the attributes color, aroma, flavor and overall. The samples of roast light, “rio”/express and hard/express, in agreement with the consumers they had smaller preference? as the color. For the attributes aroma, flavor and overall the samples of roast light and “rio”/express were less accept.

Changes in guava (Psidium guajava L. var. Paluma) nectar volatile compounds concentration due to thermal processing and storage

Guava nectars were formulated for approximately 10, 12, or 14 oBrix, with 40% guava pulp. Sodium benzoate, 500 mg.kg-1 was used as preservative. The Brix value was adjusted with saturated sucrose syrup. The guava nectar was pasteurized (85 oC/42 seconds) in tubular heat exchanger and then hot filled in 500 mL white glass bottles. The products were stored either at room temperature (25 ± 5 oC) or refrigerated (5 ± 2 oC) under fluorescent light exposure and analyzed on the day after processing (time zero) and also 40, 80, and 120 days of storage. Eight compounds were identified and quantified by Gas Chromatography (GC) -Mass Spectrometry (MS): hexanal, (E)-hex-2-enal, 1-hexenol, (Z)-hex-3-enol, (Z)-hex-3-enyl acetate, phenyl-3-propyl acetate, cinnamyl acetate, and acetic acid. There was no significant effect of thermal treatment on the volatile compound concentrations, except for a significant decrease (p = 0.0001) in hexanal and (Z)-hex-3-enyl acetate (p = 0.0029). As for the storage time, there was a much greater decrease in the esters contents, such as (Z)-hex-3-enyl and phenyl-3-propyl acetates. Cinnamyl acetate had the greatest decrease over storage time. Refrigeration was better than room temperature for guava nectar volatile compounds stability over storage time, mainly for esters compounds, which are important for the product aroma and flavor

Effects of coating on the acceptability of baby-carrots

The consumer’s opinion of a product is influenced by its appearance. This, in turn, will influence the decision to purchase and eat the product. Equally, the shelf life and acceptability of carrots subjected to minimal processing is influenced by the fading or superficial blanching that develops in the product. The aim of this work was to evaluate the sensorial acceptability of mini-carrots in relation to the colour. 1