Lívia de Lacerda de Oliveira Pineli

Antioxidants and sensory properties of the infusions of wild passiflora from Brazilian savannah: potential as functional beverages.

BACKGROUND The study of biodiversity for species recovery and sustainable use has encouraged research with plants from Brazilian savannah. We aimed to characterize chemical and sensory properties of infusions of passifloras, due to their potential as functional beverages. Infusions and hydroalcoholic extracts of four species of wild passifloras, three varieties of Passiflora edulis and a commercial passiflora tea were evaluated for total phenolics (TPs), total flavonoids (TFs), condensed tannins (CTs), and antioxidant activity (DPPH and FRAP). Free-choice Profile and acceptance, compared with green tea, were performed for sensory characterization. RESULTS In general, infusions had higher levels of TPs and CTs than hydroalcoholic extracts, which in turn had higher levels of TFs. Infusion of P. nitida showed higher amounts of TPs and antioxidant activity. Acceptance of passiflora infusions was similar or higher than that of green tea, except for P. alata. P. setacea presented a sensory profile similar to other commercial teas and higher acceptance by a group of consumers. CONCLUSION Passiflora infusions showed different degrees of suitability as acceptable functional beverage. Identification of phenolics and other bitter compounds is needed to understand the intense bitterness of P. alata, as it did not present the highest contents of TPs, CTs and TFs.

Caracterização química e física de batatas Ágata e Monalisa minimamente processadas

The present work was carried out aiming to evaluate chemical and physical characteristics of fresh-cut potatoes stored under 5 and 15°C. Potatoes, (Solanum tuberosum L.) agata and Monalisa were minimally processed as baby potatoes. After processing, the material was packed under partial vacuum and stored at 5 and 15°C for nine days. Every three days tubers were evaluated for firmness, enzymatic activity (polyphenoloxidase and peroxidase), total soluble sugars, starch, and total vitamin C. After nine days of storage, monalisa and agata potatoes stored under 15°C had a firmness that was 3.3 and 4.3 times lower than the same product right after processing. Polyphenoloxidase activity was approximately stable during the storage period for monalisa potatoes stored under 5°C. Fresh-cut monalisa potatoes had the highest peroxidase activity at 5°C, being 86% higher than agata potatoes at nine days of storage. For total soluble sugars, monalisa potatoes had 28% more sugars than agata right after processing. Both cultivars showed a tendency to increase starch content on the first three days of storage, for both temperatures studied. For both cultivars, it was verified that storage at 5°C allowed higher retention of total vitamin C content.

Qualidade química e física de berinjelas submetidas a diferentes tratamentos pós-colheita

The present work was carried out aiming to evaluate chemical and physical characteristics of eggplant fruits submitted to different postharvest treatments. Eggplant fruits (Solanum melongena L.) were harvested in commercial fields in Brasilia, DF. After harvesting the, fruits were graded for size and diameter and treated as follows: modified atmosphere; CaCl2 (2%) dipping + modified atmosphere; 1-MCP (500nL.L-1); 1-MCP (500nL.L-1) + CaCl2(2%) dipping; and control. Fruits were then stored for 10 days at 12±1°C, relative humidity ranging from 85 to 90%, and analyzed every two days for mass loss, firmness, external color (brightness) and total soluble solids content. It was observed that mass loss increased during storage. At the end of the storage period control fruits had a mass loss of 14%, and fruits treated with calcium chloride, with or without the association of modified atmosphere, were 2.5 times firmer than control fruits. For brightness, fruits stored under modified atmosphere had L* values that were 20% higher than control fruits at the tenth day of storage. When total soluble solids were evaluated, it was verified that, at the end of the storage period, control fruits had 20% more soluble solids than fruits stored under modified atmosphere.

Influence of strawberry jam color and phenolic compounds on acceptance during storage

The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of the color and phenolic compounds of strawberry jam on acceptance during storage. Jams were processed, stored for 120 days and evaluated monthly for chromatic characteristics, total phenolic compounds, total anthocyanins (ANT), total ellagic acid (TEA), flavonoids and free ellagic acid (FEA), and sensory acceptance as well. Data were submitted to analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the means were compared by the Least Significant Difference (LSD). Cluster Analysis and Partial Least Square Regression (PLS) were performed to investigate the relationships between instrumental data and acceptance. Contents of ANT, TEA and redness decreased during storage. Other chemical characteristics and sensory acceptance showed a nonlinear behavior. Higher acceptance was observed after 60 days, suggesting a trend of quality improvement followed by decline to the initial levels. The same trend was observed for lightness, non-pigment flavonoids and FEA. According to PLS map, for consumers in cluster 2, acceptance was associated to jams at 60 days and to luminosity, FEA, and non-pigment flavonoids. For cluster 1, a positive association between flavor liking, jam at initial storage, and the contents of TEA and ANT was indicated. Jams at 120 days were positively associated to hue and negatively associated to color liking, for cluster 1. Color and texture were positively correlated to overall liking for cluster 2, whereas for cluster 1, overall acceptance seemed to be more associated to flavor liking. Changes in color and phenolic compounds slightly influenced the acceptance of strawberry jams, but in different ways for consumers clusters.

Food formulation and not processing level: Conceptual divergences between public health and food science and technology sectors

ABSTRACT Observed changes in eating and drinking behaviors in economically developing countries are associated with increase of obesity and related chronic diseases. Researchers from field of public health (PH) have attributed this problem to food processing and have created new food classification systems to support their thesis. These classifications conceptually differ from processing level concepts in food science, and state to people that food processing is directly related to nutritional impact of food. Our work aims to compare the concept of food processing from the standpoint of food science and technology (FST) and public health and to discuss differences related to formulation or level of processing of products and their impact on nutritional quality. There is a misconception between food processing/unit operation/food technology and formulation or recipes. For the public health approach, classification is based on food products selection and the use of ingredients that results in higher consumption of sugar, sodium, fat, and additives, whereas in FST, processing level is based on the intensity and amount of unit operations to enhance shelf life, food safety, food quality, and availability of edible parts of raw materials. Nutritional quality of a product or preparation is associated with formulation/recipe and not with the level of processing, with few exceptions. The impact of these recommendations on the actual comprehension of food processing and quality must be considered by the population.

Métodos para aplicar las pruebas de aceptación para la alimentación escolar: validación de la tarjeta lúdica

The objective of this study was to validate methods to assess the acceptability on scholar feeding. A total of 354 students took part in this survey, from second to fiyears of public education system in Santos city, Sao Paulo, Brazil. A comparison between three methods was used: mixed facial hedonic scale of fi points, playful cards and leftover analysis that was the reference method. Kappa statistics and quadratic kappa were used to verify the concordance between the methods. There was an estimated reasonable agreement between the leftover analysis and the affective methods: mixed facial hedonic scale (kappa = 0.2414) and playful cards (kappa=0.2758), all of them with p<0,001. When compared the mixed facial hedonic scale and the playful cards, it was observed a quadratic kappa of 0.3846. It is recommended that the application of the validated methods in the school context be studied in different spheres of government and in other countries as well.

Qualidade sensorial de néctares de maracujás BRS Ouro Vermelho produzidos em diferentes sistemas de cultivo

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o perfil sensorial e a aceitabilidade de nectares de maracujas obtidos de plantas submetidas a diferentes sistemas de producao, orgânico e convencional, com ou sem sombreamento pelo consorcio com mandioca. As amostras foram avaliadas por Analise Descritiva Quantitativa e por teste de aceitacao com escala hedonica. Os dados do perfil descritivo e de aceitacao foram analisados por Mapa de Preferencia Externo, Analise de Variância e teste de comparacao de medias de Fisher. Observou-se que os frutos que nao foram submetidos ao sombreamento apresentaram nectares com perfil sensorial bastante semelhante e maior aceitacao. Nectares de maracuja convencional nao sombreado e orgânico nao sombreado apresentaram correlacao com os atributos aroma verde, homogeneidade e gosto acido. As maiores diferencas na aceitacao foram observadas entre as amostras convencional sombreada e orgânico nao sombreada, com diferencas significativas nos atributos de cor, sabor e qualidade global. O Mapa de Preferencia Externo apontou que a amostra de nectar convencional sombreado, com menor aceitacao, foi correlacionada com os atributos fibrosidade e viscosidade.

Acceptability of Reduced-Fat and Fried-Food-Free Menu in Self-Service Restaurant

ABSTRACT The main purpose of this study was to determine how the reduction of fat content in meals affects food acceptability in a self-service restaurant. Technical Preparation Files and combined ovens were used to modify the menu. The 14-month trial was divided in two phases, in which 75 clients evaluated the menu, without knowing the changes. Flavor, texture, appearance and global quality were measured using a 7-point hedonic scale. Principal and Hierarchical Factor Analysis as well as Fischer-test (? = .05) were used to test differences in acceptance proportion. The reduction of added fat (up to 2%) and the removal of fried food resulted in an equivalent/higher acceptance (from 71 ± 8 to 86 ± 7), whereas the rejection proportion decreased. The mean acceptance score, in both phases, was satisfactory for all dishes. Hence, it was concluded that the reduction of added fat and the use of combined ovens resulted in a better acceptance of the menu.

A systematic review on phenolic compounds in Passiflora plants: Exploring biodiversity for food, nutrition, and popular medicine.

ABSTRACT Passiflora plants are strategic in the context of biodiversity for food and nutrition. We applied the procedures of a systematic review protocol to study the state of the art on identification of phenolic compounds from Passiflora plants. An automated literature search was conducted using six databases and a combination of seven keywords. All the analytical, chromatographic, and spectroscopic methods were included. The studies were classified according to their method of identification, phenolic classes, and method of extraction. In total, 8,592 abstracts were found, from which 122 studies were selected for complete reading and 82 were selected for further analysis. Techniques of extraction, evaluated parts of the plant and methods of identification were systematized. Studies with leaves were most conspicuous (54.4%), 34 species of Passiflora were evaluated and orientin, isoorientin, vitexin, isovitexin were commonly found structures. A High Performance Liquid Chromatography-diode array detector was the technique most applied, with which the same structures were identified all through the studies, although other unknown structures were detected, but not elucidated. The use of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance and Mass Spectrometry, which are more sensitive techniques, needs to be intensified, to identify other unconventional compounds detected in Passiflora, to enhance the comprehension of the bioactive compounds in these plants.