Luiz Carlos de Oliveira Lima

Determination of the bioactive compounds, antioxidant activity and chemical composition of Brazilian blackberry, red raspberry, strawberry, blueberry and sweet cherry fruits.

This study aimed to evaluate the chemical composition, identify the bioactive compounds and measure the antioxidant activity present in blackberry, red raspberry, strawberry, sweet cherry and blueberry fruits produced in the subtropical areas of Brazil and to verify that the chemical properties of these fruit are similar when compared to the temperate production zones. Compared with berries and cherries grown in temperate climates, the centesimal composition and physical chemical characteristics found in the Brazilian berries and cherries are in agreement with data from the literature. For the mineral composition, the analyzed fruits presented lower concentrations of P, K, Ca, Mg and Zn and higher levels of Fe. The values found for the bioactive compounds generally fit the ranges reported in the literature with minor differences. The greatest difference was found in relation to ascorbic acid, as all fruits analyzed showed levels well above those found in the literature.

Metodologia para elaboração de fermentado de cajá (Spondias mombin L.)

The aim of this work was to define the methodology to produce and evaluate the acceptance of alcoholic beverage made from yellow mombin (Spondias mombin) fruit pulp. The fruit pulp used was chemically characterised (sugars, acidity, pectin, vitamin C, pectinases, starch and phenols). The yellow mombin fruit pulp had its sugar content adjusted to 24°Brix with a sucrose solution. The must was deacidified using CaCO3 until it reached pH value of 3.8 and then enzymatically treated with Ultrazym AFP-L (Novo DK). Sulphur dioxide, as potassium metabissulfite, was used as an inhibitor of bacterial growth and as an antioxidant. Bentonite was also added to aid the must clarification. After these adjustments the must was inoculated with 107 cell/ml of Saccharomyces cerevisiae wild type strain. The fermentation was carried out at 22°C for 10 days, with daily monitoring of Brix and fermentation activity by the liberation of CO2. At the end of the fermentation, the fermented must was stored at 10°C for 10 days and a first separation of the yeasts and solids particles was done. The second separation was done 30 days later, before the filtration. Ethanol, glycerol, organic acids, higher alcohols, methanol, esters and acetaldehyde were analysed in the final product. There was a high concentration of higher alcohols, which are usually responsible for the flavour found in alcoholic beverages. The acceptance of the drink was tested with 45 non-experienced panellists using the hedonic scale (1-9). The beverage was well accepted and might be a good investiment for small or medium companies.

Flooding tolerance and cell wall alterations in maize mesocotyl during hypoxia

Abstract€Œ€This research aimed to characterize the tolerance to flooding and alterations in pectic andhemicellulose fractions from mesocotyl of maize tolerant to flooding when submitted to hypoxia.In order to characterize tolerance seeds from maize cultivars Saracura BRS-4154 and BR€107 tolerantand sensitive to low oxygen levels, respectively, were set to germinate. Plantlet survival was evaluatedduring five days after having been submitted to hypoxia. After fractionation with ammonium oxalate0.5% (w/v) and KOH 2M and 4M, Saracura BRS-4154 cell wall was obtained from mesocotyl seg-ments with different damage intensities caused by oxygen deficiency exposure. The cell wall fractionswere analyzed by gel filtration and gas chromatography, and also by Infrared Spectrum with FourrierTransformation (FTIR). The hypoxia period lasting three days or longer caused cell lysis and in ad-vanced stages plant death. The gelic profile from pectic, hemicellulose 2M and 4M fractions fromsamples with translucid and constriction zone showed the appearance of low molecular weight com-pounds, similar to glucose. The main neutral sugars in pectic and hemicellulose fractions were arabi-nose, xilose and mannose. The FTIR spectrum showed a gradual decrease in pectic substances frommesocotyl with normal to translucid and constriction appearance respectively.Index terms: pectic substances, hemicellulose.Tolerância ao alagamento e alteracies de parede celular em mesocotilo de milho durante hipoxiaResumo€Œ€Objetivou-se caracterizar a tolerância ao alagamento e alteracies nas fracies pOcticas ehemicelulosicas de mesocotilos de milho submetidos a hipoxia. Sementes de milho cultivar SaracuraBRS-4154 e BR€107, tolerante e sensivel a hipoxia, respectivamente, foram submetidas a germinacaoe a sobrevivŒncia das plântulas em condicies de hipoxia, foi avaliada durante cinco dias. O€material deparede celular, obtido de segmentos de mesocotilos da cultivar Saracura BRS-4154 com diferentesintensidades de danos causados por hipoxia, foi submetido a fracionamento com oxalato de amonio0,5% e KOH 2M e€4M. As€fracies de parede celular obtidas foram analisadas por cromatografia emgel, cromatografia gasosa e espectro de infravermelho com transformacao dos dados pela sOrie deFourrier (FTIR). Periodos de hipoxia superiores a trŒs dias causaram a lise celular (aparŒncia translœcida),e, em estAEdios mais avancados, a morte das plantas. O€perfil gOlico das fracies pOcticas, hemicelulose2M e 4M das amostras de mesocotilos translœcidos e com constricao apresentaram compostos de bai-xos pesos moleculares semelhantes a glicose. Os€principais acœcares neutros nas fracies pOcticas ehemicelulosicas foram arabinose, xilose e manose. O€espectro de FTIR mostrou um decrOscimo gradu-al nas substâncias pOcticas do mesocotilo com aparŒncia normal, para translœcido e constricao respec-tivamente.Termos para indexacao: substâncias pOcticas, hemicelulose.

Chemical, Physical–Chemical, and Sensory Characteristics of Lychee (Litchi chinensis Sonn) Wines

UNLABELLED Four lychee (Litchi chinensis Sonn) wines (prepared with 3 yeast strains [UFLA CA11, UFLA CA1183, and UFLA CA1174]) and a spontaneous fermentation (SPON) were done in order to add value to the fruit while preventing waste arising from the short shelf life of lychee. The fermentation was monitored daily by analyzing the soluble solids, pH, acidity, ethanol, and sugar. At the end of fermentation, the wines were subjected to chemical, physical-chemical, and sensory analysis. The wines prepared showed greater variations in the qualitative than in the quantitative analysis of their constituents. The sensory analysis indicated that the wines fermented by yeast UFLA CA1183 and UFLA CA11 had rates of acceptance above 75%. The principal components analysis separated the wines into 2 groups according to the analyzed compounds. Based on these analyses, the wine produced by inoculation with UFLA CA1183 proved to be the most suitable for the production of lychee wines. PRACTICAL APPLICATION Development of new products and adding value to fruits. Importance of selection of specific yeasts for production of fruit wine.

Purification of polyphenoloxidase from coffee fruits

Polyphenoloxidase (PPO) was purified from coffee beans at the pinhead stage. Purification was carried out by precipitation of contaminating proteins with 30% (NH4)2SO4, dialysis of the supernatant and chromatography on phenyl sepharose and DEAE columns. A purification factor of 364 was obtained. Two bands (29 and 64 kDa) of the purified PPO were detected after SDS-PAGE which presented activity in partially denaturing SDS-PAGE and gave a positive response when probed in Western blots with an apple 27 kDa PPO antibody. It is suggested that the 29 kDa band was a cleavage product of the 64 kDa PPO. The N-terminal sequencing of the 29 kDa protein did not show similarity with others PPOs. Other reports have shown that the 64 kDa is a pre-protein which is converted to a 45 kDa mature form by action of a chloroplastid protease. The 45 kDa was not detected in pinhead fruits but usually detected in the leaves and endosperm of coffee. It is suggested that the appearence of the 45 kDa form might be controlled by the developmental stage of the fruit. Chlorogenic acid was the preferred substrate for the purified PPO.

Caracterização física, físico-química, enzimática e de parede celular em diferentes estádios de desenvolvimento da fruta de figueira

With the objective of evaluating the physical, physical-chemical, enzymic and cell wall characterization during the different developmental stages of the fig tree fruits under irrigation in Northern Minas Gerais, the present work was developed during the 2001/2002 cropping cycle in the Unidade de Producao Fruticola da Escola Agrotecnica Federal de Salinas (Fruit Growing Unit of the Federal Agrotechnical School of Salinas (Eafsal), town of Salinas. Plants of two years and a half after transplanting and with twelve well developed primary branches (pernadas = the first strong branches of a tree) and 2.5x1.5 m spacing were utilized in this experiment. The design applied was completely randomized with two replicates and a total of 40 marked plants. The data collected were concerning 2001/2002 cropping cycle for the June-pruned plants. Evaluated during the different developmental stages of fig tree fruits activity of the enzimes, chemical composition, physical evaluate, neutral sugars and cell wall components. As polyphenoloxidase and peroxidase activity was decreasing, polygalacturonase activity increased throughout the development of the fruits. The fruits reached harvest point for industry and in natura consumption at 30 and 75 days from the differentiation of the buds in syconium, respectively. A significant increase took place in the contents of total soluble solids, total soluble and reducing sugars during the development of the fruit. Both pH and TTA ranged very little during fruit development. The average diameter of the fruits was always inferior to the average length, reaching 51.99 mm and 59.18 mm, respectively at 75 days. The average weight of 53.23 g was reached at 75 days. Predominating neutral sugars were galactose, arabinose and xylose whereas fucose, mannose and glucose and rhamnose were those present in smaller amount in the cell wall during the different developmental stages of the fruits. With the maturation of the fruits, there was a reduction of the chief components of pectic polysaccharides (galactose, arabinose and rhamnose), whilst the components of the hemicellulose fraction (xylose, glucose and mannose) tended to increase. Cellulose solubilization and fall in the contents of hemicellulose took place from 60 days when the fruit already in the physiological maturity, starts softening process, as related with pectin solubilization by the higher activity of the pectinnemethylesterase and polygalacturonase enzymes.

Pós-colheita de copo-de-leite: efeito de diferentes conservantes comerciais e armazenamento a frio

As inflorescencias de copo-de-leite, apesar de bastante utilizadas na composicao de arranjos florais, apresentam pequena durabilidade. Com o objetivo de analisar a qualidade e o processo de abertura e murcha de inflorescencias de copo-de-leite apos a colheita, avaliaram-se o efeito de diferentes conservantes florais e sistemas de armazenamento. Para o experimento estudaram-se duas condicoes de armazenamento em câmara fria a 4oC: a seco ou em solucao com os conservantes comerciais Crystal Clear®, Flower®, Original Floralife® e o pre-tratamento com Hydraflor-100®. O armazenamento em solucao, com os conservantes estudados, nao influenciou o processo de abertura e murcha das inflorescencias de copo-de-leite, dentro e fora da câmara fria. Tambem nao houve diferenca, entre os produtos testados, para melhorar a conservacao das inflorescencias, quando estas foram retiradas da câmara fria. O periodo de armazenamento por 10 dias com os tratamentos utilizados nao foi eficiente, pois apesar da qualidade das inflorescencias, observada dentro da câmara fria, quando estas foram retiradas, nao apresentaram durabilidade para comercializacao. O armazenamento a seco foi eficiente quando se realizou o pre-tratamento com Hydraflor-100®, entretanto, as inflorescencias apresentaram maior longevidade total quando armazenadas em solucao.

Caracterização físico-química e enzimática de uva 'Patricia' cultivada na região de Primavera do Leste - MT

Amostras de uva (Vitis labrusca L.) cv Patricia, produzidos na regiao de Primavera do Leste no Estado de Mato Grosso, foram analisadas pelos parâmetros quimicos segundo a legislacao: pH, solidos soluveis (oBrix), acidez titulavel, vitamina C e atividade enzimatica das enzimas polifenoloxidase (PPO); peroxidase (POD); pectinametilesterase (PME); e poligalacturonase (PG). O valor de solidos soluveis (SS) das amostras analisadas foi de 17,69 oBrix. O valor de pH encontrado foi de 3,69. A acidez titulavel (AT) apresentou valor de 0,8 g de acido tartarico/100 mL de suco. O valor de vitamina C foi de 17,54 mg/mL. A atividade enzimatica da polifenoloxidase (PPO) foi de 22,15 U/g/min. As atividades enzimaticas para as enzimas peroxidase (POD) e poligalacturonase apresentaram valores de: 11,59 U/g/min e 3778,61 U/g/min, respectivamente. Nao foram detectados valores para a atividade enzimatica da pectinametilesterase (PME), nas amostras analisadas. Os parâmetros quimicos analisados se encontram dentro dos padroes estabelecidos pela legislacao. Pelos resultados apresentados a cultivar Patricia apresenta um valor elevado de vitamina C e, quando em estado de maturacao, apresenta valores elevados da atividade enzimatica da poligalacturonase (PG).

Poda e sistemas de condução na produção de figos verdes

The objective of the work was to verify the effect of pruning time and conduction system on growth, yield, and quality of the fig tree fruit grown in the northern Minas Gerais region, under irrigation. The design utilized was randomized blocks with four replicates, and the treatments arranged in a 4x2 factorial scheme, taking as factors pruning times (June, September, December and March) and conduction system (with lopping and without lopping). In each plot, made up of three useful plants, data concerning the cropping cycles of 2000/2001 and 2001/2002 were collected. No interaction between the factors pruning time and conduction system was verified. There were yield differences between pruning times; the March- and June-pruned plants presented higher yields. There were no yield differences between the conduction systems. Different pruning times and conduction systems did not affect quality of fig tree fruit and contents of total soluble solids, pH, total titrable acidity, total sugars, glucose, sucrose and starch.

Pepino japonês (Cucumis sativus L.) submetido ao tratamento com fécula de mandioca

Com o presente trabalho objetivou-se avaliar a qualidade e a vida util do pepino (Cucumis sativus L.), utilizando recobrimento com pelicula de fecula de mandioca. Apos selecao, amostras de pepino japones foram mergulhadas em suspensoes de fecula de mandioca a 0, 2, 3 e 4%, secos ao ar e armazenados em câmara fria a 5oC e 95% de UR por 8 dias. As analises realizadas foram perda de massa, pH, solidos soluveis (SS) , acidez titulavel (AT), Cor L*a*b e firmeza. O delineamento utilizado foi o DIC com 3 repeticoes, com os tratamentos dispostos em esquema fatorial 4 x 5. O valor encontrado para firmeza nas amostras tratadas com pelicula a 4% foram menores em comparacao aos outros tratamentos, isto, provavelmente se deve a plasticidade do tecido que estas amostras apresentaram. A pelicula reduziu significativamente a perda de massa das amostras mantidas sob refrigeracao. A aplicacao de pelicula de fecula de mandioca na concentracao mais elevada (4%), proporcionou ao pepino um aspecto melhor de conservacao, tornando o produto mais atraente.