Marilene de Vuono Camargo Penteado

Composição nutricional do fruto de licuri (Syagrus coronata (Martius) Beccari)

Licuri is a palm tree from the semiarid regions of Bahia State, Brazil. It is an important source of food and feed in that region, since their nuts are commonly eaten by humans and used as maize substitute for poultry feeding. Analysis of dietary composition revealed a high caloric content. Lipids and proteins are the main components of the nuts, and b-carotene is an important component of the pulp fruit. The potential of the fruits as a vitamin complement for school children in the semiarid regions of Bahia is discussed.

Carotenoids and pro-vitamin A value of white fleshed Brazilian sweet potatoes (Ipomoea batatas Lam.)

Abstract The main carotenoids of white fleshed sweet potatoes ( Ipomoea batatas Lam.) consumed in Sao Paulo, Brazil, were identified and their pro-vitamin A values were estimated. Raw and cooked samples obtained from CEAGESP (the main market of Sao Paulo) during the period of June 1984 till June 1986 were analyzed. The carotenoids in the raw samples were identified as luteochrome (191 μg/100 g), β-carotene 5,6,5′6′-diepoxide (114 μg/100 g), β-carotene (61 μg/100 g), β-carotene 5,6-monoepoxide (25 μg/100 g), ζ-carotene (22 μg 100 g), α-zeacarotene (19 μg/100 g), and neurosporene (13 μg/100 g). The pro-vitamin A value for raw sweet potatoes was 11.1 retinol equivalents and was decreased to 7.9 with 10 min of cooking.

Intervenções nutricionais na anemia ferropriva

This review was elaborated in order to contribute to the planning of strategies for controlling iron deficiency anemia in developing countries. The need for intervention should be determined by the degree of iron deficiency in the individual group and knowledge of its effects on quality of life, morbidity, and mortality. The most frequent approach is to provide iron supplementation during pregnancy, lactation, and early childhood as a basic primary healthcare measure. Fortification and dietary modification are complementary approaches, and should be developed.

Nutritional composition of rice bran submitted to different stabilization procedures

A fim de inativar a deterioracao enzimatica, as amostras de farelo de arroz foram submetidas a dois metodos de estabilizacao. As mudancas do valor nutricional, no que se refere a composicao quimica, os minerais e o conteudo de acidos graxos, foram avaliadas para adicionar mais informacoes aos dados existentes e promover a utilizacao de farelo de arroz na dieta humana. Os seguintes tratamentos caseiros por calor foram aplicados: torra em forno convencional ou de aquecimento em forno de micro-ondas. Com base nos resultados, os diferentes metodos de aquecimento afetaram a composicao das amostras, ja que os niveis de alguns nutrientes mostraram alteracoes significativas (p <0,05), comparado com as amostras cruas correspondentes. O farelo de arroz tratado em fogao convencional forneceu produtos com menos umidade (5,14 ± 0,10 g/100 g) e nutrientes, tais como: de sodio 11,8%; acido palmitico 9,9% e acido estearico 8,1%. O procedimento de forno de micro-ondas resultou em melhor preservacao dos nutrientes, com teor de umidade um pouco maior (6,28 ± 0,10 g/100 g), o que parece ser uma ferramenta pratica e rapida no tratamento termico caseiro para o farelo de arroz.

Beta-carotene reduces the ductular (oval) cell reaction in the liver of Wistar rats submitted to the resistant hepatocyte model of carcinogenesis

Summary The morphology of livers of Wistar rats treated with beta‐carotene (BC), vitamin A (VA, retinol acetate) or corn oil (CO, controls) and submitted to the resistant hepatocyte model of carcinogenesis was studied. Preneoplastic lesions (PNL) were smaller and less numerous in the BC group. The latter group also presented fewer placental glutathione‐S‐transferase (GST‐P) positive and hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) distinguishable PNL, with smaller mean areas and smaller mean areas of the liver occupied by PNL. Clear cell foci predominated in BC livers. In picrosirius‐stained liver sections, fibrosis, whether or not accompanying the bile ductular cells, surrounded only 16.67% of PNL in the BC group, as compared to 35.71% in the VA group and 87.72% in the CO group. Moreover, the ductular cell reaction was smaller in the BC group. Smooth muscle actin‐positive cells surrounded some PNL, mostly in CO rats, and less frequently in the VA and BC groups. Examination by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed that cells with nuclei similar to those of perisinusoidal cells, devoid of cytoplasmic fat globules, probably represented myofibroblasts derived from Ito cells and accompanied the ductular cell reaction. On the basis of these results, we suggest that BC reduced not only the PNL but also the ductular (oval) cell reaction in this experimental model.Abbreviations: ASMA, anti‐smooth muscle actin antibody; BC, beta‐carotene; CO, corn oil; GST‐P, placental glutathione‐S‐transferase; PNL, preneoplastic lesion(s); TEM, transmission electron microscopy; VA, vitamin A.

Biodisponibilidade do beta-caroteno da folha desidratada de mandioca (Manihot esculenta Crantz)

The biological availability of b-carotene in cassava leaves (Manihot esculenta Crantz), was verified by means of an assay based on the hepatic depletion of vitamin A reserves model in rats. Rats depleted of hepatic vitamin A received dehydrated cassava leaves as b-carotene source for 25 days and were compared to groups that received diets with vitamin A, b-carotene and without vitamin A. The Zero group was formed of 8 animals that received a diet based on casein, lacking vitamin A, during 15 days. At the end of the experiment, all animals were killed and their livers, serum and feces were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and it was verified that the bioavailability of b-carotene of dehydrated cassava leaves was lower.

Atividade antioxidante do beta-caroteno e da vitamina A. Estudo comparativo com antioxidante sintético

In soybean oil suceptible to oxidation the authors studied the antioxidant activity of the vitamin A as retinol acetate and the b-carotene was studied. The oxidation index of the system was determined by peroxide and malonaldehyde values during the intervals from 24 to 72 hours and profile of the linoleic and linolenic acids after 144 hours of oxidation. It was observed that the retinol acetate had an antioxidant activity greater than b-carotene. The antioxidant activity of retinol acetate and b-carotene were compared to the butyl hidroxi toluene (BHT) and was observed that the antioxidant efficiency was directly proportional to degradation resistance of them in the oxidative system. The retinol acetate, as such BHT, showed a fast interaction with actives radicals, in the beginning of the addition to the soybean oil, reducing the oxidation level when compared to the control.

Estudo da composição química de flocos de cereais com ênfase nos teores de fenilalanina

The chemical composition and the amount of phenylalanine in 13 types of breakfast cereals produced in Brazil and marketed in Sao Paulo were studied. All products showed high amounts of carbohydrates, higher than 77%, supplying a minimum of 345 kcal/100g. The protein contents (Nx5.7) ranged from 3.8 to 7.3%. The phenylalanine levels varied between 224 and 451 mg/100g of the products and the lowest levels were detected in cereals with a reduced protein content, corresponding to cereal flakes with high sugar contents. The amino acid analysis revealed that phenylalanine accounted for 5.96±0.12 g/100g recovered amino acids, with no significant statistical differences among the 13 products studied and showed to be independent of the cereal type. It was possible to establish a linear correlation between the micro-Kjeldahl nitrogen and the phenylalanine level of the samples (correl. coeff. 0.9887) and consequently estimate the phenylalanine contents based only on a simple nitrogen analysis and multiplying the protein content by 5.96. The calculated phenylalanine contents in the 13 products did not differ statistically from the data obtained by amino acid analysis.

Determinação de alfa-Tocoferol em alho irradiado utilizando cromatografia líquida de alta eficiência (CLAE)

The effects of 60Co ionizing radiations in doses of 0, 75, 100, 150, 200 and 250Gy on garlic, upon the a-tocopherol concentration were studied. The a-tocopherol contents were established by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), after direct hexane extraction from the garlic samples. The a-tocopherol was determined through normal-phase column, and mobile phase was composed by hexane: iso-propyl alcohol (99:01 v/v), with 2mL/min flow rate and fluorescence detector. It is statistically shown that an irradiation dose of up to 150 Gy does not affect the garlic a-tocopherol content.

Ingestão habitual de vitamina K em adultos e idosos

OBJETIVO: O principal objetivo deste trabalho e avaliar a ingestao habitual de vitamina K em adultos e idosos. METODOS: Foi realizado um estudo transversal com a participacao de 173 individuos de ambos os sexos. A ingestao habitual de cada participante foi avaliada pela aplicacao de tres recordatorios 24h nao consecutivos. As variabilidades intra e interpessoal foram avaliadas por meio do software PC-SIDE. RESULTADOS: A media de ingestao de vitamina K na amostra foi de 110,7µg/dia, com uma mediana de 99µg/dia; os idosos foram os que apresentaram maiores valores de ingestao, com uma mediana de 104µg/dia. O consumo de vitamina K entre adultos e idosos foi estatisticamente diferente (p=0,00), e o consumo de hortalicas apresentou forte correlacao com o consumo de vitamina K total. CONCLUSAO: Independentemente da faixa etaria e do sexo, a ingestao de vitamina K foi insuficiente em quase metade da amostra, o que pode ocasionar um maior risco de inadequacao dietetica e acarretar problemas osseos no futuro e/ou agravar os ja presentes quando se trata da populacao idosa.