Ronoel Luiz de Oliveira Godoy

Essential Oil of Rosmarinus officinalis L. (Rosemary) from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Abstract The essential oil from fresh leaves of Rosmarinus officinalis L. from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, was isolated by hydrodistillation and analyzed through a combination of GC and GC/MS. Compounds representing 98.3% of the oil were identified. Forty-five constituents were identified according to their chromatographic retention indices and mass spectra. The major constituents of the oil were camphor (26.0%), 1,8-cineole (22.1%), myrcene (12.4%) and α-pinene (11.5%).

Desenvolvimento de um método de análise de vitamina C em alimentos por cromatografa líquida de alta eficiência e exclusão iônica

Vitamin C is an essential nutrient for human physiology. In Brazil, vitamin C supplements are expensive and most of the population obtains vitamin C through its consumption of fruits and vegetables. Therefore, the vitamin C assay in food is crucial in post-harvest studies to conserve and minimize losses of this highly sensitive nutrient. This study proposes a method for analyzing vitamin C by High Performance Liquid Chromatography using a hydrogen type ion exchange column, and demonstrates that it is more efficient than the traditional methods of reverse phase column (C18) for complex matrixes and low levels of this analyte. Chromatograms were baseline resolved and peak purity evaluation showed spectral homogeneity by photo diode array detector. This method was also tested using the best extraction solution to stabilize vitamin C, demonstrating that 0.05 M of superpure sulfuric acid (also the mobile phase) was the most efficient solution for this purpose.

EFEITO DA IRRADIAÇÃO IONIZANTE gama NA QUALIDADE PÓS-COLHEITA DE CENOURAS (Daucus carota L.) cv. NANTES

The goal of this work was to evaluate the effect of g irradiation on the post harvest physical and chemical characteristics of cv. Nantes carrots. According to the Family Budget Survey (FBS, 1991) carried out in the Brazilian Southeast, within the roots and tubers group, carrots are widely consumed. It is also well known that the carrot is one of the best sources of provitamin A (a and b-carotene). Doses of 0.25, 0.50, 0.75 and 1.0kgy of g ionizing irradiation, from a cesium source, in accordance with the maximum dose allowed by the FDA (1995), were used on the carrots. The different treatments and the control group were evaluated by analysing for pH, total soluble solids (TSS), total titratable acidity (TTA), TSS/TTA ratio, weight loss, hardness, colour, total carotenoid content, ascorbic acid concentration and volatiles. The variance analysis (F of the Fisher treatment) of the results showed no significant difference at the 5% level between the irradiated samples and the control group for most of the tests, except for the colour intensity, which faded with increase in the irradiation dose, total acidity and TSS/TTA ratio, which decreased due to the decrease in the organic acid concentration after harvest. The results show that the low dose irradiation process is very promising to maintain the quality of the product, being a good alternative to avoid post harvest losses.

Classificação do mel em floral ou mel de melato

Honey is a natural product made by bees using flowers nectar (floral honey) or excretion of alive parts of plants or either excretion produced by sucking insects from alive parts of plants (honeydew honey). Honeydew is an alternative food source used by bees. In Santa Catarina state, honeydew honey is produced from january to april, each two years. In order to identify the presence of honeydew honey, 25 samples were sampled randomly from january/93 to june/96. They were colected from different apiaries in different periods of time and tested for moisture, pH, ash, reducing sugars, and the results were used in the application of Kirkwood equation to classify honey as floral or honeydew. They were analised for polarimetry, to classify them according to Kirkwood and White. The statistical study was done by the application of exact test of Fisher and, in spite of some divergences found to classify 4 samples, the statistical study showed correlation between Kirkwood and White methods, indicating that both can be used.

Retention of total carotenoid and β-carotene in yellow sweet cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) after domestic cooking

Background Over the last decade, considerable efforts have been made to identify cassava cultivars to improve the vitamin A nutritional status of undernourished populations, especially in northeast Brazil, where cassava is one of the principal and essentially only nutritional source. Objectives The aim of this study was to evaluate the total carotenoid, β-carotene, and its all-E-, 9-, and 13-Z-β-carotene isomers content in seven yellow sweet cassava roots and their retention after three boiling cooking methods. Design The total carotenoid, β-carotene, and its all-E-, 9-, and 13-Z-β-carotene isomers in yellow sweet cassava samples were determined by ultraviolet/visible spectrometry and high-performance liquid chromatography, respectively, before and after applying the cooking methods. All analyses were performed in triplicate. Results The total carotenoid in raw roots varied from 2.64 to 14.15 µg/g and total β-carotene from 1.99 to 10.32 µg/g. The β-carotene predominated in all the roots. The Híbrido 2003 14 08 cultivar presented the highest β-carotene content after cooking methods 1 and 3. The 1153 – Klainasik cultivar presented the highest 9-Z-β-carotene content after cooking by method 3. The highest total carotenoid retention was observed in cultivar 1456 – Vermelhinha and that of β-carotene for the Híbrido 2003 14 11 cultivar, both after cooking method 1. Evaluating the real retention percentage (RR%) in sweet yellow cassava after home cooking methods showed differences that can be attributed to the total initial carotenoid contents. However, no cooking method uniformly provided a higher total carotenoid or β-carotene retention in all the cultivars. Conclusion Differences were found in the cooking methods among the samples regarding total carotenoid or β-carotene retention, suggesting that the different behaviors of the cultivars need to be further analyzed. However, high percentages of total carotenoid or β-carotene retention were observed and can minimize vitamin A deficiency in low-income populations.

Effects of Boiling and Frying on the Bioaccessibility of β-Carotene in Yellow-Fleshed Cassava Roots (Manihot Esculenta Crantz cv. BRS Jari)

Background The effects of boiling and frying on the bioaccessibility of all-trans-β-carotene in biofortified BRS Jari cassava roots have not been investigated, although these are conventional methods of cassava preparation. Objective The aims of the present study were to investigate β-carotene micellarization efficiency of yellow-fleshed BRS Jari cassava roots after boiling and frying, as an indicator of the bioaccessibility of this carotenoid, and to apply fluorescence microscopy to investigate β-carotene in the emulsified fraction. Methods Uncooked, boiled, and fried cassava roots were digested in vitro for the evaluation, by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), of the efficiency of micellarization of all-trans-β-carotene in BRS Jari cassava roots. Fluorescence microscopy of the micellar fraction was used to confirm the presence of β-carotene in the emulsified fraction and to observe the structure of the microemulsion from the boiled and fried cassava samples. Results Fried cassava roots showed the highest (p < .05) micellarization efficiency for total carotenoids and all-trans-β-carotene (14.1 ± 2.25% and 14.37 ± 2.44%, respectively), compared with boiled and raw samples. Fluorescence microscopy showed that after in vitro digestion there were no carotenoid crystals in the micellar fraction, but rather that this fraction presented a biphasic system compatible with emulsified carotenoids, which was consistent with the expected high bioavailability of β-carotene in this fraction. Conclusions Increased emulsification and bioaccessibility of β-carotene from fried biofortified BRS Jari cassava roots compensates for chemical losses during preparation, indicating that this preparation is suitable for home use of BRS Jari cassava roots and might represent a relatively good food source of bioavailable provitamin A.

Analysis of the hexane extracts from seven oleoresins of Protium species

Abstract The oleoresins of seven Protium species were extracted with hexane and the obtained extracts were studied by GC and GC/MS. A total of 38 compounds were identified in these extracts. The principal components were α-pinene, β-pinene, p-cymene, α-cubebene, β-caryophyllene, α-amyrenone, α-amyrin and β-amyrin. p-Cymene was the principal monoterpene of P. grandifolium (46.5%) and P. apiculatum (25.4%). High concentrations of α- and β-amyrins were identified in P. strumosum (64%) and P. tenuifolium (66.7%).

Avaliação dos efeitos da radiação gama nos teores de carotenóides, ácido ascórbico e açúcares do futo buriti do brejo (Mauritia flexuosa L.)

Buriti (Mauritia flexuosa L.), a typical fruit from the Northeast and Center-West Amazon of Brazil, is used in many regional dishes. It is considered an excellent source of carotenoids that are A vitamin precursors, showing a majority of β-carotene. It also presents ascorbic acid and sugar contents. Many studies have indicated that the lack of A vitamin is the main cause of night blindness and xerophthalmia. Also, ascorbic acid deficiency may cause scorbutic disease. The use of food irradiation is growing and represents an economic benefit to agriculture through the reduction of post-harvesting losses while maintaining food nutritional quality. In this study, Buriti in natura was treated with gamma irradiation with doses of 0.5 kGy and 1.0 kGy. The objective was to evaluate the irradiation effects on total carotenoids, ascorbic acid and sugars concentrations of Buriti. The fruit was evaluated through the total carotenoids analysis, by spectrophotometry, and the carotenoids (α and β-carotene and lutein), ascorbic acid and sugars were determined by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). The results showed that buriti is an excellent source of total carotenoids (44600 μg/100g). The irradiation of buriti with the dose of 0.5 kGy did not significantly change carotenoids and sugars contents. However, there was a reduction of ascorbic acid concentration with an increase of the dose, which may have been caused by irradiation or by intrinsic and extrinsic factors that alter ascorbic acid stability in food, converting ascorbic to dehydroascorbic acid, while keeping the C vitamin active form.

Efeito de baixas doses de irradiação nos carotenóides majoritários em cenouras prontas para o consumo

This study aims was to evaluate the effect of low doses of g radiation on the total carotenoids, a and b-carotene content in minimally processed carrots, during the shelflife. Carrots are the mains vegetable source of carotenoids provitamin A (a and b-carotene). According to the Family Budget Survey (FBS) carried out in the Brazilian Southeast, within the roots and tubers group, carrots are widely consumed. The carotenoid stability varies largely during the stages of processing and storage, depending upon structure, temperature, oxygen availability, light exposure, humidity content, water activity and acid, metal anti-oxidant and pro-oxidant presence. The minimally processed carrots in this experiment were manually peeled, rinsed, cutted into diskis, packaged under 5% O2 / 10% CO2 and 21% O2 (sintetic air), g ionizing radiation treatments was carried out with a 137Cs source, of 0,25, 0,50, 0,75 and 1,0kGy doses, and shelf-stored at 5°C for 24 days. Total carotenoids quantification was by 449nm spectrophotometer. Determination of a and b-carotenes was made by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). The different treatments and control group were, too, evaluated by analysing of colour and volatiles, by gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy with solid phase microextration (CG-MS/SPME), for study the significant carotenoids losses during the process.

Diterpenoids from Dypterix odorata

Abstract A new cassane diterpene was isolated from the bark of seeds of Dipterix odorata together with four known diterpenoids with the same skeleton.