Search results

This study aimed to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of the aqueous extract from jaboticaba skin against important foodborne bacteria and fungi and its stability.

Jaboticaba skin aqueous extract (at ratio of 10 g L-1) was tested against Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus and Escherichia coli. Stability of the anti-staphylococcal activity, total phenolics, monomeric anthocyanins, tannins, phenolic acid content were measured and statistically correlated.

The residue extract inhibited L.monocytogenes, S.aureus, B.cereus and E.coli growth but was not effective against fungi and was stable to the thermal treatments, remaining with its inhibitory activity against S.aureus. When stored for 14 days at 25 °C with an incidence of light, there was a reduction in the antibacterial activity and in the phenolic compounds. The change in pH slightly changed polyphenolic content profile, and the exposure to papain and bromelain did not affect the antimicrobial activity. Results showed strong correlation between anti-staphylococcal activity, the presence of polyphenols and anthocyanins, meanwhile moderate correlation with phenolic acids content in the extract.

Biopreservatives are a great trend in food microbiology. The present work shows deeper information about the utilization of jaboticaba skin as antimicrobial agent and its stability, which is not found in the current literature.

As studies investigating the effects of fructan sources, such as yacon, on glucose and lipid metabolism showed different results, additional research is required to establish a clear relationship between them. Thus, this paper aims to evaluate possible effects of the consumption of the yacon pulp flour (YPF) on biological and metabolic parameters such as food consumption, weight gain, serum glucose levels and fecal lipid excretion of rats, as well as determine the role of glycemic index (GI) of the diets added of this ingredient on those parameters.

For this purpose, 24 male albino Wistar rats were divided into four groups, which received the following treatments for 17 days: Group 1 (G1) (Control) – American Institute of Nutrition (AIN)-M; Group 2 (G2) – AIN-M added 5 per cent YPF; Group 3 (G3) – AIN-M added 10 per cent YPF and Group 4 (G4) – AIN-M added 15 per cent YPF. Analysis of fasting and postprandial glycemia was conducted for elaboration of the glycemic curve and calculation of the GI of the diets. Lipids loss was measured by quantification of crude fat in feces after consumption of the diet.

YPF, regarding the concentration in the diets, did not elevate the fasting glucose among the groups. The postprandial glucose of the animals declined in different postprandial glucose peaks of the groups ingesting YPF in relation to the control one, especially in group treated with 15 per cent YPF, between 30 and 60 min (p <0,05), confirming the influence of the dietary fiber on the absorption of the glucose. The ingestion of YPF increased dragging of lipids to the animal feces, proportional to the amounts of YPF added to the diets. According to the regression analysis, followed by regression testing to 5 per cent, there was a significant difference between the experimental groups, being that the elevation of the percentage of YPF added to the diet caused a proportional increase in the lipid levels in the animal feces.

YPF could be an alimentary source of interest, mainly when the focus is on disease risk prevention such as diabetes, obesity and dyslipidemias.

This paper aims to study the effects of Zygophyllum album (Za) (Z. album) in hypercholesterolemic-diabetic rats.

Male Wistar rats (n = 36) weighing 200 ± 10 g, consumed an experimental diet containing 20 per cent casein were divided into three groups (n = 12). The first group consumed the diet enriched with 1 per cent cholesterol (CH), the second group is rendered diabetic by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ) (35 mg/kg body weight) (D) (DM). The third group is hypercholesterolemic and STZ-induced diabetic (CH-DM); each group was subdivided into two groups (n = 6), non-treated groups (CH, DM and CH-DM) and treated groups supplemented with 1 per cent Z. album lyophilized aqueous extract (CH-Z, DM-Z and CH-DM-Z).

In CH-DM group, Z. album decreases glycemia (−15 per cent) and inversely increases insulinemia (+28 per cent) and Homeostasis Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (+19 per cent). In liver, total cholesterol (TC) and triacyglycerols (TAG) levels were reduced by −57 per cent and −29 per cent, respectively. In plasma, TC concentration was increased by +20 per cent, whereas those of TAG level were lowered by −56 per cent. Lecithin cholesterol acyl transferase and paraoxonase 1 activities were raised by +45 and +59 per cent, respectively. Inversely, thiobarbituric acid reactive substance levels were lowered significantly in liver, heart, kidney and adipose tissue (p < 0.05). Superoxide dismutase activity was enhanced in liver (+54 per cent), heart (+36 per cent), kidney (+45 per cent) and adipose tissue (59 per cent). Liver glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity was enhanced by +38 per cent and heart activities of GSH-Px, and glutathione reductase (GSSH-Red) were increased by +25 and +18 per cent. In kidney, GSH-Px activity was reduced by −26 per cent; in reverse, GSSH-Red activity was increased by +14 per cent. In adipose tissue, GSH-Px and GSSH-Red activities were augmented by +35 and +15 per cent.

These results suggest that Z. album aqueous extract has antihyperglycemic and antihyperlipemic actions. Also, Z. album protects against tissue oxidative damage; therefore, it can help to prevent cardiovascular complications of diabetes combined with hypercholesterolemia.

The study was aimed to compare the effect of three drying techniques viz., spray, freeze and hot air oven (HAO) drying on yield, nutritional parameters, minerals and physicochemical and morphological characterization of wild banana pulp (Musa balbisiana Colla).

Contents of carbohydrate was estimated by Anthrone reagent, protein by Kjeldahl, fat by Soxhlet, dietary fiber and ash by Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC), minerals by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry, gross calorific value by Bomb calorimeter, moisture by moisture analyzer, water activity by water activity meter, morphological characterization by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), statistical level of significance at p < 0.05 by ANOVA, predictive modeling by simple and multiple linear regression.

Freeze and HAO drying were standardized with matured (stage 2) and spray drying with ripe bananas (stage 6). Freeze drying showed highest yield (76.69 ± 0.15%), minerals viz., K (1175.67 ± 1.41), Fe (2.27 ± 0.09), Mg (120.33 ± 0.47), Mn (4.40 ± 0.28) mg/100 g, protein (7.53 ± 0.14%), lesser moisture (7.95 ± 0.01%), water activity (0.17 ± 0.02a_w), hygroscopicity (6.37 ± 1.09%), well dispersed particles by SEM. HAO drying exhibited highest dietary fiber (18.95 ± 0.24%), gross calorific value 357.17 kcal/100 gm, higher solubility (47.22 ± 0.86%). Spray drying showed highest carbohydrate (85.29 ± 0.01%), lowest yield (28.26 ± 0.32%), required 30.5% adjuncts.

Effect of three drying techniques and use of adjuncts were not uniform for ripe and matured bananas.

Commercial utilization of seeded wild banana.

Value addition of wild banana in Assam, India

Freeze drying of mature wild banana pulp (M. balbisiana) was found as best technique utilizing lesser energy.

This study aims to develop a green, economical and efficient ultrasonic-/microwave assisted extraction (UMAE) process for the extraction of anthocyanins.

After optimizing the extraction conditions by response surface methodology, three assays including DPPH, ABTS·+, FRAP were applied to analyze the antioxidant activity of the extracted anthocyanins. The stability under different temperatures, reductant concentrations and pHs was also discussed. The components of anthocyanins in blueberry were analyzed by HPLC-QTOF-MS2.

The optimal extraction parameters were ultrasonic power of 300 W, microwave power of 365.28 W and solid–liquid ratio of 30 (g/mL). The possible structures can be speculated as Delphinidin-3-O-galactoside, Delphinidin, Petunidin, Delphinidin-3-O-glucoside, Petunidin-3-O-glucoside, Cyanidin-3-O-glucoside. The results demonstrated that the UMAE can improve the yield of anthocyanins in shorter extraction time with higher activity.

The present study may provide a promising and feasible route for extracting anthocyanins from blueberries and studying their physicochemical properties, ultimately promoting the utilization of blueberry anthocyanins.

The purpose of this study was the development and the nutritional, physical-chemical and sensorial characterization of probiotic and synbiotic sorbets elaborated with jussara pulp (Euterpe edulis), Lactobacillus spp. and polydextrose.

Five formulations of jussara sorbets (one control, two probiotics and two synbiotics) were produced and evaluated according to their centesimal composition, pH, soluble solids, instrumental color, overrun, apparent density, sensory acceptability and purchase intent.

All sorbets exhibited low calorific value, with no difference between them (p = 0.96). The synbiotic samples (S3 and S5) showed the higher carbohydrate (30.4 and 30.2 per cent) and crude fiber content (0.4 and 0.5 per cent). Regarding to sensory acceptance, the probiotic samples (S2 and S4) presented greater global acceptability (averages acceptance 6.4 and 6.6, respectively) while the polydextrose samples (S3 and S5) showed low values (5.9 for both samples), although this prebiotic was able to increase the overrun to values above 40 per cent.

The functional jussara sorbets are a promising possibility for diversification of the probiotic foods already offered. The combination of its probiotic, prebiotic and bioactive properties can provide technological improvement and superior nutritional quality, with good sensorial acceptance. Likewise, jussara pulp showed nutritional properties favorable to its application in the food industry, which can help preserve its endangered palm tree.

The probiotics and synbiotics jussara sorbets showed to be adequate as a lactose-free and low-calorie functional product, with high nutritional, commercial and ecological value. Also, it was possible to notice that while the addition of probiotics improved the sensorial acceptance of jussara sorbets, polydextrose raised the technological quality by increasing its overrun.

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the chemical and functional composition of acerola, guava and cashew freeze-dried pomaces.

Fruit pomaces were obtained from the pulp juice industrial sector and submitted to freeze-drying. Samples were analysed for composition (macronutrients, micronutrients, moisture and ash), technological attributes (morphological, hygroscopicity, retention of oil and water and solubility), bioactive compounds (total phenolics, flavonoids, proanthocyanins, anthocyanins, carotenoids and ascorbic acid), antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. Total phenolics, brown pigments and antioxidant activity of thermally treated samples were evaluated. Results were presented as mean and standard deviation, and submitted to Shapiro–Wilk normality test, and ANOVA statistical significance follows by Tukey’s post hoc test (p<0.05). Also, Pearson correlation coefficients were used to test the relationship between selected parameters.

Guava pomace had the highest insoluble fibre (40.6 per cent), protein (13.8 per cent) and lipid (9.3 per cent) contents and acerola higher soluble fibre (14.2 per cent) and water and oil holding capacity (12 and 5.4 g/g, respectively). Cashew pomace had higher solubility (45.3 per cent) and hygroscopicity (11.2 per cent). Acerola pomace had the highest phenolic content (5,331.7 mg AGE/100 g), DPPH and oxygen radical absorbance capacity antioxidant activity (63.3 and 756.6 µmol TE/g). Despite of that none of extracts showed antibacterial activity. All pomaces presented good antioxidant activity retention after thermal treatments (> 70 per cent), which might be correlated to thermally induced brown pigments.

This investigation was motivated by the large amounts of pomaces produced by the fruit pulp and juice processing industries, which represents a waste of residual phytochemicals and cause potential environmental problems. Overall, it was demonstrated that freeze-dried acerola, guava and cashew pomaces are promising ingredients for multiple food applications.