Effects of tropical fruit pulps and partially hydrolysed galactomannan from Caesalpinia pulcherrima seeds on the dietary fibre content,probiotic viability,texture and sensory features of goat dairy beverages

The use of cheese whey and probiotic cultures in the production of dairy beverages has been highly attractive; nonetheless, whey-based goat beverages tend to be poor and watery when compared to fermented milks. The addition of fruits and fibre ingredients might improve texture and mouthfeel of this kind of product. Fermented whey-based goat beverages prepared using Streptococcus thermophilus TA-40 as starter culture, with added guava or soursop pulps, and with or without addition of partially hydrolysed galactomannan from Caesalpinia pulcherrima seeds (PHGM), showed to be good vehicles for Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BB-12 and Lactobacillus rhamnosus Lr-32, maintaining their viability above 7 log CFU/ml during 21 days. PHGM increased the dietary fibre content and enhanced the instrumental texture and sensory features of both guava and soursop dairy beverages, especially texture, appearance, and overall acceptability. The PHGM might be recommended to improve nutritional and sensory quality of fermented probiotic beverages produced with goat milk and cheese whey.     

Microbiological,immunological, and histological changes in the gut of Salmonella Enteritidis-challenged rats fed goat cheese containing Lactobacillus rhamnosus EM1107

Cheeses are able to serve as suitable matrices for supplying probiotics to consumers, enabling appropriate conditions for bacteria to survive gastric transit and reach the gut, where they are assumed to promote beneficial processes. The present study aimed to evaluate the microbiological, immunological, and histological changes in the gut of Salmonella Enteritidis-challenged rats fed goat cheese supplemented with the probiotic strain Lactobacillus rhamnosus EM1107. Thirty male albino Wistar rats were randomly distributed into 5 experimental groups with 6 animals each: negative (NC) and positive (PtC) control groups, control goat cheese (CCh), goat cheese added with L. rhamnosus EM1107 (LrCh), and L. rhamnosus EM1107 only (EM1107). All animals, except NC group were challenged with Salmonella Enteritidis (10⁹ cfu in 1 mL of saline through oral gavage). Microbial composition was assessed with high-throughput 16S rRNA sequencing by means of Illumina MiSeq (Illumina, San Diego, CA). Nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) from the animal cecum tissue was determined by real-time PCR and interleukins (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-10, and IFN-γ) by means of ELISA. Myeloperoxidase and malondialdehyde levels were determined biochemically. The administration of the L. rhamnosus EM1107 probiotic strain, either as a pure culture or added to a cheese matrix, was able to reduce Salmonella colonization in the intestinal lumen and lessen tissue damage compared with rats from PtC group. In addition, the use of cheese for the probiotic strain delivery (LrCh) was associated with a marked shift in the gut microbiota composition toward the increase of beneficial organisms such as Blautia and Lactobacillus and a reduction in NF-κB expression. These findings support our hypothesis that cheeses might be explored as functional matrices for the efficacious delivery of probiotic strains to consumers.     

Thermovinification of grapes from the Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir varieties using immobilized yeasts

This study examined the thermovinification technique using yeasts immobilized on calcium alginate for microvinification of the Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir grape varieties grown in Diamantina, Minas Gerais, Brazil. The wines obtained by thermovinification were characterized by their chemical and sensory aspects. The varietal wines from Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir had an alcohol content of 9.3 and 10.9 % (v/v), respectively. The total acidity, volatile acidity and the alcohol/reduced dry extract ratio were consistent with the Brazilian standards established for identity and quality of wines. There was a significant reduction in the levels of anthocyanins, flavonoids and total phenolic compounds after aging in the bottle. The sensory evaluation presented an acceptability exceeding 60 % for both wines.     

Diverse food in urban gardens in the promotion of food and nutrition security in Brazil: a review

Food and nutrition security can be supported by an urban garden. The present study comprises a critical reflection on the difficulty of producing food in urban gardens in Brazil and shows the potential of food production and the obstacles to its expansion. In addition, issues related to the agroecological management of gardens are addressed and suggestions are made to improve the proposed public policies. Urban gardens are multifunctional and have social, economic and environmental impacts. They are strategically important for supporting low-income families and urban development. Through urban gardens, diverse foods and quality foods can be produced for self-consumption. This review highlights the importance of generating detailed information on urban gardens in Brazil to support policies aimed at this sector. Long-term and multidisciplinary studies are needed to evaluate the relationship between food production in urban gardens and household food and nutrition security. This approach revealed a lack of information on the amount of food produced by Brazilians in their gardens and consumed by the household. In addition, there is little information on the management of production. There is a gap relating to the impact of food produced in urban gardens and the prevalence of food and nutrition security. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry     

Extended preservation of raw beef and pork meat by hyperbaric storage at room temperature

Hyperbaric storage (HS) was evaluated as a new food preservation methodology at room temperature (RT) for beef and pork meat, both minced and in pieces, and compared to refrigeration (RF) storage. The meat samples were stored at 50, 75 and 100 MPa and variable RT up to 60 days. HS at 75 and 100 MPa could not only inhibit microbial growth but also inactivate microorganisms. Regarding physicochemical analyses, an overall equal to better pH maintenance in HS samples was achieved, and similar colour differences between HS and RF were observed. Generally, similarities in moisture content and drip loss between HS (mostly 75 and 100 MPa) and RF were detected (tendency for lower values in the former and higher values in the latter for the higher pressure level). Protein solubility revealed a decrease of sarcoplasmic protein values during storage with a pressure level dependency in some samples.     

Supplementation of progesterone via controlled internal drug release inserts during ovulation synchronization protocols in lactating dairy cows

Our objective was to determine the effect of exogenous progesterone (P4) during a timed artificial insemination (TAI) protocol on pregnancies per AI (P/AI) in dairy cows not previously detected in estrus. Lactating cows (n = 3,248) from 7 commercial dairy herds were submitted to a presynchronization protocol (2 injections of PGF_2α 14 d apart; Presynch), and cows in estrus after the second PGF_2α received AI (EDAI; n = 1,583). Cows not inseminated by 12 to 14 d after the second PGF_2α injection were submitted to a TAI protocol (GnRH on d 0, PGF_2α on d 7, and GnRH + TAI 72 h after PGF_2α). At onset of the TAI protocol, cows were balanced by parity and days in milk and assigned randomly to receive no exogenous P4 (control, n = 803) or a controlled internal drug release (CIDR) insert containing 1.38 g of P4 from d 0 to 7 (CIDR, n = 862). Blood samples were collected at the second PGF_2α injection of the Presynch and on the day of the first GnRH injection of the TAI protocol for P4 determination. When P4 in both samples was <1 ng/mL, cows were classified as anovular, whereas cows having at least 1 sample ≥1 ng/mL were classified as cyclic. Concentration of P4 at 11 to 14 d after AI was determined in a subgroup of cows (n = 453) from 2 herds. Pregnancy was diagnosed at 40 ± 5 and 65 ± 5 d after AI. Proportion of cows inseminated on estrus after the second PGF_2α injection of the Presynch protocol differed among herds (range = 26.7 to 59.8%). Overall P/AI for EDAI cows at 40 ± 5 and 65 ± 5 d were 36.2 and 33.7%, respectively, and pregnancy loss was 8.8%. Proportion of cyclic cows at the onset of the TAI protocol differed among herds (range from 66.5 to 86.3%), but did not differ between treatments (control = 72.4%, CIDR = 74.1%). Treatment affected P/AI at 40 ± 5 (control = 33.3%, CIDR = 38.1%) and 65 ± 5 (control = 30.0%, CIDR = 35.1%) d after AI but did not affect pregnancy loss (8.6%). Cyclic cows had greater P/AI at 40 ± 5 (38.2 vs. 29.3%) and 65 ± 5 d (35.1 vs. 26.1%) after AI, but cyclic status had no effect on pregnancy loss. Treatment affected P4 concentration after AI, with more CIDR cows having P4 ≥1 ng/mL (94.4 vs. 86.9%) and P4 ≥3.2 ng/mL (81.8 vs. 68.0%) at 11 to 14 d after AI compared with control cows. Treatment of cows not previously detected in estrus with a CIDR insert during a TAI protocol increased proportion of cows with functional CL after AI and P/AI.     

New HPLC Method to Determine Ethyl Carbamate in Alcoholic Beverages Using Fluorescence Detection

ABSTRACT: A new methodology to the quantification of ethyl carbamate (EC) has been developed. This method allows the analysis by HPLC of ethyl carbamate in samples of wine, fortified wine, and wine brandy, by a pre-column derivatization with 9-xanthydrol, and fluorescence detection. This does not require previous sample extraction or concentration. The method presents an average recovery of 96% among samples studied, a detection limit of 4.2μg/L, and an average intermediate precision of 6.3%. The comparison of the results obtained for EC analysis on the same wine brandy samples by GC/MS and HPLC are statistically indistinguishable with 97.5% probability. The results of the analysis of 42 samples are presented.