Abstract The use of whole fruits and vegetables, including the parts usually discarded during food processing, is an alternative to reduce the quantity of agro-industrial wastes. This study aimed to evaluate papaya seeds' nutritional and bioactive potential in two ripening stages. The seeds in the stages 0 and 5 of ripening were analyzed regarding their physicochemical composition, while the oil and the hydroethanolic extracts of the seeds were studied in respect of their fatty acid profile, total phenolic content, antioxidant and antimicrobial capacities. The seeds in both ripening stages show good nutritional quality, because they are sources of protein, fiber, and oil. The oil extracted from the seeds is majorly composed by oleic fatty acid (around 70%). The seeds extracts did not present antimicrobial activity against Salmonella enteritidies, Escherichia coli e Staphylococcus aureus. However, they presented high contents of total phenols (58.1 and 36.0 mg GAE⁄g dry extract for seeds in the ripening stages 0 and 5, respectively) and good antioxidant capacity, according to the FRAP and ABTS●+ assays. Papaya seeds provide nutrients and bioactive compounds and their use is a promising alternative to reduce the disposal of food wastes in the environment.

Probiotics are live microorganisms that confer a health benefit on the host by improving the intestinal microbial balance. We evaluated the viability of Lactobacillus acidophilus (La) and Bifidobacterium lactis (Bl) probiotics and their effects on the technology and sensorial characteristics of fermented sausage. The presence of probiotic cultures reduced water activity and promoted faster pH reduction in the salamis, which presented pH values between 4.71 and 5.23 and water activity between 0.84 and 0.89. Lactic acid content ranged between 0.19 and 0.29 g, and the samples lost up to 35 % of their weight during ripening. As regards color, no differences were found between the probiotic salamis and the control, presenting an overall mean of 40.85 for L* (lightness), 14.48 for a* (redness) and 6.46 for b* (yellowness). High consumer acceptance was observed for the probiotic salamis, which showed an average acceptance of approximately 7.0 on a nine-point hedonic scale for all attributes evaluated, with no differences (p < 0.05) when compared with the control. The performance of La was better, as the salamis treated with this microorganism presented less weight loss, better acceptance and greater purchase intention. Flavor and texture were the attributes that most influenced sensory acceptance. Salamis supplemented with probiotic cultures may be a viable option for the formulation of fermented sausages in the food industry.