Resumo: O objetivo deste trabalho foi preparar formulações de sopa desidratada com farinha de subproduto de pupunha (SPP), Spirulina platensis ou espinafre, bem como avaliar sua composição por meio de métodos físicos, químicos, instrumentais e sensoriais. Foram preparadas quatro formulações: padrão, farinha de SPP, farinha de SPP e S. platensis, e farinha de SPP e espinafre. As amostras foram avaliadas quanto a composição aproximada, conteúdo de clorofila, compostos fenólicos totais, atividade antioxidante, cor, viscosidade, absorção de água e parâmetros microbiológicos. As características sensoriais foram analisadas pelo método “check-all-that-apply”. As sopas contendo espinafre ou S. platensis apresentaram os maiores teores de proteína de 3,3 e 4,6 g 100 g-1, respectivamente. As sopas preparadas com a microalga S. platensis tiveram os maiores teores de fibras, lipídios e antioxidantes. Foram observadas diferenças na cor e na viscosidade das sopas. A sopa desidratada padrão foi caracterizada como brilhante, cremosa, com sabor e fragmentos de tempero e cor amarelo-clara; a formulação com espinafre, como granulosa, com odor e sabor de ervas, fragmentos de tempero e cor verde-escura; e a com S. platensis, com sabor de ervas, fragmentos de tempero e cor verde-escura. As formulações preparadas estão de acordo com os padrões microbiológicos para alimentos estabelecidos pela legislação brasileira. A análise sensorial indicou novo nicho de mercado, e as sopas com SPP e S. platensis mostraram boa aceitabilidade. Farinha de pupunha, Spirulina platensis e espinafre são alternativas para o enriquecimento nutricional de sopas desidratadas com alto teor de proteínas, cinzas, fibras e antioxidantes.

Abstract: The objective of this work was to develop dehydrated soup formulations using flour from peach palm by-product (PPB), Spirulina platensis or spinach, as well as to evaluate their composition by physical, chemical, instrumental, and sensory methods. Four formulations were developed: standard, PPB flour, PPB flour and S. platensis, and PPB flour and spinach. The samples were analyzed for proximate composition, chlorophyll content, total phenolic compounds, antioxidant activity, color, viscosity, water absorption, and microbiological parameters. The sensory characterization was performed by the check-all-that-apply method. The soups containing spinach or S. platensis presented the highest protein contents of 3.3 and 4.6 g 100 g-1, respectively. The soups formulated with the microalgae S. platensis showed higher contents of fibers, lipids, and antioxidants. Changes were observed in the color and viscosity of the soups. The standard dehydrated soup was characterized as shiny, creamy, with seasoning flavor and fragments, and a pale-yellow color; the formulation with spinach, as grainy, with an herb odor and flavor, seasoning fragments, and a dark-green color; and with S. platensis, with herb flavor, seasoning fragments, and a dark-green color. The developed formulations are within the microbiological standards for food established by the Brazilian legislation. The sensory analysis revealed a new market niche, and the soups containing PPB and S. platensis showed good acceptability. Peach palm flour, Spirulina platensis, and spinach are alternatives for the nutritional enrichment of dehydrated soups with high protein, ash, fiber, and antioxidant contents.

Cultivos da cianobactéria Spirulina platensis vêm sendo conduzidos utilizando-se ureia como fonte de nitrogênio, em processo descontínuo alimentado, para obtenção de biomassa desidratada para ser incorporada em alimentos visando enriquecimento nutricional e conferir caráter funcional em virtude da composição rica em proteínas, vitaminas e diversos componentes bioativos. Neste trabalho, foi estudada a substituição da farinha de trigo pela mandioca, além da adição de biomassa de Spirulina platensis e açúcar invertido, para desenvolver um 'sonho' com elevada taxa da Reação de Maillard para mascarar a coloração verde da biomassa, por meio da metodologia de superfície de resposta. As formulações foram avaliadas em relação aos aspectos de composição centesimal, sensoriais e tecnológicos que, quando comparados com o padrão, sem adição de biomassa de S. platensis e açúcar invertido, demonstraram a viabilidade da adição da biomassa para conferir enriquecimento nutricional sem afetar, de forma significativa, a aceitação sensorial e as características típicas do produto obtido.

The cyanobacteria Spirulina platensis has been cultivated in a fed batch process with urea as the nitrogen source, in order to obtain dehydrated biomass for incorporation into food, aiming at nutritional enrichment and the production of a functional character, due to the amount of proteins, vitamins and several bioactive compounds found in this cyanobacterium. In this study, response surface methodology was used to analyze the substitution of wheat flour by cassava in the development of doughnuts with added Spirulina platensis biomass and inverted sugar, in order to increase the rate of the Maillard's reaction and mask the green colour of the biomass. The formulations were evaluated in relation to their proximate, sensory and technological compositions, which, when compared to the standard formulation, without the addition of S. platensis biomass and inverted sugar, showed the feasibility of adding the biomass to bestow nutritional enrichment without significantly affecting the sensory acceptance of the product or its typical characteristics.

The aim of this work was to study the enrichment of Spirulina platensis in wheat flour to prepare fresh pasta to evaluate the green color and nutritional enrichment in addition to functional properties due to the presence of the bioactive compounds in the cyanobacterium. The pastas were evaluated for the centesimal composition, microbiological contamination, sensorial acceptance and technological characteristics such as cooking time, water absorption, volume displacement and loss of solids. The superior protein contents and the satisfactory technological and sensorial attributes compared with the control with no cyanobacterium showed the usefulness of incorporating S. platensis biomass in the fresh pastas. The microbiological quality was in compliance with the legislation in force. The sensorial quality was considered satisfactory (“liked very much”) and purchase intention high (“probably would buy”).

The effects of light intensity and temperature in S. platensis cultivation with potassium nitrate or urea as nitrogen source were investigated, as well as the biomass chlorophyll contents of this cyanobacteria, through the Response Surface Methodology. Experiments were performed at temperatures from 25 to 34.5ºC and light intensities from 15 to 69 µmol photons m-2 s-1, in mineral medium. In cultivations with both sources of nitrogen, KNO3 and urea, statistic evaluation through multiple regression, no interactions of such independent variables were detected in the results of the dependent variables maximum cell concentration, chlorophyll biomass contents, cell and chlorophyll productivities, as well as in the nitrogen-cell conversion factor. In cultivation performed with both sources of nitrogen, it was possible to obtain satisfactory adjustments to relate the dependent variables to the independent variables. The best results were achieved at temperature of 30ºC, at light intensity of 60 µmol photons m-2s-1, for cell growth, with cell productivity of approximately 95 mg L-1 d-1 in cultivations with urea. For the chlorophyll biomass content, the most adequate light intensity was 24 µmol photons m-2 s-1.

A nata de coco, alimento glicídico obtido por fermentação em superfície promovida por Acetobacter xylinum, é bastante difundida em alguns países asiáticos, principalmente nas Filipinas. Como meio de cultivo são utilizadas a água ou o leite de coco, produtos de baixo valor econômico e resíduos de processamento da fruta; há indicativos na literatura, entretanto, de que outros resíduos agro-industriais como soro de leite ou mesmo suco de frutas podem ser utilizados. A fim de avaliar a produção de nata para posteriores estudos visando o uso de meios alternativos, foi utilizado um meio de composição definida com o qual foi possível definir as condições de pH, de inóculo e de incubação, assim como observar a influência de açúcares e de ácidos no processo. Foram delineados experimentos usando-se ácido acético e glucose como variáveis de entrada visando a otimização do processo. As condições de fermentação incluíram correção do pH para 4, adição de 10% (v/v) de inóculo ao meio e incubação a 28°C por 10 dias. As condições encontradas como ótimas em relação às concentrações iniciais dos nutrientes considerados foram 0,65 moles/l de ácido acético e 67,4 g/l de glucose, com o que se produz 7,107 g de nata por 250 ml de meio .

"Nata", a glycidic food obtained by surface fermentation with Acetobacter xylinum, is well-known in some Asiatic countries, mainly the Philippines. Coconut milk or water, low economical value by-products of coconut processing, are employed as culture media; the literature on the subject indicates that other agricultural residues such as milk whey and even fruit juices may also be used. To evaluate the production of "nata" aiming further studies concerning alternative culture media, a synthetic medium was employed, what enabled the determination of the conditions concerning pH, inoculum and incubation, as well as the observation of the influence of the presence of sucrose and acids on the process. To optimize the process, it was designed a set of experiments with acetic acid and glucose as variables. The defined conditions were pH correction to 4, the addition of 10% (v/v) of inoculum to the medium and incubation at 28°C for 10 days. The optimum initial concentrations of the considered nutrients were 0,65 moles/l of acetic acid and 67,4 g/l of glucose in which were produced 7,107 g of "nata"/250 ml of medium.