ABSTRACT The consumption of fresh fruits has increased nowadays due to the lifestyle of the consumers. Maintaining the quality and nutritional value of cut fruits during storage is difficult compared to whole fruits. Deterioration of internal and external quality usually occurs in freshly harvested fruits. It is necessary to use different techniques to maintain the quality and increase the shelf life of the freshly cut product. This research studied the effect of treating apple slices with cold plasma once and with filtered water again on quality characteristics (hardness, moisture content, sugar content, carbohydrate content, and color) after being stored for five days. The best treatment was determined using two different pressures of the plasma jet (1 and 5 atm) and two different immersion times (3 and 6 minutes). It was verified the superiority of cold plasma treatment at 5 atm and 3 minutes immersion time in all studied traits, while treatment with filtered water and 6 minutes immersion time was superior concerning the moisture content of apple slices. There is an inverse relationship between L* and a direct relationship between the a* and b* values with the storage time. Therefore, the use of cold plasma treatment is promising in storing cut fruits, extending their shelf life, and improving their quality and safety, which provides fresh fruits.

RESUMO O consumo de frutas frescas tem aumentado atualmente devido ao estilo de vida dos consumidores. Manter a qualidade e o valor nutricional dos frutos cortados durante o armazenamento é difícil em comparação com os frutos inteiros. A deterioração da qualidade interna e externa geralmente ocorre em frutas recém-colhidas. Para manter a qualidade e aumentar a vida útil do produto recém-cortado, é necessário utilizar diferentes técnicas. Nesta pesquisa, foi estudado o efeito do tratamento de fatias de maçã com plasma frio uma vez e com água filtrada novamente nas características de qualidade (como dureza, teor de umidade, teor de umidade, teor de carboidratos e cor) após armazenamento por 5 dias. O melhor tratamento foi determinado utilizando duas pressões diferentes do jato de plasma (1 e 5 atm) e dois tempos de imersão diferentes (3 e 6 min). Verificou-se superioridade do tratamento com plasma frio a 5 atm e tempo de imersão de 3 min em todas as características estudadas, enquanto o tratamento com água filtrada no tempo de imersão de 6 min foi superior no teor de umidade das fatias de maçã. Existe uma relação inversa entre o valor da cor L* e uma relação direta entre o valor de a* e b* com o tempo de armazenamento. Portanto, o uso do tratamento com plasma frio é promissor no armazenamento de frutas cortadas, prolongando sua vida útil e melhorando sua qualidade e segurança, o que proporciona frutas frescas.

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of eubiotics on the intestinal morphology of broilers. For this purpose, 125 birds were divided into six groups with two replicates each (10 birds in each replicate). Group A was given a Basal diet. All groups except group A were challenged with Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis. Group B was provided the basal diet, group C was fed a Probiotic-added diet; group D was fed a Prebiotics-based diet; group E was given essential oils plus the basal diet; and group F was provided with organic acids plus the basal diet. Two separate experiments were carried out for Salmonella recovery, checking the cecal tonsils and conducting an intestinal pathomorphic evaluation. Villus length, villus width, villus surface area, and crypt depth were measured by micrometry. There was an overall improvement (p<0.05) in intestinal morphometric parameters for all the treatment groups except for the negative control group, which showed the lowest villus height and villus depth values. Maximum villus height (p<0.05) of the duodenum was achieved by group E, which was fed a diet containing essential oils, whereas a maximum villus surface area index (p<0.05) was recorded for the birds of Group D, which were fed a diet containing prebiotics. Maximum villus height (p<0.05) and surface area index in ileum mucosa was recorded (p<0.05) in the birds of group D (treated with prebiotics). It is concluded that there is an overall increase in the gut histology of broilers fed non-antibiotic based feed.

Aim. Food allergy is an important public health concern with an increasing prevalence. The objectives were to determine the possible association between cow's milk protein allergy (CMPA) and 25(OH)D (vitamin-D) levels of infants with an initial diagnosis of CMPA and the association between 25(OH)D levels and (a) SPT (skin prick test) induration size, (b) specific IgE to milk, (c) specific IgE to casein. Methods. Prospective, observational, case control study; the study group was composed of children < 2 years of age with a diagnosis of CMPA confirmed by an oral food challenge test. Healthy infants were enrolled as controls. Serum 25(OH) D levels were obtained at the initial workup in both groups. The correlation of vitamin-D levels was investigated in the development of CMPA. Results. Among the study group of patients (n:56) 41,1% (n:23) had IgE-mediated and 58,9% (n:33) had non-IgE-mediated allergies There were no statistically significant differences between the CMPA and control groups (n: 55), in terms of serum 25(OH)D levels (33.85 ± 16.18ng/ml, 30.70 ± 14.90ng/ml; respectively, p:0.289). No statistically significant difference was found between study and controls according to 25(OH) D levels (adequate, insufficiency, deficiency; p=0.099). In the SPT of the CMPA group, a negative weak correlation without statistical significance was determined between the induration diameter of milk antigen and serum levels of 25(OH)D (p:0,794; r= -0,037). Conclusions. No significant difference was found in serum 25 (OH)D levels between infants with CMPA and healthy controls. Our results do not support the routine request for 25(OH)D levels in pediatric age CMPA patients at their initial workup.

Objetivo. La alergia alimentaria es un problema de salud pública. Los objetivos fueron determinar la asociación entre la alergia a la proteína de la leche de vaca (APLV) y la vitamina 25(OH)D en los lactantes diagnosticados con APLV y la asociación entre la 25(OH)D y (a) tamaño de la zona indurada en la prueba intraepidérmica, (b) IgE específica para leche y (c) IgE específica para caseína. Métodos. Estudio de casos y controles prospectivo, observacional con niños < 2 años con APLV confirmada mediante prueba de exposición oral al alimento. Se incluyó a lactantes sanos como controles. La concentración sérica de 25(OH)D se obtuvo en ambos grupos. Se estudió la correlación entre la vitamina D y la APLV. Resultados. Entre los pacientes (n: 56), el 41,1 % (n: 23) tenía alergia mediada por la IgE y el 58,9 % (n: 33), alergia no mediada por la IgE. No hubo diferencias estadísticamente significativas entre los grupos con APLV y de referencia (n: 55) en la 25(OH)D (33,85 ± 16,18 ng/ml, 30,70 ± 14,90 ng/ml; respectivamente, p : 0,289). No hubo diferencias estadísticamente significativas entre los grupos según la 25(OH)D (adecuada, insuficiencia, deficiencia; p = 0,099). Con la prueba intraepidérmica, se determinó una correlación negativa sin significancia estadística entre la zona indurada del antígeno de la leche y la 25(OH)D (p: 0,794; r = -0,037). Conclusiones. No se observaron diferencias significativas en la 25(OH)D entre ambos grupos. Estos resultados no respaldan la solicitud de rutina de análisis de 25(OH)D en los lactantes con APLV.