Resumo: O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o efeito de diferentes embalagens utilizadas no transporte da cultivar Rama Forte de caqui (Diospyros kaki) sobre as características sensoriais e a aceitação do consumidor do produto durante seu armazenamento. Foram avaliados três tipos de embalagem: caixa de madeira tipo K; caixa de papelão ondulado; e nova opção de embalagem feita de polietileno reciclado com 10% de fibra de bucha e bandeja de polipropileno, modulada no formato exclusivo para frutos de caqui. As perguntas “check-all-that-apply” (Cata) foram usadas para caracterização sensorial dos frutos, tendo revelado diferenças entre as amostras ao longo do tempo de armazenamento quanto aos atributos sensoriais do caqui e à preferência do consumidor. A aceitação do consumidor dos frutos das caixas de madeira e de papelão diminuiu a partir do primeiro e do quinto dia, respectivamente, com o aumento do tempo de armazenamento, tendo diferido da dos frutos da nova embalagem, cuja apparência foi aceita até o nono dia. A qualidade dos caquis transportados na nova embalagem foi superior ao longo da vida útil. A nova embalagem, com design apropriado, mantém as características sensoriais do caqui por mais tempo do que as outras embalagens estudadas.

Abstract: The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of different packagings for the transportation of the Rama Forte persimmon (Diospyros kaki) cultivar on the sensory characteristics and consumer acceptance of the product during storage. Three types of packagings were evaluated: wooden crate; cardboard boxes; and a new packaging made of recycled polyethylene thermos-injected structure with 10% fodder fiber associated with a polypropylene tray, thermoformed in the exclusive design for persimmon. Check-all-that-apply (Cata) questions were used for the sensory characterization of fruits, revealing differences among samples throughout storage time regarding persimmon sensory attributes and consumer preference. Consumer acceptance of fruits from the wooden and cardboard boxes decreased from the first and fifth day onwards, respectively, as storage time progressed, differing from those from the new packaging, whose appearance was liked up to the ninth day. Persimmon transported in the new packaging showed superior quality throughout shelf life. The new packaging, with an appropriate design, maintains the sensory characteristics of persimmon for a longer time than the other studied packagings.

O objetivo do presente trabalho foi determinar os compostos voláteis em frutos de caqui Mikado adstringentes e destanizados, em dois períodos de armazenamento, utilizando microextração em fase sólida (MEFS, fibra DVB/CAR/PDMS) por cromatografia gasosa acoplada à espectrometria de massas (CG-EM). A partir dos resultados foi possível observar diferenças na composição volátil em frutos adstringentes e destanizados de caqui Mikado, com perdas em ambas as amostras. A remoção da adstringência com exposição ao álcool promoveu aumento dos voláteis no 1o dia após a destanização. Os compostos voláteis de caqui Mikado são representados, majoritariamente, por hidrocarbonetos terpênicos, seguidos de ésteres de cadeia linear.

The objective of this study was to determine the volatile compounds in persimmon (Diospyros kaki) Mikado variety, astringent and astringency removal in two periods of storage, using solid phase microextraction (SPME, fiber DVB/CAR/PDMS) by gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The results showed differences in the volatile composition of astringent and astringency removal, with losses in both analyses. The removal of astringency with alcohol exposure increased the volatiles on day 1 after astringency removal. The volatiles from persimmon Mikado are mainly represented by terpene hydrocarbons, followed by straight-chain esters.

Chemical knowledge plays a central role in the economical and social development of a nation. Chemistry is considered a key science, which provides the means and meanings that fuel the advancement of other fields of knowledge. However, the public image of chemistry is often associated with negative facts and misconceptions. This paper addresses and discusses the public image of chemistry with two case studies: the public image of chemistry depicted in two major Brazilian newspapers and the Brazilian project for the International Year of Chemistry (IYC). Analysis of the newspaper data strongly suggests that the public image of chemistry is related to both the way news is written and the ability of the reader to identify the chemical knowledge actually present in the text. Analysis of IYC related data in the second case study depicted an optimistic panorama for the divulgation of chemistry at both national and local levels. A model for broad and effective initiatives for dissemination of chemistry is discussed. The need to keep science divulgation as the top agenda of the scientific community is also highlighted.

Os extratos brutos de espécimes da alga parda D. menstrualis, conhecida por produzir diterpenos como principais metabólitos secundários, foram analisados quanto ao modo de armazenamento antes da extração e tipo de solvente utilizado na obtenção do extrato bruto. Os solventes utilizados foram uma mistura diclorometano:metanol (2:1) e acetona. Os espécimes de D. menstrualis foram submetidos a três formas de armazenamento, denominados fresco, seco e congelado. Não foram observadas diferenças qualitativas nas amostras obtidas de quaisquer dos extratos brutos na análise por CG/EM, sendo compostas pelos diterpenos pachydictyol A (I), 6-hidroxi-dichotoma-3,14-dieno-1,17-dial (II), 6-hidroxi-2,7-cicloxenia-3,14-dieno-1,17-dial (III) e 6-acetoxi-dichotoma-3,14-dieno-1,17-dial (IV). Os resultados indicaram que a extração mais eficaz para os componentes de média polaridade de D. menstrualis foi obtida com o uso de acetona, que promoveu extração mais seletiva, mesmo apresentando menor rendimento em massa. Quanto à forma de armazenamento das algas, foi constatado que as metodologias não diferiram significativamente entre si, apesar da tendência de algas congeladas fornecerem o menor rendimento no total de diterpenos. Portanto, nos trabalhos envolvendo análises químicas de extratos brutos de macroalgas marinhas, a escolha do solvente de extração deve ser considerada como fator importante na varredura de substância bioativas.

Crude extracts from specimens of the brown seaweed Dictyota menstrualis, known to produce diterpenes as their major secondary metabolites, were analyzed according to storage procedures before extraction, and the solvent types used to obtain the crude extracts. The specimens of D. menstrualis were submitted to three types of storage procedures, such as wet, dry, and frozen and were extracted with a mixture of dichloromethane:methanol (2:1) and acetone. Qualitative differences were not observed by GC/MS analyses of all crude extracts containing mainly the diterpenes pachydictyol A (I), 6-hydroxy-dichotoma-3,14-diene-1,17-dial (II), 6-hydroxy-2,7-cycloxenia-3,14-diene-1,17-dial (III), and 6-acetoxy-dichotoma-3,14-diene-1,17-dial (IV). The most efficient and selective extraction of the compounds with intermediate polarity produced by D. menstrualis was obtained using acetone, but with less mass production. In general, the storage procedures produced very similar results, but the frozen samples furnished low amount of total diterpenes. According to these results on chemical analysis of crude extracts of seaweeds, the choice of solvent to extraction should be considered as important aspect to better screening bioactive compounds.