Abstract The phenolic compound content, the antioxidant and α-amylase inhibition potentials of different extracts of the Plectranthus amboinicus, P. barbatus and P. ornatus were evaluated. We also evaluated the influence of plant growth and harvest time on the chemical composition of the essential oil (EO) of P. amboinicus, its antioxidant and anti-Candida activities and the α-amylase and lipoxygenase inhibitions. The turbo-extract of P. barbatus showed the greatest phenolic compound content and antioxidant activity. No α-amylase inhibition activity was observed in the analyzed extracts, but the turbo-extraction and refluxing extracts possessed high antioxidant activities. Protected cultivation and morning harvest conditions gave the best antioxidant activities, which was associated to the highest carvacrol content. P. amboinicus EO antioxidant activity could contribute to the reduction of oxidative stress in diabetes. Causal Candida strains of diabetic foot ulcers showed sensitivity to P. amboinicus EO. C. albicans and C. dubliniensis were the most sensitive of the selected Candida strains. Turbo-extracts or refluxing of the three species extracts and the EO of P. amboinicus should be considered as a potential candidate for the management the complications of type 2 diabetes.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the mutagenicity (clastogenicity/aneugenicity) of a glycolic extract of Ziziphus joazeiro bark (GEZJ) by the micronucleus assay in mice bone marrow. Antimutagenic activity was also assessed using treatments associated with GEZJ and doxorubicin (DXR). Mice were evaluated 24-48 h after exposure to positive (N-nitroso-N-ethylurea, NEU - 50 mg.kg-1 and DXR - 5 mg.kg-1) and negative (150 mM NaCl) controls, as well as treatment with GEZJ (0.5-2 g.kg-1), GEZJ (2 g.kg-1) + NEU and GEZJ (2 g.kg-1) + DXR. There were no significant differences in the frequencies of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes in mice treated with GEJZ and GEJZ + DXR compared to the negative controls, indicating that GEZJ was not mutagenic. Analysis of the polychromatic:normochromatic erythrocyte ratio revealed significant differences in the responses to doses of 0.5 g.kg-1 and 1-2 g.kg-1 and the positive control (NEU). These results indicated no systemic toxicity and moderate toxicity at lower and higher doses of GEZJ. The lack of mutagenicity and systemic toxicity in the antimutagenic assays, especially for treatment with GEZJ + DXR, suggested that phytochemical compounds in Z. joazeiro bark attenuated DXR-induced mutagenicity and the moderate systemic toxicity of a high dose of Z. joazeiro bark (2 g.kg-1). Further studies on the genotoxicity of Z. joazeiro extracts are necessary to establish the possible health risk in humans and to determine the potential as a chemopreventive agent for therapeutic use.

Probióticos são suplementos alimentares desenvolvidos por cepas microbianas. O Kefir é um probiótico constituído por bactérias láticas e leveduras, encapsuladas em uma matriz polissacarídica (grãos). É um produto de fermentação contendo vitaminas, aminoácidos, peptídeos, carboidratos, etanol e compostos voláteis. Possui composição microbiológica variada, dependendo da origem e substrato de fermentação, influenciando na variabilidade de seus efeitos. Este trabalho objetivou a identificação do perfil microbiano de uma amostra de Kefir cultivada em solução aquosa de açúcar mascavo. Diluições seriadas de quefir (caldo fermentado, grãos in natura e liofilizado) foram plaqueadas em Ágar Rogosa (AR), Ágar De Man, Rogosa & Sharpe (MRS), para Lactobacillus; Ágar BHI, para contagem de bactérias totais; Sabouraud-Glicose, para leveduras e fungos filamentosos; CaldoTioglicolato, para Streptococcus, Acetobacter e Leuconostoc; Ágar Água de Coco (AAC) e AAC suplementado com extrato de levedura (AACE), para vários gêneros. Gêneros e espécies foram identificados por reações bioquímicas e sistemas API específicos. O perfil microbiano do Kefir analisado foi distinto daqueles de outras origens encontradas para os grãos, embora tenham sido encontrados microrganismos similares, além de outros ainda não reportados na literatura. Os dados obtidos com AAC e ACCE sugerem que ambos os substratos podem ser alternativas para meio de cultivo.

Probiotics are supplementary foods developed by microbial strains that improve animal health beyond basic nutrition. Probiotics are consumed orally, regardless of being considered as normal inhabitants of the intestines, able to survive in enzimatic and biliary secretions. Kefir is a probiotic originated from the old continent, fermented by several bacteria and yeasts, encapsulated in a polyssacharide matrix, and resembles jelly grains. Kefir is also presented as its sourish product both in sugary or milky suspensions containing vitamins, aminoacids, peptides, carbohydrates, ethanol, and volatile compounds. Kefir is known to have a diverse microbial content depending on the country and fermentative substrates, which cause distinct probiotic effects. In this sense, the purpose of this work was to isolate, identify, and quantify the microbial content of a native sugary kefir sample (fermented suspension and lyophilized natural grains). Serial dilutions were plated on Rogosa agar (AR) and De Man, Rogosa and Sharpe (MRS), for Lactobacillus; Brain Heart Infusion (BHI), for total bacteria; Sabouraud-Dextrose-Agar (SDA), for yeasts and filamentous fungi; Thioglycolate Agar (TA), for Streptococcus, Acetobacteria and Leuconostoc; and Coconut Water Agar (CWA), and CWA supplemented with yeast extract (CWAY), for various genera. Genera and species for all strains were identified through biochemical reactions and specific API systems. The microbial profile of kefir was different from other sources of grains despite the presence of similar microorganisms and others which have not been reported yet. The data obtained with the CWA and CWAE media suggest that both substrates are alternative and salutary media for culture of kefir strains.

Há um crescente interesse em tecnologias que melhorem a qualidade dos alimentos, bem como o aspecto segurança alimentar. Após a água, o café é a bebida mais consumida no planeta, existindo uma demanda crescente por tipos especiais em alguns países importadores, como o café despolpado. Este tipo é obtido pela remoção da mucilagem, ao se submeter o café à fermentação, cujo processo varia com o clima e a microbiota associada, entre outros fatores, podendo levar ao detrimento da qualidade do produto e da saúde do consumidor. Assim, faz-se necessário investigar novas tecnologias que possam auxiliar na obtenção de produtos com melhor padronização, qualidade e que ofereçam maior segurança alimentar. O ozônio e o ultra-som são tecnologias usadas em diversas áreas, com grande flexibilidade e resultados promissores na obtenção e no tratamento de uma infinidade de alimentos. São conhecidas as potentes características oxidantes e microbicidas de ambos, mas seus mecanismos ainda não são bem esclarecidos quando utilizados em tecidos vivos. Seus efeitos sobre os vários parâmetros de qualidade devem ser estudados, compreendidos e ajustados, antes de serem utilizados em larga escala na indústria. No presente trabalho, foi aplicado o ozônio ou o ultra-som como tratamentos prévios à fermentação do café, demonstrando sua eficácia na melhoria da segurança alimentar do café despolpado, sem alteração perceptível da qualidade da bebida.

There is a growing interest in technologies that improve food quality, as well as food safety aspects. After water, coffee is the most consumed beverage in the planet, with a rising demand for special types, such as fermented coffee, in some importing countries. This type of coffee is obtained by removing the mucilage, submitting the coffee to fermentation, a process that varies with the climate and the associated natural micro-organisms, among other factors, and that can lead to detrimental effects to the quality of the product and to the health of consumers. Thus, it is necessary to investigate new technologies that can help obtain better standardized products, of higher quality and that offer greater food safety. Ozone and ultrasound are technologies used in various areas, with great flexibility and promising results in the production and treatment of an infinity of food products. The potent oxidant and antimicrobial characteristics of both are well-known, however, their mechanisms are still not clearly understood when used in live tissues. Their effects on the various quality parameters must be studied, understood and adjusted, before widespread use in the food industry. In the present paper, ozone or ultrasound were applied as pre-treatments before coffee fermentation, demonstrating their efficacy in improving food safety of the fermented coffee, without perceptible changes in the quality of the beverage.

No presente trabalho foi avaliado o efeito dos agentes sanificantes dicloroisocianurato de sódio na concentração de 3 a 3,5 mg.L-1 (T1), dicloroisocianurato de sódio associado ao ultra-som (T2), ozônio na concentração de 3 a 3,5 mg.L-1 (T3), ozônio associado ao ultra-som (T4) e controle (T5) sobre a composição centesimal, perfil de ácidos graxos (AG), teor de colesterol e índice de peróxido de filés de tilápia. Os tratamentos afetaram (p < 0,05) a composição centesimal. Os filés foram tratados por imersão, durante 20 minutos, em soluções que apresentavam pH 6,0 e temperatura de 5 °C. Os sanificantes causaram uma perda de água e aumentaram a concentração de proteínas no filé, tendo esse fato sido notado mais acentuadamente no T3 (77,16% de umidade e 19,73% de proteína) quando comparado ao T5 (78,60% de umidade e 18,71% de proteína). Foi demonstrada diferença significativa (p < 0,05) na fração lipídica para ácidos graxos saturados (AGS), ácidos graxos monoinsaturados (AGM) e ácidos graxos polinsaturados (AGP) entre os tratamentos propostos. Os AGS apresentaram diferença entre os T3, T4 e T5, com as respectivas médias 37, 33,50 e 36,30%. Os T1 e T2 (34,90 e 34,80%) não diferiram entre si, mas foram diferentes dos T3, T4 e T5 (39,30, 36,30 e 39,10%) para AGM. O T3 foi o que mais preservou a fração AGM. Os AGP não apresentaram diferença entre os T1 e T2 (23 e 22,50%) e os grupos T3, T4 e T5 (18,30, 20,40 e 17,70%) diferiram entre si, tendo o T1 apresentado as maiores médias. Obteve-se uma redução mais acentuada do nível de colesterol no grupo T2 (43,94 mg.100 g-1) quando comparado com T5 (54,77 mg.100 g-1). Os teores médios de peróxido encontrados nos filés submetidos aos tratamentos não revelaram diferença estatística segundo análise de variância (p > 0,05), apesar dos valores serem bastante diferentes, apresentando uma variação de 6,07 a 39,57 meq.kg-1.

The present research had as objectives to study the effects of chlorinated water (sodium dichloroisocyanurate - 3 to 3.5 mg.L-1) (T1); chlorinated water associated to ultrasound (T2); ozonated water (3 to 3.5 mg.L-1) (T3); ozonated water associated to ultrasound (T4), and control (T5) on the centesimal composition, fatty acid profile, cholesterol content and peroxide value in "tilápia" fillets. The fillets were treated by immersion in the solutions, at pH 6.0, 5 °C, for 20 minutes. The treatments affected the centesimal composition. Sanitizers caused a loss of water and increased the concentration of protein in the fillets, more strongly in T3 (77.16% moisture and 19.73% protein), when compared to T5 (78.60% moisture and 18.71% protein). Significant differences were observed for saturated fatty acids (SFA), monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). SFA presented differences in T3, T4 and T5, with the respective averages of 37, 33.50 and 36.30%. T1 and T2 (34.90 and 34.80%) did not present differences, but were different from T3, T4 and T5 (39.30, 36.30 and 39.10%) for MUFA. T3 preserved more fractions of MUFA. PUFA did not differ in T1 and T2 (23 and 22.50%) and T3, T4 and T5 (18.30, 20.40 and 17.70%) differed from eachother, with T1 presenting the highest averages. There was a marked reduction in the level of cholesterol in T2 (43.94 mg.100 g-1), when compared to T5 (54.77 mg.100 g-1). There was no statistical difference in peroxide level among the treatments.