Abstract A cashew nut-based beverage was obtained using broken cashew kernels and its composition and stability were evaluated during refrigerated storage for 60 days. Sensory tests were performed to define the formulation, testing the best proportion between kernels and water, the effect of kernel roasting, the ideal sweetness, the beverage attributes and the sensory acceptance. A cashew nut beverage can be obtained by grinding the kernel with water in the proportion of 1:10 (m/m) with added sugar at 3%, followed by heat treatment at 140ºC for four seconds. The proximate composition was 11.49% total solids, 0.26% ashes, 1.83% proteins, 3.97% lipids and 5.43% total carbohydrates. The pH remained above 6.49 and the color darkened during storage. The product was considered microbiologically safe and shelf-stable for at least 2 months, and sensory acceptance remained at an average value of 7.1 on a 9-point hedonic scale.

Abstract Cashew nut milk was evaluated as a matrix to deliver commercial probiotic strains (Bifidobacterium animalis, Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillus plantarum) in order to develop a non-dairy probiotic beverage. The first step was to evaluate the viability of the probiotic strains. All evaluated bacteria were able to survive in this food matrix under 4 °C for 30 days. So, B. animalis was the selected strain to perform a stability test of the beverage by monitoring the pH, color, sensory and microbiological quality during refrigerated storage for 30 days. During storage, B. animalis counts were above 107 CFU.mL-1, the microbiological quality was maintained and there was no significant difference in whiteness. A significant pH decrease was observed, but it did not affect the beverage’s sensory acceptance, indicating that cashew nut milk is an adequate vehicle for delivering probiotics.

RESUMO A presença de Enterococcus spp. em alimentos representa um perigo para a saúde pública, devido a sua frequente associação a várias infecções clínicas. A patogenicidade de Enterococcus é multifatorial, complexa e ocorre a partir de uma sequência de fatores de virulência. O objetivo do estudo foi avaliar a presença de determinantes fenotípicos e genotípicos de virulência em Enterococcus spp. isolados de queijo de Coalho. Um total de 53 cepas de Enterococcus spp. foram analisadas quanto à susceptibilidade a antimicrobianos, produção de hemolisinas, DNAse, termonuclease, gelatinase e o perfil de genes codificadores de virulência. Observou-se que 75,5% das cepas foram resistentes a pelo menos um dos nove antibióticos testados, 26,42% foram resistentes a dois e 3,77% a três antibióticos. A presença de fenótipos de resistência à vancomicina foi constatada em 11,33% das cepas. A atividade hemolítica foi observada em 100% das cepas, a produção de DNAse, em apenas 3,8%, e não houve produção de termonuclease e gelatinase. As cepas resistentes à vancomicina e teicoplanina foram identificadas como E. faecium e Enterococcus spp. O perfil de determinantes genéticos de virulência foi bastante variável e 90% das cepas abrigavam pelo menos um dos nove genes pesquisados. O gene efaA apresentou maior prevalência (70%), seguido do gene ace (50%), gene esp e genegelE (40%).

ABSTRACT The presence of Enterococcus spp. in food poses a danger to public health due to its frequent association with various clinical infections. Pathogenicity in Enterococcus is multifactorial and complex, and stems from a sequence of virulence factors. The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of phenotypic and genotypic determinants of virulence in Enterococcus spp. isolated from curd cheese. A total of 53 strains of Enterococcus spp. were analysed as to their susceptibility to antimicrobial agents, production of hemolysins, DNAse, thermonuclease, and gelatinase, and the profile of virulence-encoding genes. It was found that 75.5% of the strains were resistant to at least one of the nine antibiotics tested, 26.42% were resistant to two, and 3.77% to three antibiotics. The presence of vancomycin-resistance phenotypes was seen in 11.33% of the strains. Haemolytic activity was observed in 100% of strains and DNAse production in only 3.8%. There was no production of thermonuclease or gelatinase. Strains resistant to vancomycin and teicoplanin were identified as E. faecium and Enterococcus spp. The profile of the genetic determinants of virulence was highly variable, and 90% of the strains harboured at least one of the nine genes being studied. The efaA gene showed the highest prevalence (70%), followed by the ace gene (50%), the esp gene and gelE gene (40%).

This study aimed to characterize the safety and technological properties of Enterococcus faecium strains isolated from Brazilian Coalho cheeses. High levels of co-aggregation were observed between Enterococcus faecium strains EM485 and EM925 and both Escherichia coli and Clostridium perfringens. Both strains presented low levels of hydrophobicity. E. faecium EM485 and EM925 were both able to grow in the presence of 0.5% of the sodium salts of taurocholic acid (TC), taurodeoxycholic acid (TDC), glycocholic acid (GC), and glycodeoxycholic acid (GDC), although they showed the ability to deconjugate only GDC and TDC. Both strains showed good survival when exposed to conditions simulating the gastro intestinal tract (GIT). When tested for the presence of virulence genes, only tyrosine decarboxylase and vancomycin B generated positive PCR results.

Este trabalho teve como objetivos isolar bacteriófagos de amostras de leite, soro e queijo de Coalho e avaliar a resistência de cepas de Lactobacillus paracasei, pertencentes à Coleção de Micro-organismos de Interesse para a Agroindústria Tropical da Embrapa Agroindústria Tropical, aos fagos isolados. Posteriormente, a resistência destas cepas a fagos específicos para L. paracasei, da Coleção do Instituto de Lactología Industrial - INLAIN (Santa Fe, Argentina), também foi avaliada. As amostras para isolamento dos fagos foram obtidas em quatro unidades de processamento de queijo de Coalho, sendo duas artesanais e duas industriais, localizadas no Estado do Ceará. Para o isolamento dos bacteriófagos, foi empregado o teste de lise celular (spot), enquanto que a resistência das culturas aos fagos foi avaliada pelos testes de capacidade de produção de ácido e avaliação da turbidez. As cepas avaliadas foram resistentes aos bacteriófagos provenientes das unidades de processamento de queijo de Coalho e aos bacteriófagos da Coleção do INLAIN. Os resultados obtidos indicaram que as culturas láticas testadas, resistentes aos bacteriófagos, podem ser utilizadas na composição de fermento lático destinado à elaboração de queijo de Coalho, a partir de leite pasteurizado.

The objectives of this research were to isolate bacteriophages from milk samples, whey and Coalho cheese and to evaluate the resistance of strains of Lactobacillus paracasei from the Collection of Microorganisms of Interest for the Tropical Agroindustry, belonging to Embrapa Tropical Agroindustry, to isolate phages. The strains resistance to specific L. paracasei phages from the collection of the Instituto de Lactología Industrial - INLAIN (Santa Fe, Argentina) was also evaluated. Samples for phage isolation were from four Coalho cheese processing units, two artisanal and two industrial, localized in the state of Ceará. Spot test was employed for bacteriophages isolation, while the culture phage resistance was evaluated by the acid production and turbidity tests. The strains were resistant both to phages isolated from Coalho cheese processing units and phages from collection of INLAIN. The results showed that lactic cultures evaluated here were resistant to bacteriophages and they can be used in the composition of lactic cultures specifically for Coalho cheese manufacture from pasteurized milk.

Lipases microbianas de Mucor miehei e Candida rugosa foram imobilizadas por ligação covalente em partículas magnetizadas de polisiloxano-álcool polivinílico (POS-PVA). Os derivados imobilizados resultantes foram avaliados em solução aquosa (hidrólise de azeite de oliva) e em solvente orgânico (síntese de butirato de butila). As maiores atividades catalíticas foram encontradas quando o procedimento de ligação foi realizado com lipase de M. miehei. O derivado imobilizado de lipase de M. miehei também apresentou melhores resultados de estabilidade operacional e tempo de meia-vida do que o de lipase de C. rugosa, após sucessivas bateladas de esterificação. O desempenho do derivado imobilizado de C. rugosa foi restringido pelo baixo carregamento de lipase usado na etapa de imobilização. Informações adicionais a respeito de ambos derivados imobilizados também foram obtidas através da composição química (FTIR).

Microbial lipase from Mucor miehei and Candida rugosa were immobilized by covalent binding onto magnetized polysiloxane polyvinyl alcohol particles (POS-PVA). The resulting immobilized derivatives were evaluated in aqueous solution (olive oil hydrolysis) and organic solvent (butyl butyrate synthesis). Higher catalytic activities were found when the coupling procedure was made with M. miehei lipase. Immobilized M. miehei lipase also showed a better operational stability and a higher half-life than C. rugosa lipase after the successive batches of esterification. The performance of C. rugosa immobilized derivative was constrained by the low lipase loading used in the immobilizing step. Further information regarding the both immobilized derivatives was also obtained through chemical composition (FTIR).

O presente trabalho visou avaliar a estabilidade de pasta de castanha de caju obtida pela moagem de amêndoas quebradas com açúcar, sal e lecitina de soja. A influência de diferentes embalagens (potes de vidro e de polipropileno) e do uso de antioxidantes (BHA, BHT e tocoferóis) na qualidade do produto também foi investigada. Características físico-químicas (atividade de água, índice de acidez, cor e textura instrumentais), microbiológicas (coliformes totais e fecais, Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp., Staphylococcus coagulase positiva e bolores e leveduras) e aceitação sensorial (aparência, aroma, sabor e textura), foram acompanhadas durante 300 dias de armazenamento à temperatura ambiente (28 °C). Foi observado aumento do índice de acidez, redução da maciez e descoloração. No entanto, essas alterações pouco afetaram a aceitação sensorial, que ficou entre "gostei ligeiramente" e "gostei moderadamente", após os 300 dias de armazenamento. As análises microbiológicas demonstraram boa qualidade do produto, estando dentro dos padrões exigidos pela legislação brasileira: contagem de coliformes a 45 °C (fecais) menor que 10 NMP.g -1 e ausência de Salmonella spp. em 25 gramas. Os resultados demonstraram que as pastas podem ser armazenadas nas condições e tempo testados, e que não houve influência dos materiais de embalagem utilizados e nem dos antioxidantes na estabilidade do produto.

This work involved an evaluation of the stability of cashew nut butter obtained by grinding up broken cashew kernels with sugar, salt and soy lecithin. The influence of different packaging materials (glass and polypropylene containers) and antioxidants (BHA, BHT and tocopherols) on product quality was also evaluated. Physicochemical (water activity, acidity index, instrumental color and texture) and microbiological characteristics (total and fecal coliforms, Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp., coagulase-positive staphylococci, yeast and mold) and sensory acceptance (appearance, flavor, taste and texture) were monitored during 300 days of storage at room temperature (28 °C). The findings indicated an increase in the acidity index, a decline in smoothness and discoloration. However, these alterations hardly affected the sensory acceptance, which, after 300 days of storage, was expressed as "I like it a little" and "I like it moderately". The microbiological analyses showed good product quality at the end of the storage period, since the product met the specifications of Brazilian regulations, i.e., a maximum of 10 MPN.g -1 of fecal coliforms (at 45 °C) and absence of Salmonella spp. in 25 g of product. The results indicated that cashew nut butter can be stored for the time period and under the conditions tested here and that the packaging material and antioxidants utilized did not affect the product's stability.

A desidratação osmótica seguida de fritura tem se apresentado como uma ferramenta tecnológica importante no desenvolvimento de novos produtos. Com o presente trabalho, visou-se avaliar a estabilidade de melão obtido por desidratação osmótica e fritura. A estabilidade do produto foi avaliada segundo suas características físico-químicas (sólidos solúveis totais, atividade de água, pH, umidade, acidez, açúcares redutores e não-redutores), microbiológicas (coliformes totais e fecais, Escherichia coli,Salmonella sp., Staphylococcus coagulase positiva, aeróbios mesófilos, bolores e leveduras) e sensoriais (aceitação), durante 124 dias de armazenamento à temperatura ambiente (~28ºC). A atividade de água e a umidade apresentaram tendência de aumento durante o armazenamento, enquanto que os demais parâmetros físico-químicos, apesar de terem algumas oscilações, ficaram praticamente constantes. A aceitação sensorial também foi constante, sendo a avaliação próxima de gostei moderadamente. As análises microbiológicas demonstraram boa qualidade do produto durante todo o armazenamento, estando dentro dos padrões exigidos pela legislação brasileira: ausência de Salmonella sp. em 25 g e máximo de 10² NMP/g de coliformes fecais (45ºC).

Osmotic dehydration followed by frying has been considered as an important technological tool to the development of new products. The objective of the present work was to evaluate storage stability of melon processed by osmotic dehydration and frying. The stability was assessed by physical-chemical (total soluble solids, water activity, pH, moisture content, acidity, reducing and non reducing sugars), microbiological (total and fecal coliforms, Escherichia coli,Salmonella sp., Staphylococcus, plate count, east and mold) and sensory methods (acceptance), during 124 days of storage at room temperature (~28ºC). Water activity and moisture content increased during storage while others physical chemicals parameters remained constant. Sensory acceptance was constant and evaluation was near the note like moderately. Microbiological analysis showed good product quality during the storage, being within Brazilian legislation: Salmonella sp. absence in 25g and maximum of 10² MPN/g of fecal coliforms (45ºC).