DSpace Coleção: Artigo em periódico indexado (CTAA)

Blackberry juice concentrated by nanofiltration: Characterization, stability and application in a fruit juice.

2026-01-01T00:00:00Z

Título: Blackberry juice concentrated by nanofiltration: Characterization, stability and application in a fruit juice. Autoria: JESUS, T. A. B. de; CORRÊA-FILHO, L. C.; ARAÚJO, M. C. P. de; GOMES, F. dos S.; TONON, R. V.; CABRAL, L. M. C. Conteúdo: Blackberry (Rubus spp.) is a highly perishable fruit rich in bioactive compounds, particularly anthocyanins, which are associated with significant health benefits. This study investigated the application of nanofiltration using a pilot-scale spiral-wound module (DOW® NF90-2540) as a mild technology to concentrate phenolic compounds, especially anthocyanins, in blackberry juice. The process achieved concentration factors (CF) of 2.2 for monomeric anthocyanins and 1.9 for total phenolic content (TPC), reaching values of 54.3 mg C3G·100 mL−1 and 326.85 mg GAE·100 mL−1, respectively. The antioxidant capacity (ABTS+ and DPPH methods) also increased significantly in the concentrated fraction (CF 1.9 and 1.7, respectively). Stability of the concentrated juice was evaluated during 90 days of frozen storage, showing that low temperatures effectively preserved anthocyanin levels and visual quality, with only minor variations in color parameters (L*, a*, b*). Furthermore, the concentrated blackberry juice was successfully incorporated into apple–orange juice blends, generating formulations with progressively increased phenolic content, antioxidant activity, and red color intensity as the proportion of blackberry concentrate increased. Anthocyanin bioaccessibility in these juice blends was also evaluated and was not proportional to the increase in anthocyanin content. Strong correlations between anthocyanin concentration, antioxidant capacity, and CIELAB color parameters highlight the dual functional and technological role of blackberry compounds. In conclusion, this study demonstrates the feasibility of nanofiltration as a mild and efficient strategy for concentrating anthocyanins and phenolic compounds from blackberry juice while preserving physicochemical quality and color attributes.

Designing fortified rice-based analogues for the elderly population.

2026-01-01T00:00:00Z

Título: Designing fortified rice-based analogues for the elderly population. Autoria: COSTA, E. S. L.; ALVES, T. T.; BARRETO, M. S.; OLIVEIRA, M. E. A. S.; CARVALHO, C. W. P. de; ANTONIASSI, R.; GOMES, F. dos S.; TORREZAN, R.; TAKEITI, C. Y. Conteúdo: Population aging is a growing global phenomenon, and Latin America has a habit of consuming rice with beans that present adequate amino acid balance. Vitamin D and magnesium are essential nutrients at this stage of life. However, deficiencies are common due to low intake and limited sun exposure. Food fortification by using rice analogue emerges as an effective solution to resolve these nutritional deficiencies. This study aimed to obtain a rice analogue made from rice and cowpea enriched with vitamin D and magnesium using cooking and cold extrusion. Rice flour (RF), bean flour (BF), extruded rice flour (ERF), and emulsified extruded rice flour (EERF) were obtained by milling and thermoplastic extrusion and used in the pasta-making process. The analogues (T1, T2, T4, T7, T7+ , T8, T9, T9+ ) showed 7.29−7.91 mm length, 2.49−2.76 mm width, and an L/W average ratio in the range of 2.64−3.10, thus classified as long grain. The cooking time was shorter (6−12 min) than that of control rice (14 min), presenting weight increases of 59−152 and 5.08−15.95% soluble solid loss. The TPA texture profile revealed 8.72−46.48 N hardness, 2.50−12.94 of chewiness, and 2.78−26.65 gumminess, comparable to those of polished rice. The color measurements showed a whiteness index (W.I.) of 83.06−90.45, similar to the control (93.19). Regarding pasting properties, analogues showed 477.33−683.66 cP peak viscosity (PV), 47.33−399 cP breakdown viscosity (BDV), and 474−1762 cP setback viscosity (SBV). As expected, all analogues showed a decrease in gelatinization parameters compared to the control (polished rice) since extruded flours were used in the eight formulations. The retrogradation tendency of analogues is an important differentiating advantage, since Brazilian consumers prefer loose rice. In addition, the gelatinization temperature measured by differential calorimetry varied from 78.79 to 86.04 °C, which is similar to that of polished rice (83.01 °C). In terms of proximate composition, the rice analogues with addition of the vitamin−mineral mix showed 7.65% proteins, 0.81% dietary fiber, and 187.14 J/g energy value/50 g portion. Finally, the analogues (T7+ , T9+ ) are classified as “rich in vitamin D and magnesium”, as they provide a final concentration of 4.53 μ/100g of vitamin D, 278 mg/100g of Mg, and for up to 4 months, there was no significant difference in vitamin D loss (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the T9+ formulation is the most similar to the control (polished rice) in terms of hardness (8.72 and 10.26 N), cohesiveness (0.48 and 0.44), and gumminess (4.21 and 4.51), and the technological qualities of the analogues were improved by the addition of EERF.

Effect of thermal and non-thermal treatments on the bioaccessibility of vitamin C and carotenoids in a mixed tropical fruit beverage.

2026-01-01T00:00:00Z

Título: Effect of thermal and non-thermal treatments on the bioaccessibility of vitamin C and carotenoids in a mixed tropical fruit beverage. Autoria: CORDEIRO, R.; CORRÊA-FILHO, L.; GOMES, F. dos S.; SÁ, D. de G. C. F. de; TONON, R. V.; MATTA, V. M. da; CABRAL, L. M. C. Conteúdo: A mixed functional beverage was developed using mango, pineapple, and acerola pulps combined with Brazil nut extract, targeting the nutritional and physiological needs of the elderly. The formulation was designed to deliver vitamin C and carotenoids, while maintaining viscosity compatible with level 3 of the IDDSI scale, ensuring safe consumption for individuals with dysphagia. The product underwent different processing treatments, including thermal pasteurization, sterilization, and non-thermal ultrasound processing, to evaluate their effects on bioactive compounds and in vitro bioaccessibility. Vitamin C content and total phenolic compounds decreased by 15.4% and 12.7% after pasteurization, respectively, and by 41.6% and 79.1% after ultrasound treatment. In contrast, sterilization did not result in a significant difference in vitamin C content compared with the control. Conversely, total carotenoid content increased significantly across all processing treatments, while antioxidant capacity remained stable across the different processing conditions evaluated. In addition, a 95% increase in selenium content was observed after pasteurization, indicating enhanced solubilization of mineral fractions in the Brazil nut extract. Vitamin C bioaccessibility reached 53.24% after ultrasound treatment and 38.58% after sterilization, outperforming the control (34.59%). For carotenoids, sterilization resulted in the highest bioaccessibility (28.33%), followed by ultrasound (17.21%) and pasteurization (15.24%). The beverage also showed good sensory acceptance among elderly consumers, demonstrating that the formulation successfully combines nutritional adequacy and acceptance. These findings support its potential as a functional beverage that promotes safe nutrition and hydration in older adults, including those with dysphagia.

Dietary intervention with purple passion fruit peel in asthma: insights into Th2-mediated responses in an ovalbumin-induced murine model.

2026-01-01T00:00:00Z

Título: Dietary intervention with purple passion fruit peel in asthma: insights into Th2-mediated responses in an ovalbumin-induced murine model. Autoria: FONSECA, A. M. A.; NASCIMENTO, R. de P. do; BELLINAZZI, L.; VIEIRA, C.; ALMEIDA, A.; BORGUINI, R. G.; LOUREIRO, C. C.; JÚNIOR, M. R. M.; SILVESTRE, A. J. D.; ROCHA, S. M. Conteúdo: Asthma is a chronic inflammatory airway disease in which Th2-driven immune responses and oxidative stress play key roles in its pathophysiology and are increasingly recognized as being modulated by diet. Purple passion fruit peel (PPFP), an agro-industrial by-product rich in dietary fiber and containing a diverse profile of bioactive compounds, including anthocyanins, represents a promising food-derived ingredient. However, most evidence on its effects in asthma relies on isolated extracts, and the mechanistic interplay of whole-food matrices remains poorly understood. In this study, female BALB/c mice were randomized into five groups: healthy control (CT), ovalbumin-induced asthma control (CA), positive control (dexamethasone), and asthma groups supplemented with 0.3% (PPFP-L) or 3.0% (PPFP-H) PPFP. Following intraperitoneal sensitization and intranasal OVA challenge, the effects of dietary supplementation on inflammatory mediators, oxidative stress markers, hepatic safety, and lung morphology were evaluated. Dietary inclusion of PPFP at 0.3% and 3.0% (non-cytotoxic in Aliivibrio fischeri) did not affect feeding behaviour, body weight, or hepatic toxicity markers. Supplementation at 3.0% significantly increased total reduced glutathione (41.7%) and the activities of catalase (19.8%) and superoxide dismutase (45.7%). Concurrently, systemic immunoglobulin E (15.9%) and pulmonary interleukin-4 (29.8%) and interleukin-5 (29.1%) levels were reduced, which was corroborated by decreased inflammatory cell infiltration in lung tissue. Conversely, lipid peroxidation and interleukin-13 production remained unaffected. These results indicate that PPFP mitigates oxidative stress primarily through the enhancement of antioxidant enzymatic homeostasis and modulation of Th2-driven systemic inflammation. Overall, PPFP emerges as a safe, minimally processed nutritional coadjuvant, supporting diet-based strategies to modulate chronic inflammation while promoting sustainable valorisation of food industry by-products.