A industrialização da batata (Solanum tuberosum L.) tem sido limitada no Brasil, quase que exclusivamente, pela falta de matéria-prima adequada. Alta qualidade do produto processado é dependente de altos teores de matéria seca, que reduz a absorção de óleo durante a fritura e confere crocância, e baixos teores de açúcares redutores, que mantêm a coloração clara das fritas. O objetivo deste trabalho foi identificar clones de batata de alta qualidade para processamento a partir da avaliação de tubérculos produzidos durante os cultivos de primavera de 2003 e outono de 2004 em Santa Maria, RS. O experimento foi conduzido em um fatorial (15 clones e duas épocas de cultivo) no delineamento de blocos ao acaso, com quatro repetições. Foram avaliados os clones Dakota Rose, SMINIAIporã, SMIJ461-1, SMIJ319-1, SMIJ456-4Y, SMID040-4RY, SMIE040-6RY, SMIC148-A, SMIF165-6RY, SMIH095-1, SMINIA90244-1, SMINIA793101-3, SMINIA95043-11, Macaca e Asterix nos cultivos de primavera de 2003 e outono de 2004 em Santa Maria, RS. As condições ambientais, durante o período de produção, influenciaram a qualidade pós-colheita dos tubérculos. Os clones SMIJ461-1, SMIJ319-1, SMIJ456-4Y, SMIC148-A, SMIDO40-4RY e SMIH095-1 foram os que apresentaram o melhor desempenho nas características desejáveis para processamento, sendo superiores a Asterix, cultivada para consumo de mesa ou para processamento na forma de chips nas diferentes regiões produtoras de batata. Dentre esses clones, SMIDO40-4RY e SMIH095-1 foram os menos influenciados pelas diferenças de temperatura e insolação típicas das épocas de cultivo de outono e primavera no RS. Os clones SMIJ461-1 e SMIJ456-4Y apresentaram maior teor de matéria seca e coloração mais clara do chips no cultivo da primavera.

The objective of this work was to evaluate different solvents and times in the ultrasound-assisted extraction of polyphenols, in order to quantify the total phenolic and flavonoid contents in and the antioxidant activity of mate (Ilex paraguariensis) leaves. The experiment was carried out in a completely randomized design, in a 8x3 (solvent x time of extraction) factorial arrangement. The solvent extractors were distilled water and aqueous solutions of ethanol, acetone, and methanol, acidified or not with hydrochloric acid, and the time of ultrasound-assisted extractions were 15, 30, and 45 min. All extractions were finished with a mechanical agitation of 30 min. Samples treated with acidified hydroalcoholic solvents resulted in higher values of total phenolics and flavonoids and antioxidant activity. The extraction using acidified hydroethanol solvent was not affected by the time in the ultrasound. The contents of total phenolics and flavonoids were highly correlated with each other and with the antioxidant activity, especially when it was determined by the ferric-reducing antioxidant power method. Acidified hydroethanol solvent in ultrasound for 15 min is the most suitable extraction condition for the quantification of the contents of total phenolics and flavonoids in and the antioxidant activity of mate leaves.

Consumers increasingly prefer and seek functional beverages, which, given their characteristics, provide important bioactive compounds that help prevent and treat chronic diseases. Mead is a traditional fermented alcoholic beverage made from honey solution. The aging process of mead with oak chips is innovative and bestows functional characteristics to this beverage. Thus, in this study, we sought to develop and characterize a novel functional beverage by combining the health benefits of honey with the traditional aging process of alcoholic beverages in wood. Phenolic compounds, flavonoids, and antioxidant capacity were analyzed in mead using oak chips at different toasting levels and aged for 360 days. LC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS was used to analyze the chemical profile of different meads. Over time, the aging process with oak chips showed a higher total phenolic and flavonoid content and antioxidant capacity. Eighteen compounds belonging to the classes of organic acids, phenolic acids, flavonoids, and tannins were identified in meads after 360 days. Our findings revealed that the addition of oak chips during aging contributed to p-coumaric, ellagic, abscisic, and chlorogenic acids, and naringenin, vanillin, and tiliroside significantly impacted the functional quality of mead.

There is a growing demand for authentic products that provide sensory characteristics combined with health benefits that current studies have focused on. This review addressed the technological aspects involved in producing craft beers and the use of various fruits in developing new products with higher added value. The information was collected by researching scientific databases such as Scopus, websites, and the CAPES catalog of Theses and Dissertations. Thus, this study sought to obtain more information to promote discussion about the possibilities of adding various fruits in developing beers with a strong cultural appeal, high nutritional and marketing value, and that can also be categorized as a functional food.

Fermentation is an important tool in producing functional beverages through agro-industrial wastes, and medicinal and aromatic plants due to the specific content of bioactive molecules. Therefore, this study evaluated the contribution of Matricaria recutita (chamomile), Cymbopogon citratus (lemongrass), or Mentha piperita (peppermint) extracts to the phytochemical profile and potential biological effects of a functional fermented orange beverage in vitro and in silico. The concentrations of aromatic herbal extracts that yielded the best sensory performance for fermented beverages were selected for analyses that involved characterizing the fermented beverages. The beverages that received the extracts (2%) had the highest phenolic and flavonoid content and antioxidant potential compared to the control. Hesperidin (124–130 mg L⁻¹), narirutin (66–70 mg L⁻¹), chlorogenic (11–16 mg L⁻¹), caffeic (5.3–5.5 mg L⁻¹), and ferulic (1–1.7 mg L⁻¹) acids were found in the different formulations. The in silico analysis suggested that the evaluated compounds do not present a toxicity risk (mutagenicity, carcinogenicity, hepatotoxicity, and ability to penetrate the blood–brain barrier). Additionally, they can contribute to the biological effects of therapeutic importance, such as antioxidant, gastroprotective, and anti-ulcerative properties, and the Mentha piperita L. extract presented the greatest potential among the evaluated herbs for use in functional fermented beverages.

O suco de uva no Brasil é um produto amplamente consumido por suas características sensoriais e nutricionais; porém, tratamentos durante o seu processamento podem ocasionar perdas de compostos fenólicos importantes na definição dessas características. O ultrassom é apontado como um possível elicitor desses compostos, visto que o estresse mecânico provocado por cavitação acústica e microagitação estimula respostas de defesa na planta que levam à síntese dessas substâncias. Neste estudo, diferentes densidades de potência (53 e 113 W.cm-2) e tempos de exposição (1, 5 e 10 minutos) de ultrassom foram aplicados em uvas Isabel e seu efeito sobre o conteúdo de polifenóis totais e o aspecto sensorial dos sucos foi avaliado. O ultrassom causou um acréscimo de até 83% no teor de polifenóis totais, melhorando também as características sensoriais dos sucos, tendo sido estes os preferidos pelos provadores.