Peruvian maca (Lepidium meyenii) is a root native to the Andean region, cultivated for at least 2000 years. Maca is rich in fiber, a large number of essential amino acids, fatty acids, and other nutrients, including vitamin C, copper, iron, and calcium. Besides these essential nutrients, this root contains bioactive compounds responsible for benefits to the human body, which has caused a considerable increase in its consumption in the last 20 years worldwide. This review documents the Peruvian maca composition and the recent findings regarding the medicinal effects of this root in sexual dysfunction regulation, neuroprotective effects, action in memory enhancement, antidepressant, antioxidant, anti-cancer, and anti-inflammatory activities, and skin protection.

In recent years, occurrences of heat waves and drought have become increasingly frequent, highlighting the undeniable impact of climate change. The rise in temperatures and decline in rainfall have had severe repercussions on olive trees’ behavior and olive oil production. This study aims to evaluate the effects of two-year climate variations on olive oils from centenarian olive trees situated in the Côa Valley region of Northern Portugal. A selection of 25 centenarian plants was made, and the climate influence on fatty acid content, tocopherols, individual phenols, oxidative stability, and antioxidant activity was assessed over two consecutive years. During the second year of the study, a significant variation (p-value < 0.05) in the proportion of palmitic acid was observed, which increased from 12.9% to 13.6%. Conversely, stearic and arachidic acids exhibited a decrease from 2.7% to 2.3% and from 0.37% to 0.35%, respectively. Analysis of the oils revealed a noteworthy difference (p-value < 0.05) in the concentration of β-tocopherol. The concentration of oils derived from hydroxytyrosol and tyrosol significantly decreases (p-value < 0.005) during the second year. Additionally, significant differences (p-value < 0.005) were observed in the total phenol content and the percentage of ABTS inhibition, both of which decreased in the second year. These findings reinforce the notion that climatic conditions play a key role in shaping the composition of olive oils.

O morango é um pseudofruto muito consumido devido as suas qualidades nutricionais, esse fruto está sujeito ao aparecimento de fungos, cerca de 40 % é perdido isso é decorrente de falhas na pós colheita e comercialização. Dentre as alternativas utilizadas para minimizar essas perdas é o emprego da radiação UV uma tecnologia recente e econômica, ela permite modificar o DNA do microrganismo diminuindo sua ação no alimento. No emprego dessa tecnologia é utilizado lâmpadas de mercúrio, que podem ser tóxicas, em comparação com as lâmpadas de LED apresenta desvantagem, pois estas não são tóxicas e podem emitir radiação em vários ângulos do alimento. O objetivo do trabalho foi tratar morangos a partir da tecnologia de radiação UV - C com lâmpadas de LED com o princípio de aumentar a vida de prateleira e minimizar a deterioração fúngica. A metodologia foi feita através do tratamento dos morangos por dois comprimentos de onda T1 265 e T2 280 nm em intensidade máxima por 10 minutos em comparação com a amostra C controle que não foi irradiada, eles foram armazenados em estufa BOD em temperatura de 25 ° C, para contagem de bolores e verificação de vida de prateleira. O que apresentou melhores resultados foi o T2 280 nm, obteve um tempo de vida de 11 dias e 2,0 x 10 UFC/ g. Essa tecnologia se mostrou eficaz em morangos pois em comparação com as amostras não irradiadas apresentou 9 dias de diferença com a amostra T2, que mostrou resultados positivos.