In this research, the unrefined non-centrifugal sugar (UNCS) quality obtained from two sugarcane varieties (RD 7511 and CC 8475) and using two types of technologies (traditional and Ward-Cimpa production facilities) were evaluated. The parameters monitored through the process were impurities, total soluble solids, acidity, pH, and temperature profile. Microbiological analyses were carried out on beating, molding, packing, and storage operations; and finally, an organoleptic analysis was carried out on the final UNCS product. Results showed that the UNCS obtained from variety CC 8475 had higher consumer acceptance; meanwhile, the technologies assessed did not show significant differences in final product quality. However, these technologies showed significant differences in the highest temperature, syrup, and juice properties. Microbiological analyses highlighted beating and molding as the critical points in UNCS production safety. Finally, it was evident that the implementation of new technologies or the improvement of the furnace, as in the Ward-Cimpa production facility, is not enough to achieve food safety requirements, as many other conditions affect the microbiological quality of the product. Although the temperatures reached on the Ward-Cimpa furnace are higher than those reached with the traditional furnace and thus, enough to kill all the harmful microorganisms, contamination in downstream operations still occurs.

The use of bioadsorbents for the removal of pollutants is being increasingly investigated worldwide due to their high efficiency and the potential use of various natural sources. The present study introduces a novel approach for phosphate adsorption using sacha inchi cuticle and eggshell mixture. These materials were pyrolyzed (400°C for 20 min) and mixed in a 1:10 (eggshell:cuticle) ratio. An adsorption study was carried out using synthetic phosphate solution concentrations of 0–300 mg/L and adsorbent masses of 0.1–1 g/100 mL. The temperature, pH and stirring were kept constant (25°C, pH:5 and 150 rpm) during the tests. The phosphate adsorption capacity increased as higher phosphate concentrations were used, reaching a maximum of 300 mg/L. However, differences in removal were observed when varying the amount of adsorbent used, reaching equilibrium in approximately 1 h, with a percentage of phosphate removal between 31 and 41%. The adsorption process followed a Freundlich isotherm with a correlation coefficient of 0.97, suggesting a multilayer adsorption process. According to the SEM-EDX results confirmed a high concentration of carbon and oxygen in the sacha inchi cuticle, in that sense, this by-product could be evaluated for the removal of other contaminants from water.

The tropane alkaloid anisodamine (2) is obtained by 6β-hydroxylation of hyoscyamine (1). The application of this alkaloid in medicine is gaining attention due to the wide range of therapeutic applications described in addition to its anticholinergic activity. In this work, the production of anisodamine (2) by in vitro cultures of Brugmansia candida (Argentinean and Colombian samples) was studied. This alkaloid was estimated in different organs of in vitro-germinated seedlings as well as in hairy roots obtained from seedlings from both sources. Colombian roots exhibited the highest content of tropane alkaloids, with anisodamine (2) being the main alkaloid measured. In the leaves, the main alkaloid was scopolamine (3) and no significant differences were observed between Argentinean and Colombian leaves. The tropane alkaloid content in Argentinean hairy roots was significantly higher than in Colombian ones. Also, in the Argentinean samples the main alkaloid detected was anisodamine (2). Argentinean and Colombian B. candida seedlings and hairy roots appear to be a promising system for the production of anisodamine (2).

Plants have phenolic compounds with antioxidant activity. These compounds are distributed in tissues and cells of plants and their abundance depends on the species, the part of the plant used, maturity stage, light hours, among others. On the other hand, the profile and quantity of phenolic compounds extracted from plant matrices changes depending on the species, cultivar, climate, and other factors. Plant extracts do not present a unique phenolic component, they correspond a mixture and its antioxidant activity will be affected by the concentration of each one and their action depends on this composition. In this chapter, some generalities about the phenolic compounds with antioxidant activity present in plant matrices will be exposed, also the principal methods for their extraction and quantification will be described and this information will be complemented with a review on applications of these compounds in food industry. In that sense, the reader can infer the importance of continue to studying and developing techniques to obtain, extract, and characterize this kind of compounds, also they can identify possible application of them, the most important, they can recognize them as an alternative to replace chemical synthetized antioxidants used in food industry improving the market of natural products.

Las crucíferas son afectadas por problemas fitosanitarios, que derivan en el uso de plaguicidas como medida de manejo. Se realizó una recopilación de información científica y técnica sobre la presencia de residuos de plaguicidas organofosforados en alimentos y sobre los efectos en salud asociados a este, también se consideró la cadena productiva del brócoli y el coliflor en Colombia, además, se realizó una aproximación a la caracterización del riesgo que este peligro representa para los consumidores del país, siguiendo la metodología FAO para la elaboración de perfiles de riesgo en inocuidad de alimentos. Se encontró que en Colombia los plaguicidas organofosforados más empleados son: paratión, metamidofos, diazinón, clorpirifos y malatión, por lo cual podrían estar presentes como residuos en las crucíferas estudiadas. Dentro de la revisión no se encontró información asociada específicamente a la concentración de residuos de plaguicidas organofosforados en brócoli y coliflor para Colombia. El riesgo para la población se determinó utilizando datos de concentración de residuos en brócoli de estudios realizados en México y Ecuador, y la información del uso de plaguicidas, correspondiente a los reportes de Corpoica. Los datos sobre el consumo, se extrajeron de la ENSIN 2005. El riesgo en inocuidad determinado para el peligro en el alimento estudiando fue bajo, aclarando que la estimación realizada considera únicamente la presencia de residuos de diazinón y clorpirifos en las matrices estudiadas. Es necesario aclarar que se trata de una aproximación al perfil de riesgo trabajada con los dos plaguicidas descritos y específicamente en brócoli y coliflor.