Brazil is the biggest coffee producer in the world and different plantation management systems have been applied to improve sustainability and soil quality. Little is known about the environmental effects of these different management systems, therefore, the goal of this study was to use soil biological parameters as indicators of changes. Soils from plantations in Southeastern Brazil with conventional (CC), organic (OC) and integrated management systems containing intercropping of Brachiaria decumbens (IB) or Arachis pintoi (IA) were sampled. Total organic carbon (TOC), microbial biomass carbon (MBC) and nitrogen (MBN), microbial activity (C-CO₂), metabolic quotient (qCO₂), the enzymes dehydrogenase, urease, acid phosphatase and arylsulphatase, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) colonization and number of spores and soil fauna were evaluated. The greatest difference between the management systems was seen in soil organic matter content. The largest quantity of TOC was found in the OC, and the smallest was found in IA. TOC content influenced soil biological parameters. The use of all combined attributes was necessary to distinguish the four systems. Each management presented distinct faunal structure, and the data obtained with the trap method was more reliable than the TSBF (Tropical Soils) method. A canonic correlation analysis showed that Isopoda was correlated with TOC and the most abundant order with OC. Isoptera was the most abundant faunal order in IA and correlated with MBC. Overall, OC had higher values for most of the biological measurements and higher populations of Oligochaeta and Isopoda, corroborating with the concept that the OC is a more sustainable system.

Caruru and ora-pro-nóbis are unconventional food plants rich in proteins, essential amino acids, fibers, vitamins, minerals, and bioactive compounds but contain antinutritional factors. Blanching is one of the recommended methods to eliminate antinutrients, but it can change the chemical composition of foods. Therefore, the study’s objective was to evaluate the physicochemical characteristics (pH and acidity), the proximate composition, the bioactive compounds (total phenolic compounds and vitamin C), the antioxidant activity and the presence of saponins in fresh caruru and ora-pro-nóbis leaves and subjected to blanching. The analyzed samples showed significant content of moisture, ash, protein, fiber, total phenolic compounds, vitamin C and antioxidant activity. In caruru, blanching increased pH, total solids, proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates while decreasing moisture, antioxidant activity and saponins. In ora-pro-nóbis, this processing increased pH, fiber, and total phenolic compounds and decreased vitamin C and saponins.

A celulose bacteriana (CB) despertou interesse científico significativo devido às suas aplicações potenciais em vários setores, incluindo indústrias médicas, cosméticas, alimentícias, ambientais e de moda. Esse interesse decorre de seus atributos como material biodegradável, biocompatível e com notáveis propriedades mecânicas, proveniente de origens renováveis. Além disso, o seu processo de produção é simples, produzindo apenas resíduos orgânicos e compostáveis. A produção de CB necessita de microrganismos e de um meio de cultura. Embora a bactéria Gram-negativa Komagataeibacter xylinus seja reconhecida como particularmente eficiente para a produção isolada de CB, consórcios de microrganismos como o kombucha demonstraram rendimentos promissores sob condições de cultura adequadas. Assim, este estudo busca verificar a diversidade de microrganismos presentes nas amostras de kombucha e sua respectiva produtividade de CB em diversos meios de cultura. Quatro amostras de kombucha (designadas A, B, C e D) juntamente com dois tipos de meios de cultura, HS e natural (composto por chá e açúcar), foram submetidas à experimentação. A enumeração de microrganismos revelou a amostra C como a mais abundante, seguida por A, D e B, com a identificação de três variedades distintas de colônias. Entre estes, dois exibiram características morfológicas semelhantes a bacilos Gram-negativos curtos, característicos de K. xylinus, e bacilos Gram-positivos, sugerindo uma cepa de levedura. A produção de CB mostrou-se mais eficiente quando se utilizou o meio de cultura natural, particularmente evidente na amostra C, possivelmente atribuível a parâmetros físicos e químicos favoráveis dentro deste meio de crescimento. Notavelmente, o meio de cultura natural exibiu maior eficácia na produção de CB com culturas derivadas da amostra C do kombucha.