Ministry of Agriculture

About: Ministry of Agriculture is a government organization based out in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Biology & Chemistry. The organization has 1153 authors who have published 1189 publications receiving 14442 citations.

Social and economic up and downgrading in Brazil's hortifruiticulture

Abstract: Within the framework of the Capturing the Gains research network, which adopts a global value chain (GVC) perspective, this article analyses developments in the hortifruiticulture sector and Brazilian food retail with the aim of identifying processes of social and economic up and downgrading as a result of participation in GVCs. Recent literature on these questions in Latin America and Brazil, which has largely been conducted within the retail transnationalization perspective developed by Reardon and colleagues, is first reviewed. We then analyse recent data on the retail sector, highlighting the shift of the dominant actors to non-food sales and the growth of local and regional outlets in response to the increased purchasing capacity of low-income groups. Retail is recognized to have decreased the number of farm produce suppliers and increased quality demands. Our research, however, has identified substantial informal subcontracting, with positive effects on inclusion but raising doubts on the efficiency of standards. In revisiting Brazil’s most important and most studied fruit export pole, Petrolina, we conclude that the agricultural sector has increased its bargaining power within the GVC given the opportunities opened up by an expanding domestic market. This has similarly led to farmworker economic upgrading via longer production periods. Even though working conditions are harsh, trade union negotiating strength in the current political conjuncture has been significantly improved, leading to important measures of social upgrading.

Método aprimorado para diagnóstico da intoxicação por Nerium oleander em tecidos de necropsia

Abstract: Nerium oleander is an ornamental cardiotoxic plant found in tropical and subtropical areas of the World. Its toxicity is related to the content of cardioactive glycosides, mainly oleandrin, found throughout the plant. The present study aimed to describe a new and improved method for oleandrin detection in tissue samples. The determination of oleandrin was made after extraction with a modified QuEChERS technique and measurement by UFLC-MS/MS. A total of 36 guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus) were distributed into 3 groups (n=12): control group that received only water orally (CON), and two treated groups that received hydroalcoholic oleander extract at doses of 150mg.kg-1 (OLE 150) and 300mg.kg-1 (OLE 300) in single oral dose. After three hours, fragments of heart, kidneys, liver and brain were collected for determination of oleandrin levels. The extraction and chromatographic procedures were effective for oleandrin detection and quantification in tissues, with retention time of 1.2 min and detection limit of 0.001μg g-1. The chromatographic analysis of treated guinea pigs indicated that oleandrin is distributed equally among the analyzed tissues. The developed methodology is a reliable, effective and rapid form of diagnosis of N. oleander poisoning based on necropsy tissue samples.

Illegal animal-origin products seized in baggage from international flights at São Paulo Guarulhos airport (GRU / SBGR), Brazil

Abstract: Air transportation is one of the most important means to introduce illegally imported animal-origin products into a country. Studies have demonstrated that these items pose a risk of disseminating diseases. Sao Paulo Guarulhos International Airport (GRU / SBGR) is the main international airport in Brazil in terms of people movement and it has the largest number of seizures of animal-origin products. The aim of the present work was to describe the dynamics of the seizure of illegally imported animal-origin products in baggage from international flight passengers at GRU / SBGR Airport in Brazil. Five hundred and eighty-nine different flights from 43 airlines, arriving from 117 countries were analyzed between 2006 and 2009. The total number of seized items increased from 2006 to 2009 and a single flight from France had the highest number of seizures, followed by flights from South Africa and Germany. Countries were grouped into regions or continents to facilitate the analysis. This grouping was based on historical and cultural ties rather than geographical aspects. Seafood was the most frequently seized product, followed by dairy products, as well as processed and raw meat.

Nipple in the execution of a nipple with flange or a wide-necked nipple

Abstract: Teat (1) designed as a flange-type teat or a wide-necked teat, with a specially gnatho-orthopaedically designed teat nipple (3), a teat shaft (2) arranged above the area of engagement with the mouthpiece of a bottle having a considerably greater cross-section than the teat nipple (3) and having a surface (7) which is arranged at an angle to the axis of the neck of the bottle and which has an indentation (8) at least in one area between nipple (3) and surface edge.

Performance of Skim Goat Milk Mineral Content Subjected to the Block Freeze Concentration Process

Abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate the goat milk mineral performance concentrated by block freeze concentration process. Twenty batches of skim goat milk, each one with one liter, were subjected until the third stage of the freeze concentration process. The initial skim goat milk, concentrated, and ice fractions obtained were analyzed by calcium, magnesium, zinc, phosphorus, sodium and potassium content. Results showed that phosphorus content not increased (P < 0.05) with the increase of freeze concentration stages, for concentrated and ice fractions. In the first stage of freeze concentration process, the magnesium element showed the higher (P < 0.05) efficiency (95%). However, the higher (P < 0.05) concentration factor was determinate to calcium element in the third stage of the process. Also, it was observed an increase in the minerals contents evaluated with the increasing of freeze concentration stages of skim goat milk. Based on results obtained in the present study, the skim goat milk concentrated obtained in the first stage showed the best performance of skim goat milk mineral content concentration.