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.

Entrapment of curcumin in soy protein isolate using the pH-driven method: Nanoencapsulation and formation mechanism

Abstract: The use of curcumin in the food industry is constrained by its poor aqueous dispersibility and instability. Previous studies have shown that stable curcumin nanoparticles can be prepared using a pH-driven method. In this study, the nanoencapsulation of curcumin by soybean protein isolate (SPI) was achieved using the pH-driven method. The effect of final pH on SPI and SPI-curcumin (SPI-Cur) nanocomposites was determined by analyzing the encapsulation efficiency and stability. SPI had a high encapsulation efficiency for curcumin and was stable, especially at pH 7 and 8. The formation mechanisms of SPI and SPI-Cur were further determined by molecular docking and multispectral analyses. The results showed that hydrogen bond acceptors (O − ) of curcumin under alkaline media interacted with the donor groups (N–H) of amino acids to form hydrogen bonds. Throughout the process, hydrophobic interactions promoted the formation of the nanocomposites, and curcumin had a strong static fluorescence quenching effect on SPI. Furthermore, CD spectroscopy demonstrated that the pH-driven method altered the secondary structure of the SPI. This study provides evidence for the interaction mechanism between curcumin and SPI at different pH-driven stages and indicates SPI-Cur can be used as a delivery system of hydrophobic nutraceuticals. • Stable SPI-Cur nanocomposites were prepared with high encapsulation efficiency. • The final pH value affected the properties of nanocomposites. • Mainly hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions exist in the pH-driven method. • The interaction was altered by structural changes at different pH-driven stages.

Análise e monitoramento de pontos críticos no abate de frangos utilizando indicadores microbiológicos

Abstract: Hygiene indicator microorganisms in a poultry slaughter was evaluated during the processing in order to identify potential critical control points and allow options for monitoring or verification by Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) system. Microbiological superficial contamination of chicken carcasses was establish by the enumeration of mesophilic aerobes, total coliforms, thermotolerant coliforms and Escherichia coli in the following steps of processing: A - before the first hygienic shower, B - after the first hygienic shower, C - after manual evisceration, D - after final washing shower, and E - after the chiller tank. The mean counts of mesophilic aerobes, total and thermotolerant coliforms was not significantly different (P<0.05) in the steps A, B, C and D. However, the mean values of these microorganisms in step E (after chilling) was significantly lower when compared to the one obtained in the other steps. The mean counts of Escherichia coli were not significantly different, independently of the processing step analyzed. The chances of contamination were estimated by Odds Ration, and it was observed that chances were higher in the step A for mesophilic aerobes, and in the step C for coliforms. Considering the analyzed parameters, the levels of contamination by mesophilic aerobes, total and thermotolerant coliforms were the most suitable for monitoring and verification of a HACCP system in a poultry processing plant. The obtained results indicate that the chilling can be considered as an important critical control point, once this procedure was able to reduce significantly the microbiological contamination.

Perfectionnements apportes aux supports elastiques, notamment pour suspensions de moteurs de vehicules

Abstract: L'invention est relative aux supports elastiques amortis Un support de ce genre, conforme a l'invention, est reprerente sur la figure 1 Il comporte essentiellement, entre deux bases 1 et 2 susceptibles d'etre fixees sur les ensembles a supporter l'une par l'autre, d'une part, une paroi souple 5 delimitant une chambre A destinee a cooperer avec une chambre B et, d'autre part, au moins un orifice de laminage de fluide 3 Cet ensemble est encore complete, a l'exterieur, par deux couronnes elastiques 8 et 9 en elastomere combinees avec une masse M1 L'ensemble de cette masse M1 avec une masse M2 et avec le dispositif amortisseur et les membranes elastiques est calcule de facon a permettre de maintenir une certaine flexibilite, aussi bien pour les frequences basses que pour les frequences elevees Application : supports pour moteurs de vehicules