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The use of by-products from orange and cassava processing and the Spirulina platensis biomass was studied to prepare edible coating, using a Simplex-Centroid design. The formulations were evaluated regarding physical, optical, solubility and barrier properties. There was no significant difference among the samples in relation to water activity, grammage and swelling in acid solution (30 min) (p>0.10). The addition of S. platensis caused lower rates of swelling in NaHCO3 solution. The cassava bagasse incorporation affected positively the density, which can be related to the starch content of this by-product. The ternary mixture of the components studied had the highest values for the color parameter a*. The results showed potential application of the films produced in dehydrated and green products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flours production from unused parts of peach palm rods harvested for heart-of-palm is an alternative to add value to the canning industry. The aim of this work was to evaluate the composition, physicochemical and antioxidant properties, as well as water sorption isotherms of flours produced from median sheath (MSF) and unused stem part (SF) of peach palm. The main component of the flours was dietary fibre, especially insoluble fibre. SF had higher content of ashes (50.61 g·kg-1), proteins (98.40 g·kg-1), lipids (23.22 g·kg-1) and saccharides (157.07 g·kg-1) than MSF. There was higher carotenoid content in MSF and higher content of phenolic compounds in SF. This flour also had the highest antioxidant activity as measured by ABTS, DPPH and FRAP methods. SF standed out due to the physicochemical properties: water solubility, water absorption, swelling and viscosity. The isotherm indicated that MSF was more hygroscopic than SF for relative humidity of equilibrium lower than 50% and the contrary is valid for values higher than 50% with final moisture content of 268 g·kg-1 and 325 g·kg-1 of water, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of by-products is an important strategy to valorize agro-industrial productive chains. The production of low-cost functional foods is a concern of the food industry. The aim of this work was to investigate the chemical composition and the technological, microbiological, sensorial and antioxidant properties of four formulations of cookies, produced with the replacement of 20% of wheat flour by equal proportions of flours from by-products (cassava, soybean and peach palm) and with the addition of Spirulina platensis (2% or 5%, dry basis). The formulation containing composite flour and 5% of biomass, had an increase of 20% of protein, 30% of ash and 96% of fibre when compared to the control. Due to the high level of total phenolic compounds (12.2 g·kg-1) and antioxidant capacity (mean value 40.3 mmol·kg-1, as Trolox equivalent) of S. platensis, this formulation had an increase of 64% of phenolic compounds and 37% of antioxidant capacity in relation to the control. The nutritional enrichment showed that the formulations tested were viable, despite the decrease in the sensorial acceptance and the alterations in technological properties. The microbiological analysis showed that the formulated products were within the limits of the Brazilian legislation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of light intensity and temperature in S. platensis cultivation with potassium nitrate or urea as nitrogen source were investigated, as well as the biomass chlorophyll contents of this cyanobacteria, through the Response Surface Methodology. Experiments were performed at temperatures from 25 to 34.5ºC and light intensities from 15 to 69 µmol photons m(-2) s(-1), in mineral medium. In cultivations with both sources of nitrogen, KNO3 and urea, statistic evaluation through multiple regression, no interactions of such independent variables were detected in the results of the dependent variables maximum cell concentration, chlorophyll biomass contents, cell and chlorophyll productivities, as well as in the nitrogen-cell conversion factor. In cultivation performed with both sources of nitrogen, it was possible to obtain satisfactory adjustments to relate the dependent variables to the independent variables. The best results were achieved at temperature of 30ºC, at light intensity of 60 µmol photons m(-2)s(-1), for cell growth, with cell productivity of approximately 95 mg L(-1) d(-1) in cultivations with urea. For the chlorophyll biomass content, the most adequate light intensity was 24 µmol photons m(-2) s(-1).