Search results

Sociodemographic characteristics, including regional variations, have been associated with different food consumption patterns. Behavioral factors and lifestyle variables may also contribute to different food dietary trends. In this way, the present study intended to investigate the consumption habits of the most relevant types of dairy products around the world and relate them to sociodemographic factors, for example, age, sex, education and country as well as with some anthropometric and behavioral aspects, for example, body mass index, satisfaction with body weight and exercise or sedentary lifestyles. One other objective of the study was to categorize the lifestyles of the participants, according to measured variables linked with hours of inactivity or exercise, in order to use these as possible differentiating variables for the consumption of dairy products. The study involved a questionnaire survey undertaken on a non-probabilistic convenience sample of participants from Portugal (PT) and Brazil (BR), and participation was voluntary and anonymous. The data analysis involved different statistical techniques: basic statistics, chi-square tests, factor analysis, cluster analysis and tree classification analysis. The results showed that semi skimmed milk is never consumed by about half of the participants (47.4% for PT and 46.7 for BR), and those numbers increase for skimmed (64.8% for PT and 50.9% for BR), chocolate flavored milk (82.6% for PT and 65.6% for BR) and enriched milks (94.8% for PT and 85.3% for BR). Cheeses are also consumed in the two countries by small numbers of people. The number of participants consuming imported cheeses in both countries was particularly low (only 4.0% consume these more than once a week in both countries), suggesting national products may be preferred. It was further observed that those who consume cheese do it seldom (once a week) or sometimes (2-3 times per week). Butter is also consumed by only about half of the adult population (43.8% for PT and 49.5% for BR), but the percentage of those who never consume butter increases for skimmed butter (66.0% for PT and 82.6% for BR) and unsalted butter (70.2% for PT and 69.1% for BR). The consumption of yogurts also follows similar low consumption patterns. The most frequently consumed yogurt types in Portugal are liquid (30.5% consume regularly) and natural yogurts (34.8% consume regularly), while in Brazil the most frequent are creamy fruit pulp yogurt (14.4% consume regularly), liquid (13.7% consume regularly) and Greek type yogurt (10.2% consume regularly). A factor analysis and a cluster analysis established groups according to lifestyles, as follows: 1-Screeners, 2-Exercisers, 3-Travelers and 4-Others. These lifestyles were found to be influential in the consumption of dairy products for all classes of dairy tested: milk, cheese, yogurt and butter. For example, the screeners were found to consume more milk, more butter, more cheese and more yogurt. Additionally, other influential factors were age, sex, education, BMI and satisfaction with body weight. Nevertheless, country was not a meaningfully discriminant variable in relation to the other variables included in the classification analysis. The results concluded that, despite some small differences in the patterns of consumption of dairy products in both countries, the levels of consumption of dairy products are extremely low, for all classes studied (milk, cheese, yogurt or butter). Additionally, it was concluded that some factors are influential on the level of consumption of dairy products, and therefore decision makers can plan their interventions according to the characteristics of the targeted segments of the population, according to lifestyle, age, sex, education, BMI and satisfaction with body weight.

The antioxidant activity of bee pollen (mainly composed by Cistus ladanifer pellets) was explored in the context of black pudding production. For this purpose, three black pudding formulations comprising varying antioxidant compounds (sodium ascorbate, bee pollen and bee pollen extract) were produced. Bee pollen was characterized according to the botanical origin, antioxidant activity, total phenol and flavonoid contents and phenolic profile. Black pudding was characterized by the microbiological safety, lipid oxidation, pH, water activity and humidity at 1, 10, 21, 30 and 37 days. Sensory acceptance was evaluated on the four first periods of storage. Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli and Listeria monocytogenes were absent in all samples. Small variations on humidity and pH were observed during the black pudding's storage. Regarding lipid oxidation, it increased, on average, from 1.36 mg to 2.11 mg malondialdehyde/kg meat. Differences among the three formulations were only significant on the first days of storage. The sensory assessment did not differ between products. This study suggests that bee pollen may be used as a natural antioxidant in meat products, yet a careful labelling is essential to alert allergic consumers.

The valorisation of agro-industrial by-products can be used as an alternative source for producing healthy food ingredients and materials. The volatile profile measured by headspace solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, mechanical, antioxidant and antibacterial properties of biodegradable cassava starch film extruded with the addition of different percentages of apple pomace (AP) by-product were evaluated. Characteristic volatile compounds were identified in the samples, such as α-farnesene, sulcatone and ethylphenyl propanoate. The film containing 8% AP had higher total phenolic content (3.32 mg GAE/g, Gallic acid equivalent) and antioxidant activity (2.78 mmol Trolox/g) than the control film (0.71 mg GAE/g and 1.03 mmol Trolox/g). The minimum inhibitory concentration against Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella thyphimurium, and Escherichia coli for the films containing AP was higher than 12.5 mg/mL for all species. The results suggest that the antioxidant and antibacterial activities and mechanical properties, are dependent on the quantity of the AP added to films. Due to its antioxidant activity and mechanical properties, the AP could have real potential use as a functional ingredient in biodegradable packaging with the advantage of having good antibacterial properties.

The development of new materials environmentally friendly has become an important market niche for the food industry. The agro-industrial wastes and by-products can be an alternative for the production of biodegradable food packaging. The work aimed to produce biodegradable plastic film extruded with antioxidant and anti- bacterial properties by the joining of cassava starch and Brazilian propolis by-product (BPB). The volatile profile of BPB, Brazilian propolis by-product film (BPBF), and control film (CF) were analyzed by gas chromatography. The mechanical, antioxidant, and antibacterial properties of the films were also assessed. Eighty-seven volatile compounds were detected with aldehydes and terpenoids predominating in the samples. The major terpenoid detected in the samples was the 2-pinen-10-ol followed by α-copaene. Benzaldehyde and benzenepropanoic acid ethyl ester were the major aldehyde and ester classes present in the films. The BPBF exhibited promising me- chanical properties showing the highest Elasticity modulus (11.96 Mpa) and excellent antioxidant (8.45 mmol Trolox equivalent/g) and antibacterial (12.5 mg/mL against Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella Typhimurium) activities. The valorization of agro-industrial by-products following the current trends to environmental care can be a sustainable alternative for the development of a plastic into which the propolis by-product is incorporated in biodegradable packaging.