Caroline Marques

The feasibility of enhancing oat cereal bars, widely recognized for their health benefits, was investigated by replacing up to 5% oats with whole seed, almond, or steam-cooked pinhão husk flour. Pinhão contributes with resistant starch, antioxidant compounds, and minerals. The control oat bar (30.5% of the mixture), without pinhão flours but containing brown sugar (25.5%), raisins (15.0%), glucose (15.0%), coconut oil (3.0%), gelatin (0.5%), and water (10.0%), provides 75.53 kcal, with 15.66% carbohydrates (on a dry basis), 2.88% insoluble fiber, 0.70% soluble fiber, 1.82% protein, 0.62% lipids, and 0.32% minerals. Bars replacing up to 5% of oats with almond, husk, or whole seed flour showed statistically similar compositions, except for lipids, few minerals, phenolic compounds, and antioxidant activity. Concerning daily recommendations, a 22 g bar offers low energy (3.78%, Brasil, 1998) and proportionally high mineral content, including potassium (34.64%), zinc (81.58%), magnesium (108.55%), iron (421.18%), copper (192.98%), calcium (395.13%), and manganese (1,027.00%). Additionally, they exhibit a significant content of total phenolic compounds (8.66 mg GAE/g) and antioxidant capacity (24.43 mg Trolox/g). These innovative bars were well-received in sensory evaluations and demonstrated good commercial potential. Notably, a bar that replaced 5% oats with husk flour could be a viable option for microenterprises due to simplified technology, contributing to waste valorization and encouraging the preservation of the Araucaria Forest.

Consumers see whey beverages as inferior products to yogurts, especially regarding texture and viscosity. The aim of this work was to evaluate consumers' perception of the differences between yogurt and fermented whey beverage using word association and check-all-that-apply (Cata). Untrained assessors (n = 100) evaluated samples of three commercial brands of liquid or stirred yogurt and whey beverage, of strawberry flavor. Chemical and physical parameters (pH, acidity, total solids, color, texture and syneresis) were determined to assist in the interpretation of the results. The study showed that physical and chemical characteristics were inherent to each product, with no homogeneity within each category. The texture was the parameter that most influenced consumer responses. Yogurt is not necessarily always more viscous than fermented whey beverages. In addition, sensory acceptability was not linked to the product category, pointing to the importance of the individual characteristics. Word association and Cata were able to access the main differences between both products and brought important qualitative and quantitative information regarding consumers’ opinions. This study contributed to demystifying the perception that fermented whey beverages have attributes considered inferior, such as lower viscosity and greater syneresis when compared to yogurts. It was found that there is a demand for information about yogurt and fermented whey beverages, which can influence consumers' opinions at the time of purchase.

Rancid taste, pH, and TBARS are important quality parameters of food oxidation, analyzed in a time-consuming and destructive way. Non-destructive character

Lemongrasses are known and used worldwide due to several benefits conferred to them regarding the high content of essential oils and other phenolic compounds, which are essential and nonessential compounds that occur in nature, are part of the food chain and present several benefits on human health. The obtaining of phenolic compounds from natural matrices requires the development of effective processes with minor impacts on the environment and target compounds. In this work, green solvents entitled deep eutectic solvents (DES) were evaluated against conventional solvents, as acetone, ethanol, and methanol, to obtain phenolic compounds from three different species of lemongrasses (Cymbopogon flexuosus, Cymbopogon citratus, and Elyonurus muticus). The best extraction conditions were determined into three completely random designs (CRD). The first CRD aimed at solvent selection, for this the extraction conditions were fixed in 45°C/2 hr. The second CRD was to determine the optimum process temperature. And finally, the last CRD compared different methods of extraction: magnetic stirring, Ultra‐Turrax, and ultrasound assisted extraction. The extraction kinetics were also obtained. The experimental results indicated that the extract from lemongrass C. citratus presented higher content of phenolic compounds using the DES composed of cholinium chloride and acetic acid as solvent, employing magnetic stirring at 60°C by 180 min. Moreover, all the DES‐based extracts presented higher antioxidant, iron chelating, and antimicrobial capacities than the traditional solvents. Therefore, the DES showed suitable capacity for extraction, and maintenance of phenolic compounds from lemongrasses, superior to those traditional solvents, being a promising alternative for use in medical, pharmaceutical, and food industries.Practical Applications: The research uses different solvents and mechanisms to extract biocompounds, as essential oils and phenolic compounds from lemongrass species. The higher extraction conditions, in terms of solvent, time and extraction method, showed higher antioxidant activity, antimicrobial potential, and iron chelating capacity, which in interest to enrich food, improve cosmetics, clean waste water and residues. Also, there were identified several bioactive compounds from lemongrass, as citral. DES employment is an innovative extraction solvent, and can present low cost and nontoxic approach enhancing extraction efficiency of bioactive compounds.

Elyonurus muticus (Em) is a discarded native grass from South America, and its essential oil recently demonstrated properties comparable to Cymbopogon flexuosus (Cf) and Cymbopogon citratus (Cc) essential oils. Thus, this study aimed to compare these lemongrass essential oils regarding their potential as food preservatives. Chemical composition (GC/MS), antioxidant, Fe²⁺ chelatiion, antibacterial activity and phenolic content were done. As for the Fe²⁺ chelating activity, Em essential oil had IC50 of 0.005 mg. mL⁻¹, three and six times less than Cf and Cc, respectively. The antibacterial test exhibited major activity on Listeria monocytogenes with 54.21% inhibition effect to Em oil (concentration 1:2). Em and Cf oily solutions 0.750 µL.L⁻¹ indicated high postharvest preserving capacity, as they kept phenolic content of strawberries during 15 days with less fungal development. The study emphasized Elyonurus muticus essential oil as suitable alternative to lemongrass species, for food preservation, suggesting pharmaceutical and medical applications.