Lizzy Ayra Alcântara Veríssimo

Mulberry (Morus nigra L.) is a fruit rich in bioactive compounds, commonly processed into juices, pulps, and wines. These processes generate by-products rich in anthocyanins, accounting for 20% to 40% of the fruit’s weight, which are often discarded. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of adding mulberry juice residue flour (MRF) to a commercial plant-based fermented beverage. The flour was obtained from ripe fruits, which were blended with water (1:1, m/v) and sieved. The retained solid residue was frozen at -80 °C and lyophilized at -40 °C under a pressure of 0.998 mbar for 48 hours. MRF was incorporated into the beverage at concentrations of 0%, 1%, 2%, 3%, and 4% (m/v), and the samples were evaluated for pH, soluble solids, total phenolic compounds, anthocyanins, color, and rheological behavior. The results showed that MRF addition reduced the beverage's pH, increased the concentration of soluble solids and phenolic compounds, and enhanced the anthocyanin content, especially in samples with higher MRF concentrations. Color analysis revealed a progressive darkening and an increase in reddish hue in the samples with higher MRF levels, suggesting that the flour may act as a natural dye. Furthermore, rheological analysis indicated that the beverage exhibited characteristics of a non-Newtonian pseudoplastic fluid (n<1), with increasing viscosity as MRF concentration rose. In conclusion, the addition of MRF is an effective strategy for enriching plant-based beverages, improving their bioactive properties, providing natural coloration, and contributing to sustainability by reusing fruit processing by-products.

This work aimed to optimize the production of L-asparaginase (L-ASNase) from Aspergillus caespitosus CCDCA 11593 using Pereskia aculeata (Ora-pro-nóbis) leaf fiber as a substrate for solid-state fermentation (SSF), along with powdered whey protein as a substrate in submerged fermentation (SmF) processes. A centered face design was applied to evaluate the effect of the different parameters. Additionally, L-ASNase was partially purified on an ion-exchange cryogel column. For SSF, the experimental condition, inoculum concentration 10⁵ spores/mL, 120 h at 25 °C, 14% of substrate, and 1% of asparagine, corresponded to the highest enzymatic activity (2.75 U/mL) of L-ASNase. For SmF, the experimental condition of greater enzymatic activity (1.49 U/mL) was obtained in the medium containing 16% to 24% asparagine, 3.3% to 4.7% substrate, spore concentration of 7 × 10⁶ to 10⁷ spores/mL, temperature range of 29.8 to 34.8 °C, pH range of 5.7 to 6.3, and 87 to 105 h of fermentation. The L-ASNase obtained from SmF was subjected to adsorption tests, resulting in 4.4 U/mg of partially purified enzyme. This study suggested that whey protein and Ora-pro-nóbis leaf fiber could be a low-cost substrate for L-ASNase production. Additionally, using an ion-exchange cryogel column for enzyme purification holds promise for sustainable applications in the clinical and food industries.

Given the growing demand for sustainable energy sources, the search for alternatives to fossil fuels has intensified, with particular emphasis on the reuse of agro-industrial waste. Among these, coffee husk (Coffea arabica), widely produced in Brazil, presents high energy potential and availability. A strategy for the valorization of this residue is briquetting, a compaction process that transforms biomass into a solid biofuel with high energy density, good combustion efficiency, and ease of transport and storage. In this context, the aim of this study was to propose a renewable fuel option and evaluate its energy potential, by means of the production and carbonization of briquettes made from coffee husks and different binder concentrations (crude glycerin). Cold briquetting was performed in a mold machined for this study. The effects of the binder concentration (0 % to 25 % w/w) on moisture, volatiles, fixed carbon and ash contents, the heating value, bulk density of briquettes, diametrical compression strength, diametral expansion, longitudinal expansion and carbonization yields was assessed, using a completely randomized design with three replicates in each treatment. Carbonization was carried out at 450 ºC. The addition of 5% (w/w) binder in the briquettes resulted in a higher compressive strength (78.99 kPa). Increases in glycerin concentration reduced the fragmentation of compacted material, but resulted in a reduction in the calorific value, increase in moisture and volatile contents, and expansion of the briquettes. The gravimetric yields were not significantly affected (p>0.05) by the addition of glycerin, but the charcoal produced from briquettes with the binder showed less fragmentation. The briquettes and charcoal produced showed potential for use in the generation of energy, and production of activated carbon and biochar.

This study aimed to synthesize and characterize hydrogels prepared with alginate (ALG) and ora‐pro‐nobis mucilage (MOPN) by ionic gelation. The hydrogels were produced from solutions containing 0.5, 0.75, 1.0, and 1.25% (w/v) sodium alginate, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1.0 and 1.25% (w/v) MOPN and 1.5 and 3.0% (w/v) CaCl₂. The hydrogels were characterized in terms of mechanical strength, degree of swelling, morphology, chemical groups by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and x‐ray diffraction (XRD); and their thermal properties were assessed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis (TG/DTA). The results indicated that MOPN acted with ALG in chain crosslinking, confirming its ability to interact with other polymers to form gels. The control hydrogel, composed of only ALG (1.5%), showed a more crosslinked and less amorphous structure with greater thermal resistance, while the hydrogel composed of ALG (1.25%) and MOPN (0.25%) showed a more amorphous, porous structure with lumps. However, these treatments were statistically equal in terms of mechanical strength and degree of swelling, indicating that ALG and MOPN hydrogels are an economically viable alternative to ALG‐only hydrogels, where 0.25% (w/v) of the ALG can be replaced by MOPN without significant changes in its mechanical and swelling properties.

This study aimed to produce and characterise microparticles produced from barley residue proteins (BRP) enriched with β-carotene. The microparticles were obtained by freeze-drying five emulsion formulations with 0.5% w/w whey protein concentrate and different concentrations of maltodextrin and BRP (0, 1.5, 3.0, 4.5 and 6.0% w/w), with the dispersed phase consisting of corn oil enriched with β-carotene. The mixtures were mechanically mixed and sonicated, the formed emulsions were freeze-drying. The microparticles obtained were tested for encapsulation efficiency, humidity, hygroscopicity, apparent density, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), accelerated stability and bioaccessibility. Microparticles produced with the emulsion containing 6% w/w BRP had lower moisture content (3.47 ± 0.05%), higher encapsulation efficiency (69.11 ± 3.36%), bioaccessibility value of 84.1% and greater β-carotene protection against thermal degradation. SEM analysis showed that microparticles had sizes ranging from 74.4 to 244.8 µm. These results show that BRP are viable for the microencapsulation of bioactive compounds by freeze-drying.

The application of cryogels for biomolecule purification has expanded due to their adsorption efficiency and operational advantages. In this study, polyacrylamide cryogels functionalized with l‐phenylalanine (cryogel‐Phe) via the glutaraldehyde method were designed for lysozyme adsorption. Cryogel functionalization was confirmed by Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy and Kjeldahl analysis, indicating the immobilization of 458.65 mg_{phenylalanine} g_cryogel⁻¹. Cryogel‐Phe showed high porosity (0.95) and a Young's modulus of 526.71 kPa. Thermogravimetric analysis indicated that thermal degradation occurred above 200°C. Differential scanning calorimetry and X‐ray diffraction confirmed that the cryogel material was amorphous. In addition, the column presented a hydraulic permeability of 4.15 × 10⁻¹³ m², axial dispersion ranging from 10⁻⁷ to 10⁻⁶ m² s⁻¹, and a height equivalent to a theoretical plate ranging from 0.10 to 0.21 cm. The highest adsorption of lysozyme (67.65 mg g⁻¹) was obtained using sodium thiocyanate saline solution (0.025 mol L⁻¹, pH 5.0). The ability of the cryogel‐Phe column to capture and purify lysozyme was confirmed by high enzymatic activity (1294.17 U ml⁻¹), purity (87.92%), purification factor (11.49), and sulphate‐polyacrylamide electrophoresis gel (SDS‐PAGE) electrophoresis gel.

Anais do I Simpósio Online Sulamericano de Tecnologia, Engenharia e Ciência de Alimentos (978-65-5941-657-8) - Captura Cromatográfica Das Proteínas Do Extrato Aquoso Das Folhas De Momordica Charantia L. Utilizando Adsorventes Monolíticos Supermacroporosos