Mauro Ramalho Silva

Selenicereus setaceus a native cactus species from the Brazilian Cerrado, remains largely unexplored with respect to its phytochemical composition. This study investigated the positive-ion chemical fingerprints of the pulp and peel of S. setaceus collected from two Brazilian regions using paper spray mass spectrometry (PS-MS), and evaluated the influence of three extraction strategies (maceration, ultrasound-assisted extraction, and Ultra-Turrax homogenization) on the detected chemical profiles. The commercially cultivated Selenicereus undatus was included for comparative purposes. Twenty-five compounds were tentatively annotated based on precursor ions, tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) fragmentation patterns, and comparison with previously reported data. Betalains represented the predominant class of detected metabolites, particularly in the peel, where several decarboxylated and dehydrogenated betacyanin derivatives were observed. Flavonoids, phenylpropanoids, benzoic acid derivatives, oligosaccharides, and glycosides were also tentatively assigned. Ions compatible with hesperidin, protocatechuic acid-O-hexoside, and paeoniflorin were detected in S. setaceus, expanding the phytochemical information currently available for this underexplored species. The peel of fruits collected in the Federal District exhibited the highest number of tentatively annotated compounds, highlighting its potential as a source of bioactive metabolites for future valorization. Exploratory multivariate analysis further revealed differences between peel and pulp fingerprints and among extraction procedures, although the overall analytical profiles were broadly comparable. Because the study was restricted to positive-ion PS-MS and compound assignments were based on tentative annotations, the reported fingerprints should be interpreted as exploratory rather than comprehensive metabolomic profiles. Nevertheless, the results demonstrate that positive-ion PS-MS provides a rapid and effective platform for the chemical fingerprinting of underexplored Brazilian native fruits and contributes new phytochemical information on S. setaceus.

Reducing fat in meat products remains a technological challenge due to its impact on sensory quality. This study evaluated the technological performance and consumer acceptance of low-fat beef burgers formulated with green banana flour (GBF) as a fat replacer, using internal preference mapping. Five formulations were produced: a control (15% pork back fat) and four treatments with 25% (LF25), 50% (LF50), 75% (LF75), and 100% (LF100) fat replacement. Microbiological quality, sensory acceptance (color, aroma, flavor, consistency, and overall acceptability), and purchase intention were evaluated by 100 consumers using a 5-point hedonic scale. Data were analyzed by ANOVA, Tukey’s test (p < 0.05), and principal component analysis. All formulations complied with microbiological safety standards. Acceptability indices exceeded 70% for all attributes in CON, LF25, LF50, and LF75, with overall acceptability values of 85.60%, 75.00%, 76.80%, and 78.00%, respectively. Flavor acceptability reached 86.00% for the control and remained above 76% for partial replacements, while LF100 showed a decline to 68.80%. Purchase intention followed a similar trend, with 86.06% for CON and 75.80% for LF75, but dropping to 64.60% in LF100. Internal preference mapping explained up to 66.8% of variance and revealed a clear consumer preference for formulations with 25–75% fat replacement, whereas total replacement resulted in lower acceptance. These results demonstrate that GBF is an effective fat replacer at intermediate levels, improving the nutritional profile of beef burgers while maintaining consumer acceptance and market potential.

Alecrim-do-campo (Baccharis dracunculifolia) is a species of agroindustrial and medicinal relevance that has attracted increasing interest in recent years due to its distinctive chemical profile rich in bioactive compounds. In this context, the present study evaluated the efficiency of different extraction conditions for volatile compounds in alecrim-do-campo, aiming to contribute to the traceability of products that use this species as a source of metabolites. A 2³ factorial design was employed to assess the best conditions for extracting volatiles by headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS‑SPME), using three different semipolar fibers (PDMS/DVB, DVB/CAR/PDMS and CAR/PDMS). Regarding the effect of the variation factors to which the samples were subjected, only the extraction time (min) had a significant effect on compound extraction using the CAR/PDMS fiber. In total, 79 volatile compounds were detected using the three fibers, with CAR/PDMS (43 compounds) and DVB/CAR/PDMS (44 compounds) showing the highest diversity. The nature of this study is important for the industry because it optimizes the search for quality parameters in plant-derived products.

Pitangueira (Eugenia uniflora) is a fruit tree found in the Cerrado, Caatinga, and Atlantic Forest Brazilian biomes. Due to its intense and characteristic aroma and flavor, its fruits (Brazilian cherry) can be consumed raw and as an ingredient in jellies, giving it better use and a more excellent shelf life. The objective of this work was to evaluate the chemical profile of chemical compounds in the pulp, peel, seed, and jelly prepared with the pulp and peel of Brazilian cherry. The characterization of the chemical profile was performed by a fast and simple method: paper spray ionization method coupled with mass spectrometry in positive and negative ionization modes. Forty‐six compounds were tentatively identified in the negative mode and 15 in the positive mode, belonging to the classes of phenolic acids, organic acids, fatty acids, hydroxycinnamic acids, sugars, betalains, carotenoids, flavonoids, and tannins. Characterizing these native Brazilian fruits and their products may increase interest in their use, highlighting the potential of Brazilian cherry as a source of nutrients and bioactive compounds. Therefore, developing technological processes for better use and conservation of fruits and, at the same time, identifying the phytochemical compounds present in the product is a way of valuing and preserving our Brazilian biodiversity.

Objective: This integrative review aimed to identify the phenolic compounds present in pitayas (dragon fruit). Methods: We employed a comprehensive search strategy, encompassing full-text articles published between 2013 and 2023 in Portuguese, English, and Spanish from databases indexed in ScienceDirect, Capes Periodics, Scielo, and PubMed. The study’s selection was guided by the question, “What are the main phenolic compounds found in pitaya fruits?”. Results: After screening 601 papers, 57 met the inclusion criteria. The identified phytochemicals have been associated with a range of health benefits, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anxiolytic properties. Additionally, they exhibit promising applications in the management of cancer, diabetes, and obesity. These 57 studies encompassed various genera, including Hylocereus, Selenicereus, and Stenocereus. Notably, Hylocereus undatus and Hylocereus polyrhizus emerged as the most extensively characterized species regarding polyphenol content. Analysis revealed that flavonoids, particularly kaempferol and rutin, were the predominant phenolic class within the pulp and peel of these fruits. Additionally, hydroxycinnamic and benzoic acid derivatives, especially chlorogenic acid, caffeic, protocatechuic, synaptic, and ellagic acid, were frequently reported. Furthermore, betalains, specifically betacyanins, were identified, contributing to the characteristic purplish-red color of the pitaya peel and pulp. These betalains hold significant potential as natural colorants in the food industry. Conclusion: Therefore, the different pitayas have promising sources for the extraction of pigments for incorporation in the food industry. We recommend further studies investigate their potential as nutraceuticals.

Os preparados sólidos para refrescos artificiais (refrescos artificiais) estão cada vez mais presentes na rotina alimentar das pessoas, especialmente das crianças. Entretanto, sabe-se que não há uniformização das embalagens deste tipo de produto e, no que tange às informações nutricionais, percebe-se que eles são ricos em açúcares e alguns aditivos, muitas vezes em descompasso com as recomendações nutricionais. O objetivo deste estudo consistiu em comparar os valores de nutrientes declarados nos rótulos com as ingestões diárias recomendadas para crianças menores de 13 anos, observando-se as recomendações da Agência Nacional de Vigilância Sanitária e do Institute of Medicine. Para a coleta de dados realizou-se visitas ao comércio varejista, em Diamantina/MG, para identificação dos produtos (marcas e sabores) e análise da rotulagem nutricional. Foram analisados os rótulos de 127 produtos, sendo que todos apresentaram os itens obrigatórios da rotulagem geral, considerando-se a legislação brasileira em vigência à época do estudo. Com relação à informação nutricional, foi possível constatar que, em todos os produtos, a quantidade de carboidratos, calculada com base nos dados dos fabricantes, era superior à preconizada nas recomendações nutricionais. Ainda foram detectadas divergências entre os teores de sódio declarados com as ingestões diárias recomendadas para crianças menores de 13 anos. Os teores de vitaminas C (em 84 produtos) e de vitaminas A, B1 e B6 (em 12 produtos) também extrapolaram as necessidades nutricionais das crianças. Concluiu-se que as a composição dos refrescos artificiais em pó expressa na rotulagem apresenta desacordo em relação às ingestões recomendadas, o que pode contribuir para situações de excesso de nutrientes, promovendo possíveis desordens metabólicas nos consumidores.

Jabuticaba (Plinia cauliflora) and jambolan (Syzygium cumini) fruits are rich in phenolic compounds with antioxidant properties, mostly concentrated in the peel, pulp, and seeds. Among the techniques for identifying these constituents, paper spray mass spectrometry (PS-MS) stands out as a method of ambient ionization of samples for the direct analysis of raw materials. This study aimed to determine the chemical profiles of the peel, pulp, and seeds of jabuticaba and jambolan fruits, as well as to assess the efficiency of using different solvents (water and methanol) in obtaining metabolite fingerprints of different parts of the fruits. Overall, 63 compounds were tentatively identified in the aqueous and methanolic extracts of jabuticaba and jambolan, 28 being in the positive ionization mode and 35 in the negative ionization mode. Flavonoids (40%), followed by benzoic acid derivatives (13%), fatty acids (13%), carotenoids (6%), phenylpropanoids (6%), and tannins (5%) were the groups of substances found in greater numbers, producing different fingerprints according to the parts of the fruit and the different extracting solvents used. Therefore, compounds present in jabuticaba and jambolan reinforce the nutritional and bioactive potential attributed to these fruits, due to the potentially positive effects performed by these metabolites in human health and nutrition.