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Samples of cacao butter (CB), mango seed almond fat (Mangifera indica var. Manila) (MAF), and zapote mamey seed almond fat (Pouteria sapota) (ZMAF), were analyzed for their fatty acid composition and were mixed according to a 3-factor simplex-lattice design. Mixtures were stabilized, their fusion and crystallization thermal behavior, and solid fat contents were evaluated using differential scanning calorimetry. Ternary phase behavior was analyzed with isosolid diagrams. Results showed that the main fatty acids in the fats were oleic, stearic, and palmitic acids: CB: 31.1, 35.5, and 27.8%; MAF: 37.5, 42.6 and 9.9%, and ZMAF: 50.0, 27.2 and 12.0%, respectively. Fusion behavior showed a single curve with only one maximum and one small shoulder for CB and MAF, and three maximum points for ZMAF. Crystallization was also a single curve with only one maximum for the three fats. Solid fat contents at 21.1 °C were: CB: 87.5; MAF: 68.5 and ZMAF: 6.6%. Ternary phase behavior showed that these fats can support preparation of mixtures with different compositions that could become equivalent to cocoa butter for use in alimentary, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries.

Chitin sponges were obtained from shrimp residues using green chemistry procedures. Partial deproteinization was performed by grinding fresh residues with water during 30 s in a food blender obtaining 39.3% d.b. partial deproteinized cephalothorax (PDC). Protein reduction in this step was 80%, with 49% of mineral salts (measured as ashes), 97% fat, and 41% being chitin product. To separate chitin from PDC, a mixture of 8.75 mL MeOH, 16.25 mL water, and 25 g of CaCl 2 was used (solvent MAC) per gram of PDC. Chitin dissolved in MAC under mechanical agitation to form a sponge, which had an overall composition of 42% chitin, 46% ashes, and 11% proteins. Chitin sponge weathering and biodegradation tests showed that during 30 days, the sponge is stable at ambient conditions in southern Mexico City environment, and when placed in compost-soil mixtures is degraded in about two weeks. These results open new possibilities to the recycling of crustacean residues.

The development of a relative ranking methodology created specifically for the assessment of the risk due transportation of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) in Mexico City is reported. Mexico City has a number of conditions that present specific challenges: Large population, varied geography, large consumption of LPG, and all sorts of vehicles, including those for LPG. Given Mexico's status as "emerging economy," it is reasonable to assume that the main causes that promote accidents during transportation of LPG are quite different from those in developed countries. This issue was corroborated through information from official sources and from news media. Due to the lack of official data, a systematic collection of information on the media was performed. A relative ranking methodology was developed based on a systematic study to elucidate the main causes of accidents in Mexico and on the results derived from the integrated database from official data and the media. The weighting that made up the Risk Index for Transportation of LPG is based on the same database. A classification guide was created in order to harmonize criteria in the assessment of the parameters of the proposed risk index.