Cassava flour from dry and water groups are important starch products widely consumed in the Amazonian

Gums, or polysaccharides, are complex carbohydrates, soluble in water, which can form gels and mucilages. They have high molar mass and can be formed by galactose, arabinose, rhamnose, xylose, galacturonic acid, among others. They have gelling characteristics, thickening, moisture retention, emulsification and stabilization. Polysaccharides are widely used in the formulation of food products, due to their wide versatility. Its diversity of applications is closely linked to its chemical structures. The characterization of structural molecules allows the knowledge of the properties of polysaccharides or glycoconjugates. In this sense, this chapter addresses knowledge about chemical, molecular, rheological, thermodynamic characteristics that are extremely important to identify the use and applications of polysaccharides in the context of elaboration and innovation in the food industry.

Moisture adsorption and desorption isotherms from buriti tree gum (BG) were obtained at different temperatures (25 to 55 °C) in a water activity range of 0.1 to 0.9. The isotherms were classified as type OO. The hysteresis loop and moisture of the monolayer decreased as temperature increased and Halsey's equation proved able to predict with good precision the product's sorption isotherms in the conditions studied. BG's isosteric heats of moisture adsorption and desorption were close to the latent heat of vaporization of pure water for moisture levels above 30 g/100 g db and exponentially increased below that level. The enthalpy-entropy compensation theory and the isokinetic relationship were applied and indicated that BG's moisture adsorption and desorption processes are spontaneous. The integral sorption properties indicated that the increase in surface tension at BG's moisture sorption sites was more representative for the desorption process.Keywords: Mauritia flexuosa; isotherm; water sorption; enthalpy; entropy. Practical application:The thermodynamic properties of sorption processes of gum from buriti tree were determined. These parameters are important to establish drying and storage conditions for the product.

Pseudomonas oleovorans were grown on sugary cassava extracts supplemented with andiroba oil for the synthesis of a mediumchain-length polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA MCL ). The concentration of total sugars in the extract was approximately: 40 g/L in culture 1, 15 g/L in cultures 2 and 3, and 10 g/L in culture 4. Supplementation with 1% andiroba oil and 0.2 g/L of (NH 4 ) 2 HPO 4 was performed 6.5 hours after growth in culture 3, and supplementation with the same amount of andiroba oil and 2.4 g/L of (NH 4 ) 2 HPO 4 was performed at the beginning of growth in culture 4. The synthesis resulted mainly in 3-hydroxy-decanoate and 3-hydroxy-dodecanoate units; 3-hydroxy-butyrate, 3-hydroxy-hexanoate; and 3-hydroxy-octanoate monomers were also produced but in smaller proportions. P. oleovorans significantly accumulated PHA MCL in the deceleration phase of growth with an oxygen limitation but with sufficient nitrogen concentration to maintain cell growth. The sugary cassava extract supplemented with andiroba oil proved to be a potential substrate for PHA MCL production.