Brazil nut is a typical oilseed from the Amazon region, of great economic and cultural importance. Due to its high nutritional value, it is interesting to be used as a matrix for new products’ development. Thus, the present study aimed to develop and characterize a drink based on Brazil nuts fermented by Lactobacillus casei and added with inulin. After formulated, the drink was pasteurized, fermented, maturated, and stored under refrigeration for 28 days. Physical, chemical, microbiological, and sensory analyzes were performed before and after fermentation, at 7-day intervals. There was maintenance in the content of lipids and proteins and reduction in the concentrations of fibers, ash, total carbohydrates, and moisture. The fermented drink pH decreased significantly during storage, while the acidity and the soluble solids content increased from the 14th day. Regarding the color, there were significant changes in all parameters analyzed. In the fermented drink, the development of molds and yeasts, total and thermotolerant coliforms, and Salmonella were not verified, while the control drink deteriorated after 7 days. The probiotic L. casei had count ranging from 9.48 to 8.59 log CFU mL-1 during the 28 days. When exposed to in vitro gastrointestinal conditions, L. casei significantly reduced its concentration. However, it reached the enteric phase with counts greater than 6.00 log UFC mL-1. Sensorially, the drink reached intermediate scores (between 5.41 and 6.02). Therefore, the use of Brazil nuts proved to be viable for the development of a product free of animal-origin components, symbiotic, and of outstanding nutritional quality.

Green banana biomass (GBB) can be used as a functional and technological ingredient in various food preparations, making them healthier and more nutritious. The aim of the present study was to determine the physicochemical compositions as well as color parameters of different GBB samples, and applying them to gnocchi pasta to determine the resulting technological and cooking properties. The bananas (‘BRS Platina, ‘Fhia 01,’ and ‘Fhia 18’) were grown in an area of the Agroecological Production Integrated System, in Seropédica-RJ, Brazil; the bananas were harvested unripe and pressured cooked to obtain their biomass. The pH values, total titratable acidity, total soluble solids, reducing sugars, moisture, ash, proteins, lipids, total starch, total energetic value (TEV), vitamin C, total phenolic compounds (TPC), minerals, and color were significantly different among the different GBB samples used. Each GBB showed different values of certain analyzed parameters; for instance, ‘BRS Platina’ presented low contents of total starch, lipids, TEV and high levels of vitamin C and TPC. The GBB ‘Fhia 01’presented the highest levels of moisture, proteins, and potassium. All GBBs provided good technological attributes (cooking time, weight increase, cooking loss, and volume increase) for the prepared gnocchi dough. Overall, the application of GBB as an ingredient in gnocchi formulation provided good technological quality and increased nutritional value, thus meeting the growing demand of the consumer market for products with greater health benefits.

Coconut is a fruit grown in more than 80 countries owing to its outstanding nutritional and biological value and it is an important crop for the food industry” por “Coconut is a fruit grown in more than 80 countries and owing to its outstanding nutritional and biological value and it is an important crop for the food industry. Thus, developing new coconut-based products is attractive to explore the benefits provided by microorganisms and improve the nutritional and bioactive composition of coconut products, such as by preparing fermented beverages. This study developed and characterize a drink based on dry coconut with the prebiotic fructooligosaccharide fermented by the probiotic Lactobacillus casei. The drink was formulated, filtered, fermented, matured, and stored under refrigeration (4 °C) for 28 days; it was evaluated for its physical, chemical, antioxidant, and microbiological characteristics. Compared to the standard non-fermented sample during storage, the fermented drink showed significant variations (P < 0.05) in instrumental color, acidity, and pH, while changes in soluble solids and stability index were observed after 7 days of storage. Regarding the chemical composition, all parameters varied significantly after fermentation. The total phenolic compound content and antioxidant capacity increased significantly after fermentation. Significant reductions were observed (P < 0.05) in the viability of Lactobacillus casei after exposure to gastrointestinal tract conditions, with the following counts (in log CFU mL-1) after 0 and 28 days of storage: - initial: 9.23 ± 0.04 and 9.05 ± 0.12; after the gastric phase: 6.21 ± 0.09 and 5.90 ± 0.01; and after the intestinal phase: 4.59 ± 0.33 and 4.75 ± 0.23, respectively.