ResumoProdutores de mandioca da região de Marília, Estado de São Paulo, estão consorciando a atividade da apicultura em meio à cultura visando diversificar a renda obtida pela propriedade rural. Este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar a qualidade físico-química e microbiológica do mel produzido por abelhas Apis mellifera africanizadas, elaborado a partir de flores de mandioca, no ano de 2008. Foram realizadas análises de pH, sólidos solúveis totais (SST), acidez, umidade, açúcares redutores e totais, sacarose aparente, hidroximetilfurfural, cor, cinzas, proteínas, sólidos insolúveis em água, atividade diastásica, teor de minerais e monitoramento dos teores de ácido cianídrico (HCN), além de avaliações microbiológicas. O mel apresentou características físico-químicas e microbiológicas favoráveis à comercialização, com exceção da sacarose aparente e da acidez, sendo necessária atenção na maturação do mel no momento da coleta e melhor monitoramento nas fases de produção e processamento. A comercialização brasileira do mel de mandioca é ainda pouco explorada, mas pode ser amplamente disseminada no mercado, visto que os valores de HCN não apresentaram risco ao consumidor e a produção do mel paralelamente ao plantio da mandioca proporciona uma alternativa de aumento na renda familiar. Palavras-chave: Manihot esculenta Crantz; ácido cianídrico; apicultura. AbstractCassava producers in the region of Marília-São Paulo are integrating their farming activity with beekeeping to diversify their income. The aim of this study was to evaluate the physicochemical and microbiological quality of honey samples produced by Africanized honeybees Apis mellifera from cassava flower in 2008. Analysis were carried out for pH, total soluble solids (TSS), acidity, moisture, reducing and total sugars, apparent sucrose, hydroxymethylfurfural, color, ash, proteins, water insoluble solids, diastasic activity, mineral content, microbiological evaluations, and mineral and hydrocyanic acid (HCN) content. The honey samples showed physicochemical and microbiological characteristics favorable to commercialization, with the exception of apparent sucrose and acidity, which show the need for a narrow focus of attention to the honey maturation degree at the harvest time and more careful monitoring during production and processing. The commercialization of Brazilian cassava honey, still little explored, can be widely spread in the market since the levels of hydrocyanic acid (HCN) showed no consumption risk; in addition the simultaneous production of honey and cassava provides an alternative to family income increase.

The animal production in sustainable agrosystems has grown in recent years, mainly by ecological issues, involving the reduction of environmental damage and the greater demand of the final consumer for products free of possible chemical residues. On issues involving food safety, the organic and agroecological production of monogastric is more difficult than that of ruminants due to different feeding of these animals. Ruminants have much of their nutritional requirements met by pastures, while monogastric have much of their nutritional requirements met by diets containing mostly corn and soybean. In most cases, the seeds of these ingredients are transgenic and a large load of agrochemicals is applied for their production. In addition, energy and/or protein sources are insufficient for animal production in sustainable agrosystems. Therefore, alternative sources of foods, which are produced in an unconventional way, without compromising the animal development and that are economically viable, are researched for the use in the feeding of monogastric animals, especially poultry and swine, in sustainable agrosystems. Thus, this work aims to review the main alternative products used for poultry and swine in unconventional production systems.

<p>Monitoring the microbiology of honey is necessary to ensure its final quality. The microbial contamination is a danger to public health, a major concern for the surveillance agency. The objective of this study was to evaluate the microbiological quality of honey produced in the cerrado region, Mato Grosso State. The apiary was installed in the town of Conquista D'Oeste city, a total of 30 boxes of honey covered with asbestos tile and exposed to the sun. The honey was collected in November of 2008. The physical and chemical analysis were carried out: moisture, total soluble solids (TSS) and pH. Microbiological analysis were: mesophilic bacteria facultative aerobic, yeast and mold, Staphylococcus, the most probable number (MPN) of coliforms at 35&ordm;C and 45&ordm;C, and the presence of Salmonella sp. The methods used followed the directions of the Normative Instruction no. 62, August 23, 2003 of Minist&eacute;rio da Agricultura, Pecu&aacute;ria e Abastecimento - MAPA. The pH value resulted in 3.80, SST at 81.5 and humidity at 17 %. Microbiological analysis showed no presence of Salmonella, Staphylococcus and yeast. The count of facultative aerobic bacteria was 5.0 x 101, the two groups of coliforms in NMP was &lt;3.0, and 3.0 x 101 mold. The samples of honey studied showed appropriate microbiological quality.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><span>DOI:&nbsp;</span><a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.14685/rebrapa.v4i1.102"><span>http://dx.doi.org/10.14685/rebrapa.v1i1.5</span></a><span>&nbsp;</span></p><p>&nbsp;</p>

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a resistência do couro da tilápia do Nilo (Oreochromis niloticus) em função das técnicas de curtimento e sentidos (longitudinal e transversal) de retirada dos corpos de prova do couro em relação ao comprimento do corpo do peixe. Após o curtimento, foram retirados os corpos de prova e estes submetidos aos testes de resistência (tração e alongamento e rasgamento progressivo). Dentre as técnicas, T4 e T7 apresentaram maiores resistências ao rasgamento (T7=26,03 N/mm e T4=19,91 N/mm) e tração (T7=18,70 N/mm2 e T4=29,77 N/mm2) no sentido transversal, e a elongação (T7= 91,19% e T4= 107,72%) no sentido longitudinal. O teor de óxido de cromo presente nos couros variou de 3,0 a 5,2, e 8,31% a 37,41% de substâncias extraíveis em diclorometano. O pH final do couro variou de 2,9 a 6,3. A técnica mais adequada para utilização em confecção de vestuário foi a T7, por proporcionar a resistência necessária ao couro para tal finalidade, além de apresentar um teor de substâncias extraíveis em diclorometano mais próximo do recomendado. A técnica de curtimento empregada, concentração e tipos de curtentes, a quantidade e tipos de óleos, assim como o tempo de processamento agem diretamente no resultado do couro.