Cassava flour is a Brazilian product that still deserves attention for what regards sustainability. We offer a study of production processes and nutritional aspects of the flour from the Central Brazilian Amazon. We conducted bibliometric surveys, observations and collected 30 samples, in 15 traditional communities, that need cassava as a source of income and livelihood. We found that cassava cultivation under specific edaphoclimatic conditions guarantees the maintenance of autochthonous landraces. Still, we show their influence upon the flour's physicochemical composition, especially starch, mineral and fiber contents. Further, nutritional analyses allowed a qualitative approach of human health. We propose recommendations, such as: the mitigation of effects of residual cyanide, classifying the flour as safe food; the maintenance of traditional communities, and of genetic resources. Still, we suggest the adoption of a seal of approval and origin, and the creation of a gourmet market, thus adding visibility to Brazil's intangible heritage variety.
The Baixada Cuiabana region contains the confluence of the Brazilian Savannah, Amazon and wetlands biomes. This region brings together small producers of cassava who prepare dry flour by hand, maintaining a bank of active ethno-varieties of this crop and that are of cultural, social, economic and genetic importance. This study aimed to establish a standard for the flour currently being processed and marketed. Thus, 26 samples were collected from seven municipalities of the region. At the time of this sampling, the predominant standard of the handmade cassava flour produced in Baixada Cuiabana was Dry group, Medium class, yellow-colour, of Types 1, 2 and 3. Using the Hunter Lab colour system, the predominant colour was found to be yellow with red or green tonality, with one sample artificial colorant. Consumers recognize granule size and colour as the main parameters that determine purchase of the product. Seven samples from four municipalities were classified as Dut of Type, because they presented values in disagreement with legislation that could result in difficulties in valorisation and sale in the legal market.
The aim of the present study is to analyze how corporate sustainability reports address socio-environmental issues and business development through bibliometric analysis. The search led to 53 articles indexed in the ScienceDirect database between 2012 and 2017. A bibliometric analysis was applied to sustainability reports and to several topics, namely: “sustainability report” (SR) and “corporate sustainability” (CS), triple bottom line (TBL), eco-innovation in business (ECO), and “global reporting initiative” (GRI). The word cloud approach was applied to each keyword in the quantitative analysis. Annual publication frequency was applied to identify the year accounting for the largest number of publications. The target of the descriptive analysis applied to the sample was determined; it consists in metrically determining the frequency of each variable. The inferential analysis compared the means recorded for the subsets of the sample; it is a technique commonly used to investigate data. Friedman’s test was used to compare the behavior of the research groups. The keywords sustainability, business, reporting, environment, social, and performance were found. These words appeared in most of the analyzed articles; they represented the conceptual core of each topic involved in the “sustainability report” (SR). Based on the selected articles, companies surveyed over the years have incorporated sustainability concepts into their strategic planning to ensure the satisfaction and needs of future generations. The disclosure of information available in sustainability reports has become a marketing instrument that may clearly provide evidence of business activities or inactivity.
Forests play an essential role in protecting natural resources such as soil, water and environmental services. The aims of the current study are to analyze definitions involving issues such as forest cover and its vulnerability, as well as to present arguments to help reducing deforestation. Solutions focused on mitigating tree vulnerability are herein presented, namely: genetic conservation and local creation of genetic databases on natural forests; pursuit of maximum genetic diversity to maintain reproduction index and avoid cloning effects; scientifically investigating how to help trees to adapt to environmental changes; use of genetic improvement and programs such as Payment for Environmental Services, Bolsa Floresta Program, Crop-Livestock-Forest Integration and ABC Program to reduce deforestation in tropical forests.
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