As indústrias couro-calçadistas geram grandes quantidades de resíduos que contém cromo, produto utilizado no curtimento do couro. Para avaliar os efeitos de três aplicações de lodo de curtume (LC), resíduo de rebaixadeira (RR) e aparas de couro (AC) sobre o rendimento do sorgo (Sorghum graniferum) e rabanete (Raphanus sativus), foi conduzido um experimento em colunas de PVC, com três tipos de solo, durante o período de 1996 a 1999. Foram determinados no solo os valores de pH e o teor de cromo, bem como o teor de cromo nas partes comestíveis das plantas. Os resíduos não afetaram o crescimento das plantas, quando foram feitas a calagem e a adubação mineral. O LC pode neutralizar a acidez do solo e suprir nitrogênio para as plantas. O teor de cromo nas partes comestíveis das plantas aumentou com a aplicação sucessiva dos resíduos, estando, entretanto, sem exceder os teores aceitáveis para o consumo. Não foi observada a mobilidade de cromo para as camadas subsuperficiais do solo.

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A gluten‐ and lactose‐free cereal bar with no‐added sugar, suitable for lactose intolerants and for celiac people was developed. The cereal bar was formulated with extruded rice, oat flakes, flaxseeds, sesame, sunflower lecithin, hydrocolloids, maltodextrin, mannitol, maltitol syrup, and sodium chloride. The effect of three different hydrocolloids (locust bean gum, pectin, and carboxymethyl cellulose), and processing temperature on microstructure, moisture content, Aw, texture, and sensory properties of cereal bars was assessed by an L9 orthogonal experimental design based on Taguchi methods. Results indicated that Aw and moisture content were not affected by the type or levels of the hydrocolloids studied, but decreased with the increase in drying temperature. Hardness and fracturability values increased with temperature increase. From the Scanning Electron Microscopy analysis, it was concluded that increasing processing temperature provides a more uniform microstructure of cereal bars. The application of the Taguchi method, allowed identifying the temperature as being the factor of greater influence on the characteristics of the cereal bars. In addition, according to this method, the optimum formulation is 0.05% locust bean gum and 0.1% pectin with 70°C as the optimum processing temperature. Practical applications Organizations responsible for public health throughout the world are increasingly concerned with the feeding of populations, and great efforts are made to promote the adoption of nutritious and balanced diet in order to decrease the occurrence of the chronic diseases constantly related to inadequate diets. Cereal bars were introduced over a decade ago as a “healthy” alternative confectionery, and became a convenience food, as they can be easily consumed, do not require any preparation and are a source of essential nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals, fibers, proteins, and complex carbohydrates. The effect of the combination of different levels (0%, 0.05%, and 0.1% wt/wt) of locust bean gum, pectin, and carboxymethyl cellulose, and three drying temperatures (20°C, 60°C and 70°C), on microstructure, sensory, and texture properties of the cereal bars was analyzed. Results obtained with this work showed that it is possible to produce a gluten‐ and lactose‐free cereal bar with no‐added sugar, suitable for lactose intolerants and for celiac people. This can be achieved by taking advantage of the synergy between two hydrocolloids in different concentrations to improve the hardness of the cereal bar. Also, with the help of an experimental design based on Taguchi method it was possible to find out the optimum formulation and processing temperature of the cereal bars. In this work, the results show that the temperature also has a great influence, with 70°C being the most suitable to promote greater hardness.

Dairy products are a common staple in the human diet. Moisture content is an important factor in the composition of foods, and it is a parameter used to measure product quality due to its direct influence on food storage. In this study, the moisture contents of three different products (mozzarella cheese, a creamy cheese spread, and yogurt drinks) were measured using oven drying, infrared drying, and microwave drying in order to compare the results of these three methods. Three brands of each product were used, all of which were purchased at the local supermarket in the city of Goiatuba, Goiás, Brazil. The different methods used to measure the dry extract of most of the brands analyzed did not differ significantly between each other based on a significance level of 5% on Tukey’s test. There was a significant difference between the methodologies used in the case of only one brand of each analyzed product. Microwave drying method wasreported to be a safe and reliable technique for analyzing dry extract from dairy products; it produces precise results, thus guaranteeing the quality of the analysis, and it reduces procedure time, thus optimizing the routine analytical processes performed in quality control laboratories within food processing plants.

A suinocultura brasileira é uma atividade econômica de grande destaque no cenário nacional e internacional. No entanto, devido a muitas aplicações irregulares e descuidadas de todo o processo de produção suína, se teve também um crescimento mundial no potencial poluidor da suinocultura, sendo necessário que sua implantação e desenvolvimento sejam orientados por instrumentos legais e regulares. O presente estudo de revisão de literatura teve como objetivo promover uma análise da aplicação da legislação ambiental brasileira no desenvolvimento da suinocultura, e caracterizar as alternativas voltadas para a promoção de sustentabilidade na cadeia produtiva desta atividade.