Moringa oleifera (MO) is a multipurpose, medium-or small-sized tree, from regions of northwest India and indigenous to many parts of Asia, Africa, and South America. Its pods have been employed as an inexpensive and effective sorbent for the removal of organics, and coagulant for water treatment. It is a non-toxic natural organic polymer. The main objective of this work was to use the MO seeds as a natural adsorbent for the treatment of dairy industry wastewater (DIW). The effects of agitation time, pH, MO biomass dose, and DIW concentration were evaluated. Removal efficiencies of up to 98%, for both color and turbidity, were reached using 0.2 g MO and 0.2 L of 1.0 g/L sorbate solution (DIW). The obtained results showed that MO seed keeps its adsorption power under a pH range between 5 and 8. The adsorption data was fitted to Langmuir isotherm. There was a significant uptake capacity of MO biomass, q max , which suggested a good affinity between DIW components and sorbent. We conclude that the MO biomass has the potential to be used in the dairy industry wastewater treatment in an efficient way and with low cost.

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Stevia rebaudiana is a plant native of South America, and its active constituents are considered, by Food Science researchers, the "sweeteners of the future." Therefore, research on this plant has been increased. Stevia is a source of natural diet sweetening, without calories and safe for health. Its crude extract, however, is foul-smelling, bitter tasting, and dark brown; subsequent purification is essential to obtain a product of commercial quality. In this work, adsorption in modified zeolites associated with the filtration with membranes was applied in order to purify stevia crude extract. For the adsorption process, 40 g of CaX modified zeolites were used. In the ultrafiltration process, membranes with porosities of 0.05, 0.1 and 0.2 ?m were used. The transmembrane pressure was fixed at 2, 4 and 6 bar for each membrane. The best conditions of flux were obtained with the 0.2 ?m membrane and 6 bar, resulting in high clarification and recuperation of stevioside (91.75%). This work shows that the adsorption in modified zeolites associated with the membrane filtration is promising for stevia extract purification.

A technique was established to study ectomycorrhizal fungi on agar media. Petri dishes, 60 mm in diameter, containing 10 mL of culture medium covered with a cellophane disk were used for easy collection of the mycelium after growth. For analysis of fungal biomass production, a sterilized cellophane sheet was placed on the medium's surface. Inoculation was achieved by placing a mycelial block onto the center of the cellophane sheet and then incubating at 25 degrees C in the dark. Colony radial growth was measured and biomass dry wt was determined. Fresh mycelia were homogenized with 10 mL of acetate buffer (pH 5.5) for enzyme analysis. A crude extract was obtained by adding all culture medium to 90 mL of distilled water and homogenizing in a Potter. Reducing sugars, enzyme concentration, and pH were determined. Three fungal strains, Suillus collinitus, Pisosithus arrhizus, and Hebeloma cylindrosporum, were grown in different culture media (potato dextrose agar or Pintro's medium). Parameters measured over time included glucose concentration, phosphatase activity, biomass, and pH.

The production of 6-pentyl-alpha-pyrone (6-PP), an unsaturated D-lactone with a strong coconut-like aroma was studied and compared with liquid and solid substrates. A fungi strain that produces coconut aroma compound was selected. The liquid medium of the submerged culture was used to impregnate a solid support of sugarcane bagasse in SSF (Solid State Fermentation). This substrate was adequate for growth and aroma production; the concentration obtained using SSF was higher than using liquid fermentation process. In the present work, it is demonstrated that, by solid-state-fermentation process, it is possible to produce 6-PP. The amount of 6-PP produced using a solid state substrate, following a 5 d culture, was 3 mg/g dry matter. Therefore, the amount of 6-PP produced during solid-state-fermentation process is higher than that reported in literature for submerged process.

The production of 6-pentyl-a-pyrone (6-PP), an unsaturated D-Iactone with a strong coconut-like aroma was studied and compared with liquid and solid substrates. A fungi strain that produces coconut aroma compound was selected. The liquid medium of the submerged culture was used to impregnate a solid support of sugarcane bagasse in SSF (Solid State Fermentation). This substrate was adequate for growth and aroma production; the concentration obtained using SSF was higher than using liquid fermentation process. In the present work, it is demonstrated that, by solid-state-fermentation process, it is possible to produce 6-PP. The amount of 6-PP produced using a solid state substrate, following a 5 d culture, was 3 mg/ g dry matter. Therefore, the amount of 6-PP produced during solid-state-fermentation process is higher than that reported in literature for submerged process.

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