Sour cassava starch (Polvilho azedo) is obtained from a spontaneous fermentation conducted by microorganisms from raw materials and fermentation tanks. This product is traditionally used in the baking industry for the manufacture of biscuits and Brazilian cheese breads. However, the end of fermentation is evaluated empirically, and the process occurs without standardization, which results in products of inconsistent quality. Predominant microbiota from a cassava flour manufacturer was isolated in order to select starter cultures for the production of sour cassava starch in a pilot-scale fermentation process. Lactic acid bacteria and yeasts were isolated, enumerated and grouped by Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism, and PCR fingerprinting, respectively. One isolate of each molecular profile was identified by sequencing of the rRNA gene. LAB were prevalent throughout the entire process. Lactobacillus brevis (21.5%), which produced the highest values of acidity, and Lactobacillus plantarum (13.9%) were among the most frequent species. Pichia scutulata (52.2%) was the prevalent yeast and showed amylolytic activity. The aforementioned species were tested as single and mixed starter cultures in a pilot-scale fermentation process for 28 days. L. plantarum exhibited better performance as a starter culture, which suggests its potential for the production of sour cassava starch.

In order to improve cassava's palatability and reduce its toxicity, this root is fermented and applied in foods, such as sour cassava starch used to prepare cheese bread and biscuits. This fermentation occurs spontaneously with lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and yeasts. However, it remains an empirical process, with long duration and lack of product quality homogeneity. This work aims to use starter cultures in a pilot-scale fermentation process for the production of sour cassava starch. After differentiation of strains, Lactobacillus plantarum Lp3, which exhibited great total titratable acidity (TTA) (5.01 ± 0.05%) and antagonistic activity against Bacillus cereus, Escherichia coli and Salmonella Typhimurium, together with Lactobacillus brevis Lb9 (with lesser TTA values: 2.71 ± 0.10%, but amylolytic activity: 2.75 ± 0.61 mm) were tested as single and co-cultures with Saccharomyces cerevisiae UFMG-A1007. LAB and yeasts were inoculated at counts of 8 and 7 log 10 CFU/g, respectively, and they remained until the 28th day only in co-culture, highlighting the importance of the yeast for the LAB viability. Although single cultures lead to higher acidity during fermentation, the final product acidity obtained with single cultures did not differ from the acidity obtained with L. plantarum Lp3 in association with S. cerevisiae UFMG-A1007. Therefore, this co-culture exhibited higher potential to be tested as a starter culture in industrial-scale fermentation studies because both microorganisms were in high counts until the end of fermentation and contributed to a final product safe for human consumption, with satisfactory acidity, expansion capacity, and physicochemical properties.

Cocoa nibs ( cacao L.) are the cocoa beans after being fermented, dried, broken into small pieces, and then toasted. The cocoa nib composition is primordial for producers, industry, and final consumers because it affects the final quality of the raw material and any derivative product. The chemical composition was analyzed using , , , and Scharrer-Kurschner methods. The results showed that the cocoa nibs studied were rich in lipids (44.02 ± 5.22%), followed by carbohydrates (25.30%), raw fiber (12.85 ± 3.67%), protein (10.73 ± 1.80%), and ash content (2.58 ± 0.15%). The fatty acid profile was determined by gas chromatography and showed the presence of , , and acids. The low moisture content (4.52 ± 0.12%) and total acidity (2.25 ± 0.45 NaOH 100 g-1) contributed to the low count of microorganisms, which may give cocoa nibs a longer shelf life. Additionally, it presented high antioxidant activity, with a total content of 843.45 ± 11.85 mg acid / 100 g extract and 89.42 ± 0.02% iron reducing power.

Alergias alimentares podem afetar um público que abrange desde recém-nascidos a idosos e apresentar vários sintomas, eventualmente ocasionando a morte. A alergia alimentar possui como principal tratamento a exclusão do alérgeno da dieta, portanto estudos acerca da rotulagem e dos métodos químicos para identificação de proteínas alergênicas são fundamentais. Nesse contexto, objetivou-se discutir a aplicabilidade da legislação brasileira, a Resolução da Diretoria Colegiada nº 26, de 02 de julho de 2015 da Agência Nacional de Vigilância Sanitária, para a rotulagem de alergênicos em biscoitos industrializados. Para tanto, foram visitados  dez supermercados de Belo Horizonte (Minas Gerais) e realizaram-se análises da rotulagem de 25 marcas de biscoito diferentes, incluindo 50 biscoitos variados. De todos biscoitos analisados, 38% apresentaram alguma não-conformidade quanto à rotulagem. A principal não-conformidade encontrada foi identificada em 18 dos 19 biscoitos, que apresentaram não-conformidades, e essas estão relacionadas à maneira como devem ser dispostas, exatamente, a informação de que o biscoito possui algum ingrediente alergênico. Os resultados reportados sugerem que a legislação para a rotulagem de alimentos ainda não foi aderida por algumas empresas alimentícias, o que coloca em risco a saúde dos consumidores. Este estudo demonstra a necessidade de intensificação das fiscalizações por parte dos órgãos responsáveis e melhorias na produção e rotulagem dos alimentos.   Palavras-chave: Alérgenos. Legislação Sobre Alimentos. Rotulagem de Alimentos. AbstractFood allergies can affect an audience that ranges from newborns to the elderly and results in several symptoms, eventually leading to death. Food allergy has as main treatment the exclusion of the allergen from the diet and therefore studies about labeling and chemical methods for identification of allergenic proteins are fundamental. In this context, the aim of this work was to discuss the applicability of Brazilian legislation, the Collegiate Board of Directors Resolution dated from  July 2nd, 2015 of the Brazilian Health Surveillance Agency, for the allergens labeling in industrialized biscuits. For this reason, ten supermarkets in Belo Horizonte (Minas Gerais, Brazil) were visited and 25 different brands of cookies were analyzed, including 50 assorted cookies. Of all the analyzed cookies, 38% showed some non-compliance regarding the labeling. The main non-compliance found was identified in 18 out of the 19 cookies that showed non-compliances, and it is related to the exact way in which the information that the cookie has some allergenic ingredient should be displayed. The reported results suggest that some food companies have not adhered to the legislation for food labeling, which endangers the consumers’ health. This study demonstrates the need for intensified monitoring by the responsible agencies and improvements in food production and labeling. Keywords: Allergens. Food legislation. Food labeling.