The present work reviews the numerous nitrile compounds that have been isolated from plants and animals. Two kinds of potentially toxic molecules are widespread, namely the cyanogenic glycosides and cyanollpids. Many other aromatic and allphatic nitriles are synthesized to a lesser extent. Different studies on the synthesis and degradation of these cyanogenic compounds are also reviewed to emphasize the potential use of different microorganisms for the detoxification of food and foodstuff.

Sorption and thermophysical properties (desorption curves, density and specific heat) of native and gelatinized cassava mash and of cassava starch were determined, in order to gain a better understanding of the heat and mass-transfer phenomena involved in gari cooking and drying.Desorption isotherms of native cassava mash are given at four temperatures from 40 to 90°C; the experimental data were described using the GAB model with a maximum root mean square error (RMS) of 5%.The net desorption enthalpy , calculated from the desorption data, decreases from 902.0 to 80.2 kJfkg when the moisture content increases from 0.04 to 0.24 kg of waterlkg dry matter. Desorption curves are not significantly affected by the degree of gelatinization of the starch, but at constant water activity, native cassava mash has a higher equilibrium moisture content than the other samples.The density of cassava mash increases from 1239 to 1509 kg/m3 when it is dehydrated from 51.8 to 6% (wet basis), and the specific heats of dry cassava starch and dry cassava mash, determined by differential scanning calorimetry, vary linearly over the temperature range -20°C to 96°C from 1.128 to 1.760 and from 0.979 to 1.591 kJ/kgxK.

Adsorption isotherms of gari (cassava semolina) were determined at 15, 25 and 35"C, and the Guggenheim, Anderson and de Boer (GAB) isotherm model was applied to the data. At high water activities, the moisture content increased with rise in temperature, resulting in crossing of the isotherms at a, between 0.5 and 0.7. This sorption phenomenon can be explained by changes occurring in the starch structure and modifying the availability of water adsorption sites. Estimated shelf-lives of gari are calculated and recommendations for its packaging and storage conditions are given.

The paper considers the evolution of cassava-based industrial production, processing and marketing in Brazil, in light of the great technological diversification to be found in Brazil. It discusses the private role of the small-and medium-scale food and related processing enterprises in the food industry, as they employ cassava in producing an array of products associated with the various domestic economic classes, as well as the export market. The paper discusses new products and markets and the development of the R&D establishment to support these new growth potentials.

Ciclodextrinas (CDs) são oligossacarídeos cíclicos, não redutores, capazes de formar complexos de inclusão com outras moléculas, modificando suas características químicas e físicas. São de interesse industrial, mas o fator limitante para sua utilização ainda é o alto custo de produção. Devido à sua pureza e ao teor de amilopectina, a fécula de mandioca se apresenta como substrato potencial para a produção de CDs, tendo mais de 95% de amido. Outro substrato potencial é o farelo, resíduo da extração da fécula de mandioca, com cerca de 70% de amido e custo consideravelmente inferior ao da fécula. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a produção de CDs usando fécula e farelo de mandioca como substratos, empregando ciclodextrina glucosiltransferase (CGTase; E. C. 2.4.1.19) proveniente de Bacillus macerans. A conversão do amido em a-CDs foi de 19% para a fécula e 21% para o farelo. Para b-CDs, os valores foram de 27% e 15% para a fécula e o farelo, respectivamente. A proporção de a: b-CDs produzidas a partir da fécula foi de 1,0:1,4, enquanto que para o farelo foi de 1,5:1,0. Após 4 horas a 50ºC houve considerável perda da atividade enzimática, indicando tendência de estabilização da reação.
Cyclodextrins (CDs) are cyclic and non reducing oligosaccharids with the ability to form complexes with a wide range of hydrophobic molecules used in food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. Their manufacturing is yet very expensive. Cassava starch has a good potential as substrate due to his purity (more than 95% starch) and high amylopectin content. The cassava starch extration produces a solid residue having 70% of starch and low price. In this work, CDs were produced using cassava starch and cassava solid residue as substrates of cyclodextrin glucosiltransferase (CGTase, E. C. 2.4.1.19), from Bacillus macerans. Starch conversion of starch cassava and solid residue cassava to a-CDs was 19% and 21%, respectively. Starch conversion of starch cassava and solid residue cassava to b-CDs was 27% and 15%, respectively. A high proportion of b-CDs was obtained with starch cassava (a:b-CDs = 1.0:1.4), while the opposite was observed with solid residue cassava (a:b-CDs = 1.5:1.0). A considerable loss of enzimatic activity was observed after 4 hours of reaction at 50ºC