RESUMO -O experimento foi conduzido com o objetivo de obter informações sobre a influência do estádio de desenvolvimento do fruto (época de coleta) e do tipo de congelamento sobre os componentes nutricionais e de textura da polpa de pequi (Caryocar brasiliense Camb.). Os frutos foram coletados na árvore, antes da queda natural; no chão, após a queda natural, e após a queda natural, mantidos três dias em condição ambiente. Em cada época de coleta, após a retirada da casca dos frutos, um grupo de putamens foi congelado diretamente em freezer, e outro, congelado em nitrogênio líquido, antes do congelamento em freezer. Após seis meses, foi retirada a polpa dos putamens para a análise dos teores de carotenóides totais, ß -caroteno, licopeno, vitamina A, proteínas e lipídios; teor de celulose, hemicelulose, pectinas total, cálcio ligado à parede celular e total, atividade da pectinametilesterase e poligalacturonase. Os resultados indicaram que os teores de pigmentos, lipídios, proteínas e atividade da PG aumentaram com o avanço do estádio de maturação dos frutos. Por outro lado, houve diminuição no teor da celulose com avanço do estádio de maturação, enquanto os teores de hemicelulose e cálcio não foram influenciados pela idade do fruto. O tipo de congelamento interferiu nos teores de pigmentos, maiores na polpa congelada em nitrogênio líquido, e na atividade da PG, maior na polpa congelada apenas em freezer. Por último, os resultados mostraram que os frutos coletados na árvore são nutricionalmente inferiores aos coletados após a queda natural. Termos adicionais para indexação: época de colheita, carotenóides totais, ß -caroteno, licopeno, vitamina A, proteínas, lipídios, parede celular. MATURITY STAGE OF FRUITS AND FACTORS RELATED TO NUTRITIVE AND TEXTURE CHARACTERS OF PEQUI (Caryocar brasiliense Camb.) PULPABSTRACT -The experiment was carried out with the purpose to obtain information about changes in the constituents responsible for nutritive and texture traits of pequi pulp related with harvest time and types of freezing. Fruits were collected in the tree before natural fall, in the ground after natural fall and in the ground three days after natural fall. In each harvest time, while one batch of the putamens was frozen in liquid nitrogen and afterwards stored in a freezer, another batch was frozen directly in the freezer. After six months the following analyses were performed in the pulp: contents of proteins, total carotenoid, b-carotene, licopene, vitamin A and lipids (nutritive characters); content of cellulose, hemicelluloses, total pectin, total and bound calcium, activity of polygalacturonase (PG) and pectinmethilesterase (PME) of the cell wall. The contents of pigments, lipids, proteins and activity of PG were the highest in the most advanced stages of maturation of fruits. On the other hand the content of cellulose decreased with the advanced stages of maturation whiles the content of hemicelluloses, total and bound calcium were not affected at the stages of maturation of the fruits. The types of freezing...

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In the present work we propose the use of headspace-mass spectrometry (HS-MS) for the characterisation of monovarietal olive oils, an issue of interest when the origin of an oil has to be determined. The HS-MS procedure involves the direct introduction of the sample into a vial, headspace generation and automatic injection of the volatiles into a mass spectrometer. The results were compared with those obtained using more conventional approaches, including chromatographic, spectrophotometric and other types of analysis. Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) was applied to the data obtained with both analytical methodologies to achieve the differentiation of the three types of samples. The proposed method is faster and cheaper than those usually employed for edible oil analysis and no sample preparation is required. Additionally, the measuring process is simple and the results obtained from chemometric treatment are 100% correct as regards classification and prediction, making it an appropriate method for routine control.

O extrativismo dos frutos de pequizeiro (Caryocar brasiliense Camb.) (Caryocaraceae) é uma importante opção de renda, alimento e emprego para as populações que vivem nas regiões de Cerrado em todo Brasil. Entretanto, a oferta natural desses frutos encontra-se ameaçada por diversos fatores, entre estes, destaca-se uma séria praga, Carmenta sp. (Lepidoptera: Sesiidae), que os torna impróprios para o consumo. Diante disso, o presente estudo objetivou conhecer algumas características do inseto responsável, bem como a forma de ataque aos frutos de pequizeiro, os danos causados e sintomas característicos. Este trabalho foi realizado através da análise de frutos de pequizeiro coletados aleatoriamente, tanto na planta como no solo, na vegetação do tipo Cerrado nos municípios de Montes Claros, Norte de Minas e Itumirim, Sul de Minas, em Minas Gerais. No primeiro município foram colhidos frutos aproximadamente entre 80-120 dias após a antese (DAA), enquanto no segundo, em duas épocas, 45 e 90 DAA. Em cada município, época e local de coleta (planta ou solo) foram coletados 50 frutos para análise. As características avaliadas foram: diâmetro longitudinal e transversal, percentagem de frutos danificados, número de lagartas por fruto e número de crisálidas por fruto. Após a análise dessas características, foram anotados e documentados fotograficamente os estágios de desenvolvimento do inseto quanto ao comprimento, coloração e morfologia, bem como os sintomas do ataque. A partir desse trabalho pode-se concluir que a lepidobroca dos frutos de pequizeiro pode provocar danos à produção superior a 50%, destruindo todo o interior dos frutos que se tornam imprestáveis para o consumo. Os frutos mais atacados são os mais jovens, sendo mais comum encontrar uma só lagarta em seu interior.

Neospora caninum is a protozoan which can cause abortions in caprines. However, information regarding the humoral immune response and the occurrence of reproductive disorders is scarce. This is the first study in which the kinetics of antibodies is studied in pregnant goats naturally infected by N. caninum, as well as their respective conceptuses. The subclasses of IgG (IgG1 and IgG2) were also evaluated in pregnant goats. Reproductive problems related to neosporosis (abortion and stillbirth) occurred in 15.38% of the goats. There was a statistically significant association between the increased titres of maternal IgG in the second half of the gestational period with the occurrence of endogenous transplacental transmission. The rate of congenital transmission was 77%. During the gestational period of the seropositive goats, there was mainly a predominance of the subclass IgG2, although mixed patterns of IgG2-IgG1 and the IgG1 pattern were also observed. These results indicate that N. caninum is responsible for the occurrence of important alterations in the humoral immune response of naturally infected goats, and is also a potential causative agent for reproductive disorders in goats. The high proportion of infected conceptuses reinforces the suggestion that congenital infection is one of the main routes of parasite transmission in goats.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the influence of the seed structures on the dormancy of the palms Attalea vitrivir Zona, Butia capitata (Mart.) Becc. and Acrocomia aculeata (Jacq.) Lodd. ex Mart., which are found in the cerrado biome (Brazilian savanna). The effects of seed structures on the imbibition and effects of the operculum on germination were evaluated. The effects of the collection area on the seed biometric characteristics and influence of the embryo mass and length on their germination capacity and vigour were also evaluated. The operculum was anatomically characterised, and the effects of the operculum thickness on seed germination were evaluated. The seed structures partially restricted water absorption by the embryos, but this did not affect germination; however, removing the operculum promoted germination. The mass of A. vitrivir and A. aculeata embryos positively influenced their germination capacity and vigour, and the thicknesses of the opercular seed coat and operculum negatively controlled the germination capacity of B. capitata. The greater thickness and rigidity of the operculum of A. aculeata increased the intensity of seed dormancy and possibly contributed to the wider distribution pattern of this species. The interaction between the embryo and operculum structures modulate the dormancy and possibly influence the distribution patterns of the palms in the cerrado biome.

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