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BACKGROUND: Freeze concentration is an alternative process where bioactive compounds are preserved during the processing of juice concentrates. This study proposed a simple and cheaper cryoconcentration process assisted by centrifugation in apple juice. RESULTS: The levels of phenolics increased significantly (P < 0.05) with each freeze concentration cycle that was performed. Furthermore, the process resulted in an average increase in the concentration of phenolics of 1.9, 2.9 and 3.8 times for the first, second and third steps of the concentration, respectively. In relation to phenolics, the antioxidant potential, which was evaluated by radical scavenging activity and reduction power, also increased with the cryoconcentration steps. The influence of the phenolics on the in vitro antioxidant activity was confirmed by a significant correlation between the antioxidant assays and total phenolics, flavonoids, flavan-3-ols, and flavonols (r > 0.70). CONCLUSION: The increase in antioxidant activity may have been attributed to the increase in the phenolic compounds in the apple juices because of the cryoconcentration process. Therefore, this could be an excellent natural product to supplement and enrich blends, juices, ciders, smoothies, and jams in order to improve the sensorial, nutritional and antioxidant properties. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.

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The extraction of nanocrystalline cellulose from agro-residues is an interesting alternative to recover these materials. In the present study, nanocrystalline cellulose was extracted from pine wood and corncob. In addition, microcrystalline cellulose was used as a reference to compare results. Initially, the lignocellulosic residues were submitted to delignification pre-treatments. At the end of the process, the bleached fibre was submitted to acid hydrolysis. Additionally, microparticles were obtained from the spray-drying of the nanocrystalline cellulose suspensions. The nanocrystalline cellulose yield for the pine wood was 9.0-% of the value attained for the microcrystalline cellulose. For the corncob, the value was 23.5-%. Therefore, complementary studies are necessary to improve the yield. The spray-dried microparticles showed a crystallinity index of 67.8-% for the pine wood, 70.9-% for the corncob and 79.3-% for the microcrystalline cellulose. These microparticles have great potential for use in the production of polymer composites processed by extrusion.

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Callisto(®), containing the active ingredient mesotrione (2-[4-methylsulfonyl-2-nitrobenzoyl]1,3-cyclohenanedione), is a selective herbicide that controls weeds in corn crops and is a potential environmental contaminant. The objective of this work was to evaluate enzymatic and structural changes in Pantoea ananatis, a strain isolated from water, in response to exposure to this herbicide. Despite degradation of mesotrione, probably due a glutathione-S-transferase (GST) pathway in Pantoea ananatis, this herbicide induced oxidative stress by increasing hydrogen peroxide production. Thiol fragments, eventually produced after mesotrione degradation, could be involved in increased GST activity. Nevertheless, there was no peroxidation damage related to this production, as malondialdehyde (MDA) synthesis, which is due to lipid peroxidation, was highest in the controls, followed by the mesotrione- and Callisto(®)-treated cultures at log growth phase. Therefore, P. ananatis can tolerate and grow in the presence of the herbicide, probably due an efficient control of oxidative stress by a polymorphic catalase system. MDA rates depend on lipid saturation due to a pattern change to a higher level of saturation. These changes are likely related to the formation of GST-mesotrione conjugates and mesotrione degradation-specific metabolites and to the presence of cytotoxic adjuvants. These features may shift lipid membrane saturation, possibly providing a protective effect to bacteria through an increase in membrane impermeability. This response system in P. ananatis provides a novel model for bacterial herbicide tolerance and adaptation in the environment.

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The intensive use of agrochemicals has played an important role in increasing agricultural production. One of the impacts of agrochemical use has been changes in population structure of soil microbiota. The aim of this work was to analyze the adaptive strategies that bacteria use to overcome oxidative stress caused by mesotrione, which inhibits 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase. We also examined antioxidative stress systems, saturation changes of lipid membranes, and the capacity of bacteria to degrade mesotrione. Escherichia coli DH5-á was chosen as a non-environmental strain, which is already a model bacterium for studying metabolism and adaptation. The results showed that this bacterium was able to tolerate high doses of the herbicide (10× field rate), and completely degraded mesotrione after 3 h of exposure, as determined by a High Performance Liquid Chromatography. Growth rates in the presence of mesotrione were lower than in the control, prior to the period of degradation, showing toxic effects of this herbicide on bacterial cells. Changes in the saturation of the membrane lipids reduced the damage caused by reactive oxygen species and possibly hindered the entry of xenobiotics in the cell, while activating glutathione-S-transferase enzyme in the antioxidant system and in the metabolizing process of the herbicide. Considering that E. coli DH5-α is a non-environmental strain and it had no previous contact with mesotrione, the defense system found in this strain could be considered non-specific. This bacterium system response may be a general adaptation mechanism by which bacterial strains resist to damage from the presence of herbicides in agricultural soils.

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