RESUMO
This study examined the background before admission to a nursing home and the conditions for the continuity of care, of the relatives of older adults of Colombia and Spain. The study sample comprised 546 participants: 278 and 268 from Colombia and Spain, respectively. Structured interviews were conducted with the older adults' relatives. Sociodemographic similarities predominated, although in the Colombian sample there were significantly more unrelated people. Similarities in previous and current care conditions also predominated too. Cluster 1 included all the cases of Colombian low-resource nursing homes, and Cluster 2 included all the relatives of Colombian high-resource nursing homes and all the Spanish centers. The type of nursing home was the variable more important to identify the abovementioned clusters. Conclusions: Family members from Colombia and Spain continue to care for the elderly admitted to geriatric homes. The type of geriatric center is what establishes the differences in the users.
RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Brazil produces approximately 40 000 tons of Brazil nuts annually, which is commonly contaminated with fungi and mycotoxins. Gaseous allyl isothiocyanate (AITC) was used to inhibit the growth of Aspergillus parasiticus and its production of aflatoxins (AFs) in Brazil nuts. RESULTS: Nuts were inoculated with 104 spores g-1 of A. parasiticus and placed in airtight glass jars with controlled relative humidity (RH = 95 or 85%). Samples were treated with 0, 0.5, 1.0 or 2.5 µL L-1 of gaseous AITC and analyzed after 30 days to determine the fungal population and AFs content. Samples were also submitted to sensory evaluation. AITC at 2.5 µL L-1 could completely inhibit the fungal growth and AFs production in both the RH tested. AITC at 0.5 and 1 µL L-1 did not affect the microbial growth at RH = 95%, but 1 µL L-1 reduced the production of AFs by â¼50%. All AITC treatments reduced the fungal population and AFs to undetectable levels at RH = 85%. None of the concentrations altered sensory characteristics of Brazil nuts. CONCLUSION: Gaseous AITC could be used as an alternative to inhibit the growth of A. parasiticus during storage and transport of Brazil nuts. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.