Browsing by Author "Lima, M. J. Reis"
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- Assessing Serra da Estrela PDO cheeses’ origin-production date using fatty acids profilesPublication . Lima, M. J. Reis; Bahri, Hamdi; Morais, Jorge Sá; Veloso, Ana CA; Fontes, Luísa; Lemos, Edite Teixeira de; Peres, AntónioSerra da Estrela is a Portuguese traditional cheese produced with raw ewe’s milk from “Churra Mondegueira” and “Bordaleira” autochthonous breeds and the wild thistle flower (Cynara cardunculus L.), which benefits from the status of Protected Designation of Origin. Cheese chemical composition, namely the fatty acids profile, depends on milk composition and on manufacturing practices. Thus, the identification of possible chemical biomarkers capable of classifying Serra da Estrela cheeses according to the dairy manufacturing plant, geographical origin or production date would be of utmost relevance for producers and consumers. A typical fatty acids profile, including 23 saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, was identified for the studied cheeses, being butyric, caproic, caprilic, capric, lauric, miristic, palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic and its trans-isomer and α-linolenic acids the most abundant ones (relative mean abundances ranging from 1.4% ± 0.5% to 23.9% ± 1.9%). Linear discriminant models were established based on the most discriminative fatty acids (namely, caproic, caprilic, undecanoic, lauric, pentadecanoic, palmitic, palmitoleic, heptadecanoic, oleic, linoleic trans-isomer, heneicosanoic and arachidonic acids) that included less abundant fatty acids, which were selected using the simulated annealing algorithm. The established models enabled assessing cheeses’ origin (models based on 10–12 fatty acids) and/or production date (model based on 20 fatty acids) with predictive sensitivities of 71–88%. Therefore, fatty acids profiles coupled with chemometric techniques, could be foreseen as a fingerprint of cheese’s genuineness, enhancing the consumers’ confidence when purchasing this high-value cheese.
- Chestnut as a culinary ingredient: Analysis of recipes and proposed innovative thematic menuPublication . Florença, Sofia De Guiné E; Correia, Paula; Lima, M. J. Reis; Teixeira-Lemos, Edite; Costa, Cristina Amaro Da; Guiné, RaquelChestnuts are natural dried fruits grown in many regions of the globe and have been used in different gastronomic preparations for centuries. Chestnuts are part of the local gastronomic cultures in several regions and are also being used for culinary innovations. This work analysed 266 recipes containing chestnuts obtained from different sources, such as cookbooks or the internet. The recipes were classified according to different criteria, and data analysis included basic statistical tools, significance tests, factor analysis and cluster analysis. The results showed that the utilisation of chestnuts was particularly frequent in main dishes containing meat of some sort (26.3%), as well as in desserts (24.4%). The chestnuts were usually added to the recipes mostly fresh, whole (24.1%) or cut (26.7%). The nature of the recipes was divided into classical or modern, being significantly associated with the form of incorporation of the chestnut, but not significantly associated with most of the variables used to classify the recipes (dish type, cooking, cooking method, preparation time, or moment of incorporation of the chestnut). Factor analysis indicated three factors, clearly differentiated, that in globally explained 58.1% of the variance. Cluster analysis allowed the establishment of four clusters of recipes, which were found significantly different according to all the variables used to classify the recipes. Ingredient analysis showed that the most frequent categories were spices, followed by vegetables & legumes and that the ingredients used in lower quantities were most frequently listed. Word clouds based on frequency indicated, in each of the categories, the most relevant ingredients, which were flour, butter, egg, pork, bacon, shrimp, onion, garlic, lemon, almond, salt, pepper, oil, and sugar. Lastly, a successful innovative thematic menu was developed and composed of recipes containing chestnuts, including one starter, one main dish, and one dessert. This work allows to conclude about the diverse utilisation of chestnut as a gastronomic ingredient and not only as a dried fruit.
- Consumption of fruits and vegetables in two European countries: Results from a survey in France and PortugaPublication . Guiné, Raquel; Florença, Sofia De Guiné E; Teixeira-Lemos, Edite; Lima, M. J. Reis; C. Goncalves, J.Presently, there is a huge burden on public health due to a very high incidence of chronic diseases like cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and obesity, among others. The modern lifestyle, with inadequate diets and insufficient physical activity, is one of the most important factors contributing to this situation. Therefore, a healthy diet can have a very positive impact on global population health. Fruits and vegetables are staple foods with a typically low caloric value that still contribute to an adequate ingestion of the necessary macro and micronutrients and bioactive compounds, with a beneficial effect on health. This study aimed to investigate the knowledge about the consumption of fruits and vegetables in two countries, Portugal and France. A questionnaire survey was carried out on a sample of 639 adult participants (382 French and 257 Portuguese). The results revealed significant differences in knowledge between countries, sexes, level of education, body mass index, satisfaction with body weight, reasons for dissatisfaction with weight, and having a chronic disease. The most influential sociodemographic variable was the country, while the most influential behavioral variable was practicing a varied diet. Factor analysis identified two factors, one accounting for items in the scale that were true, and the other accounting for false items; both factors had acceptable internal consistency. Finally, cluster analysis showed three clusters of participants: The first included individuals with high knowledge of both factors, the second included individuals with low or very low knowledge, and the third cluster included individuals with partial knowledge, who only knew about true items. These results are relevant for planning educational measures aimed at improving knowledge and thus helping to promote healthier diets.
- Dataset on free amino acids contents of Serra da Estrela PDO cheeses determined by UPLC-DAD-MS/MSPublication . Lima, M. J. Reis; Santos, Andreia O.; Soraia, Falcão; Fontes, Luísa; Teixeira-Lemos, Edite; Vilas-Boas, Miguel; Veloso, Ana CA; Peres, AntónioThe composition of Serra da Estrela PDO cheeses (total fat, total protein, salt and free amino acids) was assessed using NIR spectrophotometry and UPLC-DAD-MS/MS. In total, 24 cheeses were acquired from 6 certified cheesemakers located in 5 different municipalities within the delimited PDO geographical region. Cheeses were produced from raw ewe milk of two autochthonous Portuguese sheep breeds, between November 2017 and March 2018, and were acquired after 45 days of maturation. The data include the mean (and respective standard deviations) levels of moisture (%), total fat (%), total protein (%) and salt (%), obtained by NIR spectrophotometry. As well the mean (and respective standard deviations) of free amino acids contents (mg/100 g of cheese, in wet basis) evaluated using a UPLC-DAD-MS/MS method are shown. The latter data include information regarding 8 essential free amino acids (histidine, leucine-isoleucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan and valine) and 9 non-essential free amino acids (arginine, asparagine, aspartic acid, cysteine, glutamine, glutamic acid, proline, tyrosine and serine). Leucine and isoleucine, being isomers, were quantified together. Leucine-isoleucine, phenylalanine and serine were the most abundant essential free amino acids and cysteine, proline and asparagine were the most abundant non-essential free amino acids. Free amino acids contents depended on the cheese producer as well as on the production time-period.
- Dietary Patterns among Smokers and Non-Smokers: Findings from the National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (NHANES) 2017–2018Publication . Lin, Wenxue; Alfheeaid, Hani A.; Alasqah, Ibrahim; Alqarawi, Nada; Alotaibi, Saad Abdullah; Alribdi, Fatmah Fahad; Almutairi, Sulaiman; Lima, M. J. Reis; Teixeira-Lemos, Edite; Raposo, AntónioDiet behavior and nutrition are critical for maintaining health and improving quality of life. Cigarette smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death in the United States. Poor dietary choices, such as excessively frequenting restaurants, consuming ready-to-eat foods from grocery stores, and ingesting ultra-processed foods (like frozen meals and pizzas), can adversely impact health. Despite this, research comparing dietary behaviors between smokers and non-smokers is limited. Using data from the National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey 2017–2018, we analyzed diet behavior based on smoking status. Our findings reveal that smokers had a significant increase (90%) in the frequency of consuming frozen meals/pizzas in the past 30 days compared to non-smokers (coefficient: 1.9; 95% CI: 1.4, 2.6; p-value < 0.001). Additionally, over 70% of participants, regardless of their smoking status, were unaware of MyPlate, a nutritional guide created by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to encourage Americans to make healthier food choices. There is an urgent need to increase public awareness of MyPlate and promote a better understanding of healthy dietary behaviors.
- Evaluating phenolic compounds in ethanolic extracts of cherry pitPublication . Dulyanska, Y.; Lima, M. J. Reis; Correia, Paula; Ferreira, Manuela; Fragata, Anabela; Cardoso, Ana Paula; Barroca, Maria João; Silva, A.; Cruz-Lopes, Luísa; Esteves, Bruno; Ferreira, José; Domingos, Idalina; Guiné, Raquel P. F.The climatic conditions in Portugal favoured the adaptation of the cherry tree allowing its cultivation in several regions of the country. Studies made by the Portuguese Bureau of Statistics – INE 1, showed that the Portuguese sweet cherry production has an implemented area of 6,387 ha, producing 9,241 tons of this fruit. Its production extends mainly to two regions: the North (area of 3,099 ha and production of 6,586 tons) and the Centre (3,177 ha and 2,510 tons), while the rest of the country and islands accounts for only 1.6% of the cherry production. There are several varieties of cherry in Portugal, and the most important traditionally cultivated are: “Saco da Cova da Beira”, “Saco do Douro”, “Lisboeta”, “São Julião”, Big Burlat, Maring, Napoleon-big-foot and Big Windsor, being the first four varieties native from Portugal. Cova da Beira is the most important cherry production area in Portugal, either in terms of production volume, or also in area. Additionally, the evolution of technological indicators associated with culture reveals a high degree of specialization of the “new” farms, almost always associated with other fruit crops, which coexist in a very significant number of smaller farms, of a family type, that constitute the historical legacy of cherry production on the hillside north of the Serra da Gardunha. Sweet cherry seeds result from processing sweet cherry for sweets, juices and jams’ production. Generally, seeds are considered a production waste, which gains a strong interest due to the environmental aspects related to waste disposal 2. Additionally, it is well documented that production waste, such as peels, seeds, and pomace, contain high-value bioactive compounds 3. Hence, the present work investigated the extraction of some bioactive compounds from cherry pits that originate from food manufacturing industries. The waste management company Nutrofertil, located in Portugal, namely in the district of Viseu (Tondela), provided the Seeds of Sweet Cherry (SSC) for this study. The seeds were milled and dried for stability and then used for extraction with ethanolic solutions at different percentages (from 50 to 100% water v/v). Variable temperatures were also tested and the extracts were used for quantification of phenolic compounds through spectrophotometric techniques. The material was analysed to verify that it was exempt of hydrocyanic acid. Statistical techniques were used to treat the data: (a) Hierarchical cluster analysis using squared Euclidean distance and average linkage between groups method; (b) Principal component factor analysis with Varimax rotation. The results indicated that extraction at 40 ºC with magnetic stirring and using aqueous solutions of ethanol (water:ethanol ratio = 80:20, % v/v) constitute a separate cluster. Also, extracts obtained with similar conditions but for the temperature of 35 ºC constitute another isolated cluster. Factor analysis revealed a grouping structure with four clearly distinct clusters (Figure 1). Group G1 accounts for the samples with water:ethanol 80:20 (% v/v) and a temperature of 35 ºC, corresponding to the extraction of higher amounts of anthocyanins. Group G3 includes the extractions with 100% water at 70 ºC (G3), with lowest contents of anthocyanins and flavonols. The remaining groups are divergent according to the values of total phenolic compounds. In group G4 are included samples in which were quantified high values for total phenolic compounds, flavonoids, proanthocyanidins, ortho-diphenols and phenolic acids, while G2 corresponds to samples with smaller amounts of those compounds. In conclusion, investigating the extraction potential of different conditions it was allowed to optimize the experimental conditions more favourable to maximize the recovery of certain bioactive compounds, which can have multiple applications as antioxidant substances after rigorous quality control regarding possible concentrations of hydrocyanic acid.
- Evaluation of the antioxidant activity of extracts obtained form cherry seeds.Publication . Dulyanska, Y.; Cruz-Lopes, Luísa; Esteves, Bruno; Ferreira, José; Domingos, Idalina; Lima, M. J. Reis; Correia, Paula; Ferreira, Manuela; Fragata, Anabela; Barroca, Maria João; Silva, A. M.; Guiné, Raquel P. F.Annual cherry production in Portugal is around 19,000 tonnes, in an area of about 6,450 ha and covering about 11,100 farms, concentrated in some northern and central interior territories. It is also in these regions that in recent decades there has been a significant increase in farms specialized in the production of cherry, using new cultivars and new technologies in a business production model. Apart from being consumed in fresh form, cherries are used for many food preparations, like sweets, jellies or confectionary. In the plants that transform cherries, a significant amount of cherry seeds (also called cherry pits) is generated as residue or waste. The possible usage of these residues as raw material for extraction of compounds with antioxidant properties is beneficial in term of economic value as well as environmental impact. Hence, the objective of this work was to obtain extract rich in compounds with antioxidant activity from cherry seeds. The cherry seeds were obtained from a local waste management company, Nutrofertil, located in Tondela, in the district of Viseu (Portugal). They were grinded and then submitted to extraction procedures testing different operating conditions: magnetic stirrer versus ultrasound, different solvents (methanol, ethanol, water) and temperatures (from 35 ºC to 80 ºC). For the obtained extracts antioxidant activity was evaluated through spectrophotometric methods, using the DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) and ABTS (2,2′-azino-di-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline sulfonic acid)) radicals, and also the Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power Assay (FRAP). All measurements were replicated at least trice, and were expressed as mg Trolox equivalents per gram (mg TE/g). The results obtained for the different experimental conditions indicated that least efficient extractions at ambient temperature were obtained with methanol using magnetic stirrer and with water using ultrasounds, for which the antioxidant activities measured by the DPPH method were 0.26 and 0.33 mg TE/g and by the ABTS method were 0.82 and 0.86 mg TE/g, respectively. Most efficient methods were water:ethanol (at 50% concentration) and water (100%), using magnetic stirrer in both cases. Highest antioxidant activity was obtained for water:ethanol by the DPPH method (0.72 mg TE/g) and for water (100%) by the ABTS method (1.25 mg TE/g). Tests with different concentrations for the aqueous solutions of ethanol and at different temperatures revealed that with increasing concentration of water the antioxidant diminished, from 0.62 to 0.27 mg TE/g at 35 ºC using the DPPH method. Additionally, the variation in temperature allowed reaching a maximum extraction of compounds with antioxidant activity at 70 ºC and decreasing thereafter. The maximum values obtained were registered at 70 ºC for all cases and were 0.74 mg TE/g for the water:ethanol 50:50 (v/v) by the DPPH method, 2.16 mg TE/g for the water:ethanol 60:40 (v/v) by the ABTS method and 3.43 mg TE/g for the water:ethanol 60:40 (v/v) by the FRAP method. The results obtained by the different methods were concordant in terms of the observed trends but giving different values of the measured antioxidant activity, which is a common characteristic observed in these types of evaluation techniques. This research allowed establishing some operational conditions that should be selected in order to maximize the extraction of compounds with antioxidant activity from cherry seeds. The use of ultrasounds was not found beneficial and the magnetic stirrer technique revealed to be more useful. Also the use of methanol was not found suitable, which is a good point given that this solvent is more pollutant and has more problems of toxicity. With respect to temperature, it was found that temperatures higher than 70 ºC are not beneficial because they induce the degradation of some bioactive compounds thus reducing the antioxidant activity of thee extracts.
- Exploring prebiotic properties and its probiotic potential of new formulations of soy milk-derived beveragesPublication . Rana, Ananya; Taneja, Neetu Kumra; Raposo, António; Alarifi, Sehad N.; Teixeira-Lemos, Edite; Lima, M. J. Reis; C. Goncalves, J.; Dhewa, Tejpal
- Fatty acids profile of Serra da Estrela PDO cheeses and respective atherogenic and thrombogenic indicesPublication . Lima, M. J. Reis; Fontes, Luisa; Bahri, Hamdi; Veloso, Ana C.A.; Peres, António; Lemos, Edite Teixeira dePurpose – This study aims to determine the physicochemical and fatty acids composition of Serra da Estrela cheese (SEC), as well as health-related lipid indices, like the atherogenic and thrombogenic indices, and to evaluate the influence of producer, geographical origin and production date. Design/methodology/approach – All 24 SEC produced between November 2017 and March 2018 were collected at selected certified producers and analyzed by NIR spectrophotometer and by GC. Data were statistically evaluated by chemometric tools. Findings – In all evaluated SEC, 23 fatty acids were quantified. Cheese origin influenced nutritional and health-related lipid indices). The cheeses were characterized by a relative high abundance of saturated fatty acids (67-76%), followed by a medium content of monounsaturated fatty acids (17-25%) and by low level of polyunsaturated fatty acids (5-7%). A putative positive association between cheese consumption and healthy lipid indices could be reached. Practical implications – The contents of some medium and long chain fatty acids as well as of nutritional and health indices were influenced by cheese producer, geographical origin and production date pointing out the need for standardizing production procedures. Social implications – The SEC plays a key role in the local economy, being an endogenous product with unique sensory characteristics and nutritional potential, for which the knowledge of the lipids profile and health indices is of utmost relevance. Originality/value – SEC is an iconic Portuguese cheese with Protected Designation of Origin. Based on the results, like health-related lipid indices, evaluated for the first time, a positive association between cheese consumption and healthy lipid indices could be envisaged.
- From Validation to Assessment of e-Health Literacy: A Study among Higher Education Students in PortugalPublication . Oliveira, Leandro; Zandonadi, Renata Puppin; Nakano, Eduardo Yoshio; Almutairi, Sulaiman; Alzghaibi, Haitham; Lima, M. J. Reis; Teixeira-Lemos, Edite; Saraiva, Ariana; Raposo, AntónioDespite their familiarity with technology, higher education students often lack the critical skills needed to assess the credibility of online health information, potentially impacting their health decisions and well-being. This study aims to validate and assess the e-Health Literacy Scale among those in Portuguese higher education. In addition, this study focused on measuring their e-health literacy levels and investigating how these skills relate to different sociodemographic variables. This cross-sectional study was conducted in two phases. Initially, the test–retest reliability and reproducibility of measured e-health literacy were assessed with a convenience sample of 20 participants. Subsequently, the e-health scale was applied to a group of 245 Portuguese higher education students. The research took place from January 2023 to April 2024. The scale exhibited robust internal consistency and reproducibility. Male gender consistently correlates with higher levels of e-health literacy. Students demonstrate good levels of e-health literacy (24/40), reflecting their ability to effectively navigate and utilize health information online. By integrating strategies to further enhance this literacy into university health programs, students can develop essential skills necessary for making informed decisions about their health. This proactive approach not only empowers students to access reliable health resources but also fosters a culture of health literacy that can positively impact their well-being both during their academic journey and beyond graduation.