Browsing by Issue Date, starting with "2025"
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- Reference dietary patterns in Portugal: Mediterranean diet vs Atlantic dietPublication . Guiné, Raquel; Florença, Sofia De Guiné E; Amaral, Ana Luisa; Costa, Cristina Amaro DaPortugal is influenced by the Atlantic Ocean to the west and the Mediterranean Sea to the south. Thus, the dietary patterns in Portugal include both the Mediterranean diet (MD) and the Atlantic diet (AD). This review examines the characteristics of both diets, highlighting their commonalities and unique features. This descriptive literature review analyses scientific articles on the MD and AD. It addresses the health effects of both diets based on published evidence. It includes a review of 15 studies specifically focused on the Portuguese population. Most of the studies were conducted with younger people (children or adolescents) or older people, and some were made with patients suffering from a specific pathology, like heart disease, AIDS, or macular degeneration. Both diets emphasize natural, local, and seasonal foods prepared using traditional methods. They consist of foods rich in macronutrients, micronutrients, and bioactive compounds that offer health benefits. Both the MD and the AD are recommended as healthy diets, associated with physical activity as fundamental elements of a healthy lifestyle promoting general well-being. While the health effects of the MD have been extensively studied, the AD remains under-researched.
- Characterization of Sustainable Food Initiatives: Preliminary Study.Publication . Florença, Sofia de Guiné e; Amaral, Ana Luísa; Costa, Filipa; Guiné, Raquel; Amaro da Costa, Cristina IsabelAbstract: A sustainable food system can be described as a system that ensures economic, social, and environmental sustainability to secure food and nutrition for current and future generations. The present research aimed to identify and characterize sustainable food initiatives to understand the governance framework, the motivations, the reasons for success, the typology of actors involved, and future prospects. Semi-structured interviews were conducted for seven initiatives between June and August 2024. The interviews were performed online, recorded, transcribed, and analyzed. The results showed that the main drivers of the initiatives relate to food, sustainability, and economic and social dimensions. Moreover, one of the reasons for the success of the initiatives is the availability and commitment of the people involved. These initiatives were created to meet local needs and promote sustainability as well as to encourage economic circularity, knowledge sharing, rural and local valorization, and waste management.
- Production and characterization of powder from drone brood of honeybees (Apis mellifera)Publication . Goncalves, J. C.; Vouga, Beatriz; Costa, Cristina Amaro Da; Gonçalves, Fernando Jorge; Coelho, Catarina; Guiné, Raquel; Correia, PaulaDrone bee brood are a natural source of food with potential for human nutrition. This work aims to investigate the production and extraction of the drone bee brood (larvae and pupae), as well as the production of powder from this insect for food applications. To produce the drone brood (DB), in some hives of the colony appropriate empty frames were placed. Some measurements were done in the hive to monitor the global wellbeing of the colony, namely, temperature, relative humidity, and weight. After approximately one month, the frames were removed from the hives and frozen. The yield of DB by frame was 38%. For the extraction of the drone brood, different methods were tested, being the best ones the cold room extraction (∼ 6.5 °C), on a cold surface extraction (∼ 11 °C), and in boiling water extraction (100 °C). The results show that the extraction efficiencies were 74.3% (336.3 s), 62.5% (246.8 s) and 84.9% (332.0 s), for extraction in a cold room, on a cold surface, and in boiling water, respectively. After extraction, two drying processes were tested: evaporation and freeze-drying, being the last one the recommended, preserving in a better way the appearance and composition of the DB. DB powders presented different colour characteristics according to the extraction method used. The powder obtained by boiling extraction was darker than the one produced with cold extraction. Powders are rich in protein, fat and carbohydrates, being the fat content quite high for DB powders produced by boiling extraction method.
- Sustainable alternative of palm wine analogue from different tiger nut milk-sugar syrup blends for local productionPublication . Onyeodili, Adindu O.; Okafor, Gabriel I.; Okoyeuzu, Chigozie F.; Nduka, Onyekachukwu Chukwuebuka; Okechukwu, Queency N.; Hassani, Mouandhe Imamou; Juchniewicz, Szymon; Leicht, Katarzyna; Okpala, Charles Odilichukwu R.; Korzeniowska, Małgorzata; Guiné, RaquelAim: The unfermented pale-yellow exudates (“palm sap”) emerge from tapped unopened spathe of mostly oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) and raphia palm (Raphia hookeri). Besides, tiger nut milk (Kunuaya) is among the non-alcoholic refreshing drinks with dairy appearance. A sustainable alternative could therefore emerge from blends of tiger nut milk and sugar syrup to serve a resembling role as palm wine. In this context, therefore, palm wine analogue from different tiger nut milk and sugar syrup blends using palm wine dreg as inoculum was evaluated by proximate, physicochemical, microbial, and sensorial analyses at different time intervals. Methods: The materials were processed, analyzed, and packed using standard referenced procedures. This required freshly tapped palm sap juxtaposed with blends of tiger nut milk-sugar syrup beverage, and thereafter subjected to aerobic fermentation. Importantly, the tiger nut milk-sugar syrup medium has been pitched with palm wine dreg (inoculum source) between fermentation time 26–30 h, and temperature 29.8°–32°C. Results: Considering all the analytical outcomes, from proximate, microbiological, physicochemical, to sensory data, the control appeared to somewhat resemble those of the experimental samples of this study. Conclusions: Potentially, the (palm wine) analogue produced from tiger nut milk and sugar syrup blends using (palm wine) dreg as inoculum could be embraced by the market as natural palm wine. Indeed, the emergent product should serve as an alternative sustainable promise for palm wine, which could help fill the market supply gap, especially in the seasons of reduced supply/yield.
- Comparison of milk consumption habits across two European countries: Pilot study in Portugal and FrancePublication . Guiné, Raquel P. F.; Florença, Sofia de Guiné e; Bréjon, M.; Gonçalves, João Carlos; Ferreira, Manuela; Barroca, Maria João; Fragata, AnabelaHumans have been consuming milk obtained from domesticated animals since ancient times. Milk is a very complete food with important nutrients that can sup- port life. However, the patterns of consumption of milk have been shifting. On one hand, due to the increase in the number of people with intolerances (to lactose, for example), and on the other hand, due to some trend to avoid foods from animal origin owing to speci fi c convic- tion (like animal welfare, for example). In this context, this study focused on the milk consumption patterns in two di ff erent European Countries and the evaluation of pos- sible di ff erences. The object of study was milk obtained from animal sources, namely, cows, and no other derived fermented dairy products were included. For the develop- ment of the study, a questionnaire survey was applied to a sample of 542 participants from both countries using the Internet. The results showed that a high percentage of participants in both countries consume milk regularly, and the usual amount varies between 125 and 250 mL per day. For those who do not consume milk, the most relevant reason pointed out in both countries was because they do not feel the need to consume it. While in France, a high percentage also do not consume because they do not like milk, and in Portugal, a high percentage do not consume milk due to lactose intolerance. The most con- sumed is semi-skimmed milk, and preferences are towards consuming plain milk or consuming it with chocolate. Signi fi cant di ff erences were found in the consumption of white brands, which are preferred in France, while in Portugal, consumers prefer commercial brands, as well as the preferred package, tetra packs for the Portuguese, while the French prefer plastic bottles. In conclusion, although the results showed some similar trends among the participants from both countries, some di ff erences were also identi fi ed that can be used to better plan public policies in both countries.
- Healthy Eating – A Case Study Involving Participants From Different CountriesPublication . de Pinho Ferreira Guiné, Raquel; Florença, Sofia de Guiné ePeople need to eat for physiological reasons, to ensure a proper body functioning of the cells and organs. Nevertheless, what people eat and what they choose to eat is not only influences by a basic necessity of the body, and is determines by many other factors of personal or social nature. The purpose of this study was to investigate motivation for eating healthy food in a large sample of individual from different nationalities. The data were collected through an online survey and the participants had to express their agreement towards some sentences related to factors that could influence people’s food choices towards a healthy diet. These aspects were investigated in the following 16 countries: Argentina, Brazil, Croatia, Egypt, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Slovenia, Romania, United States of America, and a total number of 11960 participants were included in the global sample. The results identified expressive differences between the participants from the countries involved in the study. While Egyptian participants attend more to concerns related to food safety and hygiene when they choose foods, Portuguese participants attribute greater scores for food that keep them healthy and low fat diets that are rich in vitamin and minerals, Romanian participants tend to value healthy and balanced diets and avoid food additives, Slovenians avoid processed foods for their lower nutritional quality and Lithuanians avoid genetically modified foods. This research clearly showed how different geographical locations and socio-cultural environments contribute to shape peoples’ motivations to consume healthy foods. As so, it is important to adapt healthy food policies and campaigns to effectively communicate with different types of people and contribute to promote changes towards healthier diets diminishing the economic and social burdens of disease.
- A Revisit of Plant Food Waste Along Food Supply Chains: Impacts and Perspectives.Publication . Gonçalves, Joana; Anjos, Ofélia; Guiné, RaquelMore than one billion tons of the food produced in the world ends up being wasted every year, accounting for about one-third of the food produced globally. For this reason, the problem of food waste management has been the focus of the different actors intervening in the food supply chains, who recognize that food waste has not only environmental but also economic and social impacts. This review focuses on foods of plant origin wasted at different stages of their life, namely primary production, transformation/processing, transportation, sales, catering and the domestic level. It addresses the subject from multiple angles, considering the environmental, economic and social perspectives. The review was based on a search carried out within scientific databases, for example, ScienceDirect, Scopus and the Web of Science. The results highlighted that in the generation and management of food waste from plant origin, there is a clear difference between developed and developing countries, with these last showing higher losses in production, principally the transportation and storage of the foods. Contrarily, in developed countries, excess food produced and not consumed is the strongest contributor to food waste. Valorization of agricultural waste and industrial residues for application into animal feed or agricultural fertilizers, or through the recovery of valuable compounds for industrial purposes, are some of the ways to deal with food waste while generating additional economic value and reducing environmental impact. However, there is still a need to modify processes and behaviors to reduce food waste and improve the sustainability of supply chains. Therefore, it is crucial to conduct research to identify and report food waste so that stakeholders can contribute positively to solving this problem.
- Synthesis, characterisation, and thermal degradation kinetics of lignin-based polyurethane wood adhesivesPublication . Hernández-Ramos, Fabio; Esteves, Bruno; Carvalho, Luisa Hora de; Labidi, Jalel; Erdocia, XabierPolyurethane adhesives are widely employed in a range of industrial applications due to their exceptional bonding strength, flexibility, and chemical resistance. These materials play a crucial role in wood bonding technologies, where their versatility and durability make them ideal for creating strong, long-lasting joints. In this work, Four different polyurethane wood adhesives were synthesised using ligno-based bio-polyols obtained through microwave assisted liquefaction reaction of two wood species (hardwood and softwood) using polyethylene glycol and glycerol as solvents. The reaction conditions used for the synthesis of bio-polyols were optimised in a previous work. The synthesis of polyurethanes was carried out by one-shot method using Tetrahydrofuran (THF) as solvent and MDI as diisocyanate employing different NCO:OH ratios (2.0:1, 2.5:1, and 3.0:1). The chemical structure of polyurethanes was determined through ATR-FTIR and the shear strength was analysed using Automated Bonding Evaluation System (ABES) employing beech veneer strips. Through ABES it was concluded that an NCO:OH ratio of 2.5:1 was the formulation that showed the best shear strength for a pressing time of 120 s. Employing this ratio and the same synthesis procedure, two new polyurethanes were synthesised with the bio-polyols obtained using crude glycerol instead commercial glycerol. Finally, a study of thermal degradation kinetics employing the Ozawa–Flynn–Wall (OFW) and Kissinger–Akahira–Sunose (KAS) isoconversional methods of the polyurethanes synthesised with an NCO:OH ratio of 2.5:1 was carried out. On the one hand, the Ea of each system were estimated for the different α ratios, obtaining slightly higher values for the adhesives produced using commercial glycerol than crude glycerol. In addition, the pre-exponential factor was determined, enabling an estimation of the lifetime of the polymers. This study highlights demonstrated that crude glycerol could replace commercial glycerol without compromising adhesive properties. The findings revealed that the lignin source significantly influences the adhesive's characteristics and stability, while addressing challenges in achieving industrial viability remains essential for broader application.
- Machine Learning Approaches for Predicting Maize Biomass Yield: Leveraging Feature Engineering and Comprehensive Data IntegrationPublication . Abbasi, Maryam; Vaz, Paulo; Silva, José; Martins, Pedro; Silva, José; ANTUNES VAZ, PAULO JOAQUIMThe efficient prediction of corn biomass yield is critical for optimizing crop production and addressing global challenges in sustainable agriculture and renewable energy. This study employs advanced machine learning techniques, including Gradient Boosting Machines (GBMs), Random Forests (RFs), Support Vector Machines (SVMs), and Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs), integrated with comprehensive environmental, soil, and crop management data from key agricultural regions in the United States. A novel framework combines feature engineering, such as the creation of a Soil Fertility Index (SFI) and Growing Degree Days (GDDs), and the incorporation of interaction terms to address complex non-linear relationships between input variables and biomass yield. We conduct extensive sensitivity analysis and employ SHAP (SHapley Additive exPlanations) values to enhance model interpretability, identifying SFI, GDDs, and cumulative rainfall as the most influential features driving yield outcomes. Our findings highlight significant synergies among these variables, emphasizing their critical role in rural environmental governance and precision agriculture. Furthermore, an ensemble approach combining GBMs, RFs, and ANNs outperformed individual models, achieving an RMSE of 0.80 t/ha and R2 of 0.89. These results underscore the potential of hybrid modeling for real-world applications in sustainable farming practices. Addressing the concerns of passive farmer participation, we propose targeted incentives, education, and institutional support mechanisms to enhance stakeholder collaboration in rural environmental governance. While the models assume rational decision-making, the inclusion of cultural and political factors warrants further investigation to improve the robustness of the framework. Additionally, a map of the study region and improved visualizations of feature importance enhance the clarity and relevance of our findings. This research contributes to the growing body of knowledge on predictive modeling in agriculture, combining theoretical rigor with practical insights to support policymakers and stakeholders in optimizing resource use and addressing environ mental challenges. By improving the interpretability and applicability of machine learning models, this study provides actionable strategies for enhancing crop yield predictions and advancing rural environmental governance.
- O impacto da inteligência Artificial na esfera do TurismoPublication . Caldeira, Bruna Vanessa Teixeira; Antunes, Joaquim Gonçalves; Malva, Maria Madalena de FreitasAtualmente deparamo-nos com transformações de paradigmas que impulsionam constantes mudanças na nossa sociedade, no setor industrial e nas estratégias de marketing. Esta tecnologia tem um impacto significativo no comportamento dos consumidores alinhando as suas preferências e necessidades de uma maneira mais rápida. Na indústria no turismo, a implementação da IA representa tanto uma vantagem competitiva, como de igual forma conduz a uma redefinição das estratégias de marketing dentro das empresas, permitindo uma comunicação mais clara e eficiente junto dos consumidores. O principal objetivo desta dissertação foi desenvolver conhecimento empírico sobre as opiniões de profissionais e não profissionais do setor turístico relativamente à utilização da inteligência artificial, com um foco particular nos seus impactos positivos e negativos no setor turístico e no ambiente de trabalho das empresas. A metodologia adotada consistiu numa abordagem quantitativa materializada num inquérito online, que constou com uma amostra de 162 indivíduos. Os resultados foram submetidos a testes estatísticos para validar as conclusões de investigação. Os resultados revelaram que, apesar de alguns receios relacionados com a substituição de postos de trabalho, a maioria dos participantes reconheceu que a implementação desta tecnologia oferece benefícios para os setores económicos. Destaca-se no conjunto dos impactos positivos, a melhoria de personalização das ofertas turísticas e o aumento da eficiência nas campanhas de marketing. A inteligência artificial também é reconhecida como uma ferramenta para aprimorar a acessibilidade no planeamento territorial dos destinos turísticos, tornando-os os espaços mais acessíveis para responder de forma mais eficaz a necessidade de grupos específicos de visitantes, como pessoas com mobilidade reduzida ou turistas com necessidades especiais. Este estudo pretende enfatiza o impacto da inteligência artificial no setor turístico e no ambiente laboral, evidenciando os desafios e oportunidades da sua implementação. Além de aumentar a competitividade das empresas, a IA tem como objetivo criar experiencias mais personalizadas e eficientes aos consumidores.