Repository logo

Instituto Politécnico de Viseu

Scientific Repository

 

Welcome to the Polytechnic Institute of Viseu Institutional Repository

The aim of this Repository is to give greater visibility to the scientific production of the academic community of the Polytechnic Institute of Viseu, by increasing the impact and use through Open Access, ensuring the storage and preservation of all research produced in its organic units and research centres.

Recent Submissions

Physicochemical and Microbiological Properties of Hazelnuts from Three Varieties Cultivated in Portugal
Publication . Ferrão, Ana Cristina; Guiné, Raquel; Silva, Marco; Lopes, Arminda; Correia, Paula
Hazelnut is an important crop worldwide, and the characteristics of the fruits are quite variable according to a number of factors, including variety and cultivation conditions, which in turn can vary according to harvest year. This study aimed to investigate some physical and chemical characteristics of three hazelnut varieties grown in Portugal (Grada de Viseu, Tonda di Giffoni and Butler) along two different harvesting years (2021 and 2022). Also, the microbial quality was investigated for its relevance to the conservation of the fruits. The physical properties evaluated were biometric characteristics and colour, the chemical components analysed were moisture, lipids, protein, ash and fibre, and the microbial properties investigated were the microorganisms, moulds and yeasts. The results showed that, generically, statistically significant differences were found between the three varieties under study on several properties investigated. The kernel was confirmed as the lighter part of all hazelnuts, and when comparing between varieties, Tonda di Giffoni presented the lighter fruits in both harvesting years. With respect to weight, the Tonda di Giffoni variety was the lightest in both harvest years. Moisture content was observed to be higher than the recommended limits for two of the samples (Grada de Viseu in 2021: 6.01 ± 0.26 g/100 g and Butler in 2022: 6.02 ± 0.37 g/100 g), although the difference was marginal given that the recommended limit is 6%. Not surprisingly, lipids were the major chemical component, ranging from 66.46 ± 1.67 to 70.14 ± 1.75 g/100 g in 2021 and from 64.38 ± 1.67 to 77.77 g/100 g in 2022. It was further observed that the three varieties presented a satisfactory microbiological quality. Finally, applying factor analysis with principal components and Varimax rotation, a solution that explains 92.8% of the variance was obtained. This study provided information that is relevant for the characterisation and evaluation of variability according to the year of hazelnuts of three varieties cultivated in Portugal.
Bee Brood as a Food for Human Consumption: An Integrative Review of Phytochemical and Nutritional Composition
Publication . Guiné, Raquel; Florença, Sofia G.; Barroca, Maria João; Costa, Cristina Amaro da
The utilisation of edible insects for human nutrition is a long-standing practice in many parts of the globe, and is being gradually introduced into countries without an entomophagic tradition as well. These unconventional sources of protein of animal origin have arisen as a sustainable alternative to other animal protein sources, such as meat. This review intends to present the compilation of data in the scientific literature on the chemical composition and nutritional value of the bee brood of A. mellifera species and subspecies as edible foods. For this, a comprehensive search of the scientific literature was carried out using the databases ScienceDirect, Scopus, Pub-Med, BOn, and SciELO. Appropriate keywords were used for the search to reach the research works that addressed the topics of the review. The results showed that bee brood has considerable quantities of protein, fat and carbohydrates. The most abundant amino acids are leucine and lysine (these two being essential amino acids) and aspartic acid, glutamic acid, and proline (these three being non-essential amino acids). As for the fatty acids, bee broods contain approximately equal fractions of saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, while the polyunsaturated fatty acids are negligible. The dietary minerals present in higher quantities are potassium, phosphorus, and magnesium, and the most abundant vitamins are vitamin C and niacin; choline is also present, although it is not a true vitamin. Although bee brood from A. mellifera has potential for human consumption as a nutrient-rich food, there are still many aspects that need to be further studied in the future, such as safety and hazards linked to possible regular consumption.
Edible Insects – Exotic Food or Gastronomic Innovation? Study Involving 14 Countries
Publication . de Pinho Ferreira Guiné, Raquel; Elena Bartkiene; Monica Tarcea; Cristina Chuck-Hernández; Ilija Djekic; Marijana Matek Sarić; Nada M. Boustani; Malgorzata Korzeniowska; Dace Klava; Maria Papageorgiou; José Maria Fresno Baro; Maša Cernelic Bizjak; Emel Damarli; Florença, Sofia de Guiné e; Costa, Cristina Amaro da; Correia, Paula; Ferreira, Manuela; Cardoso, Ana Paula; Margarida Campos, Sofia; Anjos, Ofélia; Ferreira, Vanessa
This study explores the perceptions about edible insects and their usage in modern gastronomy. Data were collected through questionnaire survey in 14 countries, and 7222 responses were obtained. ANOVA and factor analysis were used, respectively to evaluate differences between groups and to analyze the scale items. The results showed that participants showed higher agreement toward insects being considered exotic foods and being associated with taboos and neophobia. Some sociodemographic factors (country, age class, education level and income) were proven to significantly influence with the perceptions. while sex and living environment did not. Factor analysis extracted three factors, one associated with the uses of insects in gastronomy, another associated with insects as foods and a third about insects not being proper for human consumption. In conclusion, the work revealed differences between countries in the perceptions about edible insects, and that these perceptions were also significantly influenced according to other sociodemographic variables.
Ortega's Exiles
Publication . Morujão, Carlos; Dimas, Samuel; Rocha Relvas, Susana