INNOTEC

Complete volume

2025-07-01T18:34:11+00:00

Instrumental texture and sensory characteristics of freeze-dried starfruit snacks with added trehalose and sucrose

2025-06-30T13:32:07+00:00

This study assessed the impact of sucrose and trehalose as osmotic agents on the quality of freeze-dried starfruit snacks, with particular emphasis on sensory and textural attributes. Starfruit slices were subjected to three pre-treatments before freeze-drying: a control (no dehydration agent), osmotic dehydration in a sucrose solution (ODSAC), and osmotic dehydration in a trehalose solution (ODTRE). The resulting dehydrated samples were analyzed for water activity (aw), instrumental color and texture, and sensory attributes, including consumer acceptability. Both osmotic treatments significantly altered the instrumental texture of the starfruit slices compared to the control. Sensory analysis revealed significant differences in appearance, texture, flavor, and odor among treatments, with the ODTRE treatment receiving the highest acceptability scores. These findings suggest that using trehalose as an osmotic agent enhances the quality attributes of the dehydrated starfruit slices, supporting their potential as a fruit snack option.

Physicochemical properties of craft beer from barley malt and quinoa malt with dehydrated blackberry

2025-02-20T14:47:46+00:00

This work aimed to develop a malt-barley and malta-quinoa craft beer with dehydrated fruit and evaluate the physicochemical properties. Ten treatments (barley-quinoa) of beer were carried out and analyzed; the different treatments were analyzed for color, anthocyanins, pH, total titratable acidity (ATT), volatile acidity, alcohol and density. In color, results were obtained for L* (luminosity) from 25.26 to 39.84, a* (red-green) from 1.85 to 7.11 and b* (blue-yellow) from 9.38 to 15.76. The anthocyanin content was 8.81 to 17.14 mg of cyanidin 3-glucoside/L. The pH was statistically the same (p ≤ 0.05) in all treatments. The alcohol content reached up to 7.13 % v/v. The craft beer is acceptable because adding quinoa malt and dehydrated blackberry did not affect the quality of anthocyanins, total titratable acidity, pH, alcohol content and volatile acidity of the craft beer.

Botanical characterization of herbal drugs marketed in Uruguay

2025-06-16T12:37:54+00:00

Herbal drugs are widely used for medicinal purposes, but their quality can be compromised by adulterations and deficiencies in control processes. In Uruguay, botanical analyses of these products remain scarce despite their growing demand. This study evaluated the botanical quality of 42 herbal drug samples used by local companies and laboratories prior to commercialization. The samples were analyzed through organoleptic characterization, macroscopic and microscopic examination, following the criteria established in Decree 289/018 of the Uruguayan Ministry of Public Health. It was determined that 69 % of the samples corresponded to materials of acceptable quality.
The main causes of non-compliance were the presence of plant organs that are not part of the herbal drug, the presence of fungi, insects or inorganic material, and the use of incorrect species. In addition, cases of adulteration involving botanically related species were analyzed in detail, particularly in drugs from the families Apiaceae, Malvaceae and Asteraceae, selected for their recurrence in commercial samples evaluated in previous years. The results highlight the need to strengthen botanical quality controls in the
marketing of herbal drugs in the country to ensure their authenticity, efficacy, and safety.

Inventory of cesium-137 and lead-210 in reference soils from the center-west of Uruguay:

2025-06-09T12:26:05+00:00

This study characterizes inventory levels, concentration, and vertical distribution of 137Cs and 210Pbex in reference soils across Uruguay, establishing a baseline for future erosion and radiological monitoring studies. Seven sites were analyzed along a climatic gradient from south (Colonia) to north (Rivera). The 137Cs inventories were spatially homogeneous (357.8 – 365.4 Bq.m−2) and closely matched historical atmospheric deposition records from Buenos Aires, validating these as regional references. Conversely, 210Pbex inventories (3973 – 8428 Bq.m−2 in the upper 15 cm) strongly correlated with mean annual precipitation (R2 = 0.92, p = 0.01). Results indicate 137Cs inventories are stable and suitable as a general reference for erosion studies, whereas local-specific references are necessary for 210Pbex due to its environmental sensitivity. These findings provide a crucial baseline for assessing future radiological contamination from potential nuclear events in the region.

Validation of a methodology to estimate the biovolume of phytoplankton in a subtropical reservoir

2025-02-04T17:37:48+00:00

This work presents the validation of a methodology for estimating the biovolume at the cellular and filamentous organization level of phytoplankton in the Salto Grande reservoir. The relevance of this study lies in its ability to generate reliable data in the field of ecology, supporting critical decisions in environmental management, while aligning with international and local regulations on water quality monitoring. An effort was made to integrate methodological quality assurance with ecological and health research, coinciding with criteria established by regulations such as the European Commission (2000) and the UNE 14996:2007 standard (Asociación Española de Normalización y Certificación, 2007), which contribute to the proper management of water resources. The main objective of this study was to accurately assess the ecological and health risks associated with bloom-forming organisms identified in the reservoir that impact the use of recreational areas. The results indicate that the validated analytical method presents a high degree of reproducibility and precision, both with values less than 10 %, essential characteristics for any technique aspiring to be used in environmental monitoring.

Fecal contamination on recreational beaches:

2025-06-20T13:58:12+00:00

The increasing urbanization of the coastal strip and the lack of adequate wastewater treatment or sanitation have led to an increase in the load of fecal contaminants in the waters flowing into recreational beaches, putting the health of beachgoers at risk. Water quality monitoring assesses the abundance of microorganisms of intestinal origin, and the regulations establishing indicators, maximum allowable values (MPVs), and sampling methods vary among countries and regions. The objective of this paper is to provide input for the review of current regulations and recommendations for the management of this contamination in Uruguay. To this end, a bibliographic review of national (historic revision), regional (11 countries), and international (OMS, EPA) regulations regarding fecal contamination in recreational beaches (freshwater and marine) was conducted. Internationally, a variety of indicators are used to assess beach quality, with enterococci and Escherichia coli abundance being the most commonly used in the northern hemisphere, and fecal coliforms at regional and national level. Uruguayan regulations have not been updated for more than 45 years. They are the oldest regulations on the continent and one of the most permissive regarding fecal contamination. Therefore, we
suggest updating Uruguay’s regulations, maintaining the current indicators, adding others such as E. coli and enterococci and decreasing their MPVs in order to preserve ecosystem health and protect the health of the population.