To determine differences in quality parameters between different types of tea elaborated in Argentina, water extract, crude fibre, caffeine, total polyphenol content, antioxidant activity, sorption isotherms and colour parameters (L, a, b) were determined. Fifty-one industrial samples of commercially available teas including green tea, semifermented tea, black tea and black tea sub-product (BTSP) were used for this study.Water extract contents were significantly higher in black tea and green tea (40.3% and 40.7% w/w, respectively), while semifermented tea and BTSP showed higher levels of crude fibre (22.3% and 20.4% w/w, respectively). Caffeine contents of black teas (2.7% w/w) were significantly higher than in the other types of tea. Green teas revealed the highest concentrations of phenolic compounds and the major antioxidant activities (14.9 g GAE/100g dm and 30.0 g AAE/100g dm, respectively). The results also highlighted significant differences (p<0.05) in colour values between the different types of tea.

Food Studies represent the bases for multidisciplinary knowledge in food science, food engineering, food management, and how to use these scientific bases in a food worldwide context. Teaching and learning must be adapted to the new students, to the new tools, considering the cost of studies and equipment. The international availability of raw materials, the diversity of cultures, tastes and habits must be taken into account in the controlled food processes. Food engineering must be taught with reference to nutrition, health and security, but also to packaging, logistics, international rules, management of water, energy, wastes and cost. So how do we teach the present and future food engineers, to help them to acquire and build their own knowledge, to develop curiosity, an open mind and team work? How do we teach them to use, in an efficient way, computers, data bases, the internet, but also to learn and practice in the lab, on pilot equipment, in the plant during long internships? How do we give them the desire to conceive, to create, to manage, to communicate and to continue to learn during their professional life? International networks of universities, with associated people from research and industry, with teachers in elementary and secondary schools, with students, represent a main factor for reciprocal knowledge and exchanges, to preserve and use diversity to develop new ideas for teaching and learning. The objectives are to contribute to the development of our society, to feed in an harmonized way the world made of human beings, consumers, and workers in industry, research and universities.

Nowadays, food production has the challenging mission to encourage the growth of the rural economy assuring long term sustainability of their natural resources. The qualification of human resources and the generation of new knowledge are the main pillars that give sustainability to agribusiness. Animal protein production is one of the branches of the agribusiness sector. Swine production is recognized as an activity of high pollution potential, producing a large quantity of waste. This study aimed to identify the activities developed in partnership among academic, research and extension institutes in a midsize company of the agribusiness sector, more specifically a swine farm (São Roque Farm) in its sustainable restructuring. An exploratory and quantitative research was developed, which comprehended literature reviews, data collection and analysis of documents from the São Roque Farm. It was considered the period that includes the beginning of the sustainable restructuring of the property (2003) until December 2011. During the analysis of the Sustainable Restructuring Project, special attention was given to the readjustment of the wastewater treatment system and to the energy management and carbon credits, being innovative and pilot projects in the state of Santa Catarina. For this purpose, technologies and knowledge are being developed and applied in treatment of three routes: gaseous, liquid and solid. This pilot project allowed the development of applied studies at undergraduate, masters and PhD level and the main results achieved are the improvement of understanding and the achievement of technical and financial benefits by connecting agribusiness, academia and government research institutions.

A prototype heat pump dryer has been developed for drying of fruits and vegetables at low temperature and relative humidity to maintain the quality of dried product. Onions, of Nasik red variety were peeled, trimmed and sliced to 2 mm thickness. The onion slices were dried in the heat pump dryer at 35ºC (32 % R.H.), 40ºC (26 % R.H.), 45ºC (19 % R.H.) and 50ºC (15 % R.H.). Samples were also dried in a hot air dryer at 50ºC (52 % R.H.) for comparison. The drying rate increased with increase in drying air temperature, associated with reduced R.H., in the heat pump dryer. Drying took place mainly under the falling rate period. The Page equation, resulting in a higher coefficient of determination and lower root mean square error, better described the thin-layer drying of onion slices than the Henderson and Pabis equation. Heat pump drying took less drying time of 360 min and yielded better quality dried product, with higher retention of ascorbic acid and pyruvic acid and lower colour change, as compared to a hot air dryer at the same drying air temperature of 50ºC.

Technologists and nutritionists are always looking for alternative ingredients to use in their formulations to improve functional and nutritional properties. Therefore, cookies using Chia (Salvia hispanica), a grain with high quality nutrients, were prepared. The nutritional value was determined by measuring the chemical composition, mineral content, and the fatty acid composition (saturated, monunsaturated, polyunsaturated, linoleic and linolenic acids). Data obtained from this chemical analysis was used to estimate the nutrients intake and compare them to the dietary reference intakes (DRIs). Cookies supplemented with chia flour contained signicantly more protein, fat, crude fiber, calcium, zinc, and alpha-linolenic (n-3) acid. It was estimated that the supplemented cookies would contribute to the corresponding DRIs in the range of 8.1-13.8% (children) and 6.5-11.0% (males/females) for calcium; and 14.0-18.0% (children) and 6.4-11.3 (males/females) for zinc. The addition of chia flour to the cookies resulted in a product sensorially acceptable with a better fatty acid profile (lower n-6/n-3). Supplemented cookies would contribute to alpha-linolenic DRI in the range of 65.9-134.5% (children), 49.4-100.9% (males), and 53.9-110.0% (females). Dietary intake of protein, fiber, calcium, zinc, and alpha-linolenic (n-3) acid could be increased by the consumption of sugar-snap cookies supplemented with chia flour.

Food scientists and technologists are actively engaged in examining and developing nanotechnologies for applications such as novel functional ingredients and nutrient delivery systems, safety testing, packaging, and authenticity/authentication at an ever-increasing pace. However, before these new products/technologies are commercialised, rigorous safety testing and risk/benefit analysis are required to ensure that public and environmental concerns are addressed. This review provides an overview of food nanoscience and technology including a brief history, education, definitions pertaining to policy and regulation, and applications. The most recent findings and advances are emphasised, focussing on bioactives' delivery. In addition, proposed directions in the area of nano-based targeting of pathogens for food safety as well as medical foods are discussed. As food nanoscience and technology has been extensively reviewed in recent years, specific case examples will be limited to those reported within the past year.