Browsing by Author "Santos, Carla"
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- Binge eating disorder in college studentsPublication . Santos, Carla; Oliveira, Cátia; Morais, Maria João; Ferro-Lebres, Vera
- Binge eating disorder in college studentsPublication . Morais, Maria João; Santos, Carla; Oliveira, Cátia; Ferro-Lebres, Vera
- Binge eating disorder prevalence in college students: difference between study area.Publication . Santos, Carla; Oliveira, Cátia; Morais, Maria João; Ferro-Lebres, Vera
- Pilot study of the air mycobiota of a cheese factoryPublication . Dias, Teresa; Santos, Carla; Salgado, Susana; Rodrigues, Paula; Venâncio, ArmandoMould growth on cheese is very common and the main contamination source is believed to be the environment in the production facilities. The growth of filamentous fungi on the cheese surface makes the product undesirable and can even present a health risk due to the production of secondary metabolites, such as mycotoxins. In fact, conditions at which ripening occurs are favourable to fungi development, and indigenous moulds of the ripening rooms may colonize the surface of cheeses. This work intended to investigate the air mycobiota of a Portuguese cheese industry to uncover the role of the air of the ripening chamber as the source of the observed cheese contamination. Air samples were collected using the impaction method on DRBC Petri dishes. Colonies were counted and, after seven days, the most common fungi were isolated in PDA medium. A contaminated cheese was also chosen to isolate visible fungi. Fungal isolates were identified through observation of microscopic characteristics and molecular methods (analysis of ITS or partial benA). Three isolates were retrieved directly from the cheese and seven from the air samples. The identified genera were Penicillium, Aspergillus, Botrytis and Cladosporium. From cheese, only one species of Penicillium was isolated, which corresponded to the most abundant species from the air samples. The most relevant genus in the air mycobiota was Penicillium, with 3 isolates from 3 species, whereas all other genera were only represented by one species. This study indicates that the air of the ripening room is a source of contamination for cheese and mitigation measures must be implemented.
- Pine nuts authenticity in the Portuguese marketPublication . Santos, Carla; Porfírio, Bruno; Silva, Anaísa; Faria, Miguel; Cruz, Rebeca; Ramalhosa, Elsa; Pereira, J.A.; Cunha, Sara C.; Casal, SusanaPine nuts, the edible seed of the pine tree (Pinus spp.) are a valuable commodity in the international market, with Portugal attaining the fourth position with the exclusive production of Pinus pinea. Pine nuts from different pine species differ in size, nutritional value, taste and therefore commercial values, making it necessary to grant their authenticity. Following recent reports on pine nut mislabelling in European markets, mainly with those of Asiatic origin, the main objective of the present work was to characterize the quality and authenticity of the pine nuts sold in the Portuguese market. Samples (n=15) were analysed for their main morphological and chemical characteristics (seed weight and seed size, moisture, lipid, proteins, ash, total soluble sugars, fatty acid composition, vitamin E, phytosterols, total phenolic and antioxidant activity). The morphological characterization showed highly homogeneous fruits. The chemical assays showed also a very consistent composition, with 48.9 ± 1.0% of lipids, of which 85.1 ±0.5% were unsaturated, with an increased protein content of 30.6±1.0%, all on a fresh weight basis. The sterol composition was also decidedly constant, as was the vitamin E and total phenolic content. All the results were within those reported for P. pinea. Complementary, a genetic study allowed to identify samples species (Pinus pinea) and confirm its authenticity. The results achieved are indicative of the inexistence of mislabelling, with all samples being classified as Pinus pinea.
- Pulmonary and Gastrointestinal Parasitic Infections in Small Ruminant Autochthonous Breeds from Centre Region of Portugal—A Cross Sectional StudyPublication . Pereira, Maria; Vila-Viçosa, Maria João M.; Coelho, Catarina; Santos, Carla; Esteves, Fernando; Cruz, Rita; Gomes, Liliana; Henriques, Diogo; Vala, Helena; Nóbrega, Carmen; Mega, Ana; Melo, Carolina de; Malva, Madalena; Braguez, Joana; Mateus, TeresaThe production of small ruminant autochthonous breeds in the Centre region of Portugal is practiced in a semi-extensive husbandry system, exposing animals to parasitic infections. The main objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of lungworm infection and identify risk factors. Fecal samples of 203 goats and 208 sheep from 30 herds were collected per rectum and subjected to the modified Baermann test. The overall prevalence of infection was 57.7%, significantly higher in goats (95.6%) than in sheep (20.7%) (p < 0.001). According to the binary logistic regression model, sheep dewormed with albendazole, mebendazole plus closantel, or ivermectin plus clorsulon presented a risk of Protostrongylidae infection 29.702, 7.426, or 8.720 times higher, respectively, than those dewormed with eprinomectin. Additionally, the presence of gastrointestinal parasites was investigated in 307 fecal samples using Mini-FLOTAC (R). The overall prevalence of infection was 86.3%, also significantly higher in goats (93.2%) than in sheep (79.9%) (p < 0.001). Strongyle-type eggs were the most frequently identified, both in sheep (69.8%) and goats (87.8%), followed by Eimeria oocysts (40.3% in sheep and 68.9% in goats). Considering the high prevalence and the burden of lungworm parasitic infection, it is urgent to determine its economic impact and the repercussions in animal health in the Centre region of Portugal to establish appropriate therapeutic guidelines.