Large Variety Of Products Research Articles

Sutureless Technique for Surgical Castration in Adult Boars: A Feasibility Study.

The heterogeneity of Italian manufacturing processes results in the production of a large variety of pork products. In Sardinia, boars are raised and butchered to produce charcuterie. These animals are castrated before slaughter as androstenone would otherwise taint the meat, rendering it unfit for human consumption. However, to date, the literature concerning surgical orchiectomy in adult boars is limited. The goal of this study is to assess whether a sutureless swine orchiectomy procedure is feasible. Additionally, this study aims to determine the appropriate traction force needed to tie knots in the deferens duct of pigs of different weights and ages. Two groups were created: the first (n = 91) underwent orchiectomy by suture ligation; the second (n = 20) was castrated using the sutureless technique. Deferens ducts of animals in the first group (n = 182) were collected following castration, and their tensile strength was measured. Pearson's linear correlation was used to determine the relationship between the maximum traction force and weight and age groups. A correlation of 0.99 and 0.96 was shown between traction force and age and traction force and weight, respectively. In accordance with these results, sutureless castration was performed on 20 animals, calibrating the pulling force needed according to the age and weight of the boars. No complications were observed during the feasibility study, thus validating sutureless orchiectomy in adult boars.

Traditional Fermented Dairy Products in Southern Mediterranean Countries: From Tradition to Innovation

Fermented dairy products have been essential elements in the diet of Southern Mediterranean countries for centuries. This review aims to provide an overview of the traditional fermented products in Southern Mediterranean countries, with a focus on fermented dairy products, and to discuss innovative strategies to make improved versions of these traditional products. A large variety of fermented dairy products were reviewed, showing high diversity, depending on the used raw materials, starter cultures, and preparation procedures. Traditionally, dairy products were fermented using spontaneous fermentation, back-slopping, and/or the addition of rennet. Compared with commercial products, traditional products are characterized by peculiar organoleptic features owing to the indigenous microflora. The main limitation of traditional products is preservation as most products were consumed fresh. In addition to drying, brine or oil was used to extend the product shelf life but resulted in high salt/fat products. Several studies suggested alternative ingredients/processing to make revised products with new flavors, improved nutritional quality, and a longer shelf life. There is still plenty of room for more research to obtain a better understanding of the indigenous microflora and on quality improvement and standardization to reach a wider market.

The Existence of Proof of Criminal Liability for Food Poisoning is Reviewed Under the Law Number 18 of 2012 Concerning Food

Background: Developments in the economy, trade, and industry are increasing day by day, this has also given its enjoyment to every consumer because of the large variety of products presented.
 
 Objective: This study aims to find out and analyze the criminal responsibility for food poisoning based on law number 18 of 2012 concerning food. As well as knowing and analyzing the existence of evidence against the criminal act of food poisoning.
 
 Methods: This research belongs to the normative type of research. So that it can be known that the criminal responsibility for food poisoning is the responsibility of business actors regulated in Article 19 paragraphs (1) and (2) of Law Number 8 of 1999 concerning Consumer Protection.
 
 Result: Criminal liability of business actors related to food poisoning is regulated in Article 134 of Law Number 18 of 2012 concerning Food. Furthermore, the proof of the criminal act of food poisoning is that the investigator uses the proof process by taking test results from doctors and labs, visual results, and information from consumers who are victims of food poisoning then reprocessing through the help of BPOM.
 
 Conclusion: Based on the conclusion of the criminal liability for food poisoning, the responsibility of business actors are regulated in Article 19 paragraphs (1) and (2) of Law Number 8 of 1999 concerning Consumer Protection.

Recombinant DNA in fermentation products is of no regulatory relevance

A large variety of fermentation products are used in food and feed production, but also in other industries, and many of these products are produced with genetically modified microorganisms (GMMs). In food and feed production, prominent examples are amino acids, vitamins, food and feed enzymes, colorants, non-caloric sweeteners, human milk oligosaccharides, or vegan alternatives of dairy, egg and meat products. From a regulatory perspective, fermentation products are typically produced under containment. This means that premises, equipment and work processes need to be designed to prevent or at least minimize release of GMMs into the environment. The fermentation products themselves should not contain any live cells of the GMM. Over the past years, there have been concerning developments, particularly in the European Union, stipulating that also absence of recombinant DNA might be interpreted as a regulatory requirement for fermentation products produced with GMMs. In this paper, we (i) attempt to place these developments into the historical context, (ii) sketch the potential negative repercussions for the food and feed industries, (iii) elaborate on the safety of recombinant DNA, and (iv) postulate that recombinant DNA should remain an integral part of the safety assessment of fermentation products but should not be misconstrued as a criterion for regulatory classification of products of biotechnology. • Fermentation products offer multiple opportunities for more sustainable food production. • Many fermentation products are produced with genetically modified microorganisms. • Proportionate regulations are key for incentivizing innovation in industrial biotechnology. • There is no meaningful rationale for using recombinant DNA for regulatory classification of fermentation products.

CUSTOMER PERCEPTION WITH RESPECT TO ONLINE FOOD DELIVERY

The development in internet and E-business has boosted the usage of food delivery channels. In today’s generation more people are getting connected through mobile applications and are using these apps to trade. Traditional business strategies are being changed to new online marketing strategies to meet the customer needs and preferences. The internet is used to advertise and market new products; this gives customers a large variety of products or services to choose from. This study aims for the discussion about the customer perceptions over food delivery system, that too online in Bangalore. 224 respondents were taken to conduct the study. This research is focused to study and analyze those customers who are already using different portals of online food delivery.

Analytical pyrolysis (Py-GC-MS) for the assessment of olive mill pomace composting efficiency and the effects of compost thermal treatment

Composting is an interesting solution for recycling the large amount of residues typically generated in olive oil production areas, particularly olive mill pomace. Bulking agents must be added to wet olive mill pomace for composting. The diversity of the materials used (such as olive tree-pruning residues, animal manure, or straw) and the variable proportion, in which they are mixed, are responsible for the heterogeneity and variability of the quality of the produced compost. For this reason, a comprehensive characterization of compost organic matter is necessary to gain information about its stability and maturity useful as well as to predict its behavior as a soil amendment. In this work, fresh olive mill pomace and four composted olive mill pomace samples were characterized using analytical pyrolysis coupled with gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (Py-GC-MS). Results showed a large variety of pyrolysis products, many of which had a specific biochemical origin. Pyrolysis-GC-MS revealed a decrease in fatty acids and aliphatic compounds content with composting, along with carbohydrates degradation and an increase in phenolic and N-compounds levels. Furthermore, the differences observed in organic matter characteristics had an impact on agronomic aspects (water repellency and phytotoxicity). Thus, the occurrence of fatty acids in incompletely composted materials (mainly palmitic and cis-vaccenic acids) was associated with increased phytotoxicity and higher water repellency. The presence of chicken manure in the mixtures was proved to favor the humification process and the production of stabilized compost (characterized by a lower Aliphatic-C/Aromatic-C ratio and higher N-heterocycles content). Furthermore, in this work, the effectiveness of applying thermal treatments to improve compost quality has been evaluated. Analysis of the Py-GC-MS results by means of principal component analysis (PCA) revealed thermal rearrangement, predominantly aromatization, and loss of functional groups of carbohydrates, lignin, and proteins, at temperatures above 225 ºC. Interestingly, the results suggest that materials with a non-effective or incomplete composting process can be transformed by thermal treatment into more stable products, exhibiting similar agronomic characteristics as those have that undergone a more efficient biotransformation.

A skill- and feature-based approach to planning process monitoring in assembly planning

Frequent changes in customer needs and large product variety are forcing manufacturing companies to move from mass production to mass customization. Customized production can be achieved by introducing reconfigurable production systems (RMS). The customized flexibility and several characteristics of RMSs provide many opportunities in terms of process and production planning. However, those characteristics greatly increase the complexity of the design and planning of production systems. This paper presents a decision support system relying on a skill-based approach to design a reconfigurable assembly line considering the planning of assembly processes and monitoring. The proposed decision aid system is modular in design and is composed of four modules. The main input data is a CAD model of a new product variant for the identification of the assembly and monitoring requirements. Besides, a current assembly system layout with its resource descriptions exists. In the first developed module, assembly-by-disassembly and a skill-based approach are used to generate different assembly plans. In the second module, feature recognition and skill-based approaches generate process monitoring alternatives. The third module uses a linear program (LP) that aims to minimize the total cost of workstation activation and reconfiguration, as well as cycle time, and to maximize the process quality of the assembly tasks. A user-based generative model design approach is applied to optimize the values of three objective functions. In the fourth and final module, a simulation of the optimized assembly plan allows either the validation of the assembly plan and process monitoring plan or initiates a new iteration due to their infeasibility. To further demonstrate how the proposed methodology works, some computational experiments are provided for two use cases.

Fast Sensitive and Accurate Analysis of the Most Common Synthetic Food Colorants in 65 Egyptian Commercial Products Using New HPLC–DAD and UPLC-ESI–MS/MS Methods

Overexposure to food colorants above the allowed daily intake (ADI) level can provoke hyperactivity and other disturbed behaviors especially in children. Two new methods were developed to separate five synthetic colorants, which were Tartrazine (E102), Sunset Yellow (E110), Allura Red (E129), Carmoisine (E122), and Brilliant Blue (E133). They are labeled on a large variety of commercial food products in the Egyptian market without mentioning their definite concentrations. Therefore, there was a real need to determine these colorants with simple, accurate, and fast methods. This is the first study to determine these colorants in a wide variety of food products present in the Egyptian market. The HPLC approach with photodiode array detection was developed to quantify these colorants, on a C18 column, with a mobile phase composed of acetonitrile and water containing 1% ammonium acetate (pH 6.8), separation was carried out using a gradient program. The colorants were eluted and efficiently separated within 9 min. Then, as a complementary technique to HPLC, the UPLC-ESI–MS/MS approach was developed for identification and accurate mass measurement of the colorants found in high concentrations, the colorants were obtained simultaneously in negative mode, the run time was only 3 min. These developed methods were validated according to ICH recommendations and they were applied to analyze 65 food products including jelly powder, puddings, ice cream powders, concentrated soft drink powders, carbonated drinks, chewing gums, and sugar confectionery.

Photo-Fenton degradation of multiple pharmaceuticals at low concentrations via Cu-doped-graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) under simulated solar irradiation at a wide pH range

A large variety of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) have been detected in water which makes it imperative to explore new materials for their efficient removal. In this study, the photo-Fenton degradation of pharmaceuticals has been investigated systematically via in situ synthesized Cu-doped g-C3N4. Detailed photoelectrochemical measurements confirm that the adsorption edges of modified g-C3N4 show a remarkable shift (Band gaps decreased from 2.79 eV to 2.17 eV), indicating the advantages of solar light absorption. Three major reactive radicals were identified, including •OH, 1O2, and -∙O2. The sulfadimethoxine (SMT) was degraded completely (> 99 %) at a wide pH range from 4 to 8. A total of 16 micropollutants, including anti-inflammatory, quinolone, and macrolide, were spiked with low concentration (100 μg/L) in simulated water, which can be removed rapidly within only 3 min. To make separating and reusing easy, the powder was successfully loaded onto a PTFE (Poly tetra fluoroethylene) support (0.22 µm) with a loading amount of 1.29 mg/cm2. The pharmaceutical can be effectively degraded without obviously losing the active properties under simulated solar irradiation.

Smart Electric Cart for Vegetable Vendors

Due to urbanization and industrialization, there is a rapid acceleration of migration from rural are to urban area. So urban centers are unable to provide employment to all workforces, so they have to find other opportunities for the settlement in informal sector. Within this informal sector, vendors sell their goods in competitive market. Street vendors are often those who are unable to get regular jobs in the remunerative formal sector on account of their low level of education and skills. They try to solve their livelihoods problems through their own meager financial resource. They are the main distribution channel for a large variety of products of daily consumption like fruits, vegetables, readymade garments, shoes, household gadgets, toys, stationery, newspapers, and magazines and so on. If they were to be eliminated from the urban markets, it would lead to a severe crisis for fruit and vegetable farmers, as well as small scale industries which cannot afford to retail their products through expensive distribution networks in the formal sector. Corona virus sickness has become a big public health issue in 2019. Because of its contact-transparent characteristics, it is rapidly spreading. The use of a face mask is among the most efficient methods for preventing the transmission of the Covid-19 virus. Wearing the face mask alone can cut the chance of catching the virus by over 70%. Consequently, World Health Organization (WHO) advised wearing masks in crowded places as precautionary measures. Because of the incorrect use of facial masks, illnesses have spread rapidly in some locations. To solve this challenge, we needed a reliable mask monitoring system. Numerous government entities are attempting to make wearing a face mask mandatory; this process can be facilitated by using face mask detection software based on AI and image processing techniques. For face mask detection, sanitization and social distancing the approaches mentioned in the article utilize Machine learning, Deep learning, and many other approaches. It will be simple to distinguish between persons having masks and those who are not having masks using all of these ways. The effectiveness of mask detectors must be improved immediately. In this article, we will explain the techniques for face mask detection with a literature review and drawbacks for each technique

Electric Street Cart with Covid-19 Protocol

Due to urbanization and industrialization, there is a rapid acceleration of migration from rural to urban area. So urban centers are unable to provide employment to all workforces, so they have to find other opportunities for the settlement in informal sector. Street vendors are often those who are unable to get regular jobs in the remunerative formal sector on account of their low level of education and skills. They try to solve their livelihoods problems through their own meager financial resource. They are the main distribution channel for a large variety of products of daily consumption like fruits, vegetables, readymade garments, shoes, household gadgets, toys, stationery, newspapers, and magazines and so on. If they were to be eliminated from the urban markets, it would lead to a severe crisis for fruit and vegetable farmers, as well as small scale industries which cannot afford to retail their products through expensive distribution networks in the formal sector. Corona virus sickness has become a big public health issue in 2019. The use of a face mask is among the most efficient methods for preventing the transmission of the Covid-19 virus. Consequently, World Health Organization (WHO) advised wearing masks in crowded places as precautionary measures. Because of the incorrect use of facial masks, illnesses have spread rapidly in some locations. To solve this challenge, we needed a reliable mask monitoring system. Numerous government entities are attempting to make wearing a face mask mandatory; this process can be facilitated by using face mask detection software based on AI and image processing techniques. For face mask detection, sanitization and social distancing the approaches mentioned in the article utilize Machine learning, Deep learning, and many other approaches. It will be simple to distinguish between persons having masks and those who are not having masks using all of these ways. The effectiveness of mask detectors must be improved immediately. In this article, we will explain the techniques for face mask detection with a literature review and drawbacks for each technique..

Real‐time Virtual‐Try‐On from a Single Example Image through Deep Inverse Graphics and Learned Differentiable Renderers

AbstractAugmented reality applications have rapidly spread across online retail platforms and social media, allowing consumers to virtually try‐on a large variety of products, such as makeup, hair dying, or shoes. However, parametrizing a renderer to synthesize realistic images of a given product remains a challenging task that requires expert knowledge. While recent work has introduced neural rendering methods for virtual try‐on from example images, current approaches are based on large generative models that cannot be used in real‐time on mobile devices. This calls for a hybrid method that combines the advantages of computer graphics and neural rendering approaches. In this paper, we propose a novel framework based on deep learning to build a real‐time inverse graphics encoder that learns to map a single example image into the parameter space of a given augmented reality rendering engine. Our method leverages self‐supervised learning and does not require labeled training data, which makes it extendable to many virtual try‐on applications. Furthermore, most augmented reality renderers are not differentiable in practice due to algorithmic choices or implementation constraints to reach real‐time on portable devices. To relax the need for a graphics‐based differentiable renderer in inverse graphics problems, we introduce a trainable imitator module. Our imitator is a generative network that learns to accurately reproduce the behavior of a given non‐differentiable renderer. We propose a novel rendering sensitivity loss to train the imitator, which ensures that the network learns an accurate and continuous representation for each rendering parameter. Automatically learning a differentiable renderer, as proposed here, could be beneficial for various inverse graphics tasks. Our framework enables novel applications where consumers can virtually try‐on a novel unknown product from an inspirational reference image on social media. It can also be used by computer graphics artists to automatically create realistic rendering from a reference product image.

CRISPR/Cas9-Based Genome Editing and Its Application in Aspergillus Species.

Aspergillus, a genus of filamentous fungi, is extensively distributed in nature and plays crucial roles in the decomposition of organic materials as an important environmental microorganism as well as in the traditional fermentation and food processing industries. Furthermore, due to their strong potential to secrete a large variety of hydrolytic enzymes and other natural products by manipulating gene expression and/or introducing new biosynthetic pathways, several Aspergillus species have been widely exploited as microbial cell factories. In recent years, with the development of next-generation genome sequencing technology and genetic engineering methods, the production and utilization of various homo-/heterologous-proteins and natural products in Aspergillus species have been well studied. As a newly developed genome editing technology, the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR-associated protein 9 (CRISPR/Cas9) system has been used to edit and modify genes in Aspergilli. So far, the CRISPR/Cas9-based approach has been widely employed to improve the efficiency of gene modification in the strain type Aspergillus nidulans and other industrially important and pathogenic Aspergillus species, including Aspergillus oryzae, Aspergillus niger, and Aspergillus fumigatus. This review highlights the current development of CRISPR/Cas9-based genome editing technology and its application in basic research and the production of recombination proteins and natural products in the Aspergillus species.

Global media as an early warning tool for food fraud; an assessment of MedISys-FF

Food fraud is a serious problem that may compromise the safety of the food products being sold on the market. Previous studies have shown that food fraud is associated with a large variety of food products and the fraud type may vary from deliberate changing of the food product (i.e. substitution, tampering, dilution etc.) to the manipulation of documents. It is therefore important that all actors within the food supply chain (food producers, authorities), have methodologies and tools available to detect fraudulent products at an early stage so that preventative measures can be taken. Several of such systems exist (i.e. iRASFF, EMA, HorizonScan, AAC-FF, MedISys-FF), but currently only MedISys-FF is publicly online available. In this study, we analyzed food fraud cases collected by MedISys-FF over a 6-year period (2015–2020) and show global trends and developments in food fraud activities. In the period investigated, the system has collected 4375 articles on food fraud incidents from 164 countries in 41 different languages. Fraud with meat and meat products were most frequently reported (27.7%), followed by milk and milk products (10.5%), cereal and bakery products (8.3%), and fish and fish products (7.7%). Most of the fraud was related to expiration date (58.3%) followed by tampering (22.2%) and mislabeling of country of origin (11.4%). Network analysis showed that the focus of the articles was on food products being frauded. The validity of MedISys-FF as an early warning system was demonstrated with COVID-19. The system has collected articles discussing potential food fraud risks due to the COVID-19 crisis. We therefore conclude that MedISys-FF is a very useful tool to detect early trends in food fraud and may be used by all actors in the food system to ensure safe, healthy, and authentic food.

An Android Based E-Commerce Application for Farmers

We have developed a mobile application for farmers, which will help them to sell their products directly to the consumers through this application. This mobile application helps the farmers sell as well as buy products through its easy and convenient interface. Farmers face a lot of challenges when it comes to selling their products and therefore the primary goal of our app is to provide a means for farmers to market their commodities at fair prices. Updated market prices and filters are also provided in the application to make it more convenient and efficient for farmers. This system has a simple interface that also provides certain filters that lets the consumer choose from a large variety of products from which they can select and purchase products according to their requirements. The main objective of this application is to take into concern the needs of the farmers as well as the buyers and fulfil their requirements accordingly. The fast and updated delivery system is one of the priorities of our android application.

Use of Limosilactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938 in paediatric gastrointestinal disorders: an updated review.

Strains of lactobacilli are the most widely used probiotics and can be found in a large variety of food products and food supplements throughout the world. In this study, the evidence on Limosilactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938 (LR DSM 17938) has been reviewed. This species secretes reuterin and other substances singularly or in microvesicles, inhibiting pathogen growth and interacting with the intestinal microbiota and mucosa, restoring homeostasis. The use of LR DSM 17938 has been exploited in several pathological conditions. Preclinical research has shown that this probiotic can ameliorate dysbiosis and, by interacting with intestinal mucosal cells, can raise the pain threshold and promote gastrointestinal motility. These aspects are amongst the significant components in functional gastrointestinal disorders, such as colic and regurgitation in infants, functional abdominal pain and functional constipation in children and adolescents. This strain can decrease the duration of acute diarrhoea and hospitalization for acute gastroenteritis but does not seem to prevent nosocomial diarrhoea and antibiotic-associated diarrhoea. Because of its ability to survive in the gastric environment, it has been tested in Helicobacter pylori infection, showing a significant decrease of antibiotic-associated side effects and a tendency to increase the eradication rate. Finally, all these studies have shown the excellent safety of LR DSM 17938 even at higher dosages. In conclusion data from various clinical trials here reviewed can guide the clinician to find the correct dose, frequency of administration, and therapy duration.

Environmental Impact of Construction Products on Aquatic Systems—Principles of an Integrated Source–Path–Target Concept

Buildings exposed to water can release undesirable substances which, once transported to environmental compartments, may cause unwanted effects. These exposure pathways need to be investigated and included in risk assessments to safeguard water quality and promote the sustainability of construction materials. The applied materials, exposure conditions, distribution routes and resilience of receiving compartments vary considerably. This demonstrates the need for a consistent concept that integrates knowledge of emission sources, leaching processes, transport pathways, and effects on targets. Such a consistent concept can serve as the basis for environmental risk assessment for several scenarios using experimentally determined emissions. Typically, a source–path–target concept integrates data from standardized leaching tests and models to describe leaching processes, the distribution of substances in the environment and the occurrence of substances at different points of compliance. This article presents an integrated concept for assessing the environmental impact of construction products on aquatic systems and unravels currently existing gaps and necessary actions. This manuscript outlines a source–path–target concept applicable to a large variety of construction products. It is intended to highlight key elements of a holistic evaluation concept that could assist authorities in developing procedures for environmental risk assessments and mitigation measures and identifying knowledge gaps.

Stem Cells: A Promising Therapeutic Target for COVID-19

A large variety of therapeutic products have been developed as vaccines or treatments of COVID-19 infection. Meanwhile SARS-CoV-2 continues to mutate and spread. The severe COVID-19 patients have limited treatment options. Therefore, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are proposed as another therapeutic target. They are known for their regenerative and immunomodulatory properties. They showed potent efficacy and safety abilities for the treatment of critical COVID-19 patients and intriguing benefits in reducing lungs damage, mortality, and cytokine storm in several clinical studies. Another promising treatment option is the use of dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) to combat SARS-CoV-2, despite the fact that detailed therapeutic strategies and mechanisms are still lacking. In this review we shed light on the immune response against COVID-19 infection and the relevant knowledge considering the role of MSCs in innate and adaptive immune responses to better understand the immune-physiological mechanisms of MSCs treatment. Lastly, we summarize the latest progress in clinical and research studies suggesting potential MSCs/DPSCs as therapeutic targets in battling COVID-19.

Bovine and ovine meat co-products valorisation opportunities: A systematic literature review

Everyday operations in the red meat industry generate large quantities of offal and meat co-products. These traditionally are not valued as highly as prime cuts of meat, and can represent a threat to the environment and human health, if not disposed of or processed properly. In this way, they can represent a cost rather than a potential income stream. A requirement to sustainably feed a growing global population, and to find renewable bio-based alternatives to fossil-derived food, feed, materials and energy, provide new valorisation opportunities for such biomass. To identify such opportunities, a systematic literature review was undertaken, considering edible and inedible offal and co-products as raw materials. The initial search of academic databases identified 11,058 papers of potential relevance. Following removal of duplicates, out of topic articles, articles for which a full-text was not available and other quality related factors, 23 review papers and 94 full research papers remained for analysis. The results highlight the large variety of potential products that can be produced from meat co-products and offal, including applications in food and human nutrition, pharmaceuticals, biomedical, oleo-chemical, animal feed, pet-food and fertilizer. Capitalising on these opportunities is likely to require demonstration and industrial-scale development, and changes to operational as well as current business practices within the industry. However, the creation of a circular bio-economy model with positive economic, environmental, and social impacts will increasingly be required to enable the industry to address challenges relating to sustainability. • Meat co-products can be a valuable source of biomass. • They can be used to produce food, feed, fibre, fuel and fertilizer. • They also have many high value applications, e.g. bio-medical and oleo-chemical. • Valorisation will require changes to industry operational and business practices. • The industry can address sustainability challenges through bioeconomy principles.

Porous SiO2 Nanospheres Modified with ZrO2 and Their Use in One-Pot Catalytic Processes to Obtain Value-Added Chemicals from Furfural.

Porous SiO2 nanospheres were modified with different loadings of ZrO2 to obtain catalysts with a Si/Zr molar ratio from 2.5 to 30. These materials were characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission and scanning electron microscopies, N2 adsorption–desorption at −196 °C, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and pyridine and 2–6-dimethylpyridine thermoprogrammed desorption. The characterization of these catalysts has revealed that a high proportion of Zr favors the formation of Lewis acid sites, which are implied in catalytic transfer hydrogenation processes, whereas the low Brönsted acidity promotes a dehydration reaction, being possible to give rise to a large variety of products from furfural through consecutive reactions, such as furfuryl alcohol, i-propyl furfuryl ether, i-propyl levulinate, and γ-valerolactone, in a range of temperature of 110–170 °C and 1–6 h of reaction.