Traceability Of Raw Materials Research Articles

Brazilian Biofuel Policy: Challenges to Incorporating Socio-Environmental Criteria

Objective: Biofuels have been receiving increasing attention around the world as a result of growing concerns about the security of oil supplies and global climate change. Considering this context, the article aims to analyze the Brazilian biofuels policy (RenovaBio program) in order to propose a summary table of gaps in the consideration of socio-environmental criteria. Method: Qualitative, descriptive research was carried out, supported by secondary data obtained through bibliographical research. Results and Discussion: We found that gaps in the incorporation of socio-environmental criteria in RenovaBio are related to the following topics: traceability of inputs and raw materials; sugarcane agroecological zoning (ZAE Cana), measurement of water footprint consumption associated with traceability of raw materials, measurement of emissions resulting from I-MUT and criteria encouraging E2G. Research Implications: We found that RenovaBio could include the adoption of instruments and practices aimed at agricultural production that are more appropriate to the Brazilian scenario, considering the characteristics of each biome, aiming to include socio-environmental criteria. Originality/Value: The analysis of socio-environmental criteria that are absent or insufficiently included in public policy contributes to clarify the challenges to be overcome in the biofuels production process marked by the agricultural, industrial and distribution phases.

General provisions and practical ways to ensure traceability of raw materials and products in bakery industry

General provisions and practical ways to ensure traceability of raw materials and products in bakery industry

Impact of pollen genetic origin on compatibility, agronomic traits, and physicochemical quality of cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) beans

Incompatibility within and between cocoa trees or cocoa clones is incontestably one of those factors which reduce cocoa yield in fields. Indeed, the traceability of raw materials is one of the major challenges that agro-industries face today. Improvement of cocoa and cocoa products’ quality passes through the identification of cocoa genetic and geographic origin as well as the farm where cocoa is produced and harvested. Hand-pollination was used to assess compatibility between clones, to select interested agronomic traits (pod length, pod cortex thickness, average beans number, average beans weight, average weight of fresh or dry beans) and to improve specific cocoa beans quality through physicochemical parameters after post-harvest practices. Three different parents were used as female-clones: ICS40 (higher Trinitario), SNK16 (Trinitario), SCA12 (Lower Amazon Forastero) and four clones added to the female ones as pollen donors: SNK16, SNK13 (Trinitario), UPA134 (Upper Amazon Forastero), T79/467 (Amelado, Forastero), T60/877 (Amelado, Forastero), ICS40 and SCA12. Crosses within Trinitario clones showed a low level of compatibility (0–18%) whereas the general combination ability between Trinitario×Forastero (59–81%) and within Forastero (84–88%) and between Forastero×Trinitaro (78–88%) was very promising. SCA12 showed a high level of compatibility efficiency compared to the two Trinitario female-clones studied. The pollen grains from SCA12 increased the pod length and average weight of fresh beans in ICS40 female-clone meanwhile those of T60/877 also increased the pod cortex thickness and average weight of fresh/dry beans in SNK16 female-clone. The genetic description of each pollen clone donor played a key role in the resulting hybrids. The pH values of fermented dried beans, ranged from 5.31 to 6.26 and was female-clone dependent. A strong negative correlation was observed between the average beans weight (fresh or dry) and pH. These results highlighted that the genetic origin of pollen grains could increase compatibility between clones, agronomic traits and consequently the physicochemical parameters of beans.

Development of a FINS- based method for the identification of skates species of commercial interest

Rajidae family is one of the most diverse families within Batoidea superorder with more of 220 described species, of which many skates are particularly vulnerable to overfishing. This fact makes IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List of Threatened Species contains 209 of these skate species.The main marketing formats of these species are fresh and frozen wings. This makes impossible their identification on the basis of their morphological characters. For these reasons, in the present study a method for genetic identification of different skate species has been developed. The technique is based on sequencing of a fragment of 555 bp from amplified DNA, COI (Cytochrome Oxidase subunit 1) gene, by PCR and subsequent phylogenetic analysis (FINS: Forensically Informative Nucleotide Sequencing). The technique allows the genetic identification of more than 40 skate species in skate products.The main novelty of this work lies in the fact that up to now there is no work about the genetic identification that includes so many skate species. Therefore, this molecular tool is appropriate to clarify questions related with the correct labeling of skate commercial products, the traceability of raw materials, and the control of imported skates, and also can be applied to questions linked to the control of skate fisheries.

Development of a Method for the Genetic Identification of Flatfish Species on the Basis of Mitochondrial DNA Sequences

In the present study a method for genetic identification of flatfish species was developed. The technique is based on DNA sequencing of amplified DNA by PCR and subsequent phylogenetic analysis ( FINS). A phylogenetic tree using the cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) was constructed and the bootstrap values calculated. The mentioned technique allows the genetic identification of more than 50 flatfish species in fresh, frozen, and precooked products. This analytical system was validated and subsequently applied to 30 commercial samples, obtaining 13 that were incorrectly labeled (43%). Four of the mislabeled samples were whole fish (31%), and nine were fillets (69%). The species with the higher rate of incorrect labeling were Pleuronectes platessa (17%) and Solea solea (10%). Other species incorrectly labeled were Hipoglossus hipoglossus (7%), Reinharditus hippoglossoides, Limanda ferruginea, and Microstomus kitt (3% each species). Therefore, this molecular tool is appropriate to clarify questions related with the correct labeling of commercial products, the traceability of raw materials, and the control of imported flatfish, and also can be applied to questions linked to the control of fisheries.