Percorrer por autor "Costa, Helena Soares"
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- Cereal bars in Portugal: Alignment with nutrient profile models and school snacks guidelinesPublication . Barriga, Marta; Silva, Mafalda Alexandra; Ramalho, Renata; Costa, Helena Soares; Albuquerque, Tânia GonçalvesThe growing prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity in Portugal, rising from 29.7% to 31.9% for overweight and from 11.9% to 13.5% for obesity between 2019 and 2022, has raised concerns about the nutritional quality of foods frequently consumed by children. Snacking habits, particularly those involving packaged and processed products such as cereal bars, play a significant role in children's overall dietary patterns. Although often marketed as healthy options, many cereal bars may not comply with public health recommendations. This study assessed the nutritional composition of cereal bars available on the Portuguese market, evaluating their alignment with the Portuguese Nutrient Profile Model and the National Guidelines for Healthy School Snacks. A total of 135 cereal bar products were analysed based on their labelled nutritional information, focusing on energy, total fat, saturated fat, sugars, fibre, and salt. The results showed that all bars exceeded the recommended energy threshold (40 kcal per serving). Only 23% met the total fat limit (≤8 g/100 g), and 36.3% complied with the saturated fat limit (≤3 g/100 g). The average sugar content was 23.5 g/100 g, well above recommended levels. Regarding salt, 28% of the bars met the recommended limit (0.3 g/100 g). These findings highlight a significant gap between product formulations and national nutrition policies targeting school-aged populations. This study underscores the need for product reformulation, clearer front-of-pack labelling, and improved nutritional education to promote healthier snack choices for children and support obesity-prevention strategies.
- Conselho Científico do INSA: em prol da investigação científica e desenvolvimento tecnológico [editorial]Publication . Romão, Luísa; Costa, Helena SoaresUma das principais atribuições do Instituto Nacional de Saúde Doutor Ricardo Jorge (INSA) é promover e desenvolver atividades de investigação científica e desenvolvimento tecnológico (IC&DT) contribuindo para ganhos em saúde pública. O Conselho Científico (CC) do INSA é o órgão responsável pela apreciação e acompanhamento das atividades de IC&DT, órgão de reflexão e debate das atividades científicas do INSA, e órgão de ligação entre a estrutura de IC&DT e demais órgãos do INSA. Compete ao CC do INSA emitir parecer sobre o orçamento, o plano e o relatório anual de atividades, assim como exercer, em relação à carreira de investigação científica (CIC), as competências que lhe estão cometidas. Este órgão pronuncia-se ainda sobre todas as questões que lhe sejam submetidas pelo Conselho Diretivo (CD) da Instituição. [...]
- Figo-da-Índia (Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill.): análise comparativa da atividade biológica da polpa e cascaPublication . Silva, Mafalda Alexandra; Albuquerque, Tânia Gonçalves; Pereira, Paula; Vicente, Filipa; Ramalho, Renata; Costa, Helena SoaresA preocupação com a saúde e com os benefícios que os alimentos podem trazer para os seus consumidores é uma realidade nos dias de hoje. A quantidade de toneladas de subprodutos que a indústria alimentar produz e desperdiça é um dos grandes desafios que a União Europeia enfrenta. A procura contínua por alimentos que contenham compostos potencialmente benéficos para a saúde, e o estudo desses alimentos e dos seus subprodutos, pode ser uma das soluções para estas duas grandes preocupações da sociedade atual. Neste trabalho realizou-se uma análise comparativa entre a polpa e a casca (subproduto) do Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill., determinando o seu potencial antioxidante, teor de compostos fenólicos e flavonóides totais. Em 2017, adquiriram-se amostras de O. ficus-indica (L.) Mill. na Herdade de Peliteiros (Silveiras, Montemor-o-Novo, Évora). Com os resultados obtidos verificou- se que o subproduto apresentou melhores resultados para todos os métodos utilizados, com exceção do poder redutor. Desta forma, conclui-se que a inclusão deste fruto num contexto de plano alimentar equilibrado pode contribuir para potenciais benefícios para a saúde dos seus consumidores. Para além disso, revela um grande potencial para a aplicação do seu subproduto no desenvolvimento de novos produtos alimentares ou no enriquecimento de alimentos.
- Innovative algae-based meatballs: nutritional profiling and food safety as pillars of sustainable product developmentPublication . Rodrigues, Ana Sofia; Morgado, Cátia; Silva, Mafalda A.; Costa, Gilberto; Brandão, Carlos; Costa, Helena Soares; Albuquerque, Tânia G.Seaweed have gained increasing attention in the context of sustainable and health-promoting food innovation, particularly due to their rich micronutrient profile, including iodine, a nutrient of public health concern in many populations. This study aimed to develop and characterize innovative meatballs enriched with two edible seaweeds (Undaria pinnatifida and Himanthalia elongata), improving their nutritional profile while responding to consumer demand for functional and environmentally responsible food options. The formulations were designed to be commercialized raw and ready-to-cook. Therefore, a nutritional characterization of the raw products was conducted, while microbiological safety and sensory acceptability were assessed after preparation using two common culinary methods, roasting and sautéing, as proposed usage suggestions. Proximate composition (moisture, protein, fat, ash, and dietary fibre) and other components (fatty acids and salt) were determined through standard chemical analysis, while iodine content was estimated based on ingredient composition. The energy value and available carbohydrates were calculated. Both seaweed-based formulations presented low energy (111 kcal/100 g), low fat (≈2.6 g/100 g), and high protein content (≈19 g/100 g), with unsaturated fatty acids predominating. Dietary fibre values ranged from 1.65 g to 1.92 g/100 g, and salt levels remained under 0.3 g/100 g. Notably, the wakame-based version provided substantially higher iodine levels (103.3 μg/100 g) compared to the sea spaghetti version (25.1 μg/100 g), enhancing its nutritional relevance. Microbiological analysis of the cooked samples showed compliance with food safety standards, with pathogens such as Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Clostridium perfringens all below detection limits (<10 CFU/g). Total aerobic mesophilic counts ranged from 7.0×10 to 8.9×10⁴ CFU/g; one sample with sautéed Himanthalia elongata showed elevated counts, highlighting the importance of handling and storage practices. Yeasts and molds were within acceptable thresholds across all samples. In sensory trials, the sautéed sea spaghetti and roasted wakame variants were the most appreciated by consumers, while the sautéed wakame and roasted sea spaghetti were less well received. These results underline the importance of preparation methods in shaping sensory perception and consumer acceptance. This study demonstrates the feasibility of incorporating edible seaweed into meatballs, offering nutritionally rich, safe, and sensory-pleasing products. The use of seaweed, particularly wakame, presents a promising opportunity for iodine fortification, aligning food innovation with both public health goals and sustainability priorities.
- Microbiological evaluation of seaweed-enriched meatballs as a strategy to enhance iodine intakePublication . Rodrigues, Ana Gomes; Morgado, Cátia; Silva, Mafalda A.; Costa, Gilberto; Brandão, Carlos; Costa, Helena Soares; Albuquerque, Tânia G.Introduction: Iodine deficiency continues to affect populations globally, and seaweeds have emerged as natural, sustainable sources of this essential micronutrient. Their incorporation into conventional food products, such as meatballs, represents a promising strategy to develop functional foods with enhanced nutritional profiles. Objectives: To develop a functional food product, meatballs were enriched with edible seaweeds (Undaria pinnatifida and Himanthalia elongata), aimed at improving iodine intake and to assess their microbiological quality according to current food safety standards. Methodology: Six meatball samples were prepared: two control samples without seaweed (sautéed and oven-baked) and four seaweed-enriched samples using both preparation methods. Microbiological analysis was conducted following the guidelines from the Portuguese National Institute of Health (INSA, 2019) and Regulation (EC) No 2073/2005. The parameters evaluated included Listeria spp., Listeria monocytogenes, Pseudomonas spp., Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, moulds, yeasts, Enterobacteriaceae, total viable counts, Escherichia coli, and Clostridium perfringens. Results: Most samples were microbiologically satisfactory. However, all tested samples showed unsatisfactory results for Listeria monocytogenes, which may indicate environmental or crosscontamination, inadequate surface sanitation, or handling deficiencies. Additionally, the sautéed Himanthalia elongata sample presented an unsatisfactory total viable count (8.9×10⁴ cfu/g), potentially due to poor raw material quality, thermal processing failure, or cold chain disruption. Conclusions: Although seaweed incorporation can enhance the nutritional profile of meat-based products, these findings highlight the need for strict hygienic measures during formulation and processing. Corrective actions are essential to mitigate microbial risks and ensure product safety without compromising functional benefits.
- Nutritional valorization of fermented melon by-products: novel sustainable ingredients?Publication . Domingues, Mariana S.; Silva, M.A.; Pestana, José M.; Costa, Helena Soares; Albuquerque, T.G.Although often disregarded as by-products of melon processing, both the peel and seeds contain valuable nutrients and bioactive compounds, making them promising candidates for fermentation studies. To investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of lactic and alcoholic fermentation applied to melon peel, seeds, and by-products, with the goal of evaluating their potential for developing valueadded products and promoting sustainability in melon processing. During 2023, melon by-products, seeds and peels were collected in a hotel in the Lisbon region. After adding 2% salt (lactic fermentation) or 2% sucrose (alcoholic fermentation) of the total weight of melon by-products/seeds or peels, bags were sealed under vacuum and maintained for 7 days at 27 °C ± 1 °C. Samples were homogenized in a blender, 3dehydrated (55 °C; 12h), homogenized and sieved to obtain flour. The energy and carbohydrates content were calculated after the determination of the nutritional composition (moisture, ash, total protein and fat, dietary fibre and s alt) of the fermented products. Six products were obtained: lactic/alcoholic fermented melon by-products flour, lactic/alcoholic fermented melon peel flour, and lactic/alcoholic fermented melon seed flour. According to Regulation (EU) No. 1924/2006, all products (100%) are rich in dietary fiber (>6 g/100 g), and 83% are high in protein (>20% of energy value). Additionally, lactic/alcoholic fermented melon peel flour has a low-fat content. This study emphasizes that cost-effective processes, such as fermentation, can simultaneously reduce waste and generate value-added products, promoting sustainability in melon processing and the development of innovative functional food ingredients.
- Valorização do desperdício do melão: uma abordagem sustentávelPublication . Silva, Mafalda A.; Albuquerque, Tânia Gonçalves; Oliveira, M. Beatriz P. P.; Alves, Rita C.; Costa, Helena SoaresO desperdício alimentar é um dos maiores desafios globais, com impactos negativos na sustentabilidade ambiental, segurança alimentar e economia. Frutos como o melão (Cucumis melo L.) são frequentemente rejeitados com base em critérios comerciais que privilegiam o aspeto visual. Esta rejeição pós-colheita, traduz-se em perdas significativas ao longo da cadeia agroalimentar. A valorização destes frutos surge como uma estratégia promissora para mitigar o desperdício, diversificar produtos e promover práticas mais sustentáveis. A incorporação dos subprodutos do melão, como cascas e sementes, em formulações alimentares, nomeadamente sob a forma de farinhas funcionais, contribui para o desenvolvimento de alimentos com um perfil nutricional melhorado. Esta abordagem está alinhada com os princípios da economia circular, incentivando a inovação na indústria alimentar e a redução do impacto ambiental.