‘Cachena’ is one of the world’s smallest bovine breeds. Extremely rustic and wild, they are extensively reared, and fed with natural pastures. Meat valorisation is essential to preserve this breed, with a limited livestock. ‘Cachena’’s meat is tender, juicy, low-fat, and highly appreciated due to the association of animal, terroir and producer, balanced by the ecosystem’s sustainability. The aim of this study w...
The objective of the present work was to define the ideal tenderness of bovine meat and establish an index for the differentiation between hard and tender beef of commercial origin. Different beef cuts (“Chã de Fora”, “Rabadilha”, “Vazia” and “Lombo”) of different tenderness were considered for this study and were evaluated simultaneously by consumers using a hedonic scale and by instrumental methods. With thes...
Cachena’ is one of the world’s smallest bovine breeds. Extremely rustic and wild, they are extensively reared, and fed with natural pastures in South Alentejo, a very poor agricultural region of Portugal, and is considered as a part of genetic heritage of Portugal. ‘Cachena’s meat is tender, juicy, low-fat, and highly appreciated due to the association of animal, terroir and producer, balanced by the ecosystem’...
A carne maturada é considerada um produto premium, sendo o seu preço muito mais elevado do que o das carnes normais. Este produto é de extrema importância para os produtores de carne pois permite valorizar o seu produto, mas também para os consumidores que procuram cada vez mais produtos que tenham garantia dos padrões de qualidade e segurança alimentar. O método mais conhecido e utilizado para maturação de car...
A carne maturada é considerada um produto premium, sendo o seu preço muito mais elevado do que o das carnes normais. Por esta razão, este produto é importância para os produtores de carne, mas também para os consumidores que procuram cada vez mais produtos que tenham garantia dos padrões de qualidade e segurança alimentar. O método mais conhecido e utilizado para maturação de carne de bovino é a maturação em se...
Essential oils are complex mixtures of secondary plant metabolites from aromatic plants. There are recognized for having countless biological activities (including antibacterial, antiviral and fungicidal) and being suitable to replace chemical additives for food preservation1. Clove essential oil is considered safe for food use and contains a high phenolic content that provides many biological activities. In th...
A Dieta Mediterrânica é um padrão alimentar saudável e sustentável, recentemente classificado como Património Cultural Imaterial da Humanidade. Marcada pela diversidade, envolve um conjunto de conhecimentos e tradições, que não se esgotam na preparação e no consumo de alimentos, mas que têm também incluem a regionalidade e sazonalidade. Constitui um bom exemplo de sustentabilidade dos sistemas de produção alime...
The consumers consider tenderness one of the most important qualitative characteristics of meat, so they are willing to pay a higher price for beef as long it is guaranteed tender. However, tenderness is also a highly variable property, depending on many intrinsic and extrinsic factors, such as animal breed, feed, and management, and on their interaction. Establishing a tenderness threshold could serve as a pre...
Table grapes are fruits intended for fresh human consumption due to their sensory attributes and nutritional value. The objective of this chapter is to review the existing knowledge about table grapes, including a description of different varieties, with particular emphasis on the new highly appreciated seedless varieties. Following an introductory note on the world distribution and production of table grapes, ...
BACKGROUND Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is considered to be a fast and reliable non-destructive technique for fruit analysis. Considering that consumers are looking for strawberries with good sweetness, texture, and appearance, producers need to effectively measure the ripeness stage of strawberries to guarantee their final quality. Therefore, the use of this technique can contribute to decreasing the high...