O processamento em alta pressão é um método alternativo para a produção de materiais cerâmicos. Neste trabalho, pressões na ordem de 7,7 GPa e 2,5 GPa foram aplicadas em amostras, em diferentes temperaturas, que foram colocadas em uma célula de reação específica, gerando diferentes efeitos na formação de fases. A composição de fases foi analisada por difração de raios X e a evolução microestrutural, associada ao processamento em alta pressão, foi investigada por microscopia eletrônica por varredura em associação com a espectroscopia por dispersão de energia. Um analisador de resposta de frequência foi utilizado para obter as curvas ferroelétricas por espectroscopia de impedância eletroquímica. A utilização de alta pressão (2,5 GPa) possibilitou a obtenção de amostras de SrBi2Ta2O9 monofásicas com elevada densidade relativa, acima de 93%, após sinterização a uma temperatura de 900 °C. Essa temperatura é inferior às usualmente necessárias para obter alta densificação utilizando métodos convencionais de sinterização. Além disso, as amostras processadas em alta pressão apresentaram uma resposta dielétrica similar às amostras de SrBi2Ta2O9 sinterizadas por processos convencionais em temperaturas acima de 1000 ºC. / High-pressure processing is a very attractive approach for the production of ceramic materials. In this work, pressures about 7.7 GPa and 2.5 GPa were applied in SrBi2Ta2O9 samples at different temperatures placed in a specific reaction cell. X-ray diffraction was used to identify the different phases produced as a function of the processing conditions. The microstructural evolution, associated to the high-pressure processing, was investigated by scanning electron microscopy in association with energy dispersive spectroscopy. Frequency response analysis was used to obtain the ferroelectric curves by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. A highly densified (> 93% of theoretical density) single-phase (SrBi2Ta2O9) sample was obtained after processing at 2.5 GPa and 900 ºC. This temperature is lower than those necessary to obtain high densification, when conventional sintering processes are employed. In addition, the samples produced by high pressure processing showed a dielectric response similar to SrBi2Ta2O9 samples sintered by conventional processes at temperatures above 1000 ºC.

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This study investigated the antimicrobial efficacy of bioactive plant compounds along with high pressure processing (HPP) against pathogens Bacillus cereus and Cronobacter sakazakii in infant formula and infant rice cereal. The influence of these applications on antimicrobial activity, shelf-life and sensory attributes of infant foods were examined. Trans-cinnamaldehyde (TC), (-)-Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and [10]-Gingerol (GI) were incorporated (0.05%) in infant rice cereal reconstituted with infant formula. The cereal was inoculated with either B. cereus (ATCC 14579) or B. cereus spores (107-108 log CFU g-1). All the samples were stored at 7, 23 or 37°C for 0, 4, 8 and 24 h. TC showed the highest antimicrobial activity by inhibiting the B. cereus and its spores up to 2.72 and 3.8 log CFU g-1, respectively. HPP (600 MPa for 5 m), and TC (0.05-0.1%) along with Chitosan (CH) (1%), were applied to reconstituted powder infant formula which was inoculated with either 3 strains of C. sakazakii (ATCC 29544, ATCC 12868, and ATCC BAA 894) or 5 strains of B. cereus spore (ATCC 14579, ATCC 33018, ATCC 12826, ATCC 4342, and Difco Spores) cocktail (107-108 log CFU ml-1). All the samples were stored at 7, 23 or 45°C for 5-8 weeks. HPP and TC (0.1%) combination exhibited the highest inhibition (P < 0.05) by reducing the B. cereus spores 2.97 log CFU ml-1 after 7 d. C. sakazakii was fully inactivated by HPP, TC (0.05%) and C (1%) combination following 8 weeks of storage at 7 and 23°C and 2 weeks storage at 45°C. The combination of HPP and bioactive compounds exhibited additive antimicrobial effect. Gradual decrease (P < 0.05) in pH was observed in rice cereal and non-HPP formula samples due to the microbial growth and metabolic activity. Significant differences (P < 0.05) were found in color, aroma and general appearance of EGCG and GI applied cereal samples, while TC only did exhibit a cinnamon taste. In summary, the antimicrobial findings suggest that TC, EGCG, GI and CH could be incorporated in infant foods along with HPP as natural and safe alternatives to synthetic preservatives and thermal applications.

Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a Gram-negative, halophilic pathogen that occurs naturally in coastal and estuarine environments. This human pathogen is frequently isolated from a variety of seafood, particular oysters, and is the leading cause of gastroenteritis associated with seafood consumption. Several outbreaks of V. parahaemolyticus infections linked to consumption of raw oysters have been documented. Contamination of oysters with V. parahaemolyticus is a concern for public health. This study investigated the efficacy of high pressure processing (HPP) in inactivating V. parahaemolyticus in raw Pacific oysters (Crassostrea gigas) and identified a process condition capable of achieving greater than 3.52-log reductions of V. parahaemolyticus in raw oysters for commercial application. Raw Pacific oysters were inoculated with a clinical strain of V. parahaemolyticus 10293 (O1:K56) to levels of 10⁴⁻⁵ cells per gram and processed at 293 MPa (43K PSI) for 90, 120, 150, 180 and 210 s. Populations of V. parahaemolyticus in oysters after processes were analyzed with the 5-tube most probable number (MPN) method. A minimum HPP of 293 MPa for 120 s at groundwater temperature (8±1 °C) was identified capable of achieving greater than 3.52-log reductions of V. parahaemolyticus in Pacific oysters. The HPP (293 MPa for 120 s at 8±1 °C) was validated at a commercial scale according to the FDA's National Shellfish Sanitation Program Post Harvest Processing (PHP) Validation/Verification Interim Guidance for Vibrio vulnificus and Vibrio parahaemolyticus. Negative results obtained by the MPN method were confirmed with a multiplex PCR detecting genes encoding thermolabile hemolysin (tl), thermostable direct hemolysin (tdh) and TDH-related hemolysin (trh). Oysters processed at 293 MPa for 120 sec had a shelf life of 6-8 days when stored at 5 °C or 16-18 days when stored in ice. This validated HPP was accepted by the FDA as a post harvest process to eliminate V. parahaemolyticus in raw oysters. / Graduation date: 2012

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