Sistema Regional de Información
en línea para Revistas Científicas de América Latina,
el Caribe, España y Portugal

In the international market, honeys are subjected to a rigorous analytical test that determines their authenticity or their adulteration with artifcial sugars derived from C-4 plants. In case of mishandling of the supply of the energetic incentive, it is possible that the honeys resulted in this authenticity test as adulterated with exogenous sugars. Te objective of this work was to evaluate the incidence of the practice of feeding whit energetic incentive in the analytical test of determination of adulteration by C-4 sugars. For this study honey from 20 apiaries were collected. Te results showed that the apiary-handling carried out according to the standards of good practices of beekeepers are not risk for honey to be classifed as adulterated. However, it was found that in an apiary where bees had an energetic incentive in a not opportune period, the honey resulted in the authenticity proof as adulterated by C-4 sugars. Terefore, it was recommended that the practice of energetic incentive be carried out only in moments of food shortage for the bees, so that they do not collect the same food, and the analytical controls demonstrate the high quality standard of Uruguayan honeys.

In Uruguay, dairy is the sector that has expanded most with the introduction of functional products. Cheese is a widely consumed dairy product and it is also an interesting alternative to develop healthy products. For this it is important to identify which health benefts of cheese interest consumers most. This work aimed to study and explain the response of Uruguayan consumers to cheeses with different nutritional characteristics. Laddering technique was applied to understand consumers’ underlying motives for purchasing, or not purchasing, cheese with different health claims. According to results, consumers expected that by the consumption of specifc functional cheeses they will look more attractive and achieve a better quality of life. The main reasons given by the other consumers for not buying cheese with health benefts were expected lack of pleasure and distrust in the claimed health beneft.  

The laboratory carries out the analysis of different ions from natural waters, wastewaters and soils. The ions analyzed are: ammonium, calcium, chloride, magnesium, nitrate, nitrite, sulphate, among others. The methodologies applied to determine them generate liters of discards that pollute the environment and are dangerous for human health. Two of the most dangerous pollutants are Phenol, used for the determination of ammonium, and ammonium hidroxide, used for the determination of nitrates and magnesium. The determination of chlorides produces discards that contain potassium dichromate; the sulfate analysis generates discards that contain Barium chloride.The goal set in the laboratory presented in this article is to use Ion Exchange Chromatography to reduce nearly 100% the use of chemical reagents and to reduce the use of potable water. Also the use of this new technology allows to reduce the time of analysis and provides more reliable results.

Among the ectoparasiticides used in livestock production, where animals and industrial processes generate products for human consumption such as dairy products, there are different combinations of pesticides and acaricides. If they are not properly administered and the holding period is not respected, their residues can be present in foods, such as dairy products. This phenomenon represents a potential danger for consumers, so it is necessary to generate tools that allow to determine exactly how different forms of use affect the concentrations of pesticide residues in food and also know the holding period that ensure its innocuity when consumed. The aim of this work was to adjust and validate a methodology of analysis in raw milk for the most used compounds in livestock using GC-QqQ-MS, which is the method of choice for its selectivity and specificity. The sample preparation, was based on the official methodology for the analysis of pesticide residues in food in the US: QuEChERS (AOAC International, 2016). The figures of merit were evaluated according to the SANTE guidelines (European Commission. Directorate General for Health and Food Safety, 2015). This validated methodology is a useful tool to determine the decay curves of the compounds applied in order to assure the food safety.

Scientific research in Antarctica has increased in recent years, mainly in areas such as Microbiology, Biology and Oceanography. There are few reports about the levels of inorganic contaminants and the anthropic impact related to them in the ecosystem. Being a practically virgin territory, it is of particular interest to carry out this evaluation. In this work, for the first time and as a first approximation to the approach of the subject, six water samples and six soil samples obtained in six sampling points near the Uruguayan base in Antarctica were analyzed. The elements determined for both matrices were: chromium, nickel, cobalt, arsenic, strontium, cadmium, mercury, lead, uranium. In water, thorium, tin and antimony were also determined. The preparation of soil/sediment samples was carried out by means of an assisted treatment with microwave radiation; the water samples were analyzed directly. The analytical determinations were carried out by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). The majority of the elements are within the limits established by some environmental regulation agencies such as the Canadian Environmental Quality Guidelines-CCME or the United States Environmental Protection Agency-USEPA, being striking strontium content in waters.

Arsenic (As) is a natural element of the earth's crust. Due to the health effects caused by its exposure, it has a great relevance in toxicological studies. The high levels of As in groundwater in Argentina and Chile are widely studied and known. However, in Uruguay there are few research studies based on the levels of As in water. In this work the determination of the total As in water samples was carried out, using atomic absorption spectrometry with hydride generation (HG-AAS). The methodology was based on the standardized method of the American Public Health Association APHA 3114 B. We evaluated linearity, accuracy and veracity as performance parameters for its implementation. A total of 49 samples of surface and underground water were analyzed. The results did not exceed the standards level established in Uruguayan regulations (20 μg L-1). Also, higher values were observed in groundwater rather than in surface water. This research is an initial work to know the As levels in water used for domestic purposes and rice plantations in Uruguay.

Beekeeping is in development in Uruguay, where more than 90% of the production is sold for export. The aim of this work was to investigate the relation between the botanical origin and honey conductivity. Conductivity is an indirect measurement of the ash, and from the nutritional point of view, it is an indicator of the mineral composition of the honey, which is an important supplement of human diet. Honeycombs frames were studied from different geographic areas from Uruguay. The honey was extracted by a press at laboratory and fltered by a synthetic cloth. Colour, moisture, electrical conductivity, and pollen content were analysed. The darker honeys presented higher conductivity values. The higher electrical conductivity observed was from native bush, Eucalyptus spp. forest and Honeydew. Uruguayan native bush honey is unique in the world and has typical flavour. Moreover, this type of honey has higher levels of conductivity that makes it a good source of minerals.

In this work, three different methods for the extraction of lipids were compared in quinoa seeds: dynamic maceration with hexane, maceration with hexane assisted by ultrasound and continuous extraction in Soxhlet using an increasing polarity gradient of solvents (hexane, ethyl acetate and methanol). Method performance was evaluated thorough lipid extraction yield and the extracts were subjected to derivatization to generate the corresponding fatty acids methyl esters (FAMEs). All the obtained fractions (the extracts and FAMEs) were analyzed by thin layer chromatography, showing that the extraction methods using hexane as solvent presented spots of similar intensity and retention factor, while the extracts obtained with ethyl acetate and methanol showed spots with different retention factor. The different fractions of FAMEs were analyzed by gas chromatography using flame ionization detector and mass spectrometry, and nuclear magnetic resonance. Using GC-FID the following fatty acids were identified; C14: 0, C16: 0, C18: 0, C18: 1, C18: 2; C18: 3 and C20: 1. The analysis by GC-MS allowed the confirmation of C16: 0; C18: 0; C18: 1; C18: 2.

Primary methods represent the highest hierarchical measurement level as they allow the implementation of traceability to the International System of Units. The aim of this work was the optimization of a primary method for the determination of creatinine in human serum by isotope dilution gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-IDMS) which is an adaptation of a reference method published in the Joint Committee for Traceability in Laboratory Medicine (JCTLM - BIPM) database. The isotopic equilibration and derivatization steps were optimized through a 23 experimental design and a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). The monitored output variables were the creatinine peak signal, the derivatization efficiency, the relative derivatization efficiency and bias. The optimized method shows higher efficiency and simplicity compared to the original method as well as a bias that remains fit for purpose. Once validated is intended to be used for the development of quality assurance tools for routine analysis of clinical laboratories.