Visiting professor: mass spectrometry applied to food and bioenergy

Abstract

The IBILCE/UNESP, São José do Rio Preto and FEA/UNICAMP are proposing within modality, Auxilio Visitor Research - FAPESP, the coming of Professor Dr. Isidro Gutiérrez Hermosín from the University of Castilla La Mancha - UCLM (Ciudad Real, Spain). He is a renowned expert in the field of mass spectrometry applied to the analysis of phenolic compounds in plants, especially in grapes, wines with a lot of experience, demonstrated by significant scientific production in the area. This request is for a period of three months (June-August 2014). The justification for the stay of Dr. Isidro in Brazil, is the technical knowledge of mass spectrometry that he dominates. Currently, the accuracy of the qualitative and quantitative understanding of the phenolic compounds present in plant extracts is of fundamental importance to the quality of those products. Due to the complexity and diversity of phenolic compounds normally present in the same extracts, the spectrophotometric methods using reagents or coupled to chromatographs (HPLC), are often insufficient to assess a particular compound without interference from other, producing sub-or overestimated values compared to the real values. The use of HPLC with diode array (DAD) coupled to mass spectrometry detectors is the best analytical tools that have solved these problems. The great advantage is that the detectors of mass spectrometry (MS), allow analysis of the relation m/z of the molecular ion and in some equipment it is possible to analyze the relation m/z of product ions resulting from fragmentations in successive experiments multidimensional MS (MS/MS in triple quadrupole). The MS detectors also allow the analysis of compounds that were not adequately separate into the liquid chromatograph and, therefore, arrive together at the detectors, due to the possibility of work in modes that allow to isolate the signal from one or more specific compounds. Importantly, the collaboration with Prof. Isidro has already been done for a few years, allowing exchanges of experience, exchange of students and research. Pof. Isidro will participate in several projects in the area of plant products, including: Phenolic composition and chromatic characteristics of wine from grapes Violet BRS (BRS Rúbea x IAC 1398-21) (Process 486967/2012-3-CNPQ-Edital Universal 14/2012), Microencapsulation of dyes buriti (Mauritia flexuosa LF) and annatto (Bixa orellana L.) in matrices of maltodextrin and gum arabic (Process 476927/2012-9 CNPq); Spray drying of grape juice: microencapsulation of anthocyanins (process: 2012/09074-4 FAPESP); Grape Violet BRS (BRS Rúbea x IAC 1398-21) and jambolan (Syzygium cumini (L.): study of chemical and biochemical changes in the dehydrated juice by foam mat drying (Process FAPESP 2013/19057-2). In the area of bioenergy he will participate in the Thematic Project: Application of physico-chemical and enzymatic methods in saccharification of the bagasse: Studies of microorganisms, fermentation processes and related methods of hydrolysis (FAPESP 2010/12624-0). Given the expertise of Prof. Isidro, it was suggest some topics for your seminars (Mass spectrometry applied to the evaluation of wine quality, and Mass spectrometry applied Bioenergy). In teaching, Prof. Isidro will teach the course "Mass spectrometry, fundamentals and applications". Besides the conferences at UNESP he will also participate in workshops and lectures at UNICAMP. Finally, the coming of Prof. Isidro is a possibility of deepening and intensification of international interchange that we have maintained in recent years, which has contributed much to the formation of human resources at different levels, and promoted the improvement of the scientific production of professors and students. (AU)