InfoANALÍTICA

Editorial

Lorena Meneses — 2025-07-31

Editorial.

Chemistry Curiosities

Ana Paula Rosero et.al. — 2025-07-31

Curiosidades de la Química

ASSESSMENT OF A FUNCTIONAL BLACKBERRY NECTAR SUPPLEMENTED WITH INULIN AND LACTOBACILLUS CASEI

Lesly Espinoza B. — 2025-10-30

Functional foods offer health benefits when they form part of a balanced diet. Among them,
products that contain probiotics must ensure the viability of microorganisms throughout their
shelf life. In this study, a functional Andean blackberry (Rubus glaucus) nectar was prepared
by adding inulin as a prebiotic and Lactobacillus casei as a probiotic. The goal was to elaborate
a beverage that meets the probiotic viability and nutritional requirements for consumers. The
effects of adding inulin at concentrations of 0, 2%, 4%, and 6%, as well as the pH conditions and
glucose concentrations of the fruit over the growth of the probiotic Lactobacillus casei were
investigated. Additionally, sensory tests were conducted to assess the acidity and acceptance of
the product. The study took place for 28 days under refrigerated storage conditions. The results
showed a logarithmic reduction in probiotic growth with all treatments. However, the treatment
with 4% of inulin and pH of 3.07 assured the greater growth of Lactobacillus casei, keeping it
viable in the lapse of 14 days. Finally, a significant consumption of the fruit’s own glucose was
observed, metabolized by L. casei, which provided a more acidic taste in the nectar, change that
was determined by the sensory perception of the judges.

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF NITRITES FOUND IN COMMERCIAL AND ARTISANAL SAUSAGES IN THE MARKETS OF QUITO CITY, PROVINCE OF PICHINCHA-ECUADOR

Ana Hidalgo A. — 2025-10-30

This study compares the residual nitrite content in artisanal and commercial sausages in the city of Quito, located in the province of Pichincha, Ecuador. Sampling was carried out in three representative markets of the city: Mercado Santa Clara, Mercado Central, and Mercado Mayorista, with the aim of covering different distribution areas. A total of 26 samples were collected, distributed equally between 14 commercial brands and 12 artisanal products. The commercial samples included varieties such as traditional, paisa, grill, chicken, and Spanish sausages (types I, II, and III), while the artisanal samples were mainly identified as chicken, pork, and Ambato-style sausages. Three samples exceeded the permissible limit of 80 mg/kg of NaNO₂ set by CODEX 192:1995, representing 11.5 % of the total analyzed. The highest values corresponded to one commercial sample (164.5 mg/kg) and two artisanal samples (123.7 mg/kg and 95.6 mg/kg). However, the Student's t-test showed no significant differences in nitrite content between commercial and artisanal sausages. It is worth noting that the updated INEN regulations for meat products no longer include the control of nitrites in the final product, highlighting the need to review and strengthen regulations to ensure food safety. The presence of nitrites in meat products poses health risks, such as methemoglobinemia, poisoning, and increased cancer risk due to the formation of N-nitrosamines. These results emphasize the importance of implementing measures to reduce nitrite exposure and promote public health in the consumption of meat products.

MANAGEMENT OF ARGENTOMETRIC WASTE FROM CHLORIDE ANALYSIS

Mateo Espinosa A. — 2025-10-30

Different service or teaching laboratories produce silver waste from chlorides with argentometric methodologies. Here we obtained experimental conditions for silver recovery using electrochemical techniques. Firstly, a thermodynamic study was made to know the behavior of the several species of silver in aqueous solution. Then, several trials were conducted with a potentiostat into a three-electrode cell with potentiodynamic sweeps, processing synthetic waste make with Mohr methods, to obtain experimental conditions to reduce Ag⁺. A continuation, synthetic and real waste were treated individually into a two-electrodes cell, found a silver recovery of 99,6% y 93,3% respectively. These results confirm the feasibility of recovering metallic silver from waste, generated from argentometric methods, also this data provides an initial point to develop process for silver treatment a large scale.

PHYSICOCHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION AND EVALUATION OF ACTIVE PROPERTIES: ANTIOXIDANT AND ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF MAQUEÑO PEEL (MUSA BALBISIANA)

Christian Alcívar L. — 2025-07-31

The most common organic residues in Ecuador include peels from various fruits, with those from a significant number of herbaceous plants of the Musa genus being particularly notable. These peels, derived from different banana varieties, are rich in essential nutrients and hold significant potential for applications across various scientific fields. Therefore, the objective of this study was to physicochemically characterize and evaluate the microbiological activities (antioxidant and antimicrobial) of maqueño banana peels (Musa balbisiana) cultivated in three locations in Ecuador: Napo, Quevedo, and Zamora. Physicochemical analyses revealed average values for moisture (7.74 ± 0.41%), ash (13.00 ± 0.42 %), fat (5.57 ± 0.82%), protein (5.99 ± 1.05 %), fiber (9.81 ± 1.26%), and carbohydrates (65.90 ± 2.78%). The evaluation of antioxidant capacity, total polyphenols, and antimicrobial activity was performed using ethanolic extracts at 60% and 80% concentrations. The total polyphenol content, determined using the Folin-Ciocalteu method, showed the highest value in the Zamora sample extracted with 60% ethanol, with 72.63 ± 0.98 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/100 g of dry sample. Antioxidant capacity, assessed using the DPPH method, recorded its highest value in the Zamora sample extracted with 80% ethanol, with 255.92 ± 1.04 μmol trolox equivalents (TE)/100 g of dry weight. Regarding antimicrobial activity, for Staphylococcus aureus, inhibition zones of 10 mm in Napo, 7 mm in Quevedo, and 12 mm in Zamora were observed with 80% ethanol, whereas with 60% ethanol, inhibition zones of 8 mm were recorded in all three locations. For Bacillus cereus, the 80% ethanol extract produced inhibition zones of 8 mm in Napo, 6 mm in Quevedo, and 9 mm in Zamora, while with 60% ethanol, inhibitory activity was only detected in Quevedo (8 mm). No inhibition was observed for Escherichia coli in any of the evaluated extracts. These results show that antimicrobial efficacy varies depending on solvent concentration and microorganism type, with S. aureus being the most susceptible under the evaluated conditions. The conducted characterization suggests that maqueño banana residues could be utilized as base materials, opening possibilities for optimizing the valorization of these agro-industrial byproducts in various applications.

ANATOMICAL AND HISTOCHEMICAL COMPARISON OF LEAF VARIETIES OF BOUGAINVILLEA GLABRA CHOISY

Carmita Jaramillo J. — 2025-10-30

Bougainvillea glabra Choisy, commonly known as veranera, is a South American climbing plant valued for its colorful bracts. This study examines the morphology, anatomy, and presence of secondary metabolites in the leaves of two B. glabra varieties (purple and orange) collected in Machala, Ecuador. Safranin and methylene blue stains were used for anatomical analysis, along with histochemical tests to detect alkaloids, tannins, lignins, starch, proteins and mucilages. The varieties exhibit differences in internal structure. The orange variety showed a higher concentration of phytocompounds in the adaxial epidermis. These findings contribute to the taxonomic identification and phytochemical studies of B. glabra.