, 2005). The high amounts of organic acids found in the mycelial extracts, especially citric acid, suggest that these compounds could be responsible, partly at least, for their high ABTS scavenging and ferrous ion chelating activities. Furthermore, possible synergistic effects involving phenolics and organic acids should not be ruled out and deserves future investigations. To our best knowledge, the present study was the first report to demonstrate the antioxidant activity of the A. brasiliensis mycelia. These results suggest that the consumption of the fruiting body and the mycelial mass of A. brasiliensis can be beneficial for health, since they presumably

offer antioxidant protection

against oxidative damage. The same can be said about their MLN0128 manufacturer use as a food supplement or in the pharmaceutical industry. However, only a single condition culture was used to obtain the mycelia. In a recent work the importance of the carbon sources in the production of antioxidant molecules by Leucopaxillus giganteus in submerged cultivation it was demonstrated ( Barros et al., 2008). It is probable that different culture conditions such as temperature, carbon and nitrogen sources, among a series of other factors, may be related with the production of antioxidant compounds by A. brasiliensis. Studies to verify these variables in the production of antioxidant molecules by A. brasiliensis are under progress in our laboratory. This work was Carnitine palmitoyltransferase II supported by grants from Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq), Fundo Paraná and find protocol Fundação Araucária. R.M. Peralta and A. Bracht are research fellows of CNPq. The authors thank M.A.F. Costa for technical assistance. “
“Meat products are widely consumed foodstuffs. In addition to appreciable sensory aspects, processed meat products are relatively inexpensive compared with traditional fresh meat cuts. Mortadella is a cured, emulsified and stuffed meat product that provides inexpensive access to animal proteins, making the minimal recommended protein intake possible (Feiner, 2006).

Cured meat products contain nitrite, which is a key ingredient in the curing process. Nitrite performs the following functions: First, it contributes to the development of the typical cured meat flavor and prevents lipid oxidation, inhibiting the development of rancid off-flavors; second, it reacts with myoglobin to produce nitrosylhemochrome, which gives the cured meat its characteristic pink color; third, it inhibits spoilage and pathogenic bacteria, most importantly Clostridium sp. ( Cammack et al., 1999 and Marco et al., 2006). However, a high nitrite intake presents human health risks, including possible allergenic effects, vasodilator effects and metamyoglobin production in vivo ( Cammack et al., 1999).