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Browsing by Author "Sousa, Francisco"

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  • Potential of Coccolithophore microalgae as fillers in starch-based films for active and sustainable food packaging
    Publication . Moreira, Ana S. P.; Gonçalves, Joana; Sousa, Francisco; Maia, Inês Beatriz; Pereira, Hugo; Silva, Joana; Coimbra, Manuel A.; Ferreira, Paula; Nunes, Cláudia
    Coccolithophore microalgae, such as Emiliania huxleyi (EHUX) and Chrysotila pseudoroscoffensis (CP), are composed of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) and contain bioactive compounds that can be explored to produce sustainable food packaging. In this study, for the first time, these microalgae were incorporated as fillers in starch-based films, envisioning the development of biodegradable and bioactive materials for food packaging applications. The films were obtained by solvent casting using different proportions of the filler (2.5, 5, 10, and 20%, w/w). For comparison, commercial CaCO3, used as filler in the plastic industry, was also tested. The incorporation of CaCO3 and microalgae (EHUX or CP) made the films significantly less rigid, decreasing Young’s modulus up to 4.7-fold. Moreover, the incorporation of microalgae hydrophobic compounds as lipids turned the surface hydrophobic (water contact angles > 90°). Contrary to what was observed with commercial CaCO3, the films prepared with microalgae exhibited antioxidant activity, increasing from 0.9% (control) up to 60.4% (EHUX 20%) of ABTS radical inhibition. Overall, the introduction of microalgae biomass improved hydrophobicity and antioxidant capacity of starch-based films. These findings should be considered for further research using coccolithophores to produce active and sustainable food packaging material.
    2023-01-23Journal article Open access Show more
  • The unknown Carnival of Terceira Island (Azores, Portugal): community, heritage, and identity on stage
    Publication . Marcelli, Andrea Mattia; Sousa, Francisco; Fonseca, Josélia Mafalda Ribeiro da; Silva, Leonor Sampaio da; Melotti, Marxiano; Costa, Susana Goulart
    Terceira Island hosts a Carnival that enjoys unique features in the landscape of European folklore. It involves a major share of the resident population, it takes place on stages scattered all over the island, and it involves a blend of dancing, music, and acting. This paper presents the preliminary results of a collaborative project between native and foreign scholars, with the activist goal of providing Terceira's Carnival with visibility in order to ensure its preservation. Documentary evidence and fieldwork activities undertaken in 2020 provide grounds to interpret Terceira's Carnival as a multi-modal endeavour that nurtures social cohesion through mythopoesis, subversion of hegemonic roles, and the distribution of leadership to folk elites. As such, we argue that Terceira's Carnival does not fit traditional scholarly views on European Carnivals. Additionally, we show that, thanks to its ability to trigger identity-making processes, this Carnival is a case for cultural sustainability: in fact, it ensures the preservation of communal bonds in face of changing global and regional social landscapes.
    2022Journal article Open access Show more