43 research outputs found
Economic Disparities and Changes in the Convergente of the Romanian NUTS 2 and NUTS 3 Regions
In this article we use the classic economic variable, the Gross domestic product (GDP) per capita in order to investigate the economic convergence between regions in Romania and between the Romanian regions and EU in the period 2000–2010. The main results confirm that while there is an evident convergence between the country as whole and EU, the inter-regional disparities in Romania has widened, confirming the Williamson hypothesis
Characteristics and uses of propolis
Propolis (bee glue) is an extremely valuable “byproduct” of beekeeping. Its ingredients include many bioactive substances that have a beneficial effect on the human body, which is why propolis has been used by mankind for thousands of years, mainly for medicinal and occasionally cosmetic purposes. Many medicinal and cosmetic products are still produced from the substance today. Its composition varies considerably depending on the geographical location and the health of the producing bees. Its most important components are polyphenolic compounds (phenolic acids, flavonoids, flavonoid esters, diterpenes, sesquiterpenes), lignans, aromatic aldehydes, alcohols, amino acids, fatty acids, organic acids, hydrocarbons, vitamins and minerals. Propolis can be considered a medicinal food. Extracts made from it possess antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal effects. Propolis, in limited quantities, is also suitable for human consumption. The safe dose of propolis for healthy people is 70 mg/day. With our manuscript, we intend to provide a brief review of the literature on the beneficial effects of propolis on human health
Comparative analysis of Hungarian commercial apple juices
In recent years, 100% fruit juices have become increasingly popular among consumers. Beverages made from apples include a wide range of products, interest being particularly grate in direct press juices and products of organic farming that are produced “chemical-free”. Our objective is to compare 100% apple juices produced using different technologies, which are commercially available in Hungary, by the complex analysis of some of their quality parameters. For the tests, 12 varieties of 100% apple juices were used. The patulin contamination of the products was checked with the help of the Food and Feed Safety Directorate of the National Food Chain Safety Office by means of an HPLC-UV measurement following a special clean-up. The hydroxymethylfurfural content of the products were determined by spectrophotometry, antioxidant capacity by FRAP (Ferric Reduction Antioxidant Power), CUPRAC (Cupric Ion Reducing Antioxidant Capacity), DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) and ABTS (2,2’-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline6-sulfonic acid) methods based on radical neutralization, and the total polyphenol content by the Folin-Ciocalteu method. Total dry matter content and ash content were determined by gravimetry, while the total soluble dry matter content was determined by refractometry. For the evaluation of the results, descriptive statistical analyses, variance analysis, non-parametric statistical tests, Spearman rank correlation and a statistical method based on sum of rank differences (SRD) multicriteria comparison were used. The patulin contamination did not reach the maximum legal limit value for any of the products. Significant differences were found between the total and soluble dry matter contents of the various product groups. The ash content varies, but there is no significant difference between the two product categories. In general, the hydroxymethylfurfural content is higher in the case of products manufactured from concentrate, however, it was a press juice that contained extreme amounts of this compound. In the case of press juices, higher antioxidant activities and polyphenolic compound contents were found by all method. There are significant differences between the individual products in terms of the latter parameters (p<0.05). Using the SRD method, it was determined which of the products tested possessed the most optimal characteristics from a nutrition science point of view. The product groups tested differ significantly from each other in terms of almost all of the parameters measured. In general, the dry matter content of the press juices is higher, as a result of the fiber content. These products have higher antioxidant capacity values and polyphenolic compound contents, so they are nutritionally more beneficial. The latter parameters correlate well with each other, indicating the dominance of polyphenols in the development of antioxidant properties
CLASSIFICATION MODELS OF HUNGARIAN HONEY SAMPLES BASED ON ANALYTICAL AND PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Evaluation of sensory and antioxidant properties of commercial coffee substitutes
Sensory profiles of commercial coffee substitutes were determined and their possible interdependences with antioxidant characteristics (FRAP, DPPH, ABTS, and CUPRAC), total polyphenol content, and colour were investigated and compared to coffees. Statistically relevant relations were revealed between certain sensory attributes, colour, and antioxidant capacity. Sensory attributes show distinct patterns for coffees, their blends, and substitutes, but no significant differences between substitutes from different raw materials were found, except for chicory. Although coffees have generally higher antioxidant capacities than their substitutes, these latter, especially chicory-based products, are also valuable antioxidant sources, as only half of them had significantly lower polyphenol and antioxidant contents when compared to coffee. Principal component analysis was applied to reveal possible differentiation pattern between samples, based on both their sensory and antioxidant attributes
A propolisz jellemzői és felhasználási lehetőségei
A propolisz (mĂ©hszurok) a mĂ©hĂ©szetek rendkĂvĂĽl Ă©rtĂ©kes „mellĂ©ktermĂ©kei”. Ă–sszetevĹ‘i között számos, az emberi szervezetre elĹ‘nyös hatást gyakorlĂł bioaktĂv anyag találhatĂł, ezĂ©rt a propoliszt az emberisĂ©g több Ă©vezrede használja elsĹ‘sorban gyĂłgyászati, esetenkĂ©nt kozmetikai cĂ©lokra. E vegyĂĽletbĹ‘l napjainkban is számos, gyĂłgyszer- Ă©s kozmetikai kĂ©szĂtmĂ©nyt állĂtanak elĹ‘. Ă–sszetĂ©tele a földrajzi helytĹ‘l, az előállĂtĂł mĂ©hek egĂ©szsĂ©gi állapotátĂłl fĂĽggĹ‘en számottevĹ‘en változĂł. Fontosabb összetevĹ‘i a polifenolos vegyĂĽletek (fenolsavak, flavonoidok, flavonoid-Ă©szterek, diterpĂ©nek, szeszkviterpĂ©nek), lignánok, aromás aldehidek, alkoholok, aminosavak, zsĂrsavak, szerves savak, szĂ©nhidrogĂ©nek, vitaminok Ă©s ásványi anyagok. A propolisz gyĂłgyhatásĂş Ă©lelmiszernek tekinthetĹ‘. A belĹ‘le kĂ©szĂĽlt kivonatok antibakteriális, antivirális Ă©s gombaölĹ‘ hatással rendelkeznek. A propolisz – korlátozott mennyisĂ©gben – emberi fogyasztásra is alkalmas. A propolisz biztonságos dĂłzisa egĂ©szsĂ©ges emberek számára 70 mg/nap. Dolgozatunkkal a propolisznak az emberi egĂ©szsĂ©gre gyakorolt kedvezĹ‘ hatásairĂłl adunk rövid szakirodalmi áttekintĂ©st
Hazai kereskedelmi forgalomban kaphatĂł almalevek minĹ‘sĂ©gi paramĂ©tereinek összehasonlĂtása
Az elmĂşlt Ă©vekben a fogyasztĂłk körĂ©ben egyre nĂ©pszerűbbek a 100%-os gyĂĽmölcstartalmĂş gyĂĽmölcslevek. Az almábĂłl előállĂtott italok szĂ©les termĂ©kpalettán mozognak, kĂĽlönösen nagy az Ă©rdeklĹ‘dĂ©s a közvetlen prĂ©slevek, illetve a »vegyszermentesen” előállĂtott, ökolĂłgiai gazdaságbĂłl származĂł áruk iránt. CĂ©lunk a kĂĽlönbözĹ‘ technolĂłgiákkal előállĂtott, hazai kereskedelmi forgalomban kaphatĂł, 100% gyĂĽmölcstartalmĂş almalevek összehasonlĂtása nĂ©hány, minĹ‘sĂ©get befolyásolĂł paramĂ©terĂĽk komplex vizsgálatával. A vizsgálathoz 12 fajta 100% gyĂĽmölcstartalmĂş almalevet használtunk. EllenĹ‘riztĂĽk a termĂ©kek patulin-szennyezettsĂ©gĂ©t, speciális tisztĂtást követĹ‘ HPLC-UV mĂ©rĂ©ssel a NĂ©bih Élelmiszer- Ă©s Takarmánybiztonsági IgazgatĂłságának közreműködĂ©sĂ©vel. Spektrofotometriásán meghatároztuk a termĂ©kek hidroximetil-furfurol tartalmát, az antioxidáns kapacitást FRAP (Ferric Reduction Antioxidant Power), CUPRAC (Cupric Ion Reducing Antioxidant Capacity), DPPH (1,1 -difenil-2-pikrilhidrazil) Ă©s ABTS (2,2’-azinodi-(3-etilbenzotiazolin)-6-szulfoninsav) gyöksemlegesĂtĂ©sen alapulĂł mĂłdszerekkel, valamint az összes polifenolos vegyĂĽlet-tartalmat Folin-Ciocalteu mĂłdszerrel. Az összes szárazanyag-tartalmat Ă©s a hamutartalmat gravimetriásán, az összes oldhatĂł szárazanyag-tartalmat refraktometriásán határoztuk meg. Az eredmĂ©nyek Ă©rtĂ©kelĂ©sĂ©hez leĂrĂł statisztikai elemzĂ©seket, varianciaanalĂzist, nem paramĂ©teres statisztikai prĂłbákat, Spearman-fĂ©le rangkorreláciĂłt, valamint a „rangszámkĂĽlönbsĂ©gek összege” (sum of rank differences, SRD) multikritĂ©riumos összehasonlĂtáson alapulĂł statisztikai mĂłdszert alkalmaztuk. Patulin-szennyezettsĂ©g egy termĂ©k esetĂ©ben sem Ă©rte el a rendeletileg meghatározott maximális határĂ©rtĂ©ket. Az összes Ă©s az oldhatĂł szárazanyag-tartalomban termĂ©kcsoportonkĂ©nt szignifikáns kĂĽlönbsĂ©geket tapasztaltunk. A hamutartalom változĂł, de szignifikáns eltĂ©rĂ©s a kĂ©t termĂ©kkategĂłria között nem áll fenn. A hidroximetil-furfurol-tartalom általánosságban a koncentrátumbĂłl előállĂtott termĂ©kek esetĂ©ben magasabb, azonban kiugrĂł mennyisĂ©gben mĂ©gis egy prĂ©slĂ© tartalmazta a vegyĂĽletet. A prĂ©slevek esetĂ©ben minden mĂłdszerrel magasabb antioxidáns aktivitás Ă©s polifenolos vegyĂĽlettartalom-Ă©rtĂ©keket tapasztaltunk. UtĂłbbi paramĂ©terekben az egyes termĂ©kek között szignifikáns eltĂ©rĂ©sek mutatkoznak (p<0,05). Az SRD mĂłdszerrel megállapĂtottuk, hogy a vizsgált termĂ©kek közĂĽl melyek rendelkeznek táplálkozástudományi szempontbĂłl optimálisabb tulajdonságokkal. A vizsgált termĂ©kcsoportok egymástĂłl szinte minden mĂ©rt paramĂ©ter alapján szignifikánsan kĂĽlönböznek. A prĂ©slevek szárazanyag-tartalma általánosságban magasabb, amely a rosttartalom következmĂ©nye. Ezek a termĂ©kek magasabb antioxidáns kapacitás Ă©rtĂ©kekkel, Ă©s polifenolos vegyĂĽlet-tartalommal rendelkeznek, Ăgy táplálkozás-Ă©lettani szempontbĂłl kedvezĹ‘bbek. UtĂłbbi paramĂ©terek egymással jĂłl korrelálnak, amely a polifenolok dominanciáját jelzi az antioxidáns tulajdonságok kialakĂtásában