Identification of Polyphenols from Coniferous Shoots as Natural Antioxidants and Antimicrobial Compounds

Currently, coniferous shoots are almost absent as a food ingredient despite their wide availability in many parts of the world. The aim of the study was to assess and compare the composition of selected plant metabolites, evaluate the antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of selected shoots collected in 2019 from the arboretum in Zielonka (Poland), including individual samples from Picea abies L. (PA), Larix decidua Mill (LD), Pinus sylvestris L. (PS), Pseudotsuga menziesii (PM) and Juniperus communis L. (JC). The present work has shown that aqueous extracts obtained from tested shoots are a rich source of phenols such as caffeic acid, ferulic acid, chlorogenic acid, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid and many others. Obtained extracts exhibit antioxidant and antimicrobial properties in vitro. The highest sum of the studied phenolic compounds was found in the PA sample (13,947.80 µg/g dw), while the lowest in PS (6123.57 µg/g dw). The samples were particularly rich in ferulic acid, chlorogenic acid and 4-hydroxybenzoic acid. The highest values regarding the Folin-Ciocâlteu reagent (FCR) and ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP) reducing ability tests, as well as the total flavonoid content assay, were obtained for the LD sample, although the LD (14.83 mg GAE/g dw) and PM (14.53 mg GAE/g dw) samples did not differ statistically in the FCR assay. With respect to free radical quenching measurements (DPPH), the PA (404.18-μM Trolox/g dw) and JC (384.30-μM Trolox/g dw) samples had the highest radical quenching ability and did not differ statistically. Generally, extracts obtained from PA and PS showed the highest antimicrobial activity against tested Gram-negative bacteria, Gram-positive bacteria and fungi

Cultivation of szparaga (Asparagus officinalis L.) as raw material with functional properties. Part 1. Commodity specification

Szparag (Asparagus officinalis L.) jest warzywem uprawianym na szeroką skalę w klimacie umiarkowanym zarówno w Europie, jak i w Azji. Polska jednak nie należy do krajów o dużej produkcji szparagów, a plony z lokalnych upraw są głównie eksportowane do Niemiec. Szparagi mogą być uznawane za surowiec funkcjonalny o szerokim zastosowaniu prozdrowotnym, a także o dobrych walorach kulinarnych. Celem pracy było scharakteryzowanie szparagów jako rośliny uprawnej wraz ze wskazaniem warunków wzrostu, a także opisanie możliwości zastosowania szparagów w żywieniu.Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis L.) is a vegetable rich in nutrients, characterized by a high content of vitamins, minerals and antioxidant compounds. Asparagus can be considered as a functional raw material with a wide pro-health application, as well as good culinary qualities. Despite this, the cultivation of asparagus in Poland is relatively small. The purpose of the work was to characterize asparagus as a crop plant with an indication of growth conditions. Main groups of compounds responsible for pro-health activity are discussed and describes the possibilities of using asparagus in nutrition