The Protective Effect of Hippophae Rhamnoides Carotenoid Extract Against Lipid Peroxidation in Crude Vegetable Oils

Vegetable oils are important elements of the human diet because they contain essential nutritional factors. Due to the manufacturing processes or inadequate conditions of storage, they may also contain lipid oxidation products that are toxic to the body. The purpose of this paper is to test the protective effect of carotenoid-rich extracts obtained from the fruits of Hippophae rhamnoides on crude sunflower, pumpkin and olive oils oxidative processes. In order to evaluate the effect of antioxidant carotenoids, three stages were followed: thermal induction of lipid peroxidation in the presence of AAPH (2,2'-Azobis(2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride); determination of the level of lipid peroxidation in oxidized oils in the presence and absence of antioxidants, by quantifying the concentration of conjugated dienes and malonyl dialdehyde (MDA); determination of the level of lipid peroxidation by evaluating the profile of the fatty acids and the ratio between the saturated and unsaturated fatty acids (UFA / SFA), using an GC-MS method. In the case of sunflower oil, it was observed that sea buckthorn fruit extract significantly decreased MDA concentration but does not significantly reduce the concentration of conjugated dienes. The protective effect of carotenoids is more evident in the case of oil from pumpkin seeds. In the olive oil, unlike the first two types of oils, the carotenoids extract inhibits both the MDA and the conjugated dienes formation to a lesser extent, statistically insignificant. Overall, the ratio UFA / SFA decreases in crude oxidized oils. In the oils in which carotenoids were added was observed an increase in the UFA / SFA ratio. Carotenoids fraction from sea buckthorn fruits, rich in xanthophylls’ esters, possess a good antioxidant effect, protecting vegetable oils against peroxidation processes induced in the presence of AAP

Qualitative Assessment of the Red Wine Varieties Grown in Dealu Bujorului Vineyard

Wine is considered to be a hydro alcoholic solution with more than 1000 components associated in an extremely complex manner, some of them can pass from grapes in an unchanged state, and some are formed during alcoholic and malolactic fermentation, while others appear due to the reactions between substances in their natural state, or based on the existing ones. The presence of phenolic substances in wine is essential, representing a major contribution in the forming of specific characteristics such as: colour, aroma and taste, thus allowing the distinction between different types of wine. The main purpose of this research is to evaluate the physicochemical composition of the three acknowledged varieties of young wine from the Dealu Bujorului vineyard (‘Merlot’, ‘Cabernet Sauvignon’ and ‘‘Fetească Neagră’’), obtained under the culture conditions of 2012 - 2013 - 2014 years. The oenological parameters were determined after the national STAS regulations and effectively OIV methods. Statistical methods were employed in order to assess the organic and inorganic potential of wine. The ecoclimatic conditions studied in the Dealu Bujorului, Bujoru Wine Centre, highlighted the exceptional viticultural character of Romania as well as the authenticity character encountered in the large variety of wines produced in this area. Results also show that the vine varieties of cultivated in the Vineyard of Dealu Bujorului have a high content of macroelements (‘Merlot’ (890.01 ± 6.35 mg/L (2013)), ‘Cabernet Sauvignon’ (111.36 ± 3.53 mg/L (2013)) and Feteasca neagră (97.30 ± 0.46 mg/L (2014)) that are very important for human’s health. Wine quality parameters analyzed shows that are influenced by the area of culture of vine but also they are influenced by the technology of winemaking

Effect of addition of rich sources of lipids on the bioaccessibility of lutein and β-carotene from raw baby spinach leaves

The objective of the present study was to investigate the effect of the addition of lipids with different origin and unsaturation degree on the bioaccessibility of major carotenoids from raw baby spinach leaves. The standardized INFOGEST protocol of static in vitro digestion was applied to determine the bioaccessibility of lutein and β-carotene from baby spinach, before and after the addition of avocado pulp (5% and 10%) and sour cream (10% and 20%), as lipid sources. Baby spinach leaves, avocado fruits and sour cream were characterized in terms of carotenoid composition, lipid content and fatty acids profile by C30-HPLC-DAD and GC-MS. The bioaccessibility of lutein was lower (7.1%) than that of β-carotene (9.05%) from unsupplemented baby spinach leaves. Addition of avocado and sour cream determined a significant decrease of lutein bioaccessibility, especially in the case of high concentration of sour cream (20%). Oppositely, the bioaccessibility of β-carotene was increased by the addition of both lipid sources, at both concentrations, with a significant improvement for 10% sour cream, from 9.05% to 13.28%. Generally, the highest amount of lipid did not result in better bioaccessibility of carotenoids

Variation of the Chemical Element Content in the Dealu Bujorului Vineyard Soil

The purpose of this study is to know better the concentration of chemical elements in the soil from Dealu Bujorului vineyard. The determination of the ten elements from the soil samples was performed using ICP-MS. The results showed diverse patterns of cadmium, lead, uranium, mercury, arsenic, strontium, cobalt, copper, nickel and chromium, all the elemental content studied were under the maximum limit admitted, except for copper (average 356.03 mg/kg while M.L.A. = 20 mg/kg)

Think and Act: Reflective Tool for professionals working with families (TART). Summary version

The IO3 aims to help organise and articulate reflection by the professional who works with families in situations of vulnerability or that are at risk and encourages professionals to continue questioning themselves about the processes of accompanying families with a broad, systemic, and ecological perspective. - The content of TART (IO3) is focused on a series of specific challenges of attention and intervention with today’s families in Europe. These challenges are listed in the previous IO by describing situations (IO1) and mentioning the main challenges that were identified by the professionals, parents, and young people (IO2). - The tool can be used both by the direct care professionals themselves to address their own practice, as well as by professionals who are dedicated to supervising teams, or by professionals who guide the professional practices of university students

Think and Act: Reflective Tool for professionals working with families (TART)

This tool, Think and Act: Reflective Tool for Professionals working with Families (TART) (hereinafter TART) has been created within the framework of the Erasmus + Grow in Family Today project (hereinafter GIFT) (2018-FR01-KA202-0488115) with the participation of 4 European countries (France, Spain, Italy and Romania) represented by 4 entities and/or professional services that attend families in vulnerable situations (Caminante-FR, Consell Comarcal del Vallès Occidental-ESP, Casa di Ramia-IT and Holtis-RO) and the universities of 4 European countries (Pau et Pays de l’Adour University-UPPA-FR; Barcelona University and Lleida University-ESP; Padova University and Verona University-IT; Iasi University-RO). Within the framework of the GIFT project, two previous intellectual outputs have been created that are antecedents to and complement this current output. The first of them "Growing in family today: the challenge of diversity" addresses the issue of the family and the exercise of parenthood in the family today from the perspective of diversity, and identifies the main challenges in terms of intervention, defined by the components of the aforementioned partnership. The second output, entitled “Representations of growing in family today” focuses on the view held by families, fathers, mothers, sons and daughters, as well as professionals, of what it means to grow in a family today. Both intellectual outputs are antecedents of this third intellectual output and contribute valuable elements to nurture the reflective processes that are proposed here..