Milk and dairy products presence in boarding school meals in Croatia

Kakvoća i raznovrsnost ishrane osobito je važna za mlade u razvoju. Zbog visokog udjela proteina, mineralnih tvari i vitamina, svrstava se mlijeko u skupinu vrlo važnih namirnica za mlade tijekom rasta i razvoja. Radi što boljeg uvida u prehrambeni status izabrane skupine (djevojke i mladići od 14-18 godina), obavljena je analiza obroka u 39 učeničkih domova u cijeloj Hrvatskoj. Anketom je utvrđeno koje grupe namirnica mladi preferiraju, a od analiziranih obroka moguće je bilo utvrditi i količinu konzumiranog mlijeka i mliječnih proizvoda. Utvrđeno je da 52 % djevojaka i 63 % mladića konzumira mlijeko i mliječne proizvode ako su uključeni u obroke u učeničkom domu. Samo 27 % djevojaka i 21 % mladića konzumira mlijeko i mliječne proizvode svaki dan. Preferencija mlijeka i mliječnih proizvoda razlikuje se ovisno o regijama, pa je tako najzastupljenija u Lici i Gorskom Kotaru. Cilj rada je utvrđivanje nutritivne i energijske vrijednosti za skupinu ispitanika s posebnim osvrtom na mlijeko i mliječne proizvode te utvrditi nepravilnosti i, zavisno o rezultatima ankete o preferenciji određenih grupa namirnica, poboljšati dnevnu nutritivnu ponudu u skladu s potrebama organizma i DRI preporukama ovisno o dobi i spolu.Nutritive quality and variety of food intake are the most important issues for young people growing and developing. Nutritional habits of each individual are also very important. High values of proteins, mineral matters and vitamins in milk show the importance of milk consumption in meals for children and young people. In order to gain a precise insight into nutritive status of young people in Croatian boarding schools, a "closed type group" was selected. The examined groups included girls and boys at the age of 14-18 years, accommodated in 39 boarding schools. The questionnaires, organised in order to determine preferences in consumption of different food groups including milk and dairy products, are conducted as well. From the meals analysed one can recommend the improvements in meal preferences. Average values per day showed that 52 % of girls and 63 % of boys consume milk and dairy products only if included in boarding school meals. Only 27 % of girls and 21 % of boys consumed milk or dairy products on daily basis. Results of milk and dairy product preferences are different with regards to different regions of Croatia. Region 3, Lika and Gorski Kotar, shows the highest values of dairy products consumption. The aim of the work is to determine quality of the energy and nutritive intake by nutrition analysis, and to determine nutritional irregularities with a special reference to milk and dairy products consumption. Furthermore, nutritional improvements, by including the results of meal preferences in accordance with the needs and DRI recommendations considering gender and age, are proposed

REFORM OF THE EU COMMON MARKET ORGANISATION FOR FRUIT AND VEGETABLES

A new Common Market Organisation (CMO) for fruit and vegetables is in place from 1 January 2008. First debate about reform was lunched in 2004 by European Commission and its publication about simplification of the Fruit and Vegetable Common Market Organisation. The last extensive reform in 1996 introduced modifications like a plan for the progressive reduction of support for short-term market intervention and the strengthening of structural aid to improve competitiveness in order to help producers to develop their capacity and to adapt to market demand. The most important reasons for the new reform of CMO for fruit and vegetables are imbalance in the supply and distributions chain, limited influence of the producers’ organisations, coherence with rural development aid and the questions of standards. The objective of this paper is to explore the regulatory framework of the European Common market organisation for fruit and vegetables, reasons and aims of the reform and to compare the Croatian legislation regarding fruit and vegetables sector with the EU CMO for fruit and vegetables. The qualitative research strategy which emphasizes words rather than quantification in the collection and analysis of data and has an inductive approach to the relationship between theory and research is used to make conclusions in this paper. The conclusions about the objectives are made by studying the reference literature related to the topic of the EU Fruit and Vegetables Common market organisation, assumptions derived from the research and professional knowledge related to the topic

Reform of the Wine Sector in the EU and its Implications in Croatia

The wine sector in EU is one of the most complicated regarding the legislation and preparations for the wine reform have been long and comprehensive. The wide-ranging EU wine reform was implemented in two phases. The first phase implied retrieval of balance on the wine market and casted out market intervention measures allowing enhanced budget use. The second phase included rules regarding protected designations of origin (PDO), protected geographical indications (PGI), wine making practices and the vineyard register. The primary aim of this paper is contribution to the understanding of the EU wine reform and the next aim is to investigate the impact on Croatia. Using descriptive analysis approach, the quality analysis of the legislation in the European and Croatian wine sector has been conducted. The wine reform in the EU was necessary because of: (i) the structural surplus on the European market, (ii) the steady decline in wine consumption in the EU and (iii) slower growth in EU exports since 1996. Croatia is obligated to harmonize the legislation in the wine sector as one of the preconditions of the EU accession. The adoption of the new EU legislation in Croatian legal framework started in 2010. The most of EU regulations have been adopted in 2010. The rest of it has to be adopted in 2011. Croatia has implemented several regulations concerning wine sector into national law framework. Still, the most challenging part of the EU reform, the system of PDO and PGI is waiting to be revised and adjusted to Croatian circumstances. The implementation should support interests of all parties (producers, government, institutions)

Reform of the Wine Sector in the EU and its Implications in Croatia

The wine sector in EU is one of the most complicated regarding the legislation and preparations for the wine reform have been long and comprehensive. The wide-ranging EU wine reform was implemented in two phases. The first phase implied retrieval of balance on the wine market and casted out market intervention measures allowing enhanced budget use. The second phase included rules regarding protected designations of origin (PDO), protected geographical indications (PGI), wine making practices and the vineyard register. The primary aim of this paper is contribution to the understanding of the EU wine reform and the next aim is to investigate the impact on Croatia. Using descriptive analysis approach, the quality analysis of the legislation in the European and Croatian wine sector has been conducted. The wine reform in the EU was necessary because of: (i) the structural surplus on the European market, (ii) the steady decline in wine consumption in the EU and (iii) slower growth in EU exports since 1996. Croatia is obligated to harmonize the legislation in the wine sector as one of the preconditions of the EU accession. The adoption of the new EU legislation in Croatian legal framework started in 2010. The most of EU regulations have been adopted in 2010. The rest of it has to be adopted in 2011. Croatia has implemented several regulations concerning wine sector into national law framework. Still, the most challenging part of the EU reform, the system of PDO and PGI is waiting to be revised and adjusted to Croatian circumstances. The implementation should support interests of all parties (producers, government, institutions)

Analiza i optimiranje udjela kalcija te mlijeka i mliječnih proizvoda u obrocima hrvatskih predškolskih ustanova

The importance of healthy diet from the earliest age as well as its influence on human health is indisputable. Unbalanced diet in childhood can, along with unhealthy lifestyle (stress, smoking, physical inactivity), cause a number of diseases at a later age. Two week menus in 26 kindergartens from continental and coastal Croatia have been analysed, taking into consideration the type of kindergarten (public, private, or religious). The aim of this research is to determine the quality of the offer regarding the intake of milk and dairy products, which, regarding their bioavailability, represent a major source of calcium, an essential nutrient in the intensive growth phase of children and young people. Using basic statistics, significant differences were not determined neither in the regional offer of milk and dairy products in the different types of kindergartens nor in the content of calcium and phosphorus. Milk and dairy products were adequately represented in the weekly offer in both regions under observation, and the average offer contained 9.7±1.5 servings. Average content of calcium in daily menues is 714.5±235.9 mg, which is in agreement with dietary reference intake recommendations (300-800 mg) and Croatian recommendations (400-700 mg). Use of fuzzy logic in creating new daily menus, by combining the existing offers enabled significant enlargement of the set of nutritionally acceptable menus as well as a greater diversity of meals.Važnost pravilne prehrane za zdravstveni status neosporna je kao i njezin utjecaj od najranije dobi. Nepravilna prehrana u dječjoj dobi, uz nepovoljan stil života (stres, pušenje, tjelesnu neaktivnost), može biti uzročnikom niza bolesti u kasnijoj dobi. Analizirani su dvotjedni jelovnici 26 dječjih vrtića kontinentalne i primorske Hrvatske uz razlikovanje tipa vrtića (državni i privatni ili vjerski). Cilj rada bio je utvrditi adekvatnost ponude s obzirom na zastupljenost mlijeka i mliječnih proizvoda u jelovniku, jer ove namirnice zbog svoje bioiskoristivosti predstavljaju glavni izvor kalcija, nutrijenta čija se važnost osobito očituje u intenzivnoj fazi rasta i razvoja djece i mladih. Primjenom ANOVA nisu ustanovljene značajne razlike u regionalnoj ponudi kao niti razlike u ponudi različitih tipova vrtića glede ponude mlijeka i mliječnih proizvoda te sadržaju kalcija i fosfora. Mlijeko i mliječni proizvodi primjereno su zastupljeni u tjednoj ponudi u obje promatrane regije, a prosječna ponuda sadržava 9,7±1,5 serviranja mlijeka i mliječnih proizvoda. Prosječna količina kalcija u dnevnom jelovniku dječjih vrtića je 714,5±235,9 mg što je u skladu sa DRI preporukama (300-800 mg) i hrvatskim preporukama (400-700 mg). Također, primijenjena je neizrazita logika u osmišljavanju novih dnevnih jelovnika kombinacijom postojećih ponuda što je omogućilo znatno proširenje skupa nutritivno prihvatljivih jelovnika kao i veću raznolikost

Traceability in Croatian Meat Sector: are Consumers Aware of it?

The traceability of food and food ingredients along the food chain is an essential element in ensuring food safety. It is a tool for tracing product and processing information of food from sea/farm to table, so that relevant information can be found at a later point. Traceability has been introduced in Croatia in 2007 for all food and feed as well as related business operators. The aim of this paper was to examine Croatian consumers’ awareness and their attitude towards traceability of meat products, by means of a face-to-face survey on a sample of 120 respondents in Zagreb and surrounding. The research results show that the consumers’ awareness level with regard to food traceability was very low. Consumers familiar to any extent with traceability mostly do not know any product or company with implemented traceability system. Lack of knowledge about traceability concept resulted mainly in indifference regarding existence of this system; respondents do not consider it as an important cue of meat products. Only a few respondents consider it as necessary and are ready to pay higher price for traced meat products. The study confirmed that the traceability as part of the food quality and safety control is under-recognized term in Croatian market. Therefore, the education of consumers about the traceability and the presentation of the advantage

Study of Dynamics of Polyphenol Extraction During Traditional and Advanced Maceration Processes of the Babić Grape Variety

The influence of different maceration techniques on the dynamics of polyphenol extraction during the maceration of the autochthonous Croatian grape Babić has been investigated. The process of wine production by maceration in traditional procedure and by maceration with advanced technique has been compared. During maceration, the dynamics of extraction of total anthocyanins, total phenols, low-molecular proanthocyanidins and high-molecular proanthocyanidins was determined. Mathematical models are proposed for each above mentioned and determined parameter. The models present the values under observation depending on treatment – traditional or modern. Time expressed in days is the input variable for both monitored models. Presented models indicate a significant positive correlation and strongly sustain the concept that the duration and procedure of maceration have considerable influence on the measured variables (R=0.83–0.98)

Optimisation of the Daily Nutrient Composition of Daily Intakes During Gestation

An appropriate lifestyle and diet of pregnant woman during prenatal development contribute to the proper development of a foetus. Since the third month of pregnancy, physical activity should follow the metabolic needs. In this paper, linear programming has been applied in meal planning according to the guidelines recommended for women aged 19 to 30, with emphasis on nutrient intake during all nine months of pregnancy. Data used as the nutritional composition are based on the seven-day supply, where each day consisted of 4 meals; breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack. Linear optimization was carried out using the LINDO program. The program included 28 variables and 20 constraints; energy, water, proteins, fats, carbohydrates, cholesterol, dietary fi bres, vitamins soluble in fats; A, D, water-soluble vitamins, B1, B2, niacin, B6, folic acid, B12, C, and minerals; calcium, iron, magnesium, and sodium. The results show that well-balanced, diverse and regular diet can be offered for pregnant woman based on prescribed guidelines providing adequate amounts of nutrients without taking additional supplements. The sensitivity analysis indicated that the menu planning has some limitations regarding the chosen foods in a weekly menu. Especially in the 3rd trimester it is important to include foods rich with folic acid, magnesium and iron