Protein-Lipid Interactions in Different Meat Systems in the Presence of Natural Antioxidants – a Review

This study presents several aspects of the mutual interaction between lipids and proteins. Nutritional and technological implications of the reaction of oxidized lipids with proteins are discussed. Changes are highlighted in the content of amino acids and protein digestibility, formation of cross-links, flavor compounds, as well as the formation of colored non-enzymatic browning products. Attention is paid to the agents which may determine the reaction of amino acids with the products of lipid oxidation, i.e. the presence of catalysts or inhibitors in the environment, the presence of water, pH of the environment, temperature or reaction time. It was also noted that the conformation of the protein structure, the surface charge, the affinity, and the accessibility of reactive groups affect the intensity of these interactions

Buckwheat – a forgotten source of many healthy ingredients

W ostatnich latach wzrosło zainteresowanie gryką i jej przetworami. Obecnie w Polsce są zarejestrowane 4 odmiany gryki: Kora, Panda, MHR Korona oraz MHR Smuga. Skład chemiczny i walory gospodarcze gryki pozwalają na wszechstronne jej zastosowanie nie tylko w przemyśle spożywczym, ale również w przemyśle farmaceutycznym i ziołolecznictwie. Gryka jest cennym źródłem wielu substancji odżywczych oraz związków biologicznie aktywnych o działaniu prozdrowotnym, takich jak: białka, sacharydy, lipidy, polifenole, składniki mineralne, witaminy i błonnik pokarmowy. Ze względu na wysoką zawartość składników aktywnych występujących w gryce, zalicza się ją do żywności funkcjonalnej, czyli takiej, która spełnia funkcje prozdrowotne w organizmie człowieka.In the recent years the interest in buckwheat and its products has increased. Currently, 4 varieties of buckwheat are registered in Poland: Kora, Panda, MHR Korona and MHR Smuga. The chemical composition and the economic advantages of buckwheat allow for its versatile use not only in the food industry but also in pharmaceuticals and herbal medicine. Buckwheat is a valuable source of many nutrients: proteins, saccharides, lipids, vitamins, macro- and microelements, and biologically active compounds with health-improving effect on the human body such as: polyphenolic substances, dietary fiber, phytosterols, and others. Because of high bioactive compounds level in buckwheat and its nutritional importance linked with beneficial effect on human’s health, buckwheat seeds and parts of flower can be used as a component of healthy food

Economic and health-promoting importance of honey

Mimo, że Polska jest jednym z ważnych producentów miodu w Unii Europejskiej, spożycie tego produktu w naszym kraju nie jest wysokie. Wpływać na to mogą stosunkowo wysokie ceny miodu, ich wzrost w ostatnim czasie oraz – uzależnione od pogody – możliwe coroczne wahania wytwarzanych ilości. Celem pracy było omówienie gospodarczego znaczenia pszczelarstwa oraz spożycia, składu i prozdrowotnych właściwości miodu.Although Poland is one of the important producers of honey in the European Union, the consumption of this product in our country is not high. This may be influenced by the relatively high prices of honey, their recent increase and – depending on the weather – possible annual fluctuations in the quantities produced. The aim of the study was to discuss the economic importance of beekeeping and the consumption, composition and health-promoting properties of honey

Soy Preparations Are Potentially Dangerous Factors in the Course of a Food Allergy

The special properties of soy preparations make them common additives for food production and can be dangerous for sensitive individuals. Our aim was to check consumers’ awareness of potential risks of soy preparations added to numerous food products, depending on respondents’ education, and to evaluate immunoreactive properties of chosen soy preparations. A personal questionnaire was used. Respondents (n = 251) were aged 23–28 years old, lived in Poland, and were graduates or students in their last year of food technology, medicine, and university of technology. The slot blot and Western blotting methods were used to mark immunoreactivity of soy preparations. It was shown that most respondents often or usually read labels of food products they buy. The surveyed indicated protein is the allergenic component in soy. Almost half of them were of the opinion that hydrolysis removes the allergenic properties of soy. Most of the medical students surveyed thought that people allergic to soy may consume products that contain soy preparations. The analytical results indicated that soy preparation contained protein fractions that were immunoreactive with sera of allergenic patients. It was proven that preparations, even hydrolysates, contain immunoreactive proteins that may be the source of hidden allergens, even though they are not recognized as dangerous by well-educated respondents

Influence of Nitrogen Fertilizer on the Antioxidative Potential of Basil Varieties (Ocimum basilicum L.)

Total phenolic content (TPC) in extracts of basil depended on the cultivar and type of fertilization used in cultivation. TPC was determined spectrophotometrically with the Folin–Ciocalteu reagent. The antioxidant activity of extracts was analyzed by scavenging of DPPH and ABTS radicals, on the basis of metal chelating ability (MetChel) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP). The greatest TPC was determined in the purple cultivars—141.35 and 165.44 mg gallic acid/g d.m. for fertilized with ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3) and ammonium sulfate ((NH4)2SO4), respectively. Their extracts had the greatest antioxidant capacity in the majority of the methods used. The results varied depending on the modelling system used. The amount of polyphenols in individual basil cultivars differed significantly (p < 0.05) depending on the fertilization used in the culture. Regarding TPC, DPPH, ABTS, FRAP, and MetChel variables, we observed a significant effect for the applied cultivation. In the case of MetChel factor, lower results of all investigated basil species were observed for cultivation with ammonium sulfate. PCA demonstrated in the present study shows that Sweet and Cinnamon Basil samples cultivated with ammonium nitrate create a separated group. We recommend cultivation with ammonium sulfate fertilizers for these varieties of basil. The high content of phenolic compounds demonstrated in Sweet and Cinnamon Basil cultivated with ammonium sulfate, and thus associated antioxidant activity, indicates that it can constitute a valuable source for bioactive compounds in a balanced diet