The effects of competing trade regimes on bilateral trade flows: case of Serbia

The aim of this paper is to investigate the effects of competing trade regimes on Serbian trade with its most significant (traditional) partners, like European Union and CEFTA 2006 signatories, and other untraditional trade partners with favourable trade regime, like the USA. To this end, gravity model with bilateral and time effects is estimated by Hausman-Taylor AR(1) instrumental variable estimator, using panel data on bilateral trade between Serbia and its main trade partners during the period 2001-2010. The results indicate that overall level of development and difference in factor endowments stimulate Serbia’s exports, which is in accordance with theoretical foundation that inter-industry trade is predominant in exports of less developed countries. Moreover, competing trade regimes appear as important determinant of Serbia’s trade relations, whereas additional liberalization of trade regime with the USA as untraditional trade partner, even asymmetrical to Serbia’s favour, cannot divert trade flows from traditional partners in the long-run. This could mean that distance plays more prominent role in bilateral trade than the degree of liberalization of trade regimes in case of Serbia. The result could be due to the contemporaneous effects of trade preferences granted to Serbia by the EU and other CEFTA 2006 signatories, main trading partners of Serbia

Efekti konkurentnih trgovinskih režima na bilateralne tokove trgovine: slučaj Srbije

The aim of this paper is to investigate the effects of competing trade regimes on Serbian trade with its most significant (traditional) partners, like European Union and CEFTA 2006 signatories, and other untraditional trade partners with favourable trade regime, like the USA. To this end, gravity model with bilateral and time effects is estimated by Hausman-Taylor AR(1) instrumental variable estimator, using panel data on bilateral trade between Serbia and its main trade partners during the period 2001-2010. The results indicate that overall level of development and difference in factor endowments stimulate Serbia’s exports, which is in accordance with theoretical foundation that inter-industry trade is predominant in exports of less developed countries. Moreover, competing trade regimes appear as important determinant of Serbia’s trade relations, whereas additional liberalization of trade regime with the USA as untraditional trade partner, even asymmetrical to Serbia’s favour, cannot divert trade flows from traditional partners in the long-run. This could mean that distance plays more prominent role in bilateral trade than the degree of liberalization of trade regimes in case of Serbia. The result could be due to the contemporaneous effects of trade preferences granted to Serbia by the EU and other CEFTA 2006 signatories, main trading partners of Serbia.Ovaj rad ima za cilj istražiti efekte konkurentnih trgovinskih režima na primjeru trgovine Srbije s njenim najznačajnijim (tradicionalnim) vanjskotrgovinskim partnerima, kao što su Europska unija i potpisnice CEFTA 2006 sporazuma, ali i s netradicionalnim partnerima s kojima ima povoljan trgovinski režim, kao što su SAD. U ovom cilju primijenili smo gravitacijski model s panel podacima s bilateralnim i vremenskim efektima od 2001. do 2010., a ocijenili smo ga Hausman-Taylor metodom instrumentalnih varijabli. Rezultati naše analize podupiru hipotezu da opći nivo razvijenosti i razlika u faktorskoj raspoloživosti stimuliraju izvoz Srbije, što je sukladno teorijskim postavkama da interindustrijska trgovina dominira u izvozu manje razvijenih zemalja. Također, trgovinski režimi su značajna determinanta vanjskotrgovinskih odnosa Srbije, ali dodatna liberalizacija trgovinskog režima sa SAD, kao netradicionalnim partnerom Srbije, iako asimetrična u korist Srbije, ne može skrenuti trgovinske tokove od tradicionalnih vanjskotrgovinskih partnera Srbije na dugi rok. Ovo nam govori da razdaljina igra značajniju ulogu u bilateralnoj trgovini nego li stupanj liberaliziranosti trgovinskog režima, u slučaju Srbije. Najznačajniji režimi koji odvlače usmjerenost od razmjene sa SAD su trgovinski preferencijali istodobno odobreni od Europske unije i potpisnica CEFTA 2006 sporazuma

Trade regimes and bilateral trade in the EU enlargement process: Focus on the Western Balkans

This paper aims at investigating the role of different trade regimes in determining the bilateral trade of Western Balkan countries and the enlarged European Union between 2001—2010. Special focus is laid on the intra-regional trade of Western Balkan countries and complementarities of this sub-regional trade integration and the EU accession process. Using panel data, we estimated the gravity model of bilateral exports from Western Balkan and Central Eastern European countries to the core EU members in the 2001–2010 period. The results confirm the importance of EU membership for the development of acceding countries’ trade and shed light on asymmetrical trade regimes as important factors of boosting the bilateral trade flows. Additionally, CEFTA 2006 has a significant contribution to intra-regional Western Balkans trade

Categorization of animal feed according to microbiological quality - Preferable improvement in the food chain

Given the fact that the law on animal feed in Serbia has long been expected and that the current Regulation on the quality of animal feed, which includes microbiological criteria, requires improvement over the years, it is time to choose the best new solutions. The recommendable change that would bring the categorization of animal feed according to more objective and comprehensive criteria is based on the use of the VDLUFA (Verbands Deutscher Landwirdschaftlicher Untersuchungs und Forschungsanstalten) method. In several European countries, it has become routine, due to the great interest of feed producers and animal breeders in good knowledge of microbiological quality of feed as a guarantee of a wholesome final product. It involves determination of the contents of moulds, yeasts and bacteria while taking into account their potential pathogenicity. Based on the number of microorganisms, divided into seven groups, feed and feedingstuffs are classified into four categories. Classes I to III can be placed on the market, while class IV is not suitable for animal nutrition. More precise, regular determination of microorganisms would also provide a better insight into other common feed-born problems, such as, for instance, the possibility of mycotoxin occurrence

Investigation of the possibilities inactivation of Yersinia enterocolitica in fermented sausages

Cilj ispitivanja ove doktorske disertacije odnosio se na mogućnosti inaktivacije Yersinia enterocolitica u fermentisanim kobasicama. Za potrebe eksperimenta proizvedene su kobasice kontaminirane sa Yersinia enterocolitica, sa i bez dodate starter kulture. Kontrolne grupe kobasica nisu bile kontaminirane a proizvedene su takođe sa i bez dodate starter kulture. U toku zrenja praćene su promene mikrobiološkog statusa fermentisanih kobasica i fizičko- hemijskih osobina. Za sva ispitivanja korišćene su standardne metode. U fermentisanim kobasicama užeg i šireg dijametra sa i bez dodate starter kulture u toku zrenja broj bakterija Y. enterocolitica se smanjivao. Broj bakterija Y. enterocolitica bio je svih dana ispitivanja statistički značajno manji u uzorcima kobasica kojima je dodata starter kultura. U uzorcima kobasica užeg dijametra dvanaestog dana, a u uzorcima kobasica šireg dijametra dvadesetpetog dana zrenja nije utvrđeno prisustvo Y. enterocolitica. Prosečan broj enterobakterija u toku zrenja u uzorcima fermentisanih kobasica užeg i šireg dijametra se statistički značajno smanjivao i bio je izraženiji u uzorcima kobasica kontrolne i ogledne grupe sa dodatkom starter kultura. Kod kobasica užeg dijametra enterobakterije nisu dokazane dvanaestog dana, kao i na kraju procesa zrenja, a u uzorcima kobasica šireg dijametra enterobakterije nisu dokazane dvadesetpetog dana, kao i na kraju procesa zrenja. Prosečan broj aerobnih mezofilnih bakterija u uzorcima fermentisanih kobasica užeg, odnosno šireg dijametra je statistički značajno rastao do dvanaestog, odnosno do osamnaestog dana zrenja, a zatim se do kraja procesa zrenja statistički značajno smanjivao. Kao i kod broja aerobnih mezofilnih bakterija, tako je i broj bakterija mlečne kiseline u uzorcima fermentisanih kobasica užeg, odnosno šireg dijametra, statistički značajno rastao do dvanaestog, odnosno do osamnaestog dana zrenja, a zatim se do kraja procesa zrenja statistički značajno smanjivao. Vrednost pH svih ispitivanih grupa uzoraka fermentisanih kobasica se u toku procesa zrenja statistički značajno smanjivala i na kraju zrenja bila je statistički značajno niža u uzorcima kobasica šireg dijametra, odnosno kod uzoraka kobasica kod kojih su korišćene starter kulture. U toku procesa zrenja, kontrolnih i oglednih grupa uzoraka fermentisanih kobasica užeg i šireg dijametra aw vrednost se statistički značajno smanjivala i bila je manja u uzorcima kobasica u kojima su korišćene starter kulture. Na kraju proizvodnog procesa uzoraka fermentisanih kobasica kontrolnih, odnosno oglednih grupa, kobasica užeg i šireg dijametra nisu utvrđene značajnije razlike između ispitivanih hemijskih parametara kvaliteta kobasica.The aim of these doctoral dissertation concerned the possibility of inactivation of Yersinia enterocolitica in fermented sausages. For the purposes of the experiment produced sausages contaminated with Yersinia enterocolitica, with and without add starter culture. Control groups of sausages were not contaminated and are also produced with and without add starter culture. During ripening are accompanied by changes in the microbiological status of sausage and physical-chemical properties. For all tests, the standard method. The fermented sausages narrower and wider diameter with and without add starter culture during the ripening bacteria Y. enterocolitica decreased. The number of bacteria Y. enterocolitica was all the days of tests statistically significantly lower in samples of sausages which added starter cultures. In samples of sausages inner diameter of the twelfth day, and in samples of sausages wider diameter twenty-fifth day of ripening were not confirmed Y. enterocolitica. The average number of enterobacteria during ripening in samples of fermented sausages narrower and wider diameter significantly decreased and was more pronounced in samples of sausages control and experimental group with the addition of starter cultures. When the inner diameter of the sausage enterobacteria not proven the twelfth day, and at the end of the ripening process, and in samples of sausages wider diameter enterobacteria not proven twenty-fifth day as well as at the end of the ripening process. Average number of aerobic bacteria in samples of fermented sausages narrower, or wider diameter was significantly increased to twelve, or eighteen days to maturity, and then by the end of the ripening process significantly decreased. As with the aerobic mesophilic bacteria, so the number of lactic acid bacteria in samples of fermented sausages narrower, or wider diameter, significantly increased to twelve, or eighteen days to maturity, and then by the end of the ripening process significantly decreased. The pH value of all the tested groups of samples of fermented sausages during the ripening process significantly decreased at the end of ripening was significantly lower in samples of sausages wider diameter, or in samples of sausages in which the starter cultures used. During the ripening process, the control and experimental groups of samples of fermented sausages narrower and wider diameter aw value is significantly decreased and was lower in samples of sausages which were used starter culture. At the end of the production process control of samples of fermented sausages, and experimental groups, sausage narrower and wider diameter were no significant differences between the chemical parameters of the quality of sausages

Microbiological status of minced pork meat in vacuum and modified atmosphere packaging

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of different packaging conditions (vacuum and modified atmosphere) on the microbiological status (total viable count, lactic acid bacteria and Enterobacteriaceae), total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) and pH in minced pork meat. Pork mince was packaged in vacuum, modified atmosphere with 20% O2, 50% CO2 and 30% N2 (MAP 1) or modified atmosphere with 20% O2, 30% CO2 and 50% N2 (MAP 2), refrigerated at 3±1°C and examined on the days 0, 3, 6, 9 and 12 of storage. The average total viable counts and total Enterobacteriaceae counts in vacuum packaged mince were statistically significantly higher (p lt 0.01; p lt 0.05) than in modified atmosphere packaged mince with both combinations of gases, on different days of storage. The largest decrease of total viable count and Enterobacteriaceae count was noted in modified atmosphere packaged mince with the higher concentration (50%) of CO2

Relationships between broiler final weights and microbiota of certain segments of the intestine

Only healthy animals can expect good production results. Gastrointestinal tract (GIT) health is of particular importance in broilers. GIT health has been protected by antibiotics as growth promoters for years. Since their use is forbidden, alternatives are required. One alternative is the use of medium chain fatty acid (MCFA) in broiler nutrition, in order to ensure the health of digestive tract, that is, prevent the activity of pathogenic bacteria, coccidias and viruses. Today, commercial MCFA supplement is used on the market in nutrition of broilers and piglets. Previous experiences of using MCFA in nutrition of broilers suggest that MCFA can be used as a substitute for antibiotics. In the duodenum of experimental broilers (a group of birds fed with added MCFA), the numbers of Enterococcus spp. and E. coli were significantly correlated with bird weight, but this was not the case in other intestinal segments (ileum or caecum)