Prevalence of the flagellate Giardia duodenalis in mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) and oysters (Ostrea edulis) farms from Croatia

Giardia duodenalis ubikvitarna je intestinalna protozoa koja uzrokuje infekcije ljudi i životinja. Može se prenijeti hranom ili vodom. Cilj ovog rada bio je ispitati njenu prisutnost u uzgajalištima školjkaša u Hrvatskoj. Uzorci probavne žlijezde dagnji i kamenica sakupljenih s trinaest uzgajališnih područja, analizirani su metodom ugniježđene lančane reakcije polimerazom i neposrednim sekvencioniranjem trioza fosfat izomeraza gena. Sva ispitivana uzgajališna područja sadržavala su ciste G. duodenalis te je 6,1 % školjkaša bilo pozitivno. Učestalost je varirala ovisno o vrsti školjke i lokaciji iz koje je uzorak uzet. Ustanovljena je prisutnost četiri genske skupine ovog parazita, a to su A, B, C i E. Najčešća je bila skupina A, odnosno pripadajuća podskupina AI.Giardia duodenalis is ubiquitous intestinal protozoa which infects both humans and animals. It can be transmitted through food or water. The aim of this study was the investigation into its presence in shellfish farms from Croatia. Samples of mussels` and oysters` digestive gland, collected from thirteen different farming areas, were analysed by nested Polymerase Chain Reaction, followed by direct sequencing of triosephosphate isomerase gene. All tested farming areas contained Giardia cysts, and 6,1 % of shellfish were positive. Prevalence varied depending on the type of shellfish and locations from which the samples were taken. Four assemblages of this parasite were identified: A, B, C and E. The most common was assemblage A, or more specifically subassemblage AI

Determination of vitamin C in different apple cultivars

Ispitivane su četiri sorte jabuka, Fuji, Granny Smith, Gala i Cripps Pink, kupljene u trgovačkoj mreži. Provedena je analiza topljive suhe tvari, pH – vrijednosti i vitamina C na uzorcima kore, usplođa i srži. Topljiva suha tvar mjerila se digitalnim refraktometrom, a pH – vrijednost pH – metrom. Vitamin C određivao se tekućinskom kromatografijom visoke djelotvornosti (HPLC) s UV/Vis PDA detektorom. Rezultati analize pokazali su da usplođe sadrži najviše topljive suhe tvari (11.0 – 15.8 %) i najniži pH (3.31 – 3.97). Količina vitamina C varirala je ovisno o uzorku u rasponu od 0.03 – 6.35 mg/100 g uzorka. Najviše je bio prisutan u kori (ovisno o sorti od 0.61 – 6.35 mg/100 g), a najmanje u usplođu jabuke (od 0.03 – 0.06 mg/100 g). Količina vitamina C u srži je varirala od 0.04 – 0.11 mg/100 g. Prema dobivenim rezultatima za ukupnu količini vitamina C u cijelom plodu, sorte Granny Smith te Fuji sadržavale su najmanje (0,74 odnosno 2,01 mg/100g), a Cripps Pink te Gala najviše (5,85 odnosno 6,45 mg/100g) vitamina C.Four apple cultivars, Fuji, Granny Smith, Gala and Cripps Pink, purchased in chain store were analyzed to determine pH value, the quantity of soluble solids and vitamin C in samples of apple peel, pulp and core. Soluble solids were measured with digital refractometer and pH with pH – meter. Vitamin C was determined by high pressure liquid cromatography (HPLC) with UV/Vis PDA detector. The results showed that pulp contains the largest quantity of soluble solids (11.0 – 15.8 %) and the lowest pH (3.31 – 3.97). Content of vitamin C varied depending on the sample, and was in the range from 0.03 to 6.35 mg/100 g of sample. The highest amount was determined in the peel (depending on cultivar of 0.61 – 6.35 mg/100 g), and the lowest in the pulp (0.03 to 0.06 mg/100 g). The amount of vitamin C in the core varied from 0.04 to 0.11 mg/100 g Considering the amount of vitamin C in the whole apple fruit, cultivars Granny Smith and Fuji contained the least amount (0.74 and 2.01 mg/100 g, respectively), and Cripps Pink and Gala the highest amount (5.85 and 6.45 mg/100 g, respectively) of vitamin C

Prevalence of the flagellate Giardia duodenalis in mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) and oysters (Ostrea edulis) farms from Croatia

Giardia duodenalis ubikvitarna je intestinalna protozoa koja uzrokuje infekcije ljudi i životinja. Može se prenijeti hranom ili vodom. Cilj ovog rada bio je ispitati njenu prisutnost u uzgajalištima školjkaša u Hrvatskoj. Uzorci probavne žlijezde dagnji i kamenica sakupljenih s trinaest uzgajališnih područja, analizirani su metodom ugniježđene lančane reakcije polimerazom i neposrednim sekvencioniranjem trioza fosfat izomeraza gena. Sva ispitivana uzgajališna područja sadržavala su ciste G. duodenalis te je 6,1 % školjkaša bilo pozitivno. Učestalost je varirala ovisno o vrsti školjke i lokaciji iz koje je uzorak uzet. Ustanovljena je prisutnost četiri genske skupine ovog parazita, a to su A, B, C i E. Najčešća je bila skupina A, odnosno pripadajuća podskupina AI.Giardia duodenalis is ubiquitous intestinal protozoa which infects both humans and animals. It can be transmitted through food or water. The aim of this study was the investigation into its presence in shellfish farms from Croatia. Samples of mussels` and oysters` digestive gland, collected from thirteen different farming areas, were analysed by nested Polymerase Chain Reaction, followed by direct sequencing of triosephosphate isomerase gene. All tested farming areas contained Giardia cysts, and 6,1 % of shellfish were positive. Prevalence varied depending on the type of shellfish and locations from which the samples were taken. Four assemblages of this parasite were identified: A, B, C and E. The most common was assemblage A, or more specifically subassemblage AI

Determination of vitamin C in different apple cultivars

Ispitivane su četiri sorte jabuka, Fuji, Granny Smith, Gala i Cripps Pink, kupljene u trgovačkoj mreži. Provedena je analiza topljive suhe tvari, pH – vrijednosti i vitamina C na uzorcima kore, usplođa i srži. Topljiva suha tvar mjerila se digitalnim refraktometrom, a pH – vrijednost pH – metrom. Vitamin C određivao se tekućinskom kromatografijom visoke djelotvornosti (HPLC) s UV/Vis PDA detektorom. Rezultati analize pokazali su da usplođe sadrži najviše topljive suhe tvari (11.0 – 15.8 %) i najniži pH (3.31 – 3.97). Količina vitamina C varirala je ovisno o uzorku u rasponu od 0.03 – 6.35 mg/100 g uzorka. Najviše je bio prisutan u kori (ovisno o sorti od 0.61 – 6.35 mg/100 g), a najmanje u usplođu jabuke (od 0.03 – 0.06 mg/100 g). Količina vitamina C u srži je varirala od 0.04 – 0.11 mg/100 g. Prema dobivenim rezultatima za ukupnu količini vitamina C u cijelom plodu, sorte Granny Smith te Fuji sadržavale su najmanje (0,74 odnosno 2,01 mg/100g), a Cripps Pink te Gala najviše (5,85 odnosno 6,45 mg/100g) vitamina C.Four apple cultivars, Fuji, Granny Smith, Gala and Cripps Pink, purchased in chain store were analyzed to determine pH value, the quantity of soluble solids and vitamin C in samples of apple peel, pulp and core. Soluble solids were measured with digital refractometer and pH with pH – meter. Vitamin C was determined by high pressure liquid cromatography (HPLC) with UV/Vis PDA detector. The results showed that pulp contains the largest quantity of soluble solids (11.0 – 15.8 %) and the lowest pH (3.31 – 3.97). Content of vitamin C varied depending on the sample, and was in the range from 0.03 to 6.35 mg/100 g of sample. The highest amount was determined in the peel (depending on cultivar of 0.61 – 6.35 mg/100 g), and the lowest in the pulp (0.03 to 0.06 mg/100 g). The amount of vitamin C in the core varied from 0.04 to 0.11 mg/100 g Considering the amount of vitamin C in the whole apple fruit, cultivars Granny Smith and Fuji contained the least amount (0.74 and 2.01 mg/100 g, respectively), and Cripps Pink and Gala the highest amount (5.85 and 6.45 mg/100 g, respectively) of vitamin C

Application of whey protein isolates and zein for the formulation of alginate-based delivery systems encapsulating Ganoderma lucidum polyphenols

Due to the rich phytochemical composition of the medicinal mushroom Ganoderma lucidum, especially its ß-glucan-based polysaccharides and triterpenes, but polyphenols, amino acids, and proteins as well, Ganoderma is often used in various nutraceutical and functional food products. Lately these products have been formulated with microencapsulated forms of active compounds in order to prevent their degradation after oral consumption and under processing conditions. The aim of this study was to characterize and encapsulate polyphenols from the aqueous extract of Ganoderma, using ionic gelation of alginate (A) and its combination with whey protein isolates (WPI) and zein (Z). The obtained hydrogel beads were scanned for physico-chemical and morphological properties, encapsulation efficiency of polyphenols, and their release kinetics in simulated gastrointestinal fluids. The addition of WPI to the alginate resulted in the reduction of the particle size and the spherical shape of the beads, while beads formulated with zein were characterized as larger, with irregular morphology. Encapsulation efficiency of total polyphenols has been determined as follows: 76.91% (A-WPI) < 83.91% (A) < 85.42% (A-Z). The most extended release of polyphenols in simulated gastrointestinal fluids has been achieved by employing WPI in the alginate delivery system. The implementation of additional coatings resulted in the enhanced properties of plain alginate carrier, where alginate-based hydrogels immobilizing Ganoderma polyphenols proved to be potential functional ingredients