ASSESSMENT OF AFLATOXIN M1 IN RAW MILK IN THE MARAMURES PROVINCE OF ROMANIA

REZUMAT. Un sondaj cu privire la apariţia aflatoxinei M1 a fost efectuat în județul Maramures (România) pe un total de 120 de eşantioane de lapte crud provenit de la 5 ferme, pentru 12 luni (ianuarie-decembrie 2010). Probele au fost analizate prin cromatografie în strat subţire (TLC). Datele au fost analizate statistic prin aplicarea ANOVA. Aproximativ 3,33% din probe au fost contaminate cu aflatoxina M1 depăşindu-se limita Uniunii Europene (0.05 micrograme kg-1). Incidenţa . aflatoxinei M1 a fost mult mai mare în sezonul ploios octombrie (33,3%), decât în timpul verii Cuvinte cheie: lapte crud,cromatografie, aflatoxina ABSTRACT. A survey on the occurrence of aflatoxin M1 was carried out in the province of Maramures (Romania) on a total of 120 samples of raw milk from 5 farms for 12 months (January-December 2010). Samples were analyzed by thin layer chromatography (TLC). The data were analyzed statistically by applying ANOVA. About 3.33 % of the samples were contaminated with aflatoxin M1 and exceeded the European Union limit (0.05 μg Kg -1 ). The incidence of aflatoxin M1 was much higher in rainy season October (33.3%), than during summer

Structural Diversity and Biochemical and Microbiological Characteristics of Aflatoxins

Among all mycotoxins, Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is considered to be the most carcinogenic, and it has been classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer in Group 1 of human carcinogen. It signifies a high hazard because it contaminates a diversity of agricultural products such as nuts and derivatives, peanuts/hazelnuts, grains, seeds, cottonseed, milk, dairy food. In milk AFB1 is metabolized to aflatoxin M (AFM1) which is 4-hydroxy derivative of AFB1, it is formed in the liver and excreted in the milk into the mammary glands of both human and lactating animals which have been fed with AFB1 contaminated diet. After the food contamination, one part of the aflatoxin B1 which was present in the food is eliminated through the milk. At the molecular level aflatoxin biosynthesis involves several levels of transcriptional and post-transcriptional control, so the main stages subsequent biochemical and genetic constituents of aflatoxin biosynthesis have been demonstrated recently. Recent studies over the last few decades have shown that the metabolism of AFB is an essential component of hepatocarcinogenic, however it was shown that AFB1 is metabolized by cytochrome P450 oxidised to intermediates and other metabolites Therefore, the biotransformation process may also lead to the formation of carcinogenic metabolites

Milk and Dairy Products Labeling in Romania

The present communication contains research and experimental investigations regarding the labelling process of dairy products in tight relation with the national and European legislative requirements. Two methods have been used during the marketing research regarding the information present on the labels of alimentary products: the method based on documentation-observation and comparative analysis of data and information collected from the consume market in Sibiu. The method based on documentation and observation has been carried out using the observation sheet and contained the following analysis criteria: The name of the product, Country origin of the product (location of the producer). Synthesizing the results and the conclusions emerged as a result of the marketing research carried out with the purpose of contouring a labelling model of alimentary products, it can be stated that the dynamics of the alimentary products market in Romania is moderate and restrained by the economical and social factors and even by the still reduces promotion of a healthy alimentary education, with the complementary protection of human health and environment

Identification of Probiotic Strains from Human Milk in Breastfed Infants with Respiratory Infections

Isolation and industrial exploitation of probiotics from human milk is a goal for worldwide milk biotechnology centres because of their modulation effect on the immune system in infants and adults. In the proposed study we have analysed fermentation patterns of Lactobacilli isolated from human milk, the reliability of API 50 CH carbohydrate fermentation system and a possible link between lactose concentrations and fermentation profiles on carbohydrates. We had succesfully identified three species of Lactobacillus (paracasei ssp paracasei, fermentum, acidophilus) and one unsatisfactory identification of Lactoccocus lactis ssp lactis. These strains had different carbohydrate fermentation patterns but with common characteristics and showed no statistically significant correlations between their carbohydrate metabolic trends and lactose concentrations in the milk samples

Physicochemical Parameters of Probiotic Yoghurt with Bioactive Natural Products from Sea Buckthorn

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Phytochemical and Nutritional Profile Composition in Fruits of Different Sweet Chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.) Cultivars Grown in Romania

Chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.), a valuable fruit crop, is cultivated in small areas in Romania, mostly in the west, where the moderate continental climate has a slight Mediterranean influence. This work aims to investigate the bioactive characteristics (total polyphenols, total flavonoids and antioxidant activity), individual polyphenolic composition, phytochemical and nutritional HRMS screening profiles, sugar and mineral composition of six sweet chestnut cultivars, namely ‘Marsol’, ‘Maraval’, ‘Bournette’, ‘Précoce Migoule’ and ‘Marissard’ grown at Fruit Growing Research—Extension Station (SCDP) Vâlcea, in Northern Oltenia, Romania. Fruit samples were collected in two consecutive years, in order to study the impact of genetic variability between cultivars and the influence of the different climatic conditions corresponding to different cultivation years. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA) allow the discrimination between the sweet chestnut fruits harvested in different years and different sweet chestnut cultivars. Analytical investigations revealed that sweet chestnut cultivars grown in Romania show similar bioactive, phytochemical and nutritional composition to cultivars grown in the large European chestnut-producing countries, indicating the high adaptation potential of the chestnut in the temperate continental zone with small Mediterranean influences characteristic of the southwestern area of Romania

IDENTIFICATION AND QUANTIFICATION OF PHENOLIC COMPOUNDS FROM RED GRAPE POMACE

The wine industry generates a great amount of waste every year, thus its valorization is of most importance. This study uses red, fermented pomace from Cabernet Sauvignon and Feteasca Neagra cultivars. The phenolic compounds were extracted using four different extractions and the content of total polyphenols was determined using a spectrophotometrical method. Several phenolic compounds were analyzed using an HPLC method. The Cabernet Sauvignon pomace had the highest content of total polyphenols and total phenolic compounds analyzed and of quercetin, rutin, ferulic acid and resveratrol, while the Feteasca Neagra pomace had the highest content of gallic acid, syringic acid, cinamic acid and (+) - catechin. The caffeic acid and the chlorogenic acid were not found in any of the analyzed pomaces. These pomaces could be used in the food industry as functional ingredients