Consumer knowledge of food labeling

Introduction: Food labels are an important source of information for consumers about the food they consume. They are divided into compulsory and voluntary. Compulsory information are name, composition, additives, expiry date, nutritional value and also country and place of origin. Voluntary information are brand, quality marks, nutrition and health claim and different graphical signs making it easier to recognize the product. Aim: The aim of this paper is to evaluate the knowledge of consumers in information placed on the labels of food products and evaluating which sociodemographic factors influence the level of knowledge of respondees. Material and methods: The research was performed in the period of February to April 2022 with the help of an original questionnaire among 212 residents of Poland. After analyzing the answers, the level of knowledge of the respondents was assessed. Finally, the level of knowledge was compared to gender, age and education level. Results: 39,6% of responders read labels, 31,6% read only specific information. Both women (44,4%) and men (35,6%) most commonly showed knowledge on a good level. Older people aged 51-70 (38.1%) are characterized by a lower level of knowledge. People with vocational education demonstrate a sufficient level of knowledge (45,4%), and the highest level – very good – among people with university education (50%). Conclusions: The awareness of the most numerous group of consumers on information put on labels of food products was evaluated as good. Age and the level of education influence the level of knowledge, while the gender Has no effect on it

Possibility of using sweeteners in the prevention of obesity development

Background. The problem of the 21st century both in Poland and around the world is overweight and obesity, and diabetes. Due to the increased incidence of these diseases, the consumption of intense sweeteners, which are used as substitutes for sucrose, has increased. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the sweet taste intensity of selected sweeteners in comparison with the benchmark - beet sugar. Methods. The material for the study consisted of four sweeteners: sugar, xylitol, stevia, and cane sugar. The substances were subjected to dilution in an infusion of black tea. This tea was then divided into 4 portions and each portion was sweetened with a different sweetener at a rate of 20g per 1l of infusion. The samples were coded with 3-digit codes, and the paired method was used for sensory evaluation. A total of 78 people participated in the study. Results. Differences in the intensity of sweet taste between beet sugar and the substitutes used were confirmed. Cane sugar and xylitol were characterized by a lower intensity of sweet taste, but these substitutes were preferred compared to beet sugar. Stevia is characterized by greater sweetness than beet sugar, while survey respondents strongly preferred beet sugar. Conclusions. Consumers, participating in the survey, prefer products with a less intensely sweet taste. Learning about consumers' preferences for sweet taste will allow the use of appropriately preferred substances in the production of food and dishes. This will have a positive effect on the sugar content of the daily ration and its overall consumption

Sensory quality of selected natural yoghurts available on the Polish market

Introduction: The fermented milk drinks include: yogurt, kefir, fermented milk, acidophilic milk, koumiss and new generation dairy products. The high nutrient content of yogurt is related to the composition of the milk it is made of. Aim: The aim of the study was to assess the sensory quality of selected natural yoghurts available on the Polish market.Material and methods: The research material consisted of 8 natural yoghurts available on the Polish market. Natural yoghurts were purchased in supermarkets in the Silesian Voivodeship. The intensity of the examined features (color, taste, smell, consistency, general appearance) was assessed using a proprietary card for evaluation on a five-point scale (5 - very good quality, 1 - disqualifying quality). Results: The results of the sensory evaluation using the 5-point method: The highest mean was obtained by the yoghurt code: 125 - 4.34 (± 0.47) and the worst by the respondents was the yogurt with the code: 596 - 3.54 (± 0.77). The results of the sensory evaluation carried out by the scheduling method: the highest scores were obtained for natural yoghurts with the codes 133 and 189.Conclusions: The evaluation of the sensory quality of selected natural yoghurts carried out using the five-point method showed that the highest overall score was obtained by yogurt containing: milk, powdered milk, milk proteins, calcium, live cultures of yoghurt fermentation bacteria, Lactobacillus acidophilus LA-5® i Bifidobacterium BB-12®.The evaluation carried out by the ranking method showed that yoghurts with the following compositions were best evaluated by the respondents: milk, milk proteins, live yoghurt bacteria cultures and milk, live bacteria cultures, selected lactic acid strains of Bifidobacterium BB-12®, 0% fat.The lowest score of respondents in the sensory evaluation with the use of both methods was obtained by natural yoghurt with the following composition: milk, live bacteria cultures

Assessment of sensory preference and frequency of carbohydrate bar consumption by physically active people

Introduction: Active lifestyles are causing an increase in interest directed toward foods, many athletes use specially formulated food products that concentrate large amounts of nutrients in a small volume, while also being easily digestible and quickly absorbed. The main objective of the study was to compare selected commercially available products prepared for physically active people with those prepared based on proprietary recipes and natural, commonly available ingredients. Material and method: The material used in the comparative study was energy bars from three sources: popular market bars from the leading manufacturers in the Polish market and available in most grocery stores, specialized bars, and bars made according to the author's recipe in imitation of the above snacks using natural ingredients.  The evaluation of the use of supplements was based on the author's survey questionnaire on consumer preferences and frequency of consumption of carbohydrate products, using energy bars as an example. Results: Bars prepared according to the author's recipe received scores of 2 and 3 for taste and texture and scores of 1 and 2 for the input of basic raw materials. Evaluation of the use of supplements was carried out in a group of 147 people, the study group was dominated by people who train in cycling and running. About 65% of the respondents declared that they use energy bars. Among those who use energy bars, the largest number of respondents declared that they use specialty bars (20%), 15% of respondents use market bars and 8% make the bars themselves. Conclusions: The results of the sensory evaluation of bars prepared according to the author's recipe indicate the need to modify their composition, especially in terms of improving the texture. Carbohydrate supplements are used by respondents, especially if it is justified in the case of practicing endurance and endurance sports characterized by high intensity of training, i.e. cycling and running

Analysis of localisation of megakaryocytes in the bone marrow of the rat : possible relationship with innervations

Piątek Małgorzata, Polaniak Renata, Tabarowski Zbigniew, Staśkiewicz Wiktoria, Kiciak Agata, Grajek Mateusz. Analysis of localisation of megakaryocytes in the bone marrow of the rat- possible relationship with innervations. Journal of Education, Health and Sport. 2022;12(7):479-492. eISSN 2391-8306. DOI http://dx.doi.org/10.12775/JEHS.2022.12.07.049 https://apcz.umk.pl/JEHS/article/view/JEHS.2022.12.07.049 https://zenodo.org/record/6828868 The journal has had 40 points in Ministry of Education and Science of Poland parametric evaluation. Annex to the announcement of the Minister of Education and Science of December 21, 2021. No. The journal has had 40 points in Ministry of Education and Science of Poland parametric evaluation. Annex to the announcement of the Minister of Education and Science of December 21, 2021. No. 32343. Has a Journal's Unique Identifier: 201159. Scientific disciplines assigned: Physical Culture Sciences (Field of Medical sciences and health sciences); Health Sciences (Field of Medical Sciences and Health Sciences). Punkty Ministerialne z 2019 - aktualny rok 40 punktów. Załącznik do komunikatu Ministra Edukacji i Nauki z dnia 21 grudnia 2021 r. Lp. 32343. Posiada Unikatowy Identyfikator Czasopisma: 201159. Przypisane dyscypliny naukowe: Nauki o kulturze fizycznej (Dziedzina nauk medycznych i nauk o zdrowiu); Nauki o zdrowiu (Dziedzina nauk medycznych i nauk o zdrowiu). © The Authors 2022; This article is published with open access at Licensee Open Journal Systems of Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Poland Open Access. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial License which permits any noncommercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author (s) and source are credited. This is an open access article licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non commercial license Share alike. (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/) which permits unrestricted, non commercial use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the work is properly cited. The authors declare that there is no conflict of interests regarding the publication of this paper. Received: 22.06.2022. Revised: 22.06.2022. Accepted: 13.07.2022. ANALYSIS OF LOCALISATION OF MEGAKARYOCYTES IN THE BONE MARROW OF THE RAT- POSSIBLE RELATIONSHIP WITH INNERVATIONS Małgorzata Piątek1, Renata Polaniak1*, Zbigniew Tabarowski2, Wiktoria Staśkiewicz3, Agata Kiciak3, Mateusz Grajek4 1Department of Human Nutrition, Department of Dietetics, Faculty of Health Sciences in Bytom, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Poland 2Department of Experimental Hematology, Department of Animal Physiology, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, Poland 3Department of Food Technology and Quality Evaluation, Department of Dietetics, Faculty of Health Sciences in Bytom, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Poland 4Department of Public Health, Department of Public Health Policy, Faculty of Health Sciences in Bytom, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Poland *Correspondence: Renata Polaniak, PhD; Jordana 19, 41808 Zabrze (Poland); [email protected] ABSTRACT Within the bone marrow, megakaryocytes thrive in an environment rich in numerous growth factors that influences their development, maturation, and may play a role in signaling the start of platelet production. Up to now, experiments concerning localisation of various populations of cells in rat bone marrow showed their certain relationship to the blood vessels. There are strikingly few reliable sources of information available in the literature that confirm the relationship between the localisation of these cells in connection to nerve fibers. Therefore the purpose of the present study was to examine if megakaryocytes are located in a defined relation to sensory and sympathetic nerve fibers. The study used immature 6 weeks rats of the Wistar breed of both sexes. The animals were kept under constant lighting conditions (12 hours light-dark cycle) and temperature, and had unrestricted access to water and food (standard laboratory rodent feed).Double immunostaining method was applied with usage of secondary antibodies conjugated with fluorochromes (Cy3 and DTAF) to identify cells. The antibody against CD42d was used to immunolocalise megakaryocytes, while in order to identify the distribution of nerves, antibodies anti-NPY (for detection sympathetic nerve fibers) and anti-PGP 9.5 (sensory nerve fibers) were applied. These findings showed the presence of megakaryocyte and megakaryoblastic cells which were distributed with a close relationship to the blood vessels but some of them were located in parenchyma. It was shown that NPY-positive and PGP 9.5-positive cells were present in the vicinity of blood cells. Furthermore, some megakaryocytes were located near PGP 9.5-labelled cells. The relationship between sympathetic nerve fibers containing neuropeptide Y and megakaryocytes was also detected. The presence of megakaryocytes with a close vicinity of nerve fibers suggests the influence of the released neurotransmitters on the location of the megakaryocytes in the bone marrow. KEYWORDS: megakaryocytes, platelets, bone marrow, innervation, neuropeptide Y, PGP 9.

Nutritional knowledge and nutritional status of the recreationally active population

Introduction. Adequate nutrition combined with physical activity is the foundation of a healthy lifestyle. Recreational sportspersons should know how to adjust their nutrition to physical activity in order to benefit their health. The aim of the study was to assess the nutritional knowledge of recreationally active people and to assess the influence of BMI and gender on the level of nutritional knowledge. Material and methods. The study was conducted with the use of 200 participants aged 15-55 years living in the city of Katowice. The respondents were physically active at least 3 times a week for at least 1 hour. Nutritional knowledge was assessed through a self-administered questionnaire. Nutritional status was assessed by means of the BMI index, and for its assessment, the ranges recommended by the World Health Organization were adopted. Results. Most of the respondents - 33.5% (n=77) declared that they practiced weight training, 15.5% (n=31) attended group fitness classes, 14.5% (n=29) practiced running, fewer people practiced team sports and cycling. The nutrition knowledge of the majority of the respondents was at a sufficient level (n=136), 44 respondents had good nutrition knowledge and 22 respondents had insufficient nutrition knowledge. None of the respondents had very good nutrition knowledge. More than 70% of respondents had normal BMI (n=142), more than 25% (n=51) were overweight, and 7 subjects had BMI values below normal. Conclusions. There was no relationship between gender, BMI, and level of nutritional knowledge. The study shows that there is a need for nutritional education for recreational sportsmen

Glucoside-3-cyanidin (Cy3G) and its importance in cancer therapy

When analyzing the structure of cancer incidence in Poland, it is extremely important to take chemopreventive actions as early as possible, which are aimed at reducing the incidence of the most common cancers, focusing on the prevention and use of natural bioactive factors contained in food. Anthocyanins are a large group of ingredients contained in plants that do not have a nutritional function, but play a significant role in the regulation of metabolic processes in the human body, which has a multidirectional pro-health and preventive effect in relation to many diseases, especially cancer. High hopes in chemoprevention are associated with the biological activity of the most common representative of anthocyanins, i.e. cyanidin-3-glucoside (Cy3G). Most of the studies on Cy3G bioactivity come mainly from in vitro cell line tests and in vivo experimental studies on rodents. Studies of the biological activity of Cy3G most often include: the process of free radical absorption, anti-inflammatory, anticoagulant, insulinotropic, antimicrobial, chemotherapeutic and epigenetic effects. This publication summarizes the results of in vitro studies conducted on various cancer cell lines, which prove the antiproliferative, anti-inflammatory and chemopreventive activity of Cy3G

Dietary trends among Polish women in 2011–2022—cross-sectional study of food consumption frequency among women aged 20–50 in Silesia region, Poland

BackgroundWomen’s nutrition should be different from that of men. Women have lower energy requirements than men. And the need for certain vitamins and minerals is higher in women, this applies to iron, calcium, magnesium, vitamin D and vitamin B9 (folic acid). This is related to hormonal changes including menstruation, pregnancy, breastfeeding and the onset of menopause. Through hormonal changes and the changing physiological state, women are at greater risk of anaemia, bone weakness and osteoporosis.The aim of the study was to assess changes in the dietary pattern among women from the Silesian Agglomeration in Poland between 2011 and 2022.Material and methodThe survey was conducted in 2011 (March–May 2011) and in 2022 (October–November 2022) among women living in the Silesian Agglomeration (Silesia region) in Poland aged 20–50. After consideration of the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 745 women were included in the final analysis, including 437 women screened in 2011 and 308 women screened in 2022.The research tool used in this publication was a survey questionnaire consisting of 2 parts. The first part of the questionnaire consisted of demographic data. The second part of the study focused on the dietary habits of the women surveyed and the frequency of consumption of individual foods (FFQ).ResultsMore women in 2022 ate breakfast than in 2011 (77.6% vs. 63.8% p < 0.001), were more likely to eat breakfast I at home (73.1% vs. 62.5%; p < 0.001), were more likely to eat breakfast II (39.0% vs. 35.2%; p = 0.001), were more likely to eat breakfast II at home (28.6% vs. 19.2%; p = 0.002), and were more likely to eat lunch at work (16.6% vs. 3.4%; p < 0.001). Women in 2022 were more likely to consume fast-food (p = 0.001), salty snacks (chips, crisps) (p < 0.001) and sweets (p < 0.001). Women in 2022 were more likely to consume whole-grain bread (p < 0.001), wholemeal pasta (p < 0.001), brown rice (p < 0.001), oatmeal (p < 0.001), buckwheat groats (p = 0.06), and bran (p < 0.001) than women in 2011. They were less likely to consume white bread (p < 0.0001), light pasta (p = 0.004), white rice (p = 0.008) and cornflakes (p < 0.001) in 2022.Women in 2022 were significantly more likely to consume vegetables (p < 0.001) than women in 2011.ConclusionEating habits in Silesia region women changed between 2011 and 2022. In 2022, women were more likely to choose cereal products considered health-promoting and rich in dietary fiber (including whole-grain bread, whole-grain pasta, oatmeal, bran) were more likely to consume vegetables, dry pulses and vegetarian dinners, and consumed less meat, cured meats, fish and dairy products. Consumption of fast-food, salty snacks (such as chips) and sweets increased

Salubrious behaviour of the secondary schools’ adolescents on example of city and country communities Part II. Using psychoactive substances and spending free time

INTRODUCTION The use of drugs and other stimulants, as well as a passive way of spending free time, are the most common unhealthy behaviors among adolescents. The aim of the study was an analysis of selected salubrious behaviour of the secondary schools’ pupils, identification of the differences in occurrence of this behavior between the adolescents from the city and the country and estimation which sociological factors influenced the occurrence of the analysed behavior. MATERIAL AND METHODS The research tool was an author questionnaire conducted among 167 pupils at the age 13-14 of the secondary schools in Tarnowskie Góry and Boronów. Part I included questions referring to socio-economic status, the next parts referred to the occurrence of taking drugs and spending free time. RESULTS 10% of the surveyed in the tested group of secondary schools’ adolescents admitted taking drugs. Comparable number of girls and boys took drugs in the country, whereas there was larger number of boys in the city. In the city the adolescents dedicated their free time to meeting friends and watching TV, and in the country the pupils spent their free time with PC or meeting friends. CONCLUSIONS It had been ascertained that among the surveyed pupils there had been a group taking psychoactive substances. Passive way of spending free time was a common phenomenon in the milieu of the tested adolescents but there were differences in occurrence of the analysed behaviour be tween the pupils from the city and the country. The factors determining the occurrence of the discussed behaviour were the family structure and father’s education.WSTĘP Stosowanie używek oraz bierny sposób spędzania czasu wolnego to najczęściej spotykane zachowania antyzdrowotne nie tylko w środowisku młodzieży. Celem badania była analiza wybranych zachowań zdrowotnych gimnazjalistów, identyfikacja różnic w występowaniu tych zachowań między młodzieżą zamieszkałą na wsi i w mieście oraz odpowiedź na pytanie, które z czynników socjologicznych determinują występowanie analizowanych zachowań. MATERIAŁ I METODY Materiał badawczy stanowiło 167 uczniów w wieku 13–14 lat, uczęszczających do szkół gimnazjalnych w Tarnowskich Górach i w Boronowie. Narzędziem badawczym był autorski kwestionariusz wywiadu. I część zawierała pytania dotyczące statusu społeczno-ekonomicznego ankietowanych, kolejne części dotyczyły występowania wśród młodzieży wybranych zachowań, tj. zażywania narkotyków oraz sposobu spędzania wolnego czasu. WYNIKI W badanej grupie gimnazjalistów do zażywania narkotyków przyznało się 10% ankietowanych. Narkotyki zażywa porównywalny odsetek dziewcząt i chłopców zamieszkałych na wsi, natomiast w mieście narkotyki zażywa więcej chłopców niż dziewcząt. Spotkania ze znajomymi oraz oglądanie telewizji są najczęściej wymienianą formą spędzania wolnego czasu wśród uczniów zamieszkałych w mieście. Z kolei największy odsetek z grupy zamieszkałych na wsi uczniów spędza czas wolny przed komputerem oraz spotyka się ze znajomymi. WNIOSKI Stwierdzono, że wśród ankietowanych uczniów znalazła się grupa używająca substancji psychoaktywnych. Spędzanie czasu wolnego w sposób bierny jest zjawiskiem powszechnym w środowisku badanej młodzieży, przy czym zaobserwowano różnice w występowaniu analizowanych zachowań między uczniami ze środowiska wiejskiego i miejskiego. Czynnikami determinującymi występowanie omawianych zachowań są struktura rodziny oraz poziom wykształcenia ojca

Nutrition preferences of children ages 7–10

INTRODUCTION The eating preferences and habits initiated from the beginning of our life have a significant impact on proper nutrition through our lifetime. Parents play a major role in this process because their children learn from them what is healthy and what is not. The main objective of the work is to assess the food preferences of children aged 7-10 years, taking into account the views of children and their parents. An additional aim is to demonstrate the correlation between the frequency of consumption of selected products, and their declared level of acceptance. MATERIALS AND METHODS During our research we focused on a group of 110 children aged 7–10 and parents who live in Zabrze and Ruda Slaska. Both groups were asked to take part in a survey by filling in two authorial questionnaires. Statistical analysis was conducted based on χ2 Pearson’s test. RESULTS Most of the meals consumed from the analysed group of products were approved of by the children. The research showed that 92% of the children liked apples very much. Out of vegetables, 67% of the children preferred cucumbers. Out of dairy products, 62% of the children selected milk and 56% indicated fruit yogurt as their preferred products. Sour fermented dairy products were defined as products that were the most disliked by children, i.e. 55% of children disliked buttermilk, and 20% of children disliked dark/ whole grain bread. CONCLUSIONS The eating habits and preferences of children are well known by most of their parents. However, this research has not shown the relationship between the level of acceptance of the products and the frequency of their consumption. The results gathered during this research have shown that there is a need to educate both children and their parents to make sure that they understand the rules of good eating habits and its influence on the development of growing children.W S T Ę P Na prawidłowe żywienie wpływają nawyki i upodobania żywieniowe, które kształtują się od najmłodszych lat życia. Ważną rolę w tym procesie odgrywają rodzice, od których dziecko uczy się tego, co jest zdrowe, a co nie. Celem głównym pracy jest ocena preferencji żywieniowych dzieci w wieku 7–10 lat, z uwzględnieniem opinii dzieci i ich rodziców. Celem dodatkowym jest wykazanie zależności między częstością spożycia wybranych produktów a deklarowanym poziomem ich akceptacji. M A T E R I A Ł I M E T O D Y Badaniem objęto grupę 220 osób, w tym 110 uczniów w wieku 7–10 lat mieszkających w Zabrzu i Rudzie Śląskiej oraz grupę 110 rodziców dzieci, wykorzystując dwa autorskie kwestionariusze ankiety. Dokonano analizy statystycznej używając testu χ2 Pearsona, przyjmując poziom istotności α = 0,05. WYNIKI Większość produktów spożywczych z analizowanych grup żywności była akceptowana przez dzieci. W badaniach wykazano, że najbardziej preferowanymi owocami były jabłka, które 92% dzieci bardzo lubiło. Spośród warzyw, najchętniej uczniowie spożywali ogórki (67%), a z grupy produktów mlecznych mleko (62%) i jogurt owocowy (56%). Do szczególnie nielubianych produktów zaliczano fermentowane przetwory mleczne, takie jak maślanka, której nie lubiło 55% dzieci, kefir (35%) i ciemne pieczywo (20%). WNIOSKI Zdecydowana większość badanych rodziców dobrze zna upodobania żywieniowe swoich dzieci, nie wykazano jednak w badaniach zależności między poziomem akceptacji produktów a częstością ich spożycia. Wyniki badań wskazują na potrzebę edukacji żywieniowej zarówno dzieci, jak i ich rodziców z zakresu zasad prawidłowego żywienia i jego wpływu na rozwój dorastających dzieci