Flavonoids are one of the most important metabolites in plants and they have important biological functions. Conventional extraction of this bioactive compounds has been used with organic solvents, but most of them are toxic and pollute the environment. As an alternative for organic solvents, natural deep eutectic solvents (NaDEs) have received more attention. The aim of this study was optimized and compare four different NaDEs for the extraction of flavonoids in orange peels. To optimize the extraction of flavonoids using NaDEs and magnetic stirring, a Response Surface Methodology (RSM) design was developed. Four different NaDEs systems with two components were obtained and examined in their corresponding molar ratios. Five levels were used for the optimization: solid-liquid ratio, extraction time and water content in NaDEs. Water content in NaDEs has significant impact on the extraction efficiency. The result showed the highest extraction was with Choline chloride: fructose (NaDEs-1) and 50% of NaDEs with a yield of 194.71± 4.58 mg/100g of dry matter. High water content can affect the hydrogen bonding interactions, which limit the solvent interaction with target components. However, without water was observed a yield reduction because the high viscosity of the NaDES. In all the cases the extraction with 85% of NaDEs extracted the minors yields of flavonoids. The optimum conditions of flavonoids extraction with NaDEs-1 were 50% of NaDEs, solid: liquid ratio of 1:25 and extraction time of 23 min. Based on literature the use of NaDEs for flavonoids extraction can improved the extraction yields by 7.0% in comparison with a traditional extraction with ethanol. The results demonstrate that the use of NaDEs is and efficient and ecofriendly alternative to extract flavonoids from orange peels and the variables studied had significant effects on measured responses.

Objectives: In recent years, there have been more than 6000 digestive cancer deaths (about 2500 males and 3500 females) in Serbia every year. The aim was to assess the relationship between per capita consumption of milk and dairy products and mortality rates for digestive organs cancers.

Materials and methods: In this ecological study, data on both mortality rates (the age-standardized mortality rates were calculated by direct standardization, using the World Standard Population for cancer of esophagus, stomach, colon, rectum and anus, liver and pancreas) and the per capita consumption of milk and dairy products was obtained from official data-collection sources. Multivariate linear regression analysis was used to determine the β coefficient (with 95% CIs), in order to assess the strength of the associations between consumption of milk and dairy products and mortality from digestive organs cancers.

Results: The milk consumption was significantly independently positively associated with esophageal cancer mortality rates in men (β=+0.042, 95% CI=0.003-0.081, p=0.038). In women, a significant independent positive association was observed between the consumption of milk and mortality rates from stomach cancer (β=+0.072, 95% CI=0.034-0.111, p=0.002). In contrast, per capita consumption of yogurt, cheese and other dairy products was not independently correlated with mortality from either of the other digestive organs cancers.

Conclusion: Consumption of dairy products is of potential importance for mortality of digestive cancers. Further epidemiological analytical studies are needed to investigate a possible causative association.

Background: A significant part of vitamin D, which is necessary for important vital processes, a person receives with food. Vitamin D affects the proper functioning of the lungs and the immune system, which can be important in the development, severity and course of allergic diseases (asthma, eczema and food allergies). In the past two years, many studies have appeared that deal with the effect of vitamin D levels in the body on the severity of COVID-19.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the presence of vitamin D-containing foods in the diets of young people and the appearance of allergic diseases symptoms.

Methods: The study was a cross- sectional descriptive survey. Respondents included in the study were 223 first year students of Kharkiv State University of Food Technology and Trade for the years 2017-2021. Data collection was carried out by conducting two parallel questionnaires A and B. Using questionnaire A, the frequency of consumption and food preferences were assessed in relation to 22 vitamin D-containing foods. The assessment was carried out on a 5-point scale. Also, students were offered a questionnaire B, which was developed by the Ukrainian Ministry of Health for the screening of allergic diseases. Before analysis of data the internal consistency and trait validity of the instrument was carried out.

Results: Analysis of the results showed that the consumption of foods rich in vitamin D is at a lower level than the respondents' desire to consume them. Consumption of vitamin D-containing foods such as cod liver, fish oil, and many types of fish is very low. It was revealed that the main food source of vitamin D is chicken eggs. This fact speaks in favor of the fact that young people in Ukraine experience a certain lack of vitamin D.

Analysis of questionnaires for screening allergic diseases showed that, depending on the year of the survey, 60-72% of the respondents had symptoms of allergic diseases. The survey also showed that in the period from 2018 to 2021, the regular intake of vitamin D increased from 7% to 15%. Statistical methods were used to assess the correlation between the studied factors.

Conclusion: The survey suggests that foods rich in vitamin D are not among the preferences of young people. As a consequence, there is a definite relationship between the presence of vitamin D deficiency in young people and a high percentage of respondents with allergic diseases symptoms.

3D food printing is a technique that satisfies all these criteria for manufacturing personalised / customised food and for specific consumer groups both in terms of sensorial and nutritional properties. The health beneficial effects of Rosehip are related to their rich content in flavonoids, carotenoids, fatty acids, vitamins, especially vitamin C and folate. The aim of this study was to investigate the printability in terms of dimensional properties (variation in length, width and height) of 3D printed rectangular base (7 x 3 cm) bread gluten free doughs containing rosehip powder or rosehip powder encapsulated with maltodextrin. The effect of rosehip addition on rheology and colour of doughs plus texture and colour of the final product was studied. Furthermore, bread doughs and breads were evaluated for changes in shape and dimensions of the 3D printed structures based on figure height and the incorporation of rosehip powder or rosehip powder encapsulated with maltodextrin. The addition of rosehip powder increased both elastic and viscous modulus of dough and it changed its colour from white to orange. After printing process, height effect on figure dimension was remarkable in comparison with dough formulation. During baking, width and height were the dimension more affected, above all height. These dimension suffered a notable increase because of fermentation of dough that provoked air bubbles inside the bread. The dimension more stable after baking was length. Samples with rosehip powder in dough formulation reduced the variation of this dimension both before and after baking. Control baked bread showed whitish crumb, like traditional bread, however baked bread with rose hip powder in dough formulation provoked caused orange tones in the crumb. Control baked bread crust presented higher luminosity than the rest of breads. Hardness, cohesiveness, springiness, and resilience of crumb baked breads was affected mainly by dough formulation, however gumminess and chewiness by figure height. Control baked bread crust had the lowest cohesiveness and springiness but the highest hardness and resilience. Rosehip powder addition in dough to obtain bread increased crumb cohesiveness and springiness probably for the network formed between rosehip fiber and water. Control baked bread crust was harder than that of the rest breads. The addition of rosehip powder in dough and the use of 2 cm of figure height, to obtain 3D printed bread gluten free, improve the printability in terms of dimensional properties, achieving 3D structures with more stability and resistance to baking.

In recent years, the interest in food products containing natural additives that claim health benefits has increased exponentially. Algae have long been traditionally used for food in certain Asian regions and today the demand for edible seaweed and new culinary trends concerning algae (new production models and products) are emerging. In this work, the fatty acid profile and the antioxidant and antibacterial activities of Ulva intestinalis, Ulva lactuca, Cystoseira baccata and Himanthalia elongata extracts obtained by accelerated solvent extraction (ASE) (ethanol 100% / 120 ºC) were investigated. Lipids were determined by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS). C. baccata ethanolic extracts showed considerably higher capacity of inhibiting 50% of DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl) and higher potential antimicrobial activity on Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus in comparison with the other species studied, showing ASE is an efficient alternative technique for obtaining high-quality extracts from the nutritional point of view.

Modified starches from bananas offer an opportunity to encapsulate underutilized South American fruits to deliver antioxidant compounds such as polyphenols. This research aimed to evaluate the bioaccessibility and intestinal permeability of polyphenols from Andean blackberry (Rubus glaucus Benth) powder encapsulated in octenyl succinic anhydride (OSA)-modified Gros Michel banana starch. For this, OSA-modified Gros Michel banana and blackberry powder capsules were produced using an optimized spray-drying procedure. Then, an in vitro gastrointestinal digestion simulating the oral, gastric, and intestinal stages was conducted, and the bioaccessibility of total phenolics, total flavonoids, and condensed tannins was quantified using spectrophotometric analysis. Moreover, specific polyphenols were quantified along with the digestion by HPLC-DAD. The simulated gastrointestinal digestion showed a low bioaccessibility of total phenolics, flavonoids, and condensed tannins (up to 6 %), but gallic and chlorogenic acids and quercetin were the most bioaccessible quantified polyphenols. High apparent permeability values were obtained for total phenolics (5-22 × 10-6 cm/s), which could be explained by the in silico simulations between the primary identified polyphenols and a model of intestinal membrane, where (+)-catechin displayed the highest binding affinity (-8.50 kcal/mol). This research encourages research using novel starch sources for encapsulating functional fruits to validate their potential health benefits through gastrointestinal digestion.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of κ-carrageenan (KC) and konjac gum (KGM) on gelaiton and microstructural properties of scallop male gonads hydrolysates (SMGHs) as well as the governed intermolecular interactions. The G' values of SMGHs/KGM/KC significantly increased by 3.6- and 108.5-fold in comparison to that of SMGHs/KC and KGM/KC gels at 0.1 Hz, with corresponding melting temperature increasing from 27.9 (KGM/KC) and 30.0 (SMGHs/KC) to 33.7 °C (SMGHs/KGM/KC), respectively. In addition, the decrease in the relaxation time T₂₃ and intensity enhancement of hydroxyl group vibrations of SMGHs/KGM/KC compared with controls indicated strong interactions between SMGHs and KGM/KC. Moreover, the ternary mixture of SMGHs/KGM/KC formed a condensed and compact network structure with thick walls as well as showed a rougher structure with more aggregation due to the generation of macromolecular biopolymers. Furthermore, electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions were found to be the main interaction forces, while hydrogen bonds were secondary in the gelation of SMGHs/KGM/KC gels. This study is expected to provide theoretical basis for modification of marine-based protein hydrolysates by binary gum, as well as fabrication of food ingredients with better gel properties, which promote SMGHs to be relevant to controlled design and production processes in future food industry application.

This study was carried out to indicate the potential application of apricot kernel flour (a residue generated in the food processing industry) as a dietary supplement. Apricot stones contain a seed with high content of protein, fat, mineral, and dietary fiber that is mostly underused and underutilized. Six biscuit formulations were prepared by replacing wheat flour with apricot kernel flour at different incorporation levels and the effect of apricot kernel flour (AKF) on physicochemical properties, sensorial attributes, and antioxidant potential of enriched biscuits was investigated. Control biscuits without the addition of AKF were produced for comparisons. The enriched biscuits showed an improvement in physical characteristics, color, texture, protein, fat, fiber, ash, phenolic content, and antioxidant property without significantly affecting the organoleptic quality of biscuits. Sensory evaluation results depicted that all the samples were sensorially acceptable and the highest score in most of the attributes was obtained for 15 % incorporation of AKF. This study demonstrates that AKF has great potential feasibility of improving the quality of confectionery products, an opportunity to increase their applications and decrease the environmental pollution by the residue products of the food industry.

The consumption of dairy products, especially fermented milk products, which are attributed many health-promoting properties, seems to be different on the Polish and Taiwanese markets. The aim of the study was to assess consumption and preferences concerning the choice of dairy products by Polish and Taiwanese consumers. The present study was conducted in Taichung, Taiwan and in Warsaw, Poland. Data was obtained through the author's questionnaire, involving 200 respondents aged 19–25 years old. One hundred respondents were students from Department of Animal Science, National Chung Hsing University and another one hundred were students from Department of Human Nutrition, Warsaw University of Life Sciences. The results obtained indicate that Poles (39%) were more likely to declare consuming dairy products daily compared to Taiwanese (14%). Among the most frequently consumed dairy products, Polish students mentioned milk (89%), yoghurt (80%) and ripened cheese (69% of respondents). Taiwanese, on the other hand, mentioned milk (95%), yoghurt especially drinking yoghurt (81%) as well as dairy desserts (70%) and yakult (69%). For Polish consumers, the most important characteristic of yoghurt influencing their purchase decision was its composition, followed by texture, appearance and sour taste. Whereas for Taiwanese students, the most important factor influencing the purchase decision of yoghurt was its texture, price and sweet taste of yoghurt. Polish students preferred regular fat yoghurt (53%) and low fat yoghurt (22%), while the preferences of Taiwanese students were quite different, with most people declaring a preference for fat yoghurt (57%) and regular fat yoghurt (22%). Evaluation of dairy products, especially fermented milk products, consumption among consumers showed differences in consumption and preferences of these products between Polish and Taiwanese students.

Background: Medicinal plants continue to be an interesting source of natural products for treating various health conditions. It is estimated that more than 150,000 plant species have been studied, many of which contain valuable therapeutic agents, and the applications of novel compounds from plants for pharmaceutical purposes have been gradually increasing in recent years.
Essential oils are volatile compounds with an oily fragrance obtained from the different plant parts, flowers, leaves, stems, bark, and roots. These volatile oils showed the different kinds of biological activities, including antibacterial, antioxidant, antiviral, insecticidal, etc. The importance of essential oils is increasing because they are mostly used in the beverage and food industries, cosmetics and fragrance industries to make valuable perfumes, and with many biological activities.
Medicinal and aromatic plants are extensively used as natural organic compounds and as medicines. Also, essential oils of aromatic plants have been used to treat various sorts of infectious diseases. In recent years, numerous efforts are made to explore essential oils used to treat various diseases.
Vitex rotundifolia L. is a deciduous shrub belonging to the Verbenaceae. Its fruits have been used in traditional medicine to treat colds, headaches, chronic otitis media, neuralgia, and various diseases. The extractives of Vitex rotundifolia L contain various chemical components, such as flavonoids, diterpenes, terpenoids, and lignans. In addition, it has various bioactivities such as antioxidant, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, and soothing effects.
Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the potential as an inhibitor of mucus production through evaluating the anti-asthmatic effect of essential oil from V. rotundifolia fruit.
Methods: The essential oil was extracted from V. rotundifolia fruit by hydrodistillation method. Chemical compositions of the essential oil were identified by GC-MS analysis. GC-MS was equipped with a VF-5MS column.
The anti-asthmatic activity of essential oil was examined using the LPS-stimulated NCI-H292 cells. NCI-H292 cells were cultured in a 37℃, 5% CO₂ incubator, followed by treatment with various concentrations (10^-3%~10^-7%) of essential oil from V. rotundifolia fruit. After 24 h incubation, CCK-8 solution was added to each well, and the 96-well plate was incubated at 37℃ for 1 h. The percentage of cells showing was determined relative to the control group. Relative gene expression changes of MUC4, MUC5AC, and MUC5B were investigated in the LPS-stimulated NCI-H292 cells treated with essential oil.
Results: As a result of GC/MS analysis, α-pinene (38.07%), 1,8-cineol (12.73%), 5α,9α,10β-kaur-15-ene (7.53%), β-pinene (6.20%), and α-terpinyl acetate (5.22%) were identified as major components of the essential oil. The essential oil exhibited toxicity in a dose-dependent manner. The cell viability was higher than 80% at oil concentrations of 10-7%~10-5%, and almost no cytotoxicity was observed at a concentration lower than 10-5% in NCI-H292. When LPS-stimulated NCI-H292 cells were treated with essential oil (10^-7%), the relative expression levels of the mucus genes MUC4, MUC5AC, and MUC5B were significantly reduced compared to the LPS-treated group (NC).
According to the results of the relative expression level of mucus genes, the expression level of the MUC4, membranous mucin, was decreased by about 42% compared to the negative control. The relative expression of MUC5AC, the most important secretory mucus gene among the mucus genes, was reduced by about 73.6% compared to the negative control. In MUC5B, another secretory mucinous, the essential oil inhibited the gene expression of MUC5B effectively. The MUC5B expression was decreased by about 69.3% in the LPS-stimulated NCI-H292 cells. Budesonide, the positive control, was reduced the relative expression of mucin genes MUC4, MUC5AC, and MUC5B by 7.4%, 18.6%, and 86.6%, respectively. The anti-asthmatic activity of essential oil was very good compared with budesonide.
Conclusion: The anti-asthmatic effect of essential oil from V. rotundifolia fruit was confirmed. The anti-asthmatic activity of essential oil was superior to budesonide, an anti-asthmatic treatment. These results are suggested that that the essential oil of V. rotundifolia fruit can reduce asthma response by suppressing the expression of the mucus gene.