The aim of this research was to evaluate the health safety (concentrations of pesticide residues and heavy metals) and nutritional parameters (macro- and microminerals and crude fibre) of coffee ...silver skin (CS), as well to isolate proteins from this by-product using an optimised microwave extraction method. The CS by-product samples showed the highest amount of potassium, followed by calcium, magnesium, and sodium. Iron was found in the highest quantity among the microminerals, followed by copper, manganese, zinc, and chromium. The CS sample showed a large amount of fibre and a moderate quantity of proteins obtained by the optimised microwave extraction method. Four heavy metals (nickel, lead, arsenic, and cadmium) were detected, and all were under the permitted levels. Among the 265 analysed pesticides, only three showed small quantity. The results for the proteins extracted by microwave showed that the total protein concentration values ranged from 0.52 ± 0.01 mg/L to 0.77 ± 0.07 mg/L. The highest value of the concentration of total proteins (0.77 ± 0.07 mg/L) was found in the sample treated for 9 min, using a power of 200 W. Based on these results, it can be concluded that CS is a healthy and nutritionally rich nutraceutical that could be used in the production of new products in the food industry and other industries.
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•Health-related biomarkers in vegetarians vs. non-vegetarians were assessed.•Results revealed differences in biomarkers between the two groups.•Supplementation of animal derived ...nutrients to vegetarians would be beneficial.•Evaluated biomarkers give insight into dietary preferences and health outcomes.
This study was performed in a group of adult vegetarians (N = 40) and matched non-vegetarian subjects (N = 40) in order to analyse differences in health-related biomarkers. Obtained results revealed differences in various biomarkers between subjects on a traditional mixed and vegetarian diet, indicating that vegetarians have a lower nutritional status of some nutrients (Ca, Cu and Zn, and vitamins B12 and D) accompanied with a lower antioxidant defence system (glutathione) and higher homocysteine and genome damage (micronuclei and DNA strand breaks), along with shorter telomeres. This suggests that the supplementation of animal derived nutrients to this particular dietary group would be beneficial for the improvement of some measured health-related biomarkers. However, the level of certain toxic metals (As and Hg) was higher in non-vegetarians. The presented multi-biomarker approach implies the necessity of evaluating a large number of different health-related biomarkers in order to obtain clear insight into dietary preferences and health outcomes.
Pesticides are chemicals used in agriculture to protect crops from pests. In addition to protection during cultivation, they are also used after harvesting to extend the shelf life of products. ...Postharvest control stands out, especially when it comes to products imported from distant countries, resulting in increased concentration of pesticides and risk to human health consuming such products. In this study, analyses of pesticide residues were performed on 200 samples of fruits and vegetables. Pesticide residues were identified and quantified in 30 out of 200 samples. Study results revealed imazalil to be the most frequently detected pesticide. Risk assessment was performed on the obtained results, and it was carried out separately for adults and for children under 6 years of age. Imazalil showed the highest ARfD percentage for adults (max% ARfD 251%), and these values were especially high on risk assessment for children, where they amounted up to max% ARfD 1087%. The study of imazalil impact was performed on 16 Swiss albino mice divided into two groups and 4 subgroups. Experimental group animals were treated with the corresponding NOAEL dose of imazalil (10 mg/kg) for 28 days. Body weight was measured before each pesticide application on a digital electronic Sartorius scale. Peripheral blood analysis was performed after 28-day animal exposure to pesticides. Animals were anesthetized, blood samples were obtained by cardiac puncture, and red blood cell (RBC) count, hemoglobin (Hb) concentration, and white blood cell (WBC) count were determined by standard hematological methods. The organs for determination of imazalil concentration were extracted immediately upon animal sacrifice and stored in a freezer at -80°C until analysis. Results show difference in gain weight, and an increase in WBC count was recorded in the experimental group as compared with a control group of animals. The highest imazalil levels were recorded in adipose tissue (45.2‰) which proves tendency to accumulate.
The beneficial health effects of cheese as a source of bioactive compounds with antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and analgesic effects are well known. The aim of this ...study is to determine the presence of pesticide residues and heavy metals in 79 cheese samples from small farms in Croatia. The samples were analyzed over a period of three years for the quality parameters of fat, protein, dry matter, salt, and pH to determine whether metrological conditions affect the quality of cheese and to test the correlation between the variables in different types of cheese. A total of 509 pesticide residues were analyzed using liquid and gas chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry. Piperonyl butoxide was found in two samples. Inductively coupled plasma with mass spectrometry was used for a metal content analysis, and Cd, Cr, Mn, Ni, and Pb were found in the range of <0.005–0.012 mg kg−1, <0.02–0.84 mg kg−1, 0.031–1.128 mg kg−1, <0.03–0.67 mg kg−1, and <0.01–0.12 mg kg−1, respectively. Cd was detected in just three samples. Mn was found in all analyzed samples. All tested samples complied with EU regulations and directives, and at the point of analysis, none posed a direct health risk for consumers. Sustainability on small farms could be ensured with the responsible use of pesticides and through a consistent and reliable supply of fresh, high-quality milk.
Background: The analysis of vitamins in baby food is a challenging task given the complexity of the food matrix, vitamin stability, and strict regulations of the European Union regarding permissible ...deviations from declared values. Vitamins in food exist in different concentrations and forms and have different stabilities; thus, the preparation of samples for a reliable analysis using the same procedure is not straightforward. Therefore, significant attention has been devoted to optimizing sample preparation in the analysis of vitamins. Methods: This study aims to determine which of the sample preparation and extraction methods is the most efficient for the simultaneous determination of vitamins A, D, E, and K in milk and baby food using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Different samples of baby food were prepared in seven different ways based on four methods (saponification, enzymatic hydrolysis, solvent extraction, and solid-phase extraction). Results and Conclusions: According to the validation parameters, the optimal preparation method proved to be solid-phase extraction with a C18 stationary phase, with recoveries of 97.4%, 96.1%, 98.3%, and 96.2% for vitamins A, D, E, and K, respectively, and HPLC with a UV–Vis detector was identified as a sufficiently sensitive technique for the identification and quantification of fat-soluble vitamins in milk and baby food.
Ginkgo biloba L. is the eldest plant growing on the Earth; preparations made of its leaves and seeds represent an integral part of the Chinese medicine for over a millennium. The plant species was ...first discovered by Linnaeus in 1771, its name thereby originating from the Latin words bis (two) and lobus (lobe), which duly illustrate the specific shape of its leaf. Contemporary Ginkgo biloba L. plant based pharmaceuticals mostly comprise extracts recovered from leaves harvested during fall, when the concentration of active components reaches its peak. Recent investigations have managed to establish the chemical composition of the plant leaf, together with the mechanisms underlying its beneficial effects on rheological profile of the blood and acceleration of its flow. High price of these preparations and their vast popularity have soon become an incentive for counterfeiting Ginkgo biloba L. extracts and the release of bogus drugs comprising cheaper extracts coming from other plants. Namely, modern Ginkgo biloba L.-based medicinal products and food supplements comprise extracts recovered from the plant leaf that get to be standardized according to its key pharmacological active components, most often flavone glycosides (represented in the share of 22%-27%) and terpene trilactones (represented in the share of 6%-7%). The flavonoids that predominate such preparations and are most relevant from the pharmacological standpoint are quercetin, kaempferol and isorhamnetin, their total amount and mutual ratios, thereby being an unquestionable indicator of the extract authenticity. Therefore, most of the analyses aiming at verifying the authenticity of a given Ginkgo biloba L.-based product boil down to the analysis of these parameters. Counterfeiting involves partial or full replacement of the Ginkgo biloba L. extract (GBE) with a cheaper plant extract of a similar composition, the latter occasionally being enriched with an additional amount of flavonoids, most often quercetin, not originating from the Ginkgo biloba L. plant. The aim of this study was to verify the authenticity and quality of Ginkgo biloba L.-based products circulating on the Croatian market. To that effect, 10 samples of products produced by various manufacturers were analyzed in a certified laboratory. The parameters based on which the authenticity of the preparations was assessed were the shares of aglycones of typical ginkgo flavone glycosides, that is to say, quercetin, kaempferol and isorhamnetin, and mutual ratios of the established quantities of quercetin to kaempferol as the key clues to unmasking Ginkgo extracts counterfeiting. The amount of ginkgo flavone glycosides was established using high performance liquid chromatography. The analysis proved 80% of the samples analyzed to be conformant to the label statements as regards the total amount of flavone glycosides and their mutual ratios. In 20% of the samples, the ratio of quercetin to kaempferol deviated from normal values; on top of that, the presence of the phytoestrogen genistein, one of the components typically comprised by the Sophora japonica L. plant, was also proven, documenting counterfeiting of the GBE and its replacement by the Sophora japonica L. extracts in the samples under consideration. Due to the untrue label statements descriptive of these products, the information on the presence of pharmacologically active genistein was neglected to be mentioned despite its unfavorable health impact that can be expected in some consumer groups. The results of this study indicated the frequency of counterfeiting the Ginkgo biloba L.-based products found on the Croatian market to be deemed substantial. Therefore, a more rigorous and more thorough control of these products and sanctioning of irresponsible manufacturers and distributers is proposed, so as to contribute to a higher market representation of high-quality products, as well as to avoid health risks and downsize the rate of their counterfeiting. Key words: Ginkgo biloba; Quercetin; Counterfeit drugs; Croatia Ginkgo biloba L. najstarija je biljka na zemlji, a pripravci od njegovih listova i sjemenaka dio su kineske medicine vec vie tisuca godina. Vrstu je 1771. godine otkrio Linnaeus, a ime je dobila od latinskih rijeci bis, tj. dva i lobus zbog specificnog oblika lista. Dananji farmaceutski oblici biljke Ginkgo biloba L. sadre uglavnom ekstrakte iz listova ubranih ujesen kada je najveca koncentracija aktivnih komponenata. Suvremenim istraivanjima odreden je kemijski sastav njegovog lista, a utvrdeni su i mehanizmi njegovog pozitivnog djelovanja na reoloka svojstva krvi i ubrzanje njezinog protoka. Visoka cijena i velika popularnost ubrzo su postali poticaj za krivotvorenje ekstrakta biljke Ginkgo biloba L. jeftinijim ekstraktima drugih biljaka. Naime, suvremeni medicinski proizvodi i dodaci prehrani na osnovi biljke Ginkgo biloba L. sadre ekstrakte njegovog lista koji se standardiziraju prema njegovim kljucnim farmakoloki aktivnim sastavnicama; najcece je to 22%-27% flavonoid glikozida i 6%-7% terpenskih trilaktona. Kvercetin, kempferol i izoramnetin su dominantni i farmakoloki najvaniji flavonoidi, a njihova ukupna kolicina i medusobni omjeri nedvojben su pokazatelj autenticnosti ekstrakta. Stoga se i vecina analiza za utvrdivanje ispravnosti proizvoda koji sadre biljku Ginkgo biloba L. temelji na analizi ovih parametara. Krivotvorenja podrazumijevaju djelomicnu ili potpunu zamjenu ektrakta Ginkgo biloba L. nekim jeftinijim biljnim ekstraktom slicnog sastava uz eventualno obogacivanje dodatnom kolicinom flavonoida, najcece kvercetina, koji ne potjecu od biljke Ginkgo biloba L. Svrha ovoga rada bila je provjeriti autenticnost i kakvocu pripravaka Ginkgo biloba L. na hrvatskom tritu. Analizirano je ukupno 10 uzoraka razlicitih proizvodaca. Kao pokazatelji njihove ispravnosti odredivani su udjeli aglikona karakteristicnih ginkoflavonoglikozida: kvercetin, kempferol i izoramnetin te omjeri nadenih kolicina kvercetina i kempferola kao kljucni pokazatelji krivotvorenja ginkgo-ekstrakta. Kolicina ginkoflavonoglikozida odredena je metodom tekucinske kromatografije visoke djelotvornosti. Analizom je utvrdeno da 80% uzoraka odgovara navodima deklaracije u pogledu ukupne kolicine flavonoglikozida kao i u pogledu njihovog medusobnog omjera. U 20% uzoraka omjer kvercetina i kempferola odstupao je od uobicajenih vrijednosti, a dokazano je i prisustvo fitoestrogena genisteina, jedne od karakteristicnih sastavnica biljke Sophora japonica L., cijim ekstraktom je krivotvoren ginkgo-ekstrakt u analiziranim uzorcima. Zbog neistinite deklaracije na proizvodima koji su sadravali ove ekstrakte izostalo je i obvezno upozorenje o prisutnosti farmakoloki aktivnog genisteina koji moe izazvati neeljene zdravstvene posljedice kod pojedinih skupina potroaca. Rezultati ovoga rada ukazuju na znacajnu pojavnost krivotvorenja proizvoda biljke Ginkgo biloba L. na hrvatskom tritu te se zbog toga predlae njihova temeljitija kontrola kao i sankcioniranje neodgovornih proizvodaca i trgovaca, cime bi se doprinijelo vecem udjelu kvalitetnijih proizvoda i izbjegli zdravstveni rizici te smanjila pojavnost prijevare. Kljucne rijeci: Ginkgo biloba; Kvercetin; Krivotvoreni lijekovi; Hrvatska
Ginkgo biloba
L. is the eldest plant growing on the Earth; preparations made of its leaves and seeds represent an integral part of the Chinese medicine for over a millennium. The plant species was ...first discovered by Linnaeus in 1771, its name thereby originating from the Latin words
bis
(two) and
lobus
(lobe), which duly illustrate the specific shape of its leaf. Contemporary
Ginkgo biloba
L. plant based pharmaceuticals mostly comprise extracts recovered from leaves harvested during fall, when the concentration of active components reaches its peak. Recent investigations have managed to establish the chemical composition of the plant leaf, together with the mechanisms underlying its beneficial effects on rheological profile of the blood and acceleration of its flow. High price of these preparations and their vast popularity have soon become an incentive for counterfeiting
Ginkgo biloba
L. extracts and the release of bogus drugs comprising cheaper extracts coming from other plants. Namely, modern
Ginkgo biloba
L.-based medicinal products and food supplements comprise extracts recovered from the plant leaf that get to be standardized according to its key pharmacological active components, most often flavone glycosides (represented in the share of 22%-27%) and terpene trilactones (represented in the share of 6%-7%). The flavonoids that predominate such preparations and are most relevant from the pharmacological standpoint are quercetin, kaempferol and isorhamnetin, their total amount and mutual ratios, thereby being an unquestionable indicator of the extract authenticity. Therefore, most of the analyses aiming at verifying the authenticity of a given
Ginkgo biloba
L.-based product boil down to the analysis of these parameters. Counterfeiting involves partial or full replacement of the
Ginkgo biloba
L. extract (GBE) with a cheaper plant extract of a similar composition, the latter occasionally being enriched with an additional amount of flavonoids, most often quercetin, not originating from the
Ginkgo biloba
L. plant. The aim of this study was to verify the authenticity and quality of
Ginkgo biloba
L.-based products circulating on the Croatian market. To that effect, 10 samples of products produced by various manufacturers were analyzed in a certified laboratory. The parameters based on which the authenticity of the preparations was assessed were the shares of aglycones of typical ginkgo flavone glycosides, that is to say, quercetin, kaempferol and isorhamnetin, and mutual ratios of the established quantities of quercetin to kaempferol as the key clues to unmasking
Ginkgo
extracts counterfeiting. The amount of ginkgo flavone glycosides was established using high performance liquid chromatography. The analysis proved 80% of the samples analyzed to be conformant to the label statements as regards the total amount of flavone glycosides and their mutual ratios. In 20% of the samples, the ratio of quercetin to kaempferol deviated from normal values; on top of that, the presence of the phytoestrogen genistein, one of the components typically comprised by the
Sophora japonica
L. plant, was also proven, documenting counterfeiting of the GBE and its replacement by the
Sophora japonica
L. extracts in the samples under consideration. Due to the untrue label statements descriptive of these products, the information on the presence of pharmacologically active genistein was neglected to be mentioned despite its unfavorable health impact that can be expected in some consumer groups. The results of this study indicated the frequency of counterfeiting the
Ginkgo biloba
L.-based products found on the Croatian market to be deemed substantial. Therefore, a more rigorous and more thorough control of these products and sanctioning of irresponsible manufacturers and distributers is proposed, so as to contribute to a higher market representation of high-quality products, as well as to avoid health risks and downsize the rate of their counterfeiting.
Sredstva za zaštitu bilja pripravci su koji se sastoje ili koji sadržavaju aktivne tvari i dodatne nepesticidne tvari. Jedna od najuobičajenijih metoda za zaštitu bilja i biljnih proizvoda od ...utjecaja štetnih organizama svakako je uporaba aktivnih tvari u sredstvima za zaštitu bilja. Međutim, moguća posljedica njihove uporabe može biti prisutnost ostatka na tretiranim proizvodima, u životinjama koje se hrane tim proizvodima i u medu koji su proizvele pčele izložene tim tvarima. Analize ostataka pesticida u proizvodima biljnog i životinjskog podrijetla provode se u analitičkim laboratorijima i koriste se multirezidualne metode (MRM) ili pojedinačne metode (SRM). Rezultati analiza ocjenjuju se sukladno Uredbi 396/2005 za konvencionalne proizvode i na temelju Uredbe (EZ) 889/2008 za proizvode iz ekološke proizvodnje.
Ginkgo biloba L. najstarija je biljka na zemlji, a pripravci od njegovih listova i sjemenaka dio su kineske medicine već više tisuća godina. Vrstu je 1771. godine otkrio Linnaeus, a ime je dobila od ...latinskih riječi bis, tj. dva i lobus zbog specifičnog oblika lista. Današnji farmaceutski oblici biljke Ginkgo biloba L. sadrže uglavnom ekstrakte iz listova ubranih ujesen kada je najveća koncentracija aktivnih komponenata. Suvremenim istraživanjima određen je kemijski sastav njegovog lista, a utvrđeni su i mehanizmi njegovog pozitivnog djelovanja na reološka svojstva krvi i ubrzanje njezinog protoka. Visoka cijena i velika popularnost ubrzo su postali poticaj za krivotvorenje ekstrakta biljke Ginkgo biloba L. jeftinijim ekstraktima drugih biljaka. Naime, suvremeni medicinski proizvodi i dodaci prehrani na osnovi biljke Ginkgo biloba L. sadrže ekstrakte njegovog lista koji se standardiziraju prema njegovim ključnim farmakološki aktivnim sastavnicama; najčešće je to 22%-27% flavonoid glikozida i 6%-7% terpenskih trilaktona. Kvercetin, kempferol i izoramnetin su dominantni i farmakološki najvažniji flavonoidi, a njihova ukupna količina i međusobni omjeri nedvojben su pokazatelj autentičnosti ekstrakta. Stoga se i većina analiza za utvrđivanje ispravnosti proizvoda koji sadrže biljku Ginkgo biloba L. temelji na analizi ovih parametara. Krivotvorenja podrazumijevaju djelomičnu ili potpunu zamjenu ektrakta Ginkgo biloba L. nekim jeftinijim biljnim ekstraktom sličnog sastava uz eventualno obogaćivanje dodatnom količinom flavonoida, najčešće kvercetina, koji ne potječu od biljke Ginkgo biloba L. Svrha ovoga rada bila je provjeriti autentičnost i kakvoću pripravaka Ginkgo biloba L. na hrvatskom tržištu. Analizirano
je ukupno 10 uzoraka različitih proizvođača. Kao pokazatelji njihove ispravnosti određivani su udjeli aglikona karakterističnih
ginkoflavonoglikozida: kvercetin, kempferol i izoramnetin te omjeri nađenih količina kvercetina i kempferola kao ključni pokazatelji krivotvorenja ginkgo-ekstrakta. Količina ginkoflavonoglikozida određena je metodom tekućinske kromatografije visoke djelotvornosti. Analizom je utvrđeno da 80% uzoraka odgovara navodima deklaracije u pogledu ukupne količine flavonoglikozida kao i u pogledu njihovog međusobnog omjera. U 20% uzoraka omjer kvercetina i kempferola odstupao je od uobičajenih vrijednosti, a dokazano je i prisustvo fitoestrogena genisteina, jedne od karakterističnih sastavnica biljke Sophora japonica L., čijim ekstraktom je krivotvoren ginkgo-ekstrakt u analiziranim uzorcima. Zbog neistinite deklaracije na proizvodima koji su sadržavali ove ekstrakte izostalo je i obvezno upozorenje o prisutnosti farmakološki aktivnog genisteina koji može izazvati neželjene zdravstvene posljedice kod pojedinih skupina potrošača. Rezultati ovoga rada ukazuju na značajnu pojavnost krivotvorenja proizvoda biljke Ginkgo biloba L. na hrvatskom tržištu te se zbog toga predlaže njihova
temeljitija kontrola kao i sankcioniranje neodgovornih proizvođača i trgovaca, čime bi se doprinijelo većem udjelu kvalitetnijih proizvoda i izbjegli zdravstveni rizici te smanjila pojavnost prijevare.
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