Element concentrations were measured in multifloral honeys sampled from Central and Eastern Croatia. The mean levels of elements ranged from (µg/kg): Al 323–7228, Cu 103–1033, Cr 14.4–139, Fe ...295–2336, Ni 122–523, Pb 9.65–154, Zn 442–2025. In all samples, As and Cd content were below the LOD values. Significant differences in the concentrations of Al, Cr, Cu, Fe, Pb and Zn (
p
< 0.01) were found in honeys from different locations within regions and within locations of each region. Also, significant differences in total element contents between the two regions were determined for Cr and Cu (
p
< 0.01). No significant differences were observed in total Al, Fe, Pb and Zn levels between regions. The highest Al, Cr, Cu, Fe and Zn concentrations were measured in Central Croatia, while Ni and Pb in Eastern Croatia. The results confirm the decisive influence of collection location on the composition of toxic and trace elements in honey.
•Concentrations of macro-, micro- and toxic elements were measured in 10 honey types.•Honeys were collected in four regions of Croatia in three beekeeping seasons.•Significant differences were found ...in the element levels between different honeys.•Element content differences in honeys were measured between seasons.•Regional element content differences of the same honey types were established.
Concentrations of 20 elements were measured in ten honey types collected from four main geographical regions of Croatia during three beekeeping seasons. The four regions differ by their geography, ecology and climate. Significant differences in the element concentrations between honeys of different botanical origin were found for Al, Ba, Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Pb and Zn (p<0.05). The highest mean concentrations of elements were found in honeys: floral Cd, Cr; acacia Mo; honeydew Al, Cu, K, Ni; chestnut Ba, Ca, Mn, Na; forest Fe, Mg; sunflower Cu; linden Pb, Co; sage Se; lacy phacelia Zn. Differences in the element content of honeys originating from the same region collected in different seasons was found for the honeys: floral Al, Ca, K, Zn; acacia Ba, Ca, Cu, Mg, Mn, Na, Zn; honeydew Cu, K, Mn, Pb; chestnut Al, Ba, Cu, K, Mn, Na, Pb; sunflower Cu; linden Ba, Ca, Mn. Also, regional differences in the element content of honeys collected within the same season was found for: floral Al, Ca, K, Mg; acacia Ca, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Zn; honeydew Cu, K, Mn, Pb; sage Ba, Ca, K, Mg, Mn; chestnut Ba.
Current knowledge concerning the possible use and impact of replacing the soybean proteins with those derived from a defatted black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens, HI) meal while feeding chickens to ...produce the meat for human consumption is very limited. This study’s objective was to examine the influence of partial replacement of the HI-defatted flour on chicken meat’s technological properties and quality. 180 one-day-old Ross 308 chicks were divided into three experimental groups (P1, P2, and P3) and one control group counting 45 chicks. The experimental groups were fed with the fattening mixtures containing 15, 25, and 45% of the HI-defatted flour, while the control group was fed in accordance with the standard chicken-fattening requirements. After 42 days, the chickens were slaughtered, and the breasts and drumsticks of 40 chickens were subjected to analysis. A statistically significant difference (P < 0.05) was observed in the P1 for the drip-loss values measured 24 hours after sampling, the muscle resistance to cutting, and the cooking loss values. The water-binding capacity for all three experimental groups did not demonstrate statistically significant differences for the pH1 and pH2 values. Considering the CIE L*a*b* color standard reference values, the results for the breast meat were normally to slightly lighter than normal ones. The basic chemical parameter (water, protein, fat, and collagen) results confirmed that there was no statistically significant difference in any of the experimental groups if compared to the control one.
The World Health Organization recommends adjusting salt intake as a part of the nine global targets to reduce premature mortality from non-communicable chronic diseases as a priority and the most ...cost-effective intervention. In 2006, the main aim of the Croatian Action on Salt and Health was to decrease salt intake by 16% because of its critical intake and consequences on human health. We have organized educative activities to increase awareness on salt harmfulness, define food categories of prime interest, collaborate with industries and determine salt intake (24 h urine sodium excretion). It was determined that the proportion of salt in ready-to-eat baked bread should not exceed 1.4%. In the period 2014-2022, salt in semi-white bread was reduced by 14%, 22% in bakery and 25% in the largest meat industry. Awareness of the harmfulness of salt on health increased from 65.3% in 2008 to 96.9% in 2023 and salt intake was reduced by 15.9-1.8 g/day (22.8% men, 11.7% women). In the last 18 years, a significant decrease in salt intake was achieved in Croatia, awareness of its harmfulness increased, collaboration with the food industry was established and regulatory documents were launched. However, salt intake is still very high, underlying the need for continuation of efforts and even stronger activities.
NITRATE IN LEAFY GREEN VEGETABLES AND ESTIMATED INTAKE Brkić, Danijel; Bošnir, Jasna; Bevardi, Martina ...
African journal of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicines,
03/2017, Letnik:
14, Številka:
3
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
Vegetarian diets are rich in vegetables. Green leafy vegetables are foods that contain considerable amounts of nitrate, which can have both positive and negative effects on the human body. Their ...potential carcinogenicity and toxicity have been proven, particularly after the reduction of nitrate to nitrite itself or just serving as a reactant with amines and/or amides in the formation of N-nitroso compounds -N-nitrosamines and other nitrogen compounds which may have high levels of nitrate. The aim of this study was to determine whether there is a significant difference, considering the location and seasonal sampling period, in the level of nitrate in certain types of green vegetables, all in order to be able to assess their intake, and possible impact on human health, especially knowing that exposure to nitrate can be potentially higher for vegetarian population group.
For this purpose, the sampling of 200 different leafy green vegetables was conducted, all of which could be found in free sale in the Republic of Croatia. The sampling was conducted during two seasonal periods - the spring and autumn period. In the springtime, lettuce (sem), spinach (pinacho), kale (kale), chard (mangel) and cabbage (brassica) were sampled, and in autumn lettuce, spinach, kale, chard and arugula. Samples were analyzed using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with UV detection.
The results from the spring sampling phase were in the range of 603 mg/kg for cabbage - 972 mg/kg for chard, and for autumn phase of 1.024 mg/kg for chard to 4.354 mg/kg for the arugula. The results showed that there were significant differences (p <0.05) for most of the samples analyzed, considering the sampling locations and time period.
The results indicate that the analyzed vegetables contain significant amounts of nitrate in their composition, which represents relatively significant, but still acceptable intake into the human body.
In the Zagreb city area extensive monitoring of water for human consumption has been carried out for years, which includes several dozen different chemical, biological and physical parameters. Given ...the daily water intake in our bodies, the possibility of ingesting certain contaminants via water has a significant role. This especially applies to nitrates, which are in the second place of importance, since it has been found that the water is their source. In this paper, we present results of the presence for the following contaminants: aluminum, cadmium, chlorate and chlorite, nitrate and mercury in water that can be consumed via water in the city of Zagreb for the period 2016-2020. The results indicate stable average annual values of monitored contaminants, except for aluminum and chlorates, for which it was found that the values of annual averages differ several times. However, even in cases of higher values, their contribution to water intake does not pose a risk to the health of consumers, nor it significantly contribute to their overall intake. Still, given the assumption that this is a specific exposure, to which the consumer is tied to the place of residence, it is important to constantly monitor trends, so that each exposure is kept to a minimum.
Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a toxic secondary metabolite produced by the fungi of Aspergillus and Penicillium species. Data indicate a frequent OTA contamination of cereals and cereal products, and ...consequently also the contamination of meat and meat products. The aim of this study was to determine a possible level of meat product consumers' exposure to OTA through the consumption of dry-cured and fermented meat products available on the Croatian market. Data showed the weekly OTA intake of 90% of male dry-cured ham consumers to be a maximum of 51.9 ng kg
-1
b.w., i.e., far below the tolerable weekly intake (TWI) of 120 ng kg
-1
b.w. weekly set out by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). OTA intake coming from the consumption of other meat products under study is lower and ranges from 0.1 to 42.1 ng kg
-1
b.w. weekly, dependent on the study. The study demonstrated that meat products in Croatia do not constitute a notable source of OTA in the human diet, so that the human health risk coming from the consumption of dry-cured and fermented meat products is negligible.
Data from National Food Consumption Survey were used to assess intake of selected vitamins and minerals from fresh fruit in adult population. A number of 165 adults from the Zagreb region in Croatia ...were selected for this purpose. To assess dietary intake, the 24-hour recall method was used and participants were separated according to age in 3 groups (19–30 years, 31–50 years and 51–64 years), as well as according to gender. Data are presented as the average daily intake and compared to the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI) values. The results showed that, in male population, intake of Na, K, P, Fe and Zn was higher in older population, while intake of Ca and Cu was higher in middle-aged po¬pulation. Intake of vitamins in male population for thiamin and pyridoxine was higher in middle-aged population, and intake of riboflavin and niacin was higher in older population. Vitamin C intake was lower and similar in middle-aged and older population, respectively, compared to the youngest population. Regarding female population, the highest intake of almost all vitamins and minerals was in the youngest population, except for sodium and iron. Significant differences in daily intake of minerals and vitamins were observed between female subgroups.
Current knowledge concerning the possible use and impact of replacing the soybean proteins with those derived from a defatted black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens, HI) meal while feeding chickens to ...produce the meat for human consumption is very limited. This study's objective was to examine the influence of partial replacement of the HI-defatted flour on chicken meat's technological properties and quality. 180 one-day-old Ross 308 chicks were divided into three experimental groups (P1, P2, and P3) and one control group counting 45 chicks. The experimental groups were fed with the fattening mixtures containing 15, 25, and 45% of the HI-defatted flour, while the control group was fed in accordance with the standard chicken-fattening requirements. After 42 days, the chickens were slaughtered, and the breasts and drumsticks of 40 chickens were subjected to analysis. A statistically significant difference (P < 0.05) was observed in the P1 for the drip-loss values measured 24 hours after sampling, the muscle resistance to cutting, and the cooking loss values. The water-binding capacity for all three experimental groups did not demonstrate statistically significant differences for the pH.sub.1 and pH.sub.2 values. Considering the CIE L*a*b* color standard reference values, the results for the breast meat were normally to slightly lighter than normal ones. The basic chemical parameter (water, protein, fat, and collagen) results confirmed that there was no statistically significant difference in any of the experimental groups if compared to the control one.
Current knowledge concerning the possible use and impact of replacing the soybean proteins with those derived from a defatted black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens, HI) meal while feeding chickens to ...produce the meat for human consumption is very limited. This study's objective was to examine the influence of partial replacement of the HI-defatted flour on chicken meat's technological properties and quality. 180 one-day-old Ross 308 chicks were divided into three experimental groups (P1, P2, and P3) and one control group counting 45 chicks. The experimental groups were fed with the fattening mixtures containing 15, 25, and 45% of the HI-defatted flour, while the control group was fed in accordance with the standard chicken-fattening requirements. After 42 days, the chickens were slaughtered, and the breasts and drumsticks of 40 chickens were subjected to analysis. A statistically significant difference (P < 0.05) was observed in the P1 for the drip-loss values measured 24 hours after sampling, the muscle resistance to cutting, and the cooking loss values. The water-binding capacity for all three experimental groups did not demonstrate statistically significant differences for the pH.sub.1 and pH.sub.2 values. Considering the CIE L*a*b* color standard reference values, the results for the breast meat were normally to slightly lighter than normal ones. The basic chemical parameter (water, protein, fat, and collagen) results confirmed that there was no statistically significant difference in any of the experimental groups if compared to the control one. Keywords: alternative protein source, broilers, production results, meat quality Dosadasnje znanje o mogucoj upotrebi i utjecaju zamjene bjelancevina soje s bjelancevinama podrijetlom od odmascenoga brasna crne vojnicke muhe (Hermetia illucens, HI) u pogledu hranidbe pilica za proizvodnju mesa za ljudsku potrosnju vrlo je ograniceno. Cilj istrazivanja bio je ispitati utjecaj djelomicne zamjene odmascenoga brasna HI na tehnoloska svojstva i kvalitetu pilecega mesa. Sto osamdeset jednodnevnih pilica Ross 308 podijeljeno je u tri eksperimentalne skupine i jednu kontrolnu skupinu od po 45 pilica. Eksperimentalne skupine hranjene su tovnim smjesama koje su sadrzavale 15, 25 i 45% odmascenoga brasna HI, dok je kontrolna skupina hranjena u skladu sa standardnim zahtjevima tova pilica. Svaka smjesa koristena u tovu pilica uravnotezena je prema potrebama pilica u odredenoj fazi tova. Nakon 42 dana tova pilici su zaklani, a prsa i bataci sa zabatcima 40 pilica (10 po skupini) su koristeni u svrhu analiza. Statisticki znacajna razlika (P < 0,05) uocena je u P1 eksperimentalnoj skupini za vrijednosti otpustanja mesnoga soka izmjerenoga 24 sata nakon uzorkovanja, za otpornost misica na presijecanje i za vrijednosti za kalo kuhanja. Kapacitet vezanja vode za sve tri pokusne skupine nije pokazao statisticki znacajne razlike, kao ni za vrijednosti pH.sub.1 i pH.sub.2. S obzirom na referentne vrijednosti prema CIE L*a*b* standardu boja, rezultati za meso prsa su bili normalni do nesto svjetliji od normalnih. Rezultati analiza osnovnih kemijskih parametara (voda, bjelancevina, masti i kolagen) pokazali su kako nema statisticki znacajnih promjena ni kod jedne pokusne skupine u odnosu na kontrolnu skupinu. Kljucne rijeci: alternativni izvori bjelancevina, brojleri, proizvodni rezultati, kakvoca mesa
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