This paper summarises the isotopic characteristics, i.e., oxygen and hydrogen isotopes, of Slovenian milk and its major constituents: water, casein, and lactose. In parallel, the stable oxygen ...isotope ratios of cow, sheep, and goat's milk were compared. Oxygen stable isotope ratios in milk water show seasonal variability and are also
O enriched in relation to animal drinking water. The
O
values were higher in sheep and goat's milk when compared to cow milk, reflecting the isotopic composition of drinking water source and the effect of differences in the animal's thermoregulatory physiologies. The relationship between
O
and
O
is an indication that even at lower amounts (>7%) of added water to milk can be determined. This procedure once validated on an international scale could become a reference method for the determination of milk adulteration with water.
•ISO-FOOD ontology – a new way of representing isotopic data for food research.•Defines metadata needed for isotopic characterization.•Describes a powerful technique for organizing and sharing stable ...isotope data across Food Science.
To link and harmonize different knowledge repositories with respect to isotopic data, we propose an ISO-FOOD ontology as a domain ontology for describing isotopic data within Food Science. The ISO-FOOD ontology consists of metadata and provenance data that needs to be stored together with data elements in order to describe isotopic measurements with all necessary information required for future analysis. The new domain has been linked with existing ontologies, such as Units of Measurements Ontology, Food, Nutrient and the Bibliographic Ontology. To show how such an ontology can be used in practise, it was populated with 20 isotopic measurements of Slovenian food samples. Describing data in this way offers a powerful technique for organizing and sharing stable isotope data across Food Science.
This study examined the percentage and stable isotope ratios of fatty acids in milk to study seasonal, year, and regional variability. A total of 231 raw cow milk samples were analyzed. Samples were ...taken twice per year in 2012, 2013, and 2014, in winter and summer, covering four distinct geographical regions in Slovenia: Mediterranean, Alpine, Dinaric, and Pannonian. A discriminant analysis model based on fatty acid composition was effective in discriminating milk according to the year/season of production (86.9%), while geographical origin discrimination was less successful (64.1%). The stable isotope composition of fatty acids also proved to be a better biomarker of metabolic transformation processes in ruminants than discriminating against the origin of milk. Further, it was observed that milk from Alpine and Mediterranean regions was healthier due to its higher percentage of ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid and conjugated linoleic acid.
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•Distinguishing between production years and origin of strawberries is possible.•Important variables for origin separation were P, Na, K, As, Ba, Sr, Mo, Cr and Zn.•DD-SIMCA ...year-to-year model proved highly sensitive and specific.•A reduction in variables did not significantly improve the model specificity.•Based on DD-SIMCA model 39% of commercial samples were classified as non-Slovenian.
The geographical classification and authentication of strawberries were attempted using discriminant and class-modelling methods applied to stable isotopes of light elements and elemental composition. The work involved creating a database of 92 authentic Slovenian strawberry samples and 32 imported samples. All samples were harvested between 2018 and 2020. A good geographical classification of Slovenian and non-Slovenian strawberries was obtained despite different production years using discriminant approaches. However, for verifying compliance with a given specification (geographical indications), a class-modelling approach was used to build an unbiased verification model. Class models generated by data-driven soft independent modelling of class analogy (DD-SIMCA) had high sensitivity (96% to 97%) and good specificity (81% to 91%) on a yearly basis, while a more generalised model combining total yearly data gave a lower specificity (63%). Of the 33 commercially available samples (test samples) with declared Slovenian origin, 39% were from outside of Slovenia.
This study used elemental and stable isotope composition to characterize Slovenian truffles and used multi-variate statistical analysis to classify truffles according to species and geographical ...origin. Despite the fact that the Slovenian truffles shared some similar characteristics with the samples originating from other countries, differences in the element concentrations suggest that respective truffle species may respond selectively to nutrients from a certain soil type under environmental and soil conditions. Cross-validation resulted in a 77% correct classification rate for determining the geographical origin and a 74% correct classification rate to discriminate between species. The critical parameters for geographical origin discriminations were Sr, Ba, V, Pb, Ni, Cr, Ba/Ca and Sr/Ca ratios, while from stable isotopes
O and δ
C values are the most important. The key variables that distinguish
from other species are the levels of V and Zn and δ
N values.
can be separated based on the levels of Ni, Cr, Mn, Mg, As, and Cu. This preliminary study indicates the possibility to differentiate truffles according to their variety and geographical origin and suggests widening the scope to include stable strontium isotopes.
As population growth and climate change add to the problem of water scarcity in many regions, the argument for using treated wastewater for irrigation is becoming increasingly compelling, which makes ...understanding the risks associated with the uptake of harmful chemicals by crops crucial. In this study, the uptake of 14 chemicals of emerging concern (CECs) and 27 potentially toxic elements (PTEs) was studied in tomatoes grown in soil-less (hydroponically) and soil (lysimeters) media irrigated with potable and treated wastewater using LC-MS/MS and ICP-MS. Bisphenol S, 2,4 bisphenol F, and naproxen were detected in fruits irrigated with spiked potable water and wastewater under both conditions, with BPS having the highest concentration (0.034–0.134 µg kg−1 f. w.). The levels of all three compounds were statistically more significant in tomatoes grown hydroponically (<LOQ - 0.137 µg kg−1 f. w.) than in soil (<LOQ - 0.083 µg kg−1 f. w.). Their elemental composition shows differences between tomatoes grown hydroponically or in soil and tomatoes irrigated with wastewater and potable water. Contaminants at determined levels showed low dietary chronic exposure. When the health-based guidance values for the studied CECs are determined, results from this study will be helpful for risk assessors.
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•Uptake study of 14 CECs and 27 elements in tomatoes grown in soil/soil-less media.•Bisphenol S, 2,4 bisphenol F, and naproxen were detected in fruits.•CECs presence and growing condition affect the elemental composition of tomatoes.•Contaminants at determined levels showed low dietary chronic exposure.
Analize človeških tkiv iz arheoloških kontekstov pomembno pripomorejo k razumevanju posameznikov in družb v preteklosti. Na primeru četvernega groba 336–339 s poznoantičnega grobišča Bled – ...Pristava predstavljamo potek in rezultate celostne interdisciplinarne raziskave, ki združuje nekaj pri raziskovanju skeletnih tkiv najpogosteje izvedenih analiz, rezultate teh pa povezujemo v širši arheološki in zgodovinski kontekst. Na podlagi zbranih podatkov je mogoče sklepati, da so bili štirje pokojniki, oče s hčerama in sinom, v skupni grob položeni sočasno in premišljeno, morda zaradi posebnih okoliščin ob smrti. Grobni pridatki postavijo kontekst v sredino 6. st., radiokarbonsko datiranje pa v čas 5. in prve polovice 6. st. Analize stabilnih izotopov kažejo nihanja v prehrani skozi različna življenjska obdobja, povezana s spremembo prehrane in fiziološkim stresom. Rezultati interdisciplinarne študije, izvedene na posmrtnih ostankih štirih oseb, prikazujejo, kako se različne analize dopolnjujejo in/ali med seboj potrjujejo, kako velik je njihov domet pri razumevanju življenja in smrti obravnavanih oseb ter kakšen je njihov potencial za razumevanje življenja celotnih skupnosti v določenih zgodovinskih obdobjih.
The grains and milling fractions of common buckwheat (
Moench) and Tartary buckwheat (
(L.) Gaertn.) are widely used for both industrial and small-scale food and non-food products. This paper ...represents a preliminary study of the isotopic signature (
C,
N, and
S) to differentiate between buckwheat species (common vs. Tartary), organic and conventional cultivation farming, and different buckwheat fractions (light flour, semolina, and hulls) obtained by a traditional cereal stone-mill. Stable isotope ratios were analyzed using an elemental analyzer coupled to an isotope ratio mass spectrometer (EA/IRMS). The results indicated that
C,
N, and
S values could be used to verify the origin and production practices of buckwheat and even its products.
Small mountain lakes are natural archives for understanding long‐term natural and anthropogenic impact on the environment. This study focused on long‐term (last ca. 13 000 years) vegetation changes ...and sedimentary processes in the catchment area of Lake Planina pri jezeru (1430 m a.s.l.) by using mineralogical, geochemical and palynological methods. Palynological results suggest that regional vegetation between 12 900 and 11 700 cal a bp was a herbaceous–forest tundra (Pinus, Artemisia, Poaceae). Climate warming at the beginning of the Holocene (ca. 11 700 cal a bp) caused the transition from a wetland (Cyperaceae) to an eutrophic lake with alternating anoxic (pyrite) and oxic conditions (gypsum). In addition, the surrounding area became forested (Picea, Larix, Ulmus). Fagus expanded at 10 200 cal a bp and Abies at 8200 cal a bp. Between 7500 and 4300 cal a bp, human impact on the environment was barely noticeable and mostly limited to grazing. During 4300–430 cal a bp human impact became more evident and gradually increased. The greatest influence was observed from 430 cal a bp onwards, when excessive exploitation of the surrounding area (logging and grazing) severely eutrophicated the lake.
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