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AktywnoĆÄ biologiczna i profil fenolowy ekstraktu z Ćupiny orzecha wĆoskiego
Introduction. Walnut products are widely used. Green fruits, shells, leaves and bark have a high phenolic content and are used in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. Seeds rich in unsaturated fatty acids are used in the food industry. Walnut wood is also valuable. Aim. The aim of the study was to determine the microbiological, antioxidant activity and concentration of phenolic acids of walnut shell extract. Material and methods. The methanol extract of walnut shells from trees growing in Greater Poland was used for the research. The antibacterial activity was determined by the point diffusion method against 7 strains of gram-positive bacteria and 6 strains of gram-negative bacteria. The method with the DPPH radical and the ability to chelate Fe2+ ions were used to determine the antioxidant activity. The content of phenolic compounds in the tested extract was also determined using the chromatographic method. Results. The tested walnut shell extract showed moderate antibacterial activity against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria and high antioxidant activity in the radical cation test and lower chelating activity in the ferrozine test. Moreover, in the tested walnut shell extract, a higher concentration of phenolic acids, mainly caffeic acid, was determined as compared to the concentration of flavonoids. Conclusions. The tested walnut shell extract showed antiradical activity; therefore, it can be an alternative to synthetic antioxidants. The fact that shells shells are a by-product of the food industry is an added advantage when used in other industries as well.
Oxidative stability and colour changes of fat- and sugar-reduced wafer creams during the storage
Dietary salicylates affect calcium and magnesium status in preeclampsia model rats induced by NG-nitro-L-arginine-methyl ester (L-NAME)
Interfungal antagonism between Trichoderma and Fusarium proliferatum â metabolomic and DNA-based analyses
Influence of nitrogen fertilizers on the concentrations of inulin and micronutrients in Jerusalem artichoke tubers and root chicory
Dynamics of Deoxynivalenol and Nivalenol Glucosylation in Wheat Cultivars Infected with Fusarium culmorum in Field Conditions - A 3 Year Study (2018â2020)
Ochratoxin A and 2âČR-Ochratoxin A in Selected Foodstuffs and Dietary Risk Assessment
The aim of this study was to estimate the contamination of grain coffee, roasted coffee, instant coffee, and cocoa purchased in local markets with ochratoxin A (OTA) and its isomerization product 2âČR-ochratoxin A (2âČR-OTA), and to assess risk of dietary exposure to the mycotoxins. OTA and 2âČR-OTA content was determined using the HPLC chromatography with immunoaffinity columns dedicated to OTA. OTA levels found in all the tested samples were below the maximum limits specified in the European Commission Regulation EC 1881/2006. Average OTA concentrations calculated for positive samples of grain coffee/roasted coffee/instant coffee/cocoa were 0.94/0.79/3.00/0.95 ”g/kg, with the concentration ranges: 0.57â1.97/0.44â2.29/0.40â5.15/0.48â1.97 ”g/kg, respectively. Average 2âČR-OTA concentrations calculated for positive samples of roasted coffee/instant coffee were 0.90/1.48 ”g/kg, with concentration ranges: 0.40â1.26/1.00â2.12 ”g/kg, respectively. In turn, diastereomer was not found in any of the tested cocoa samples. Daily intake of both mycotoxins with coffee/cocoa would be below the TDI value even if the consumed coffee/cocoa were contaminated with OTA/2âČR-OTA at the highest levels found in this study. Up to now only a few papers on both OTA and 2âČR-OTA in roasted food products are available in the literature, and this is the first study in Poland.
Occurrence of tropane alkaloids - atropine and scopolamine - in corn, buckwheat, sorghum, and millet, and their processed food products
Antimicrobial and Antibiofilm Activity of Origanum vulgare Extracts Obtained by Supercritical Fluid Extraction Under Various Extraction Conditions
Sustainable management of agri-food product safety presents a major challenge requiring extensive action to ensure food safety and consumer health. The pursuit of environmentally friendly solutions that will constitute an alternative to the chemical compounds commonly used in agriculture and the food industries is one of the most important problems. One solution is plant extracts containing various biologically active compounds and exhibiting antimicrobial activity. This study aims to determine the biological activity of extracts obtained from Origanum vulgare L. (leaves) by supercritical CO2 (SC-CO2) extraction using different reaction conditions and compositions. In vitro studies revealed antimicrobial activity against selected bacteria (including Salmonella Enteritidis, Listeria monocytogenes, and Staphylococcus aureus) and fungi (Fusarium spp.), depending mainly on the microorganism species; however, extraction conditions also influenced these properties. The microscopic observations established by optical and fluorescence microscopy showed the changes in the fungal cellâs viability and morphology. There was no observed significant release of intracellular material as stated based on ICP-MS analysis of sodium and potassium concentration. Antibiofilm properties of extract obtained by extraction at 40 °C were also demonstrated against S. aureus, P. aeruginosa, and L. monocytogenes, with stronger properties observed against Gram-positive bacteria. Phytochemical characterization of the extracts was determined using a liquid chromatography system with an orbitrap mass spectrometer (LC/MS), identifying, i.e., phenolic acids: protocatechuic, hydroxybenzoic, caffeic, and rosmarinic; flavonoids: luteolin, naringenin, and kaempferol; and terpenoids: oleanolic and ursolic acids.
Fusion of DSC and FTIR data with physicochemical profiling to distinguish berry seed oils by extraction methods
Mycotoxin Level in Winter Wheat Grain as Impacted by Nitrogen and Manganese Fertilisation
A field experiment with winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivation was conducted at the Research and Education Centre in Tomaszkowo, Poland (53°72âČ N; 20°42âČ E) in the years 2013â2016. Fertilisation with nitrogen at 150 and 200 kg haâ1 and foliar application of manganese at 0.5 and 1.5 kg haâ1 were the research factors. Wheat infestation by Fusarium spp. was determined by the habitat conditions during crop growth. Neither nitrogen nor manganese fertilisation affected the presence of Fusarium spp. symptoms on wheat ears, but the infestation intensity decreased with increasing nitrogen and manganese content in the grain. Only the level of deoxynivalenol (DON) was correlated with Fusarium spp. infestation. Increasing the nitrogen fertilisation rate from 150 kg haâ1 to 200 kg haâ1 resulted in higher grain contamination with toxins. Supplementation of nitrogen fertilisation with manganese reduced the number of mycotoxins in wheat grain. The grain yield was mainly affected by the varied weather conditions during the wheat-growing periods. Neither nitrogen nor manganese fertilisation differentiated the wheat grain yield. The objective of this study was to examine the impact of the weather conditions and nitrogen and manganese fertilisation on the grain yield, occurrence of Fusarium head blight and mycotoxin level in winter wheat grain.
Fusarium Species Shifts in Maize Grain as a Response to Climatic Changes in Poland
Maize, along with wheat and rice, is the most important crop for food security. Ear rots caused by Fusarium species are among the most important diseases of maize. The distribution of Fusarium species provides essential epidemiological information for disease management. The effect of weather conditions, climate change and geographic localization on the Fusarium population in Poland was evaluated between 2015 and 2018. Grain samples (n = 233) were collected from hybrids at 16 locations (L1âL16). The differences in altitude between locations ranged from 39 to 243 m above sea level, longitude varied between 15°55âČ and 23°12âČ E, and latitude spanned from 50°12âČ to 54°01âČ N. Isolates were identified using molecular techniques. The highest Fusarium species frequency was recorded for 2016 (30.70%) and 2017 (28.18%), and the lowest for 2018 (5.36%). F. verticillioides and F. temperatum were the most frequent. Altitude has an effect on F. vericillioides frequency: F. graminearum showed a negative correlation with both latitude and longitude. In Polish conditions, from silking to harvesting, the number of days with higher precipitation and lower temperatures is associated with an increased frequency of F. verticillioides, F. temperatum, F. graminearum and F. avenaceum. This suggests that the Fusarium presence in Poland is significantly influenced not only by climate change but also by extreme weather changes.
Impact of dietary salicylates on angiogenic factors and biochemical parameters in a rat model of preeclampsia
Background The pathophysiology of preeclampsia involves impaired cytotrophoblastic invasion, placental ischemia, inflammation, and angiogenic imbalance. Prophylactic low-dose aspirin can reduce the risk of preeclampsia and fetal growth restriction in high-risk women. This study evaluated the effect of dietary salicylates on the development of preeclampsia in rats treated with L-NAME (NG-nitro-L-arginine-methyl ester). Methodology Pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to six groups and treated with dietary salicylates at two dose levels (1 and 10âmg/kg diet) or aspirin (doses adjusted to dietary salicylates). Preeclampsia was induced by administering L-NAME in drinking water from gestational days 6â19. Results Neither dietary salicylates nor aspirin, at either dose, affected blood pressure in L-NAME-treated rats. The lower dose of dietary salicylates significantly reduced urinary albumin levels. Both interventions prevented an increase in the sFlt/PLGF ratio and mitigated histopathological placental changes in preeclamptic rats. The higher dose of aspirin reduced placental VEGFR2 protein levels. Conclusion Dietary salicylate supplementation does not provide clear preventive effects against preeclampsia.
Toxico-pathological effects of ochratoxin A and its diastereoisomer under in ovo conditions and in vitro evaluation of the toxicity of these toxins against the embryo Gallus gallus fibroblast cell line
Biological Activity and Chemical Composition of Propolis from Various Regions of Poland
Propolis is one of the bee products, with multiple biological properties used in numerous applications. The research objective was to determine the chemical composition and biological properties (antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, antioxidant, and cytoprotective activity) of propolis extracts collected from various regions of Poland. The results indicated that the total content of phenols (116.16â219.41 mg GAE/g EEP) and flavonoids (29.63â106.07 mg QE/g EEP) in propolis extracts depended on their geographic origin. The high content of epicatechin, catechin, pinobanksin, myricetin, and acids: vanillic and syringic in propolis samples was confirmed by chromatographic analysis. Moreover, the presence of caffeic acid phenethyl ester was confirmed in all samples. The origin of propolis also influenced the biological properties of its extracts. The propolis extracts were characterized by moderate DPPH free radical scavenging activity (29.22â35.14%), and relatively low ferrous iron chelating activity (9.33â32.32%). The results indicated also that the propolis extracts showed high activity in the protection of human red blood cells against free radicals generated from 2,2â-azobis(2-methylpropionamidine) dihydrochloride (AAPH). The extracts exhibited diversified activity against the tested pathogenic bacteria and limited activity against fungal strains. The research of selected propolis extracts showed that only 2 of 5 examined samples showed moderate activity against HPV (human papillomaviruses) and the activity depended on its geographical distribution.
Efficacy of Lamium album as a natural fungicide: impact on seed germination, ergosterol, and mycotoxins in Fusarium culmorum-infected wheat seedlings
Fusarium culmorum is a major wheat pathogen, and its secondary metabolites (mycotoxins) cause damage to plants, animals, and human health. In the era of sustainable agriculture, eco-friendly methods of prevention and control are constantly needed. The use of plant extracts as biocontrol agents has gained popularity as they are a source of active substances that play a crucial role in fighting against phytopathogens. This study evaluated the impact of Lamium album on wheat seed germination and seedling growth. In a pot experiment, the effect of L. album on wheat seedlings artificially inoculated with F. culmorum was evaluated by measuring seedling growth parameters, and by using chromatographic methods, ergosterol and mycotoxins levels were analyzed. The results showed that the phytotoxic effect of L. album flower extracts on wheat seed germination and seedling growth was concentration dependent. The radicle length was also reduced compared to the control; however, L. album did not significantly affect the dry weight of the radicle. A slight phytotoxic effect on seed germination was observed, but antifungal effects on artificially infected wheat seedlings were also confirmed with the reduction of ergosterol level and mycotoxins accumulation in the roots and leaves after 21 days of inoculation. F. culmorum DNA was identified in the control samples only. Overall, this study is a successful in planta study showing L. album flower extract protection of wheat against the pathogen responsible for Fusarium crown and root rot. Further research is essential to study the effects of L. album extracts on key regulatory genes for mycotoxin biosynthetic pathways.
Metabolomic Aspects of Conservative and Resistance-Related Elements of Response to Fusarium culmorum in the Grass Family
Background: Fusarium head blight (FHB) is a serious fungal disease affecting crop plants, causing substantial yield reductions and the production of mycotoxins in the infected grains. Achieving progress in the breeding of crops with increased resistance and maintaining a high yield is not possible without a thorough examination of the molecular basis of plant immunity responses. Methods: LC-MS-based metabolomics approaches powered by three-way ANOVA and the selec-tion of differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs) were used for studying plant immunity. A correlation network and functional enrichment analysis were conducted on grains of barley and wheat genotypes that were resistant or susceptible to FHB, as well as on the model grass Brachypodium distachyon (Bd), as this is still poorly understood at the metabolomic level. Results: We selected common and genotype-specific DAMs in response to F. culmorum inoculation. The immunological reaction at the metabolomic level was strongly diversified between resistant and susceptible genotypes. DAMs that were common to all tested species from the porphyrin, flavonoid, and phenylpropanoid metabolic pathways were highly correlated, reflecting con-servativeness in the FHB response in the Poaceae family. Resistance-related DAMs belonged to different structural classes, including tryptophan-derived metabolites, pyrimidines, the amino acids proline and serine, as well as phenylpropanoids and flavonoids. The physiological re-sponse to F. culmorum of Bd was close to that of barley and wheat genotypes; however, metabo-lomic changes were strongly diversified. Conclusions: Combined targeted and untargeted metabolomics provides comprehensive knowledge about significant elements of plant immuni-ty that have the potential to be molecular biomarkers of enhanced resistance to FHB in the grass family. Thorough examination of the Bd metabolome in juxtaposition with diversified geno-types of barley and wheat facilitated its use as a model grass for plantâmicrobe interaction.
Variation in Tocochromanols Level and Mycotoxins Content in Sweet Maize Cultivars after Inoculation with Fusarium verticillioides and F. proliferatum
In Vitro Effects of Lemon Balm Extracts in Reducing the Growth and Mycotoxins Biosynthesis of Fusarium culmorum and F. proliferatum
The objectives of this research were to obtain the extracts of lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) using supercritical CO2 (SC-CO2) and methanol as co-solvent and evaluate the antifungal activity of those extracts against two selected strains of Fusarium species (Fusarium culmorum and Fusarium proliferatum). The extraction conditions were set at 40 and 60 °C and 250 bar. The obtained extracts were characterized in terms of antifungal activity on potato dextrose agar media (PDA). The results showed that the extraction parameters had different effects on mycelium growth and mycotoxins biosynthesis reduction. All studied lemon balm extracts (1, 2.5, 5, 7.5, and 10%) inhibited the growth of F. proliferatum and F. culmorum mycelia compared to the control. The lemon balm extracts significantly reduced ergosterol content and synthesized mycotoxins in both tested strains. These findings support the antifungal activity of lemon balm extracts against F. proliferatum and F. culmorum. However, more research on other Fusarium species is needed, as well as in vivo applications, before considering lemon balm extracts as a natural alternative to synthetic fungicides.
ZawartoĆÄ zwiÄ zkĂłw fenolowych oraz pierwiastkĂłw w orzechach ziemnych
Introduction. Peanuts also known as arachidic nuts, are a valuable raw material commonly used in the food industry, including in confectionery, for the production of oil or peanut butter. Peanuts are a valuable source of protein and are rich in unsaturated fatty acids. Peanuts also owe their health-promoting properties to the presence of phenolic compounds, which are characterized by wide biological activity, including antibacterial and antifungal activity, as well as catch free radicals, which are the cause of many civilization diseases. Aim. The aim of the study was to determine the content of phenolic compounds as well as macro- and microelements in peanuts. Material and methods. Peanuts were used in the research, in which the concentration of phenolic compounds was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography and the content of macro- and microelements by X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy. Results. The presence of phenolic compounds in peanuts was confirmed, their concentration was very diverse and ranged from 10.85 ng/g for caffeic acid to 5818.67 ng/g for syringic acid. The analysis of the content of macro- and microelements also showed their different content, from a trace amount to 3.55 ÎŒg/g for magnesium. Conclusions. The obtained results of the research on the content of phenolic compounds as well as macro- and microelements in arachidic nuts available on the Polish market indicate that they are a valuable source of ingredients with a positive effect on the human body, and thus their consumption may have an impact on preventing the development of many civilization diseases.
