2022, Gwiazdowska, Daniela, Uwineza, Pascaline Aimee, Frąk, Szymon, Juś, Krzysztof, Marchwińska, Katarzyna, Gwiazdowski, Romuald, Waśkiewicz, Agnieszka

Glechoma hederacea var. longituba is a herbaceous plant from the Lamiaceae family, used in herbal medicine. In this work, we aimed to assess the total phenolic content, antioxidant, antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity of extracts obtained from G. hederacea via supercritical dioxide extraction with methanol as a co-solvent under different extraction conditions. The results showed that the activity of the obtained SC-CO2 extracts is strongly dependent on the extraction temperature. Significantly higher total polyphenol content, as well as antioxidant and antimicrobial activity towards bacteria and yeasts, was observed in the extract obtained at 40 °C, compared to extracts obtained at 50 °C and 60 °C; however, antifungal activity against filamentous fungi was not dependent on the extraction conditions. Antimicrobial activity also depended on the microorganism type. Higher sensitivity was exhibited by Gram-positive bacteria than by Gram-negative bacteria, with S. aureus and P. aeruginosa being the most sensitive species among each group. The most susceptible fungi were Candida albicans and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. The antibiofilm activity was differentiated and depended on the extraction conditions, the microorganism and the method of biofilm treatment. All tested extracts inhibited biofilm formation, with the extract obtained at 40 °C showing the highest value, whereas only extract obtained at 60 °C efficiently removed mature biofilm.

2022, Stanicka, Karolina, Woźniak, Magdalena, Sosnowska, Katarzyna, Mrówczyńska, Lucyna, Sip, Anna, Waśkiewicz, Agnieszka, Ratajczak, Izabela

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.

2022, Bryła, Marcin, Pierzgalski, Adam, Zapaśnik, Agnieszka, Uwineza, Pascaline Aimee, Ksieniewicz-Woźniak, Edyta, Modrzewska, Marta, Waśkiewicz, Agnieszka

2022, Stanicka, Karolina, Woźniak, Magdalena, Krueger, Michał, Waśkiewicz, Agnieszka, Kędzia, Elżbieta, Ratajczak, Izabela

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 μg/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.

2024, Ryszczyńska, Sylwia, Gumulak-Wołoszyn, Natalia, Urbaniak, Monika, Stępień, Łukasz, Bryła, Marcin, Twarużek, Magdalena, Waśkiewicz, Agnieszka

Fungal infections are among the most common diseases of crop plants. Various species of the Fusarium spp. are naturally prevalent and globally cause the qualitative and quantitative losses of farming commodities, mainly cereals, fruits, and vegetables. In addition, Fusarium spp. can synthesize toxic secondary metabolites—mycotoxins under high temperature and humidity conditions. Among the strategies against Fusarium spp. incidence and mycotoxins biosynthesis, the application of biological control, specifically natural plant extracts, has proved to be one of the solutions as an alternative to chemical treatments. Notably, rowanberries taken from Sorbus aucuparia are a rich source of phytochemicals, such as vitamins, carotenoids, flavonoids, and phenolic acids, as well as minerals, including iron, potassium, and magnesium, making them promising candidates for biological control strategies. The study aimed to investigate the effect of rowanberry extracts obtained by supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) under different conditions on the growth of Fusarium (F. culmorum and F. proliferatum) and mycotoxin biosynthesis. The results showed that various extracts had different effects on Fusarium growth as well as ergosterol content and mycotoxin biosynthesis. These findings suggest that rowanberry extracts obtained by the SFE method could be a natural alternative to synthetic fungicides for eradicating Fusarium pathogens in crops, particularly cereal grains. However, more research is necessary to evaluate their efficacy against other Fusarium species and in vivo applications.

2023, Bryła, Marcin, Damaziak, Krzysztof, Twarużek, Magdalena, Waśkiewicz, Agnieszka, Stępień, Łukasz, Roszko, Marek, Pierzgalski, Adam, Soszczyńska, Ewelina, Łukasiewicz-Mierzejewska, Monika, Chmiel, Marta, Wójcik, Wojciech

2023, Lalak-Kańczugowska, Justyna, Witaszak, Natalia, Waśkiewicz, Agnieszka, Bocianowski, Jan, Stępień, Łukasz

Fusarium proliferatum is a common hemi-biotrophic pathogen that infect a wide range of host plants, often leading to substantial crop loss and yield reduction. F. proliferatum synthesizes various mycotoxins, and fumonisins B are the most prevalent. They act as virulence factors and specific effectors that elicit host resistance. The effects of selected plant metabolites on the metabolism of the F. proliferatum strain were analyzed in this study. Quercetin-3-glucoside (Q-3-Glc) and kaempferol-3-rutinoside (K-3-Rut) induced the pathogen’s growth, while DIMBOA, isorhamnetin-3-O-rutinoside (Iso-3-Rut), ferulic acid (FA), protodioscin, and neochlorogenic acid (NClA) inhibited fungal growth. The expression of seven F. proliferatum genes related to primary metabolism and four FUM genes was measured using RT-qPCR upon plant metabolite addition to liquid cultures. The expression of CPR6 and SSC1 genes was induced 24 h after the addition of chlorogenic acid (ClA), while DIMBOA and protodioscin reduced their expression. The transcription of FUM1 on the third day of the experiment was increased by all metabolites except for Q-3-Glc when compared to the control culture. The expression of FUM6 was induced by protodioscin, K-3-Rut, and ClA, while FA and DIMBOA inhibited its expression. FUM19 was induced by all metabolites except FA. The highest concentration of fumonisin B1 (FB1) in control culture was 6.21 µg/mL. Protodioscin did not affect the FB content, while DIMBOA delayed their synthesis/secretion. Flavonoids and phenolic acids displayed similar effects. The results suggest that sole metabolites can have lower impacts on pathogen metabolism and mycotoxin synthesis than when combined with other compounds present in plant extracts. These synergistic effects require additional studies to reveal the mechanisms behind them.

2025, Rajagukguk, Yolanda Victoria, Grygier, Anna, Siger, Aleksander, Waśkiewicz, Agnieszka, Ryszczyńska, Sylwia, Tomaszewska-Gras, Jolanta

2024, Szentner, Kinga Krystyna, Waśkiewicz, Agnieszka, Imbiorowicz, Robert, Borysiak, Sławomir

In recent years, many studies have focused on improving the bioconversion of cellulose by adding non-ionic surfactants. In our study, the effect of the addition of a polymer, polyethylene glycol (PEG 4000), on the bioconversion of different cellulose materials was evaluated, focusing on the hydrolysis efficiency and structural changes in pure cellulose after the enzymatic hydrolysis process. The obtained results showed that the addition of non-ionic surfactant significantly improved the digestibility of cellulosic materials. The highest hydrolysis efficiency was observed for Sigmacel 101 (Cel-S101) cellulose, which consists mainly of amorphous regions. In the case of Avicel cellulose (Cel-A), PEG had a lesser effect on the bioconversion’s efficiency due to limited access to the crystal structure and limited substrate–cellulase interactions. The consistency of the obtained results is confirmed by qualitative and quantitative analyses (XRD, FTIR, and HPLC). Our findings may be helpful in further understanding the mechanism of the action of surfactants and improving the enzymatic hydrolysis process.

2026, Świder, Olga, Bryła, Marcin, Drewnowski, Dominik, Padewska, Daria, Waśkiewicz, Agnieszka

2023, Stępień, Arkadiusz, Wojtkowiak, Katarzyna, Cwalina-Ambroziak, Bożena, Waśkiewicz, Agnieszka

A field experiment with winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivation was conducted at the Research and Education Centre in Tomaszkowo, Poland (53°72′ N; 20°42′ E) in the years 2013–2016. Fertilisation with nitrogen at 150 and 200 kg ha−1 and foliar application of manganese at 0.5 and 1.5 kg ha−1 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 ha−1 to 200 kg ha−1 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.

2023, Wierzbowska, Jadwiga, Cwalina-Ambroziak, Bożena, Waśkiewicz, Agnieszka, Bogucka, Bożena

2023, Stefanowska, Karolina, Woźniak, Magdalena, Majka, Jerzy, Sip, Anna, Mrówczyńska, Lucyna, Waśkiewicz, Agnieszka, Kozak, Wojciech, Dobrucka, Renata, Ratajczak, Izabela

2022, Zapaśnik, Agnieszka, Bryła, Marcin, Waśkiewicz, Agnieszka, Ksieniewicz-Woźniak, Edyta, Podolska, Grażyna

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 2′R-ochratoxin A (2′R-OTA), and to assess risk of dietary exposure to the mycotoxins. OTA and 2′R-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 µg/kg, with the concentration ranges: 0.57–1.97/0.44–2.29/0.40–5.15/0.48–1.97 µg/kg, respectively. Average 2′R-OTA concentrations calculated for positive samples of roasted coffee/instant coffee were 0.90/1.48 µg/kg, with concentration ranges: 0.40–1.26/1.00–2.12 µg/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/2′R-OTA at the highest levels found in this study. Up to now only a few papers on both OTA and 2′R-OTA in roasted food products are available in the literature, and this is the first study in Poland.

2022, Modrzewska, Marta, Błaszczyk, Lidia, Stępień, Łukasz, Urbaniak, Monika, Waśkiewicz, Agnieszka, Yoshinari, Tomoya, Bryła, Marcin

This study evaluated the ability of selected strains of Trichoderma viride, T. viridescens, and T. atroviride to inhibit mycelium growth and the biosynthesis of mycotoxins deoxynivalenol (DON), nivalenol (NIV), zearalenone (ZEN), α-(α-ZOL) and β-zearalenol (β-ZOL) by selected strains of Fusarium culmorum and F. cerealis. For this purpose, an in vitro experiment was carried out on solid substrates (PDA and rice). After 5 days of co-culture, it was found that all Trichoderma strains used in the experiment significantly inhibited the growth of Fusarium mycelium. Qualitative assessment of pathogen–antagonist interactions showed that Trichoderma colonized 75% to 100% of the medium surface (depending on the species and strain of the antagonist and the pathogen) and was also able to grow over the mycelium of the pathogen and sporulate. The rate of inhibition of Fusarium mycelium growth by Trichoderma ranged from approximately 24% to 66%. When Fusarium and Trichoderma were co-cultured on rice, Trichoderma strains were found to inhibit DON biosynthesis by about 73% to 98%, NIV by about 87% to 100%, and ZEN by about 12% to 100%, depending on the pathogen and antagonist strain. A glycosylated form of DON was detected in the co-culture of F. culmorum and Trichoderma, whereas it was absent in cultures of the pathogen alone, thus suggesting that Trichoderma is able to glycosylate DON. The results also suggest that a strain of T. viride is able to convert ZEN into its hydroxylated derivative, β-ZOL.

2022, Waśkiewicz, Agnieszka, Muzolf-Panek, Małgorzata, Stępień, Łukasz, Czembor, Elżbieta, Uwineza, Pascaline Aimee, Górnaś, Paweł, Bryła, Marcin

2025, Cholik, Rafsan Syabani, Skrypnik, Katarzyna, Karaźniewicz-Łada, Marta, Waśkiewicz, Agnieszka, Suliburska, Joanna

2022, Uwineza, Pascaline Aimee, Urbaniak, Monika, Bryła, Marcin, Stępień, Łukasz, Modrzewska, Marta, Waśkiewicz, Agnieszka

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.

2025, Zapaśnik, Agnieszka, Bryła, Marcin, Sokołowska, Barbara, Waśkiewicz, Agnieszka

Abstract Mycotoxins—secondary metabolites produced by filamentous fungal species—occur as a global problem in agriculture due to the reduction in crop quality and the negative effects on human and animal health. There is a need to develop environment-friendly methods of detoxification. In recent years, a number of biological methods for the removal/degradation of mycotoxins have been described. One of them—particularly interesting due to its high effectiveness—is mycoremediation, which involves the ability of Pleurotus spp. mushrooms to remove toxic contaminants from the environment and food. Pleurotus spp. biosynthesizes ligninolytic enzymes, such as laccase and manganese peroxidase that are the main factors of enzymatic degradation of various pollutants, including mycotoxins. The degradation process of mycotoxins (especially aflatoxins) with the participation of isolated enzymes reaches approximately 30–100%, depending on the culture conditions, substrate, and mediators used. In the food industry, their application may include, among others, the detoxification of animal feed from mycotoxins or fermentation products (e.g., juices and wines). While these applications are promising, they require further research to expand toxicological knowledge and optimize their use. This review presents current research on this new and very promising topic related to the use of edible Pleurotus spp. mushrooms in the process of biological degradation of toxic fungal metabolites.

2023, Woźniak, Magdalena, Sip, Anna, Mrówczyńska, Lucyna, Broniarczyk, Justyna, Waśkiewicz, Agnieszka, Ratajczak, Izabela

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 (116.16–219.41 mg GAE/g EEP) and flavonoids (29.63–106.07 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 (29.22–35.14%), and relatively low ferrous iron chelating activity (9.33–32.32%). The results indicated also that the propolis extracts showed high activity in the protection of human red blood cells against free radicals generated from 2,2’-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.