Chemical Composition and Bioactivity of Dill Seed (Anethum graveolens L.) Essential Oil from Plants Grown under Shading.

This study determined the content and composition of dill seed (Anethum graveolens L.) essential oil under varying light conditions: non-shaded plants in open fields and plants covered with pearl shade nets (40% shade index). Essential oil was extracted using Clevenger hydrodistillation. The essential oil content was 4.63% for non-shaded plants and 4.81% for shaded plants. GC/MS analysis revealed twenty-one and twenty-two components in dill seed from non-shaded and shaded plants, respectively. The terpenic fraction of essential oil from non-shaded plants consisted mainly of oxygen-containing monoterpene derivatives (53.6%), with carvone (46.1%) as the primary component, followed by monoterpene hydrocarbons (46.4%), predominantly limonene (43.8%). Essential oil from shaded plants contained a higher content of carvone (49.8%) and a lower content of limonene (37.8%) compared to essential oil from non-shaded plants. Non-shaded plant essential oil exhibited stronger antioxidant activity (EC50 value: 26.04 mg mL-1) than shaded plant essential oil (54.23 mg mL-1). Dill seed essential oil showed the most potent antimicrobial activity (disc diffusion method) against Escherichia coli (inhibition zone: 15-18 mm). Shaded plants demonstrated a positive influence of essential oil against Klebsiella pneumoniae. Carvone and its derivatives, as the main components, hold significant potential in the food industry and alternative medicines. A practical implication of this study could be higher plant densities or intercropping of dill, as it thrives with minimal light.

Comparative Study of the Nutritional and Chemical Composition of New Oil Rape, Safflower and Mustard Seed Varieties Developed and Grown in Serbia.

Oilseed crops are widely cultivated and are related to nutrition and human health as valuable nutraceutical sources with valuable biological properties. The growing demand for oil plants used in human and animal nutrition or for the processing industry has contributed to the diversification and development of a new variety of oil crops. Increased oil crop diversity, besides ensuring reduced sensitivity to pests and climate conditions, has also led to improved nutritional values. In order to enable oil crop cultivation to become commercially sustainable, a comprehensive characterization of newly created varieties of oilseeds, including their nutritional and chemical composition, is required. In this study, two varieties of safflower and white and black mustard were investigated as alternative oil species for nutritional parameters, mainly protein, fat, carbohydrate, moisture, ash, polyphenols, flavonoids, chlorophylls contents, acids and mineral composition, and compared with those of two different genotypes of rapeseeds as a traditional oil crop plant. The proximate analysis found that the highest oil content was found in the oil rape NS Svetlana genotype (33.23%), while the lowest was in black mustard (25.37%). The protein content varies from around 26% in safflower samples to 34.63%, determined in white mustard. High content of unsaturated fatty acids and low content of saturated fatty acid was observed in the analyzed samples. In mineral analysis, the dominant elements were phosphorus, potassium, calcium and magnesium, in descending order. The observed oil crops are also good sources of microelements, including iron, copper, manganese and zinc, accompanied by high antioxidant activity due to the presence of significant amounts of polyphenolic and flavonoid compounds.

Emerging Perspectives of Blockchains in Food Supply Chain Traceability Based on Patent Analysis.

In the field of blockchain (BC) technology application in the food supply chain (FSC), a patent portfolio is collected, described, and analyzed using Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) modeling, with the aim of obtaining insight into technology trends in this emerging and promising field. A patent portfolio consisting of 82 documents was extracted from patent databases using PatSnap software. The analysis of latent topics using LDA indicates that inventions related to the application of BCs in FSCs are patented in four key areas: (A) BC-supported tracing and tracking in FSCs; (B) devices and methods supporting application of BCs in FSCs; (C) combining BCs and other ICT technologies in FSC; and (D) BC-supported trading in FSCs. Patenting of BC technology applications in FSCs started during the second decade of the 21st century. Consequently, patent forward citation has been relatively low, while the family size confirms that application of BCs in FSCs is not yet widely accepted. A significant increase in the number of patent applications was registered after 2019, indicating that the number of potential users in FSCs is expected to grow over time. The largest numbers of patents originate from China, India, and the US.

Fruit and Vegetable Consumption during the COVID-19 Lockdown in Serbia: An Online Survey.

The global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly influenced individuals' dietary choices and food-buying behavior. Present research specifically delves into the alterations in fruit and vegetable (F&V) consumption among consumers in Serbia during the pandemic. The study employs an extended model of the theory of planned behavior (TPB), incorporating the construct of consumers' knowledge to comprehensively explore behavioral changes. Conducted in the first half of 2020, the study engaged 479 participants from Serbia, using an online questionnaire for data collection. Structural equation modelling was employed for a thorough analysis of the gathered responses. The main outcome revealed a noteworthy connection between consumers' knowledge and their attitudes, subjective norms, and intentions regarding F&V consumption. Subjective norms significantly influenced consumers' desire to increase F&V intake during and after the outbreak. These intentions aligned with actual behavior changes, indicating a shift toward higher F&V consumption. Consumer knowledge also notably shaped attitudes and behaviors regarding F&V intake. Notably, the TPB proved valuable in predicting and understanding these dietary shifts during global crises like the pandemic. These insights not only bolster healthier eating habits but also have broader implications for public health. Understanding consumer behavior dynamics during crises like COVID-19 is crucial for crafting effective strategies to promote overall human health and well-being.

Effect of shading and grafting on yield and quality of tomato.

BACKGROUND: The need to increase marketable tomato yields and decrease losses due to sunburn and disease during the summer motivates farmers to adopt additional cultural practices such as shading and grafting. To investigate complex interactions among grafting, shading, and tomato cultivar, grafted and ungrafted tomatoes (cv. 'Optima' F1 and cv. 'Big Beef' F1 ) were grown in the soil under net-house cover, using pearl and red nets, and in unshaded conditions (open fields). Tomato fruit at the red stage of maturity were used for the analysis of quality traits, and total and marketable yields were recorded during the whole production season. RESULTS: Grafting and shading in tomato production might be considered as cultivation practices to increase the marketable tomato yield. A decrease in sugar content increased the uptake of some micro elements (Fe and Zn) and macro elements (Ca). In some cases, firmer and less elastic skin may be expected due to grafting. Shading with pearl net might result in fruit with lower firmness and higher total, and particularly malic, acid content. CONCLUSION: Shading with colored nets and grafting provide alternative strategies for achieving higher fruit yields and avoiding or reducing a decrease in tomato quality caused by environmental stresses such as excessive radiation and temperature in the summer cropping season. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

Physicochemical properties and mineral content of honey samples from Vojvodina (Republic of Serbia).

Forty-five honey samples of three honey types - two monofloral (acacia and sunflower) and one polyfloral (meadow) were collected from the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina (Republic of Serbia) and analysed for their physicochemical parameters (moisture, acidity, pH, ash, electrical conductivity, glucose, fructose, hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), CIE L∗a∗b∗ colour and mineral content). All tested physicochemical parameters were in agreement with the EU regulation except for moisture (4 samples) and HMF content (1 sample). Principal component analysis (PCA) was used for assessing the effects of three honey types on all investigated physicochemical parameters. According to PCA, acacia honey samples can be clearly isolated and form a cluster, while, regarding other honey types, PCA can offer the possibility to distinguish sunflower and meadow honey samples regarding examined physicochemical parameters and mineral content.

Effects of high temperatures and drought during anthesis and grain filling period on wheat processing quality and underlying gluten structural changes.

BACKGROUND: Climate changes do not only affect wheat yield, but also its quality. Information on this topic gathered so far is somewhat contradictory and insufficient. Climate changes also affect wheat indirectly through their influence on the ecosystem, including insects and fungi that affect wheat technological quality. The aim of this study was to examine trends in structural and technological changes of wheat quality under conditions typical of climate changes. With this in mind, three groups of wheat varieties with the same Glu-score were examined in three production years, characterized by different production conditions. RESULTS: A production season characterized by climate change conditions results in lower activity of amylolytic enzymes. What is more, it results in lower content of gluten, higher gluten index value, its decrease after 1 h to 37 °C, lower number of free SH groups and higher content of free amino groups, which result in lower alveograph W, lower farinograph WA and higher extensograph dough resistance. CONCLUSION: Variability in wheat quality produced under different climatic conditions is mainly influenced by the production conditions, including their influence on ecosystem factors. The influence of wheat cultivar genetic predisposition is much less expressed. This indicates that differences among cultivars with different Glu-score might be diminished under the influence of altered production conditions, as a consequence of climate change. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

The optimisation of traditional fermentation process of white cabbage (in relation to biogenic amines and polyamines content and microbiological profile).

White cabbage heads cultivar "Futoski" and hybrid "Bravo" were investigated during fermentation process, for 50days, at different temperature regimes (16-18; 18-20; 20-22°C) and salt concentrations 1, 1.5 and 2%. The quantity of biogenic amines (tryptamine, phenylethylamine, putrescine, cadaverine, histamine, serotonine, tyramine, spermidine and spermine), as well as microbiological profile (lactic acid bacteria, total number of microorganisms, yeasts and moulds and Enterobacteriaceae) have been determined during fermentation. The optimum processing conditions were determined by Response Surface Method, coupled with Fuzzy Synthetic Evaluation algorithm. The optimal process parameters, regarding low biogenic amines and polyamines content, for "Futoski" cabbage was: salt concentration of 2%, at 18°C, and for hybrid "Bravo": salt concentration of 1%, at 20°C.

Effects of wheat bug (Eurygaster spp. and Aelia spp.) infestation in preharvest period on wheat technological quality and gluten composition.

The effects of wheat bug infestation (Eurygaster spp. and Aelia spp.) on the composition of wheat gluten proteins and its influence on flour technological quality were investigated in the present study. Wheat samples of six wheat varieties, collected from two localities in northern Serbia, were characterized by significantly different level of wheat bug infestation. Composition of wheat gluten proteins was determined using sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS PAGE), while the selected parameters of technological quality were determined according to standard and modified empirical rheological methods (Farinograph, Extensograph, Alveograph, and Gluten Index). The surface morphology of the selected samples was viewed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Wheat from wheat bug-infested locality regardless of the variety had deteriorated technological quality expressed with higher Farinograph softening degree, lower or immeasurable Extensograph energy, and Alveograph deformation energy. The most important changes in the gluten proteins composition of bug-infested wheat were related to gliadin subunits with molecular weights below 75 kDa, which consequently caused deterioration of uniaxial and biaxial extensibility and dough softening during mixing.

Effect of different ripening conditions on pigments of pepper for paprika production at green stage of maturity.

The content and composition of pigments and CIELab color properties in fruits ripened in the field were compared with those obtained in ground paprika produced from green pepper fruits after postharvest ripening for 15 days in a greenhouse under different conditions. Obtained data for pigment content, composition, and esterification rate have shown that the processes of pigment biosynthesis in fruits ripened under greenhouse conditions are different from those occurring in fruits naturally matured in the field: the red/yellow pigment ratio (3:1) in greenhouse-ripened fruits is much higher than in naturally ripened pepper in breaker (1:1) and also in faint red (2:1) ripening stages from the field. Additionally, during the postharvest ripening of green pepper in the greenhouse esterification processes are less expressed than during the ripening of the fruits in the field. Postharvest ripening under natural daylight resulted in higher content of red pigments, followed by higher ASTA value.

Adsorption of heavy metals from electroplating wastewater by wood sawdust.

Poplar wood sawdust was examined for adsorption as a replacement for current, more expensive methods of removing copper, zinc and cadmium from electroplating wastewater. Langmuir, Freundlich, BET and competitive Langmuir (two competing ions) isotherms were fitted to experimental data and the goodness of their fit for adsorption was compared. The shapes of isotherms obtained fitted well with multilayer adsorption. This was established and confirmed through solid correspondence between the BET equation and experimental data, in contrast to an observed monolayer adsorption of metal ions on poplar sawdust in single metal-water solutions. The adsorption of copper ions from a mixture (in wastewater) was better than that from a single metal solution. The adsorptions of zinc ions from wastewater and from model water were approximately equal, while that of cadmium ions was significantly lower from the wastewater than from model water. The aforementioned suggests that the presence of other ions in wastewater hindered adsorption of cadmium ions.