Search

Abstract There are differing views on cannabis and phytocannabinoid usage in diverse domains of application. This review explores the advantages and drawbacks of using cannabis and phytocannabinoids, including their effects on human health, in addition to highlighting the need for precise and repeatable analytical methods for quantifying controlled phytocannabinoids in consumer cannabidiol (CBD) products and foods. The composition and characteristics of the phytochemicals found in cannabis, the advantages and disadvantages of controlled and uncontrolled phytocannabinoids, and the need for regulation and standardization in the use of cannabis and products containing phytocannabinoids are all covered in this review of the pertinent literature. Cannabinoids used illegally can have negative consequences, but controlled phytocannabinoids found in consumer CBD products are relatively safe and unlikely to cause any adverse effects. It is necessary to restrict the amount of CBD in foods and consumer products in order to ensure safety. To measure the amount of restricted phytocannabinoids in these products, accurate analytical techniques are also required. In order to increase the use of cannabis among consumers, more research is needed to improve our understanding of the bioavailability and metabolic pathways of these compounds. Furthermore, consumers want clear and uniform federal rules governing the amount of CBD in food products in order to ensure correct dosing. To promote safe and responsible use, cannabis and phytocannabinoids must be carefully considered, regulated, and standardized. It is necessary for consumers to have clear, consistent standards governing the percentage of CBD in their food products. As a result, they would know the exact amount of CBD in their products.

The aims of this study were to (1) establish the intrapopulation and seasonal variation of Juniperus excelsа essential oil (EO); (2) compare the J. excelsa concrete and resinoid composition with its EO composition; and (3) investigate the potential herbicidal activity of J. excelsa EO against seeds of Papaver rhoeas L., Consolida orientalis (J.Gay) Schrödinger, Anthemis arvensis L., Avena fatua L., and Agrostemma githago L. Four independent studies were performed to meet these objectives. Twenty-eight individual trees were analyzed from two populations to establish intrapopulation and interpopulation variability of EOs yield and composition. In the seasonal dynamic study of leaf EO, samples from the same three trees and in the same population were collected in January, March, May, July, October, and December and their EO yield and composition determined. The EOs (intrapopulation and seasonal) were extracted by hydrodistillation, while the EO for the herbicidal test was obtained by steam distillation in a semi-commercial (SCom) apparatus. Overall, the EO yield varied significantly from 0.93% to 2.57%. α-Pinene (8.85-35.94%), limonene (11.81-50.08%), and cedrol (3.41-34.29%) were the predominant EO compounds in all samples (intrapopulation variability); however, trans-2,4-decadienol and β-caryophyllene were predominant in some individual trees. Four chemical groups were identified in the samples collected from two natural populations (intrapopulation). This is the first report on the compositions of J. excelsa concrete and resinoid. Cedrol (15.39%), 7-hydroxy-4-methyl-coumarin (17.63%), 1-octacosanol (36.85%), tritriacontane (16.08%), and tiacontanoic acid were the main compounds in the concrete and resinoid. Juniperus excelsa EO suppressed seed germination and seedling growth of P. rhoeas, C. orientalis, A. arvensis, A. fatua, and A. githago, demonstrating its potential to be used for the development of new biopesticides. The highest EO yield with high content of limonene and cedrol was obtained from samples harvested during the winter months (December, January, and March).

The search for fast and environmentally safe methods of fighting fires has been a particularly important topic in recent years. Many academic centres are conducting research on the use of Deep Neural Networks to detect flames. One of the most promising is the acoustic method of extinguishing flames. In theory, an acoustic extinguisher can be applied to extinguish fires of different classes because acoustic waves pass through solids, liquids, and gases. In principle, the technology described in the article can be used to extinguish B- and C-class fires when gases or liquids are burning. Until now, the known studies have been conducted only for low-power acoustic extinguishers. Therefore, there is a need to fill a theoretical and practical gap in this respect (scientific novelty). The result of the activities is the development of new techniques for extinguishing flames with the use of Deep Neural Networks, and then extinguishing flames using a high and very high power loudspeaker applied to the acoustic extinguisher. The main aim of this paper is to present the possibilities of using Deep Neural Networks to detect fires, as well as the results of research on the extinguishing of flames with the use of square waveforms with Amplitude Modulation (AM) for several frequencies, which is also a scientific novelty, including the minimum acoustic power and sound pressure level as a function of a distance from the output of the acoustic system. On this basis, it became possible to determine the minimum power delivered to the extinguisher and the minimum sound pressure level that causes the extinguishing effect at given input parameters.

The present paper aims to investigate the chemical composition of unripe black pine seeds obtained from Bulgaria. The lipid fraction was evaluated in unripe seeds, and the cellulose, total carbohydrates, glucose, fructose, and sucrose were evaluated in seedcakes. The major fatty acid identified in the Pinus nigra seed oil was unsaturated linoleic acid (44.2%), followed by the saturated palmitic acid (31.2%). The amount of unsaturated pinolenic (10.5%) and oleic acids (8.8%) was also rather high. The amino acid composition of the protein fraction of seedcakes was also determined. The amino acid composition was represented mainly by asparagine (3.92 mg/g), serine (3.79 mg/g), alanine (3.65 mg/g), arginine (3.32 mg/g), phenylalanine (2.98 mg/g), lysine (2.85 mg/g), proline (2.69 g/mg), tryptophan (2.44 mg/g), valine (2.33 mg/g), isoleucine (2.28 mg/g), and tyrosine (2.05 mg/g). The mineral content (N, P, K, Mg, Na, and Cu) of the seedcakes was evaluated, as the amount of K (8048.00 mg/kg) and Mg (172.99 mg/kg) were the highest in the samples. These findings emphasized the potential use of the unripe black pine seeds in different areas due to their chemical importance and values.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the possibilities for using date fruit from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the formulation of a novel snack bar while replacing the used honey with date paste. The technological, textural, microbiological and sensory qualities of the obtained food products were evaluated during storage for 12 days after their production. Date palm fruit in the form of date paste was used as an ingredient in the composition of the new snack bars that also included nuts and dried fruits. Five formulations were prepared: a control bar, snack bar with 40% date paste, snack bar with 50% date paste, snack bar with 60% date paste, and snack bar with 70% dates paste. The resulting date paste’s textural characteristics supported the bonding potential of the food system and gave a sweet taste to the final product. The formulations containing 50% date paste presented the highest overall acceptability and were the formulation with the best sensory characteristics. Thus, the addition of date paste in snack bars would be a good option to develop a functional product that contributes to rational nutrition principles. The obtained values in the current study confirmed the technological and functional potential of date fruit as a product that can find adequate application in the composition of foods with functional properties.

Grecian juniper (Juniperus excelsa M. Bieb.) is an evergreen tree and a rare plant found in very few locations in southern Bulgaria. The aim of this study was to evaluate the phytochemical content and antioxidant potential of J. excelsa unripe and ripe galbuli from three different locations in Bulgaria. The essential oil content ranged between 1.9% and 5.1%, while the lipid fraction yield was between 4.5% and 9.1%. The content of total chlorophyll was 185.4–273.4 μg/g dw. The total carotenoid content ranged between 41.7 and 50.4 μg/g dw of ripe galbuli, and protein content was between 13.6% and 16.4%. Histidine (5.5 and 8.0 mg/g content range) and lysine (4.0 and 6.1 mg/g) were the major essential amino acids. The antioxidant potential of the 95% and 70% ethanol extracts was analyzed using four different methods. A positive correlation between the antioxidant potential and phenolic content of the galbuli was found. The results obtained in this study demonstrated the differences in phytochemical composition and antioxidant capacity of J. excelsa galbuli as a function of maturity stage and collection locality.

Laurel, Laurus nobilis L. is an evergreen plant belonging to the Lauraceae family, native to Southern Europe and the Mediterranean area. This is the first report on the composition and bioactivity of laurel essential oil (EO) from Bulgaria. The oil yield was 0.78%, 0.80%, and 3.25% in the fruits, twigs, and leaves, respectively. The main constituents in the fruit EO were 1,8-cineole (33.3%), α-terpinyl acetate (10.3%), α-pinene (11.0%), β-elemene (7.5%), sabinene (6.3%), β-phellandrene (5.2%), bornyl acetate (4.4%), and camphene (4.3%); those in the twig EO were 1,8-cineole (48.5%), α-terpinyl acetate (13.1%), methyl eugenol (6.6%), β-linalool (3.8%), β-pinene (3.4%), sabinene (3.3%) and terpinene-4-ol (3.3%); and the ones in the leaf EO were 1,8-cineole (41.0%), α-terpinyl acetate (14.4%), sabinene (8.8%), methyl eugenole (6.0%), β-linalool (4.9%), and α-terpineol (3.1%). The antibacterial and antifungal properties of laurel EOs were examined according to the agar well diffusion method. The leaf EO showed antibacterial and antifungal activities against almost all strains of the microorganisms tested, whereas the twig EO was only able to inhibit Staphylococcus aureus. Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 9027 and Escherichia coli ATCC 8739 were the bacterial strains that showed the highest resistance to the laurel EO. The results can benefit the EO industry and biopesticide development.