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This study was conducted to investigate the effects of krill oil supplementation on growth performance, proximate composition and organo-somatic indices of Cyprinus carpio, reared in a recirculating aquaculture system, at different stocking densities. Four experimental diets were formulated: LD - low density (15 fish/rearing unit- 3.5 kg/m3), where fish were fed with commercial feed, HD - high density (35 fish/rearing unit-8 kg/m3 fed with commercial feed), LD-KO - low density, where fish were fed with commercial feed supplemented with 5 g/kg feed krill oil, and HD-KO- high density, were fish were fed with commercial feed supplemented with 5 g/kg feed krill oil. After 60-days of rearing, final fish weight and individual weight gain was significantly higher (P˂0.05) in fish stocked in lower density, with better values in LD-KO groups. Also, the best values of FCR, SGR and PER were obtained in LD-KO groups. Regarding the proximate composition of meat, no significant differences (P˃0.05) were registered between the experimental variants. The organo-somatic indices revealed no significant differences (P˃0.05) in the cardiosomatic index, while hepatosomatic, splenosomatic, and visceral index differed significantly (P˂0.05) between the experimental variants. Accordingly, we can conclude that supplementation of carp diet with 5 g/kg feed krill oil can improve growth performance, without any modification at proximate composition of meat.

Cornelian cherry (Cornus mas L.) is one of the most important forest fruits, considered as a valuable horticultural resource of bioactives, such as anthocyanins – cyanidin-3-glucoside, flavonoids, vitamins (e.g. vitamin C), carotenoids (e.g. β-carotene). The aim of this study was to obtain designed delivery systems of bioactive from cornelian cherry, as microencapsulated powders in order to assure their controlled release and to develop stable and natural additives for different application. Anthocyanin’s (concentrated extract) from cornelian cherry fruits were microencapsulated in a complex, biopolymeric matrice, formed by whey protein isolate (WPI) and pectin (PT). Two experimental variants were obtained by varying the ratio between WPI and PT, such as 1:1 (PT1) and 1:2 (PT2). The powders were tested for encapsulation efficiency of the anthocyanins, phytochemical profile of the extract and freeze-dried powders, as well as colorimetric analysis. Encapsulation efficiency of the anthocyanins varied between 80.04 and 82.11% with an important level of biologically active compounds (total polyphenols, total flavonoids) and remarkable antioxidant activity. Colorimetric analysis reveals a red colour of the powders, associated with their anthocyanin content. Both experimental variants proposed in this study protected the anthocyanins from cornelian cherry fruits. Moreover, microencapsulated powders can be used as natural food additives due to their red colour and phytochemical profile.

Driven by the modern lifestyle, the consumers are interested in healthier and balanced diets, including both probiotics and natural antioxidants. The beneficial health effects of probiotics are mainly due to their capacity of modulating the human intestinal microbiota, although achieving at least a 6 log of viable cells at the targeted site is still challenging. Therefore, in this study, an attempt to improve the bioaccessibility of Lacticaseibacillus casei (L. casei) 431® through a co-microencapsulation by complex coacervation and freeze-drying, using an extract from Cornelian cherry and two biopolymeric matrices, whey protein isolates and casein (WPI-CN) and inulin (WPI-I), was studied. The powders showed a comparable anthocyanin content of around 32.00 mg cyanidin-3-rutinoside (C3R)/g dry matter (DM) and a microbial load of about 10 Log CFU/g DM. A high stability of the lactic acid bacteria was assessed throughout 90 days of storage, whereas the anthocyanins’ degradation during storage followed a first order kinetic model, allowing the estimation of a half-time of 66.88 ± 1.67 days for WPI-CN and 83.60 ± 2.46 days for WPI-I. The in vitro digestion showed a high stability of anthocyanins in the simulated gastric juice, whereas the release in the simulated intestinal juice was favored in the variant with inulin (up to 38%). The use of casein permitted to obtain finer spherosomes, with smaller diameters, whereas a double encapsulation was obvious in both variants, thus explaining the high resistance in the gastric environment. The anti-proliferative effect against the human colon cancer cell line (HT-29) was also demonstrated. No cytotoxicity has been found for the concentrations between 1 and 25 μg/mL for the WPI-I variant, whereas a cell proliferation effect was observed at low concentrations of 1–5 μg/mL.

The honey is a natural substance, whose therapeutic qualities have been developed in parallel with human evolution. Its antioxidant and antiinflammatory properties are due to the polyphenolic compounds. The purpose of this study is to identify and quantify the phenolic compounds and the FTIR spectrum from buckwheat honey from the Balti region, Republic of Moldova. The radical scavenging activity of honey was 83% in the DPPH� reaction system. Phenolic compounds from honey were identified by HPLC-MS method, the significant concentrations being lignans, catechins, isorhamnetin, rutin, apigenin and luteolin. FTIR analysis revealed both the carbohydrate profile in buckwheat honey and the presence of active compounds.

In this work, the optimization of two extraction methods, conventional CE and ultrasound-assisted UAE, to obtain extracts from cornelian cherry fruit with high antioxidant activity, which can be used to produce healthier jelly candies, is presented. In the CE process, the effects of temperature (30–50 °C), time (15–45 min), and hydroalcoholic mixtures (60–100% ethanol, v/v) were studied. The highest antioxidant activity (29.83 ± 0.85 mg TE/g dw) was found in the extracts obtained using 60% ethanol at 40 °C for 15 min. The UAE process led to comparable values of 26.60 ± 0.53 mg TE/g dw at 40% amplitude and pulsed sonication (5 s on and 5 s off) for 12.5 min. Under these experimental conditions, the specific energy consumed was 1.91 kJ/g. The vitamin C content and its inhibitory activity against metabolic enzymes were evaluated in extracts with different antioxidant activity. A significant inhibitory effect against carbohydrate-metabolism-associated enzymes was identified for all the tested extracts, with an inhibitory effect against α-glucosidase higher than 75%, but with a lower effect against α-amylase. The extract obtained by CE (60% ethanol, 40 °C, 15 min) provided the highest vitamin C content of 39.9 ± 1.2 mg ascorbic acid/100 g dw. Four variants of the healthier jelly candies were formulated, with a vitamin C content of 0.34 mg ascorbic acid/100 g dw in samples with agar-agar and 0.70 mg ascorbic acid/100 g dw in samples with gelatin., Romanian Ministry of Research and Innovation, CNCS-UEFISCDI, project numbers PN-III-P1-1.1-MC-2019-1905 and PN-III-P1-1.1-MC-2019-1908, within PNCDI III. The APC was funded by M.T.S. The authors are also grateful to Junta de Castilla y León (Spain) and ERDF for the financial support of project BU050P20. The Ó. Benito–Román post-doctoral contract was funded by Junta de Castilla y León (Spain) and ERDF through project BU050P20 and by Agencia Estatal de Investigación through project PID2020-116716RJ-I00/AEI/10.13039/501100011033.

Given that the pesticide and fungicide residues determination in honey is not a routine analysis in Romania, information on these emerging contaminants is useful for consumer's safety. High resolution mass spectrometry technique was applied by Q-Exactive Orbitrap LC-MS/MS to identify and quantify environmental contaminants in honey. A list of 25 compounds, biocides and antifungals was selected for the method development, based on the occurrence in the Romanian environment and their potential usage in agriculture. The method was applied for 18 various honey samples collected in different geographic regions of Romania. Eleven compounds were present in the honey samples: carbendazim, enilconazole, hexaconazole, penconazole, tebuconazole, flusilazole, thiabendazole, terconazole, cyproconazole, propiconazole, metalaxyl. Targeted MS/MS analyses were performed for confirmation. The measured quantities ranged from 1.7-7.2 μg kg

Rich in vitamins, polyphenols, carotenoids, carbohydrates, with a high antioxidant activity, cornelian cherry (Cornus mas) is one of the 65 species of Cornaceae family, fruits that are used in food industry, cosmetic industry or homeopathic medicine. The valuable bioactive compounds and the high economical potential of this tree makes suitable to be considered as a raw material to study the optimum extraction conditions in order to maximize the bioactive compounds’ concentration. In this study, the main purpose was to investigate both the favourable and restrictive conditions for Cornus mas using the GIS technique. The Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technique indicated the favourability factors for Cornus mas trees in Romania country. The response surface methodology was employed to study the effect of temperature, time and solvent concentration on the flavonoids’ (TFC) and polyphenols (TPC) concentrations and the antioxidant activity values. The maximum concentration of TPC (24.70 mg GAE/g raw material) and TFC (1.36 mg QE/g raw material) were obtained with 60% ethanol concentration at different temperature and time values. The cube model with centred faces for the Box-Behnken central composition revealed the highest value of the concentration of TAA (101.31 mg TE/g raw material) at 100% ethanol concentration, 50 °C extraction temperature and the maximum extraction time of 30 min. The most relevant variable was the solvent concentration and the obtained results suggested that the central-face cube model (86% for TPC, 97% for TFC and 95% antioxidant activity) approximated the experimental data.

Sweet sorghum is a unique bioenergy crop that produces stalks with fermentable free sugars. The purpose of this study was to evaluate how the production of hemicellulosic saccharides and bioethanol from sweet sorghum stalks (SSS) can be influenced by a dilute sulfuric acid (H2SO4) pretreatment under different isothermal conditions. The bioethanol production from untreated SSS and pretreated solid phases was achieved through the Simultaneous Saccharification and Fermentation (SSF) process. A good SSS fractionation and an extensive hemicellulose hydrolysis into soluble saccharides were obtained, the most abundant hemicellulose-derived compounds present in the pretreated liquid phase being monosaccharides, with up to 17.22 g/L of glucose and 16.64 g/L of xylose in the pretreatments performed with 3% and 1% H2SO4 for 30 min at 134 &deg, C, respectively. The SSF process of untreated SSS allowed a maximum bioethanol concentration of 9.78 g/L, corresponding to a maximum glucan conversion into ethanol of 49.8%. Bioethanol production from untreated SSS led to a higher bioethanol concentration and conversion than in the case of using acid pretreated solid phases obtained under the most severe conditions (with 3% H2SO4 for 30, 60 and 120 min at 134 &deg, C), suggesting that, in the case of this biomass naturally rich in soluble sugars, the acidic pretreatment could negatively influence the fermentative process.

Cornus mas was used in this study as a rich source of health-promoting bioactives. The cornelian cherries were used to extract the polyphenols and anthocyanins. The chromatographic profile of the Cornus mas fruit extract revealed the presence of several anthocyanins, mainly delphinidin, cyanidin and pelargonidin glycosides. The extract was co-microencapsulated with Lactobacillus casei ssp. paracasei in a unique combination of whey protein isolates, inulin and chitosan by freeze-drying, with an encapsulation efficiency of 89.16 &plusmn, 1.23% for anthocyanins and 80.33 &plusmn, 0.44% for lactic acid bacteria. The pink-red colored powder showed a total anthocyanins content of 19.86 &plusmn, 1.18 mg cyanidin-3-glucoside/g dry weight (DW), yielding an antioxidant activity of 54.43 &plusmn, 0.73 mMol Trolox/g DW. The viable cells were 9.39 &times, 109 colony forming units (CFU)/g DW. The confocal microscopy analysis revealed the microencapsulated powder as a complex one, with several large formations containing smaller aggregates, consisting of the lactic acid bacteria cells, the cornelian cherries&rsquo, bioactive compounds and the biopolymers. The powder was tested for stability over 90 days, showing a decrease of 50% in anthocyanins and 37% in flavonoids content, with no significant changes in antioxidant activity and CFU. The powder showed a significant inhibitory effect against the &alpha, amylase of 89.72 &plusmn, 1.35% and of 24.13 &plusmn, 0.01% for &alpha, glucosidase. In vitro digestibility studies showed a significant release of anthocyanins in gastric juice, followed by a decrease in intestinal simulated conditions. The functional properties of the powder were tested by addition into a yogurt, highlighting a higher and more stable antioxidant activity at storage when compared to the control.

Anthocyanins from black currant extract and lactic acid bacteria were co-microencapsulated using a gastro-intestinal-resistant biocomposite of whey protein isolate, inulin, and chitosan, with an encapsulation efficiency of 95.46% &plusmn, 1.30% and 87.38% &plusmn, 0.48%, respectively. The applied freeze-drying allowed a dark purple stable powder to be obtained, with a satisfactory content of phytochemicals and 11 log colony forming units (CFU)/g dry weight of powder (DW). Confocal laser microscopy displayed a complex system, with several large formations and smaller aggregates inside, consisting of biologically active compounds, lactic acid bacteria cells, and biopolymers. The powder showed good storage stability, with no significant changes in phytochemicals and viable cells over 3 months. An antioxidant activity of 63.64 &plusmn, 0.75 mMol Trolox/g DW and an inhibitory effect on &alpha, amylase and &alpha, glucosidase of 87.10% &plusmn, 2.08% and 36.96% &plusmn, 3.98%, respectively, highlighted the potential biological activities of the co-microencapsulated powder. Significantly, the in vitro digestibility profile showed remarkable protection in the gastric environment, with controlled release in the intestinal simulated environment. The powder was tested by addition into a complex food matrix (yogurt), and the results showed satisfactory stability of biologically active compounds when stored for 21 d at 4 &deg, C. The obtained results confirm the important role of microencapsulation in ensuring a high degree of protection, thus allowing new approaches in developing food ingredients and nutraceuticals, with enhanced functionalities.

Black rice is a very rich source of anthocyanins, being very popular among health conscious food consumers. Black rice presents a great importance in the food industry due to the high content of polyphenols. In order to evaluate the phytochemical profile and antioxidant activities, seven black rice milling fractions obtained at laboratory scale were investigated. For each fraction the antioxidant activity, anthocyanins, flavonoids and total polyphenolic content were determined. The highest content of bioactive compounds was recorded in the black rice milling fraction with particles ranging from 125 to 180 μm. The highest amount of anthocyanins was 0.119 mg/g fresh weight, whereas the total content of polyphenols was 483 mg/g fresh weight.

Corn stover samples were subjected to hydrothermal treatment in order to solubilize the hemicellulosic fraction, obtaining hemicellulose-derived saccharides with up to 11.7 g/L of xylooligosaccharides (XOS). Oligomers-containing liquors were nanofiltered by two-step membrane-based separation (discontinuous diafiltration and concentration) showing an increase in XOS concentration up to 21.94 g/L, purified by ion-exchange processing and freeze-dried, obtaining final products with up to 89% of purity. The presence of both substituted (with 4- O -methyl-glucuronic acid or acetyl substituents) and unsubstituted oligosaccharides, mainly made up of xylose and with a degree of polymerization in the range of 5–29, was observed in the purified products. The effects of the various XOS substrates on the metabolic activity and on the dynamics of the microbial populations were studied in media inoculated with human fecal sample. Short chain fatty acids generation and changes in the three selected bacterial groups ( Bifidobacterium genus, Lactobacillus−Enterococcus and Bacteroides−Prevotella group) confirm the suitability of this work to obtain XOS fractions with potential functional properties for human health.

The aim of this work was to advance knowledge on the potential use of black rice different sieving fractions for various functional applications, through proximate analysis, thermal degradation kinetics of phytochemical and characterization of the thermal behavior of the main proteins, from the perspectives of their use as a food ingredient. The results indicated that the thermal degradation of phytochemicals followed a first-order reaction kinetics for all the tested fractions. The temperature-dependent degradation was adequately modeled according to the Arrhenius equation. The calculated activation energies (Ea) and k values were different among the four studied parameters. The kinetic parameters depended on the grinding and sieving degree, the anthocyanins being the most thermolabile compounds, thus affecting the antioxidant activity. Three protein fractions were identified by electrophoresis with different molecular weight, such as albumin, globulin, and glutelin. The fluorescence spectroscopy experiments revealed the sequential character of the heat-induced conformational changes, different molecular events being suggested, such as folding in the lower temperature range and unfolding at higher temperature. The significance of the study is evidenced by the need to identify and advance the process-structure-function relationships for various biologically active compounds from the perspective of obtaining food or ingredients nutritionally optimized.

The effect of thermal processing on the degradation of the phytochemicals in black rice flour by means of fluorescence spectroscopy and degradation kinetics was investigated. In order to investigate the influence of food matrices, a comparative analysis between integral rice flour and different fractions was performed. The preliminary compositional results suggested a higher content in phytochemicals in fraction four of the seven fractions of black rice flour, which was sifting through a sieve with a diameter of 180 μm. The compositional complexity was highlighted by fluorescence spectroscopy. The heat-treatment caused structural changes that led to red- or blue-shifts in maximum emission. The first-order kinetic model was used to describe the mechanism of degradation. The activation energies were 10.07 ± 1.04 kJ/mol for total polyphenolic, 7.26 ± 0.58 kJ/mol for total monomeric anthocyanins and 6.71 ± 1.12 kJ/mol for antioxidant activity in case of integral flour extract. For fraction four extract obtained by, the Ea values were: 3.51 ± 0.53 kJ/mol, 11.49 ± 1.47 kJ/mol, 15.80 ± 1.50 kJ/mol and 19.91 ± 3.27 kJ/mol, respectively. The calculated values of the activation energy revealed higher temperature dependence of total polyphenols in integral flour and of antioxidant activity in fraction four, respectively.

Fresh beef slices were marinated by immersion in marinades based on dry red wine, lime-tree honey, salt, spices and seasoning plants such as thyme (Thymus vulgaris), marjoram (Majorana hortensis), garlic (Allium sativum) and horseradish (Armoracia rusticana). Once marinated, meat pieces were vacuum packed and stored at 4C for 12 days. Experimental data indicated that marination of bovine Biceps femoris muscle in wine-based marinades with spices and seasoning plants addition significantly decreased (P 0.05) on L*, a* and b* but significant on Mb (myoglobin), MMb (metmyoglobin) and MbO2 (oxymyoglobin) percentages. Electrophoretic pattern of muscle proteins showed reduction of molecular weight and relative density (%) of some protein fractions for marinated samples compared with the control. Practical Applications Meat quality can be defined as a combination of sensory characteristics and technological aspects, such as color, water-holding capacity, cooking losses and texture. Marinades based on dry red wine, lime-tree honey, salt, spices and seasoning plants might be used as a marinating agent for improving the tenderness of tough meat and decreasing cooking losses with no effect on meat color. It can be easily applied at household and industrial levels as an easy technique to improve meat tenderness. Improvement in tenderness will be of great value to both consumers and meat processors.

The ingestion of a large amount of certain types of beneficial bacteria can reduce the multiplication and development of pathogenic bacteria in the gut. A “probiotic” is a product that contains live microorganisms which positively influence the host intestinal microbiota by preventing the proliferation of pathogenic bacteria and promoting the growth and development of beneficial bacteria. Bacillus spp. are Gram-positive endospore-forming bacteria with beneficial effects in aquaculture industry. The dietary supplementation of Bacillus spp. in fish culture improved especially growth performance, immune response and the disease resistance of fish against pathogenic bacterial infections. The objective of the current paper is to review the recent published investigations reported in the scientific literature on the use of probiotic Bacillus spp. in aquaculture, focusing on their beneficial effects on the host. This review includes the main effects of Bacillus spp. administration in shrimp culture, carp culture, tilapia culture, and other fish culture.

Corn stover was used for manufacturing 2nd generation bioethanol following a biorefinery scheme based on fractionation by autohydrolysis and further Simultaneous Saccharification and Fermentation (SSF) of pretreated solids. Autohydrolysis was performed under a wide range of severities to identify conditions leading simultaneously to a liquid phase containing hemicellulosic saccharides (accounting for up to 68% of initial xylan) and to a solid phase with high enzymatic susceptibility. SSF experiments were carried out under a variety of experimental conditions to assess the effects of the major operational variables. The glucan conversion into ethanol reached values up to 86%, with a bioethanol concentration of 37.8 g/L. Fed-batch operation in the SSF stage allowed the utilization of higher solid loadings, allowing an increase in the bioethanol concentration up to 51.6 g/L, or to reduce the amount of enzymes needed for reaching a given conversion.

Bioethanol was manufactured from corn stover after consecutive stages of hydrothermal pretreatment (to solubilize hemicelluloses) and delignification. Hydrothermal pretreatment was carried out by heating aqueous suspensions of corn stover up to reach 180–200 °C, and the resulting solids were delignified with ethanol–water solutions (containing 30–70 wt % of ethanol) at 180–200 °C. The chemical processing was optimized using the Response Surface Methodology. Delignified solids were employed as substrates for fed-batch Simultaneous Saccharification and Fermentation (SSF) under selected conditions (liquid to solid ratio = 4 g/g, enzyme to substrate ratio = 10 FPU/g substrate). The maximum ethanol concentration (67.5 g ethanol/L, corresponding to 89.1% glucan conversion into ethanol) was obtained using samples pretreated hydrothermally at 180 °C and delignified at 200 °C in a medium containing 30 wt % ethanol.

The effect of selected starter cultures (Lactobacillus sakei CECT5764 + Staphylococcus equorum SA25 or L. sakei CECT5764 + S. equorum SA25 + Lactobacillus acidophilus CECT903) on some quality, safety and sensorial characteristics of Dacia sausage, a Romanian traditional variety, was investigated. Physico-chemical parameters, microbial counts and biogenic amines during manufacture as well as the sensorial characteristics of the final products were determined both in control and in inoculated sausages. The use of starter cultures significantly (P Results obtained in this work indicated that starter culture consisting of L. sakei CECT5764 + S. equorum SA25 + L. acidophilus CECT903 was the best culture for this type of sausage.

Vegetable juice is a valuable source of antioxidants because it contains a significant amount of bioactive compounds and it can be a convenient way of consumption. The antioxidant capacity of vegetables depends on a wide range of compounds like flavonoids, phenolic acids, aminoacids, ascorbic acid, tocopherols and pigments. The levels of individual antioxidants in food do not reflect their total antioxidant capacity, which could also depend on their synergism. The aim of this study is to compare the changes occurred on antioxidant capacity of vegetables juice during refrigerated storage after two different preservation processes: pasteurization and fermentation. A blend of juice obtained from beetroot, carrot and celery has been stored at temperature of 4ºC for two weeks. During this period of time antioxidant activity, total flavonoids and polyphenolic compounds have been quantified. Our results have shown that fermented juice is an important source of antioxidant compounds with a good stability during storage.

Fresh beef slices were marinated by immersion in marinades based on dry red wine, lime-tree honey, salt, spices and seasoning plants as thyme (Thymus vulgaris), marjoram (Majorana hortensis), garlic (Allium sativum) and horseradish (Armoracia rusticana). Control samples were represented by raw meat without marination treatment but stored in the same conditions as marinated samples. After marination, meat pieces were packed under vacuum and stored at refrigeration temperature of 4°C for 12 days. The influence of the combined effect of spices and marination on beef stability was evaluated by monitoring pH evolution, degree of lipid oxidation and by microbiological analysis. For control samples, a mean increase of 0.47 log CFU/g of total mesophilic aerobic bacteria was observed during the 48 h of storage, but for the samples marinated with the addition of spices was observed a decrease of 0.57 log CFU/g. The growth of LAB in control samples was generally limited and did not exceed 5 log CFU/g. During storage at 4°C, marination with the addition in the base marinade (wine, honey, garlic, pepper and salt) of thyme, marjoram and horseradish separately inhibited the growth of LAB while marination with the addition in the base marinade of thyme, marjoram and horseradish together resulted in significantly lower levels of LAB. All marination treatments resulted in significantly lower TBA and POV values at the end of storage compared to the control. Marination with dry red wine, lime-tree honey, thyme marjoram, garlic, and horseradish can evidently control total mesophilic aerobic bacteria, lactic acid bacteria and oxidation of beef meat.

Fresh beef slices were marinated by immersion in marinades based on dry red wine, lime-tree honey, salt, spices and seasoning plants as thyme ( Thymus vulgaris ), marjoram ( Majorana hortensis ), garlic ( Allium sativum ) and horseradish ( Armoracia rusticana ). Control samples were prepared without marinating treatment but packed and stored in the same conditions as marinated samples. After marination, meat pieces were packed under vacuum and stored at 4°C for 12 days. The combined effects of spices and marination on beef tenderness were evaluated by monitoring pH evolution, the protein and collagen degree of hydrolysis and tenderness. Experimental data indicated that marination weaken beef meat structure, producing improvement of functional properties of adult beef. Marinades use lead for an increase in the protein nitrogen fraction, free amino acids and hydroxyproline contents in boiled beef cuts. A significant increase in tenderness by hardness measurement was observed in the samples marinated and boiled, as compared with the control. Key words : Acidic marination, beef meat, marinating time, meat hardness, pH.