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Dry-aged beef is a premium product known for its unique taste and aroma. These characteristics are thought to partially depend on the composition of the microorganisms present on the meat surface during ageing. Recently several attempts to standardise this process were made. This study aimed to assess the effect of a fungal biostarter application on the profile of volatile compounds, fatty acid composition and sensory quality of dry-aged beef. The Longissimus muscle used in the experiment originated from 20 crossbred (10 heifers and 10 steers) animals from the crossing of Holstein-Friesian cows with beef breed bulls. A fungal biostarter composed of Mucor flavus strain KKP2092p was used for meat inoculation. Half of the material was aged without the use of a biostarter (Control samples). The dry-ageing of the meat was performed at a temperature of 1.5 °C with approximately 80-90 % relative humidity for 28 days. The use of Mucor flavus KKP2092p improved meat quality attributes (aroma liking, flavour and overall liking) as a result of the formation of specific volatile compounds. The profile of volatile compounds in the meat aged with Mucor flavus and control variants was differentiated. This study also indicated that Mucor flavus biostarter had an impact on the specific fatty acid composition. An insignificant effect of Mucor flavus on lipid oxidation expressed as mg/kg of malonaldehyde was also observed., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

A significant relationship between a sense of power and financial risk-taking has been established in the literature. However, the boundary conditions for this relationship remain unclear. This article presents the results of an online experimental study ( N  = 192) that explores the moderating role of cognitive load in the relationship between power and financial risk-taking in the domains of gambling and investing. The findings validate a positive association between a sense of power and financial risk-taking, alongside a negative impact of cognitive load on financial risk. Notably, cognitive load moderates the relationship between power and financial risk-taking in a way that the link is positive when individuals have full access to their cognitive resources, but it becomes nonsignificant when they are under cognitive load., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

The study aimed to develop plant-based model snacks that are high in fibre, contain probiotic bacteria and are convenient for long-term storage. The research focused on selecting a suitable form of probiotic bacteria (active biomass, microencapsulated, freeze-dried), inoculation method (in the base mass or in the filling of a snack) and appropriate storage conditions (4°Cor 20 °C). The potential synbiotic properties were evaluated. The microencapsulated bacteria had the highest survival rate at 4 °C, while the freeze-dried bacteria showed better survival rates at 20 °C. Probiotics had a higher survival rate when enclosed inside snacks with a low water activity (a w  = 0.27) peanut butter filling than in snacks without filling (a w  = 0.53). Enclosing the probiotics in a low a w filling ensures their survival at ambient temperature for 5 months at a count higher than 6 log CFU/g. The snacks exhibited high antioxidant capacity (average 300 mg ascorbic acid equivalent/100 g), polyphenol content (average 357 mg gallic acid equivalent/100 g) and high fibre content (average 10.2 g/100 g). The sensory analysis showed a high overall quality of the snacks (average 7.1/10 of the conventional units). Furthermore, after six months of storage, significant changes were observed in the antioxidant properties, polyphenol content and texture of the snacks, while their sensory quality remained unchanged. Moreover, a potential synbiotic effect was observed. The method used to assess bacterial growth indicated significantly higher values in the model snacks compared to a control sample. Therefore, this study has effectively addressed the gap in knowledge regarding the survival of probiotics in snacks of this nature., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The hazelnut seed skins (HSS) are by-products from roasting or blanching hazelnuts without direct second utilization. The generation of HSS creates an economic and environmental problem. The object of the study was a comprehensive analysis of the properties for reuse of HSS. Water extraction of industrial HSS was applied (water with sonication of the HSS for 10 min at 90 ℃). The extracts obtained were freeze-dried to facilitate analysis and future application. The HSS and their extracts were analysed. Polyphenols, antioxidants, allergens, antimicrobial properties and instrumental sensory analysis were examined. The total polyphenol content in the samples was 37.8-44.0 mg gallic acid equivalent g -1 . Gallic acid was the major phenolic compound. The antioxidant capacity of the samples was 198.9-250.6 mg VCEAC g -1 (vitamin C equivalent) according to the ABTS method and 98.4-106.8 mg VCEAC g -1 in the DPPH method. The extracts inhibited all tested strains of pathogenic bacteria. Allergen content was reduced in HSS and the extracts. Instrumental sensory analysis showed differences between taste parameters and odour profile samples. HSS can be reused in food production as a bacteriostatic, antioxidant additive and sensory-creating factor due to various chemical compounds corresponding with taste and odour., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Chemokines, also known as chemotactic cytokines, stimulate the migration of immune cells. These molecules play a key role in the pathogenesis of inflammation leading to atherosclerosis, neurodegenerative disorders, rheumatoid arthritis, insulin-resistant diabetes, and cancer. Moreover, they take part in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The main objective of our research was to determine the activity of methyl-derivatives of flavanone, namely, 2'-methylflavanone ( 5B ), 3'-methylflavanone ( 6B ), 4'-methylflavanone ( 7B ), and 6-methylflavanone ( 8B ), on the releasing of selected cytokines by RAW264.7 macrophages activated by LPS. We determined the concentration of chemokines belonging to the CC chemokine family, namely, MCP-1, MIP-1β, RANTES, and eotaxin, using the Bio-Plex Magnetic Luminex Assay and the Bio-PlexTM 200 System. Among the tested compounds, only 5B and 6B had the strongest effect on inhibiting the examined chemokines' release by macrophages. Therefore, 5B and 6B appear to be potentially useful in the prevention of diseases associated with the inflammatory process.

In the study, an attempt was made to develop an innovative technology for cheese manufacturing. It was hypothesized that selected autochthonous lactic acid bacteria as a starter culture are more suitable for the production of acid-rennet cheeses of good technological and sensory quality. The study aimed to assess the possibility of using the strain Levilactobacillus brevis B1 ( L. brevis B1) as a starter culture to produce acid-rennet cheeses using raw cow's milk. Two variants of cheese were manufactured. The control variant (R) was coagulated with microbial rennet and buttermilk, and the other variant (B1) was inoculated with rennet and L. brevis B1 starter culture. The effect of the addition of these autochthonous lactic acid bacteria on selected physicochemical characteristics, durability, the composition of fatty acids, cholesterol, Iipid Quality Indices, and microbiological and sensory quality of acid-rennet cheeses was determined during a 3-month period of storage. The dominant fatty acids observed in the tested cheeses were saturated fatty acids (SFA) (68.43-69.70%) and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) (25.85-26.55%). Significantly higher polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) content during storage was observed for B1 cheeses. The B1 cheeses were characterized by lower cholesterol content compared to cheese R and showed better indexes, including the Index of atherogenicity, Index of thrombogenicity, DFA, OFA, H/H, and HPI indexes, than the R cheese. No effect of the tested L. brevis B1 on sensory quality was observed in relation to the control cheeses during 3 months of storage. The results of the research indicate the possibility of using the L. brevis B1 strain for the production of high-quality, potentially probiotic acid-rennet cheeses.

A high level of fear of missing out (FOMO) is related to many adverse emotions and behaviors, including stress, maladaptive coping, risk-taking, and alcohol consumption. However, previous research on FOMO has not considered particularly vulnerable cohorts like individuals with alcohol use disorder (AUD). In this project, we have conducted two preliminary studies (N1 = 356; N2 = 66) investigating the role of FOMO in alcohol-related coping strategy in a general population of young adults as well as a clinical sample of AUD patients. Results showed that FOMO is a positive predictor of alcohol coping in both studied samples, and it is a positive predictor of health risk-taking among people with AUD. The study identifies high FOMO as a risk factor for adopting maladaptive coping strategies, specifically alcohol coping., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Inflammation plays an important role in the immune defense against injury and infection agents. However, the inflammatory chronic process may lead to neurodegenerative diseases, atherosclerosis, inflammatory bowel diseases, or cancer. Flavanones present in citrus fruits exhibit biological activities, including anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory properties. The beneficial effects of flavanones have been found based on in vitro cell cultures and animal studies. A suitable in vitro model for studying the inflammatory process are macrophages (RAW264.7 cell line) because, after stimulation using lipopolysaccharide (LPS), they release inflammatory cytokines involved in the immune response. We determined the nitrite concentration in the macrophage cell culture and detected ROS using chemiluminescence. Additionally, we measured the production of selected cytokines using the Bio-Plex Magnetic Luminex Assay and the Bio-PlexTM 200 System. For the first time, we have shown that methyl derivatives of flavanone inhibit NO and chemiluminescence generated via LPS-stimulated macrophages. Moreover, the tested compounds at 1-20 µM dose-dependently modulate proinflammatory cytokine production (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-12p40, IL-12p70, and TNF-α) in stimulated RAW264.7 cells. The 2'-methylflavanone ( 5B ) and the 3'-methylflavanone ( 6B ) possess the strongest anti-inflammatory activity among all the tested flavanone derivatives. These compounds reduce the concentration of IL-6, IL-12p40, and IL12p70 compared to the core flavanone structure. Moreover, 2'-methylflavanone reduces TNF-α, and 3'-methylflavanone reduces IL-1β secreted by RAW264.7 cells.

The dry ageing is a historically relevant method of meat preservation, now used as a way to produce the dry-aged beef (DAB) known for its pronounced flavour. Partially responsible for the taste of the DAB may be various microorganisms that grow on the surface of the meat. Historically, the fungal species colonising the DAB were described as members of the genera Thamnidium and Mucor. In this study we used both culture based approach as well as ITS2 rDNA metabarcoding analysis to investigate the fungal community of the DAB, with special emphasis on the mucoralean taxa. Isolated fungi were members of 6 different species from the family Mucoraceae, belonging to the genera Mucor and Helicostylum. Metabarcoding data provided supplementary information regarding the presence of other fungi including those from the Thamnidium genus. In both approaches used in this study isolates closely related to the Mucor flavus strain CBS 992.68 dominated., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors have no affiliation with any organization with a direct or indirect financial interest in the subject matter discussed in the manuscript., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Meat aging is a process consisting of its storage in specific conditions which leads to an increase in its organoleptic qualities. The most common method of meat aging is the wet vacuum-bag based method, whereas the traditional method, called dry-aging, involves keeping meat at a low temperature for an extended time. However, this process is characterized by low repeatability of the results. Therefore, different approaches to stabilize the process are tested. The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of the Mucor flavus biostarter on the physicochemical characteristics and sensory quality of dry-aged beef (DAB). We hypothesized that a fungal biostarter positively influences the quality of DAB and stabilizes the dry-aging process. Meat control samples (N = 7) and samples inoculated with the Mucor flavus biostarter (N = 7), originating from 14 individuals crossbred from Holstein-Friesian cows with bulls of meat breeds, were put into the dry-aging fridge (DryAger, Bad Saulgau, Germany) for 28 days. The physicochemical parameters (pH, color parameters, WHC, GP (glycolytic potential), chemical composition of muscle, the content of malondialdehyde, shear force), muscular protein proteolysis (SDS-PAGE), sensory quality, and microbial composition of DAB were assessed after aging. The results showed a significant effect of the fungal biostarter on pH increase (0.25 units), and light myosin chain proteolysis (approximately 16%) as well as improvement of sensory quality (e.g., acceptability was improved by one unit in an applied scale 1-9). All together, the M. flavus -based biostarter was shown to increase the quality of DAB.

TRAIL (Tumor necrosis factor-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand) has the ability to selectively kill cancer cells without being toxic to normal cells. This endogenous ligand plays an important role in surveillance and anti-tumor immunity. However, numerous tumor cells are resistant to TRAIL-induced apoptosis. In this study, the apoptotic effect of santin in combination with TRAIL on colon cancer cells was examined. Flow cytometry was used to detect the apoptosis and expression of death receptors (TRAIL-R1/DR4 and TRAIL-R2/DR5). Mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) was evaluated by DePsipher staining with the use of fluorescence microscopy. We have shown for the first time that flavonoid santin synergizes with TRAIL to induce apoptosis in colon cancer cells. Santin induced TRAIL-mediated apoptosis through increased expression of death receptors TRAIL-R1 and TRAIL-R2 and augmented disruption of the mitochondrial membrane in SW480 and SW620 cancer cells. The obtained data may indicate the potential role of santin in colon cancer chemoprevention through the enhancement of TRAIL-mediated apoptosis.

Previous studies observed differences between men and women in terms of their financial risk-taking. However, these differences may stem not only from the gender of the decision-maker but also from other factors, such as stereotypical gender social roles. Media content exposes both men and women to stereotypical portrayals of their gender, and this might temporarily activate thoughts related to their social roles. A question arises whether such activation might impact the way people make risky financial decisions. The present experimental study investigated whether temporarily activated gender-related social roles influence the risk-taking propensities of men and women ( N = 319) in the context of gambling and investment choices. The results show that activating a stereotypically male social role (professional employee) made both men and women more prone to take financial risks relative to a control condition. Furthermore, activating a stereotypically female social role (homemaker) lowered the propensity to take financial risks in both genders for the investment domain and in women only for the gambling domain. This study contributes to the literature on gender differences in economic behavior by showing that researchers should not overlook sociocultural factors.

In this study, the effects of the Arginine/Lysine (Arg/Lys) ratio in low- and high-methionine (Met) diets on the sarcoplasmic protein profile of breast muscles from turkeys reared under optimal or challenge (Clostridium perfringens infection) conditions were determined. One-day-old Hybrid Converter female turkey poults (216 in total) obtained from a commercial hatchery on hatching day, and on the basis of their average initial body weight were randomly allocated to 12 pens (4 m 2 each; 2.0 m × 2.0 m) containing litter bedding and were reared over a 42-day experimental period. Diets with high levels of Lys contained approximately 1.80% and 1.65% Lys and were offered in two successive feeding periods (days 1-28 and days 29-42). The supplemental levels of Lys were consistent with the nutritional specifications for birds at their respective ages as established in the Management Guidelines for Raising Commercial Turkeys. The experiment was based on a completely randomized 3 × 2 × 2 factorial design with three levels of Arg (90%, 100% and 110%) relative to the content of dietary Met (30 or 45%) and without (-) or with (+) C. perfringens challenge at 34, 36, or 37 d of age. Meat samples were investigated in terms of pH, color, and sarcoplasmic protein profile. The experimental factors did not influence meat quality but the dietary Arg content affected meat color. The sarcoplasmic protein profile was influenced by all studied factors, and glycolytic enzymes were the most abundant. This study evidenced strong association between the challenge conditions and the involvement of glycolytic enzymes in cell metabolism, particularly in inflammatory processes, and DNA replication and maintenance in turkeys. The results showed an effect of C. perfringens infection and feeding with different doses of Arg and Met may lead to significant consequences in cell metabolism., (Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The research aimed to further develop knowledge on the mechanisms that enhance risk-taking propensities among powerful people. Three studies (N1 = 328, N2 = 388, N3 = 267) investigated the role of optimism in the relationship between sense of power and financial risk-taking, controlling for the state of power. Study 1, correlational, analyzed whether the relationship between sense of power and risky financial choices is serially mediated by general optimism and financial risk perception. The results confirmed the initial hypotheses. The second, experimental, study investigated the role of states of power and lack of power in explaining people's financial decisions as well as their influence on people's situational optimism and perception of risk. The results indicated that people in a state of power differed from people lacking power in terms of their situational optimism and the riskiness of their financial choices; however, they did not differ in terms of risk perception. People having power were more optimistic, invested more, and made riskier gambling choices than those in control conditions and those who lacked power. The third, experimental, study investigated the single and joint moderating effects of the states of optimism and power in explaining the positive relationship between sense of power and risky investing and gambling choices. In line with our expectations, the results of the study showed that the states of power and optimism jointly moderated the positive relationship between the sense of power and risky financial choices. This effect was the strongest under the state of power and optimism conditions and the weakest when lack of power and pessimism were induced; thus boundary conditions for previously observed mechanisms were identified. The results of the research shed light on the way optimism mediates and moderates the effect of power on financial risk-taking and thus contributes to theoretical knowledge of the consequences of power., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Plant-based dairy substitutes have been gaining popularity in recent years, but consumer perspective on these products is still relatively unexplored. The purpose of the study was to investigate the potential of plant-based dairy alternatives, including consumers' motives and the barriers to embracing this food category. A qualitative study (24 focus groups, 154 respondents) was conducted in three countries: Poland, Germany, and France. The study allowed us to describe the reasons for using dairy substitutes (curiosity, health reasons, influence of others), their perceived advantages, and the barriers to their use. The study also showed that the role of dairy differs between the surveyed countries and is related to culinary traditions. As a result, attitudes towards and motives for using dairy substitutes differ in the different countries.

The aim of this study was to use local LAB cultures for the production of organic acid-rennet cheeses from unpasteurized cow's milk. Under industrial conditions, three types of cheese were produced, i.e., traditionally with acid whey (AW), with starter culture L. brevis B1, or with starter culture L. plantarum Os2. Strains were previously isolated from traditional Polish cheeses. Chemical composition, physico-chemical, microbiological, and sensory studies during 2 months of storage were carried out. As a result of this research, it was found that the basic composition was typical for semi-hard, partially skimmed cheeses. Mainly saturated fatty acids were detected. The cheeses were rich in omega-3, -6, and -9 fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), and were characterized by good lipid quality indices (LQI). All of the cheeses were characterized by a high number of lactic acid bacteria, with Enterobacteriaceae , yeast, molds, and staphylococci contaminants, which is typical microbiota for unpasteurized milk products. Water activity, pH, and total acidity were typical. A lower oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) of cheeses with the addition of strains and stability of the products during storage were observed. The B1 and Os2 cheeses were lighter, less yellow, had a more intense milk and creamy aroma, were softer, moister, and more elastic than AW cheese. The research results indicate the possibility of using environmental LAB strains in the production of high-quality acid-rennet cheeses, but special attention should be paid to the production process due to the microbiological quality of the cheeses.

The conducted qualitative research was aimed at capturing the biggest challenges related to the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. The interviews were carried out in March-June (five stages of the research) and in October (the 6th stage of the research). A total of 115 in-depth individual interviews were conducted online with 20 respondents, in 6 stages. The results of the analysis showed that for all respondents the greatest challenges and the source of the greatest suffering were: a) limitation of direct contact with people; b) restrictions on movement and travel; c) necessary changes in active lifestyle; d) boredom and monotony; and e) uncertainty about the future., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

An increase in the consumption of poultry meat has been observed due to its availability, nutritional value, and delicate flavor. These characteristics make it possible to prepare, with the use of spices and other additives, many different dishes and products for increasingly demanding consumers. The sous-vide technique is increasingly being used to give new sensory attributes to dishes in gastronomy. The study aimed to assess the impact of the heat treatment method, i.e., the sous-vide method, as compared to traditional cooking, on the sensory quality of poultry meat, as well as the efficiency of the process with regard to technological quality. The cooking yield with the sous-vide method of processing poultry meat was higher than with the traditional method of cooking in water (88.5% vs. 71.0%, respectively). The meat was also found to be redder (a* = 254 vs. 074) and less yellow (b* = 1512 vs. 1649), as well as more tender. The sensory quality of chicken breast meat obtained by the sous-vide method was higher in terms of attributes such as color tone, tenderness, juiciness, and overall quality. At the same time, it was lower in terms of the odor of cooked meat and the flavor of cooked meat as compared to meat subjected to traditional cooking.

The study aimed to assess the effect of herbal additions with antioxidant properties (pepper, thyme and oregano) on the microbiological and oxidative stability as well as the sensory quality of minced poultry meat. Meatballs treatments without additives and treatments with the addition of three types of spices in two forms-dry spices and industrial extracts were examined. Popular seasoning additives of oregano ( Origanum vulgare ), thyme ( Thymus vulgaris ) and black pepper ( Piper nigrum ) at 0.3% of dry herbal or 0.003% as industrial extract were added to minced meat. The microbiological, chemical and sensory tests were performed at specified times and storage temperature. Based on the studied criteria, products maintained constant and adequate quality by up to 10 days while stored in 4 °C. In the case of all tested samples, the overall sensory quality began to deteriorate after 10 days of storage. The preservative role of herbs and extracts in meat products during processing and storage was observed. Oregano and black pepper in both forms maintained good microbial quality and showed their inhibitory effects on the growth of psychrotrophic bacteria. It was observed that dried herbs revealed a stronger antioxidant effect than additives in the form of extracts. The studied dried herbs played an antioxidant, antimicrobial and preservative role in meat products during processing and storage.

The aim was to recognize the effect of oat β-glucan fiber addition on expected and perceived liking of fresh pasta. Durum wheat semolina was enriched with oat β-glucan fiber in proportions: 0, 4, 8, 12 and 16% in relation to wheat flour. The evaluation of pasta samples was carried out by a group of 150 consumers and 10 panelists. Consumers evaluated pasta samples to assess the expected and perceived liking and the trained panelists established sensory profile.The consumers' evaluation of cooked pasta with different oat β-glucan fiber additions showed that the sample with 16% oat β-glucan fiber addition was most liked (6.4 in a 1-9 scale). Consistency between expected and perceived liking increased with the increase in oat β-glucan fiber addition and was the highest for the sample enriched with 16% β-glucan. The sensory profile established by the trained panelists compared with the results of the consumers' assessment showed that an increase in intensity of bran odor and flavor (up to value 4.08 for odor note and 5.31 for flavor) could have been related to higher perceived liking by the consumers. The increased amount of oat β-glucan fiber powder (16%), which provides fiber-rich products, is a promising ingredient for fresh pasta formulation.

Background: Recently, an increase in the consumption of poultry meat has been observed Worldwide. This is related to the growing production of this kind of meat. Intensive poultry meat production affects the level of bird welfare and meat quality. The meat industry is looking for new solutions that can reduce meat quality defects. One of them may undoubtedly be a feed reformulation, of which a supplementation with zinc can be taken into consideration. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of Zn supplementation of chicken feed on the technological and sensory quality of meat., Methods: The research was carried out on material taken from 60 carcasses. Half of the group (30 pieces) was fed with Zn in the form of nonorganic compounds (zinc oxide) and the other 30 chickens were fed zinc in its organic form, and amino acids (ratio 1:1). After the broilers were slaughtered, the meat quality was evaluated in the breast muscle, and was based on pH value, color parameters, natural drip loss, cooking loss, microbiological status, sensory quality, instrumental shear force and lipid oxidation status., Results: The obtained results show that lower levels (p ≤ 0.01) of drip loss (1.04%), and higher amounts   (p ≤ 0.01) of glucose (4.61 mmol/l) and protein (0.7%) were found in the meat from the group fed with zinc in organic form as an additive. Moreover, the meat from this group was less red (a* value = –0.46 vs. 0.11) and less yellow (b* value 8.41 vs. 10.16) at the same time (p ≤ 0.01). There were no significant differences between the examined groups for cooking loss, microbiological status, lipid oxidation and sensory quality., Conclusions: It should be stated that Zn supplementation in a form with amino acids has a beneficial effect on the quality of poultry meat as far as drip loss reduction is concerned.

The aim of this study was to measure the secretion of interleukin (IL)-8 and -10 during an elicited immune response following sublethal doses of hypericin-mediated photodynamic therapy (HY-PDT) in experimental models of residual colon cancer cells in vitro. Investigations were performed on the cancer cell lines SW480 and SW620. Each cell line was exposed to 3 different concentrations of the photosensitizer HY and various doses of irradiation. The cell metabolic activity using an MTT assay was performed and then the measurement of IL-8 and IL-10 secretion was achieved using the Bio-Plex ProTMAssay. There was a statistically significant amplification of IL-8 secretion during HY-PDT in the SW620 cell line (at 1 J/cm2: P = .01, 5 J/cm2: P = .002, and 10 J/cm2: P = .025) and a statistically significant decrease in IL-8 during HY-PDT in the SW480 cell line (at 1 J/cm2: P = .05, 5 J/cm2: P = .035, and 10 J/cm2: P = .035). No statistically significant differences in IL-10 concentration were found following HY-PDT in the SW480 (at 1 J/cm2: P > .4, 5 J/cm2: P = .1, and 10 J/cm2: P = .075) or in the SW620 cell line (at 1 J/cm2: P > .4, 5 J/cm2: P > .4, and 10 J/cm2: P > .4). HY-PDT can both eliminate and control a primary tumor via cytotoxic effects, and at sublethal doses, it can affect IL release by colon cancer cells. In this experiment, this influence depended on the level of tumor cell metastatic activity.

The aim of the research was to analyze the influence of chemical composition, technological and sensory pork quality on the formation of heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs) after heat treatment. Material for analysis was taken from 36 samples of pork with different ultimate pH. The results showed that the studied meat was characterized by variation in chemical composition, especially in precursors of HAAs. The formation of HAAs in meat was significantly related to ultimate pH (r = -0.80), glucose concentration (r = 0.60) and color parameters (r = 0.61-0.80). These studies also demonstrated the increased amount of HAAs in meat with higher temperature of grilling. Raising the grill temperature from 180 °C to 220 °C resulted in a two-fold increase in the 4,8-DiMeIQx content and nine-fold 7,8-DiMeIQx. In the case of grilling at 220 °C, the increase in 7,8-DiMeIQx content was accompanied by a decrease in tenderness and juiciness (r = -0.60) and deterioration of overall quality (r = 0.70)., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The aim of the study was to evaluate the influence of inulin supply to high-fat diet rich in saturated fatty acids (SFA) on pork quality and profile of sarcoplasmic protein in drip loss. At 50 days of age, twenty cross-bred pigs (gilts) were randomly allotted to four groups: the control (C) group fed a standard diet, and three experimental (D1, D2 and D3) groups fed a high-fat diet rich in SFA. Moreover, pigs from the groups D2 and D3 consumed an extra inulin supply (7% of daily feed intake) from 85 to 120 days of age (for 5 weeks) and from 50 to 120 days of age (for 10 weeks) respectively. The addition of inulin to the diet reduced meaty odour and flavour significantly, improved tenderness and overall sensory quality of pork and additionally influenced ultimate pH, L* colour parameter, lactate level and protein content in meat. The diets also affected the profile of sarcoplasmic proteins. Significant effects were observed for the following enzymes-PK/PGI (pyruvate kinase/phosphoglucose isomerase) and ALD (aldolase), which are related to the intensity of post-mortem glycolysis. Presented data indicate that long-term inulin supply to high-fat diet has a positive effect on technological and sensory quality as well as protein profile of pork., (© 2018 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.)

The aim of the work was to assess the impact of vegetable and spice addition on the acrylamide content and antioxidant activity of extruded cereal crisps. The foods were based on grain ingredients, such as brown rice, whole grain flour, wheat bran, with different vegetables. Products from one group contained green vegetables, such as broccoli and zucchini; garlic was included as a flavour additive (0.75-1.50%). The second group of crisps consisted of similar cereal ingredients with pumpkin and cinnamon; additionally ginger was included as a flavour additive (0.75-1.50%). The results indicate that the production of a new, innovative product with appropriate nutritional value and acceptable quality is a complex process. The production process significantly changed the nutritional value of the product. The content of acrylamide in zucchini and broccoli crisps was relatively low; ranging from 78 to 86 μg/kg of product. The addition of garlic did not significantly affect the acrylamide content in the final product. For cereal-pumpkin crisps, the acrylamide content was 7 times higher in comparison with zucchini and broccoli products. The acrylamide content in pumpkin and ginger crisps exceeded the benchmark level. The antioxidant activity of the pumpkin product was significantly higher (p < 0.05) than for crisps with green vegetables.

Numerous data suggest that an increase of cancer stem cells (CSCs) in tumor mass can be the reason for failure of conventional therapies because of their resistance. CD44+/CD24- cells are a putative cancer stem cells subpopulation in prostate cancer. TRAIL (tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand) is an activator of apoptosis in tumor cells. However, some tumors are TRAIL-resistant. Cancer cells can be re-sensitized to TRAIL induced apoptosis by a combination of TRAIL and taxanes. The aim of this work was to analyze the enhancement of the anticancer effect of TRAIL by paclitaxel, cabazitaxel and docetaxel in the whole population of PC3 and DU145 prostate cancer cells, but also in CD44+/CD24- prostate cancer stem cells. We examined the apoptotic effect of TRAIL and taxanes using flow cytometry and Annexin-V-PE staining. The co-treatment with taxanes and TRAIL enhanced significantly the apoptosis in CD44+/CD24- cells only in PC3 cell line but not in DU145 cells. We discovered also that taxanes can increase the expression of death receptor TRAIL-R2 in PC3 prostate cancer cells. The results of our study show that treatment with paclitaxel, cabazitaxel and docetaxel is able to enhance the apoptosis induced by TRAIL even in prostate cancer stem cells., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.