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The aim of this study was to isolate and characterize starch from eight potato varieties. First, the basic chemical composition of the potato samples was determined, and then the isolation was carried out under laboratory conditions. The isolated starch was air dried, then ground and sieved through a 400 µm sieve. The basic chemical composition, thermophysical properties, swelling capacity and solubility index were determined in the obtained samples. The results showed that the potato variety SL 13-25 had the lowest starch content, while the variety Stilleto had the highest starch content. The content of protein, fat, ash and crude fiber was relatively low, indicating the high purity of all isolated starches. Retrogradation transition temperatures and enthalpies were lower compared to gelatinization temperatures and enthalpies. With increasing temperature, both the swelling capacity and the solubility index of all samples increased.

The aim of this paper was to determine the impact of the extrusion process on chemical composition, total starch content, starch damage and the bioaccessibility of zinc (Zn) and selenium (Se), using different extrusion temperature profiles: 140/170/170 °C, 150/180/180 °C, 160/190/190 °C and adding different content of agrofortified wheat with Zn and Se to corn grits: 10, 20, 30 and 40%. The protein and mineral content of the wheat fortified with Zn and Se was significantly higher compared to the corn grits, and the wheat fortified with Zn had the highest protein content (14.28 ± 0.76%) of all observed raw materials. Starch content increased after the extrusion process with no significant differences with increasing extrusion temperature, while the addition of different proportions of wheat fortified with Zn and Se decreased starch content. In addition, the extrusion process significantly increased the starch damage without significant change by increasing extrusion temperature. Addition of different proportions of wheat fortified with Zn and Se reduced starch damage values in proportion to the added content of fortified wheat. As the temperature and the proportion of added wheat increased, the total Zn content in the extrudates increased. The bioaccessibility of Zn also increased with increasing extrusion temperature, with no statistical difference in values for most samples due to the addition of different proportions of fortified wheat. Total Se content increased with increasing proportion of fortified wheat and decreased with increasing extrusion temperature. There was no significant difference in the bioaccessibility of Se by increasing the extrusion temperature and the proportion of enriched wheat.

Waste generation is a global problem directly related to the way society produces and consumes. Waste management is therefore a global challenge that encompasses environmental, economic, social and political aspects and affects not only today's generations but also those to come. Consequently, waste management must be sustainable at its core and can be directly or indirectly linked to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). SDG #4 emphasizes the importance of education in general as the foundation for creating a peaceful and prosperous world. Environmental education is critical to the successful implementation of sustainable waste management because it changes attitudes and provides learners with knowledge, values and skills that enable change in the way communities manage waste. It also raises public awareness and enables the implementation of the sustainable waste management system through more effective public participation. In addition to environmental education aimed at the general public, the training of qualified waste management professionals is also very important. Incentives aimed at developing formal and informal training in waste management are important to mitigate the negative impact of landfills on the environment in the long term.

Packaging waste accounts for a significant portion of municipal solid waste generation, negatively impacting interconnected human-earth systems in a variety of ways and strongly influencing climate change. The dominance of the linear economy (take- use-dispose) is difficult to eliminate. The transition from the dominant linear economy to the circular economy ; “5R” (reuse-reduce-recycle- renew-remove) is extremely important, especially with regard to the use of packaging. [1-2] In this paper, potential packaging materials based on polylactic acid (PLA) and thermoplastic potato starch citrate (TPS) are investigated. Potato starch was plasticized with glycerol and citric acid and then compounded with PLA in a laboratory Brabender mixer. The thermal properties of the TPS/PLA bioplastic were characterized using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). According to the DSC results for TPS/PLA bioplastics, the changes in melting and crystallization temperature indicate that there is an interaction between TPS citrate and PLA. The TGA results show that TPS is more thermally stable with the addition of citric acid. The viscoelastic properties were improved by the addition of citric acid. The addition of citric acid has a dual function, primarily as a plasticizer and also as a compatibilizer, i.e., it is a good candidate that can expand the range of achievable properties of TPS/PLA bioplastics. References [1] Ellen MacArthur Foundation, 2016. Intelligent assets: unlocking the circular economy potential, https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/intelligent- assets-unlocking-the-circular-economy-potential [2] F. Casarejos, C.R. Bastos, C. Rufin, M.N. Frota, Journal of Cleaner Production 201 (2018) 1019-1028.

Apple pomace make almost 25% of the total weight of apple left over after processing. It is primarily rich in dietary fiber (35-60%), contains significant amounts of soluble dietary fiber, mostly pectin. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of replacing 5, 10 and 15% of wheat flour with extruded snack products enriched with the apple pomace (corn grit:apple pomace ratio was 85:15), on the sensory characteristics of cookies. Cookie samples were evaluated by a panel of 10 trained members. The intensity of each attribute is listed on a 7-point intensity scale. The evaluated attributes were: color, surface appearance, hardness, grainess, pore appearance and taste. The hardness of cookies, grainess and number of cracks in the surface increased with increasing extrudate content. By adding apple pomace extrudates, the cookies get a characteristic fruity aroma and a darker color with increasing the share of red tone. Also, the intensity of the apple taste increased with the increase of the extrudate content. Due to the pleasant aroma of this pomace, it is possible to reduce the amount of sugar in the cookies.

Every year, large quantities of sugar beet pulp are produced in Serbia as well as all over the world (about 120 million tones). Beet pulp contains 70-80% of dietary fiber which have a positive effect on human cholesterol. Compared to cereal fibers mainly used in biscuit production, sugar beet fibers have a perfect ratio of 2/3 insoluble fiber, contain no phytic acid and gluten free. In this work, extruded sugar beet pulp (ratio of corn grits:sugar beet pulp in extrudate was 55:45) is used for improving the nutritional quality of cookies which are world –spread consumption, especially among children. Wheat flour in cookies is replaced with extrudates in the amount of 5, 10 and 15%. Cookie samples were evaluated by a panel comprising of 10 trained members, food technologists. The addition of the extrudate led to an increase in the hardness, graininess, poorer appearance of the cookie surface with more pronounced cracks and slight deformation of the shape.

The Republic of Croatia is a country with a long tradition of apple production and processing, and the cultivation of traditional apple cultivars in extensive farming occupies an important place for the economy, agronomy, and public health. Traditional fruit cultivars in Croatia are a valuable asset and natural heritage, which does not receive enough attention for popularization and processing. Some traditional apple cultivars possess great potential for organic and ecological fruit growing that is becoming increasingly popular. This is well aligned with increasing consumers’ awareness about old cultivars with their specifi c morphological properties and valuable bioactive compounds, vitamins and minerals without the risks of harmful eff ects of applied pesticides. New knowledge and research on traditional apple cultivars would strengthen the market for these fruits and their products, prevent the loss of this valuable genetic material, and contribute to greater biodiversity to promote health and overall well-being. This research was conducted on organically grown traditional Croatian cultivars collected from OPG Horvatić, Cvetkovac, 48312 Rasinja, Croatia. For this purpose, polyphenol profi le of fi ve traditional Croatian cultivars (‘Srčika’, ‘Mašanka’, ‘Kanadska reneta’, ‘Božićnica’ and ‘Ivandija’) was determined by chromatographic (HPLCDAD) method. Total of 16 polyphenols were identifi ed with chlorogenic acid (CA) as the most prominent. The content of CA ranged from 929.77- 3028.78 μg/kg. ‘Božićnica’ had the highest content of catechin and epicatechin (114.89 and 229.81 μg/kg, respectively) while ‘Srčika’ had the highest content of phloridzin and phloretin (117.75 and 48.23 μg/kg, respectively). The results showed that traditional apple cultivars are rich with polyphenols making them a desirable cultivar for a healthy snack. Funding: This work has been supported by Croatian Science Foundation under the project “The possibility of exploiting traditional apple cultivars for the production of apples and apple juice with the reduced patulin content” (UIP‐2020‐02‐8461).

Prema organizaciji Alzheimer’s Disease International, oko 55 milijuna ljudi na svijetu boluje od Alzheimerove bolesti ili drugih oblika demencije u 2020. godini. Najčešći način liječenja spomenutih stanja je inhibicija acetilkolinesteraze (AChE) i amiloid beta enzima u ljudskom mozgu korištenjem komercijalnih farmaceutika kao što su donepezil i aducanumab [1]. Prethodna istraživanju upućuju da propolis ima značajna inhibicijska svojstva AChE prvenstveno zbog visokog sadržaja fenola koji čine čak 60% ukupnog udjela komponenti u propolisu [2]. Test inhibicije AChE proveden je provođenjem Ellmanove metode [3]. Uzorci propolisa osigurani su od strane obiteljskog poljoprivrednog gospodarstva Boris Buratović sa otoka Hvara. Uz ostale cvjetne vrste, lokalitet sa kojeg je prikupljen propolis obiluje ružmarinom (Salvia rosmarinus), lavandom (Lavandula angustifolia) i vrijesom (Calluna vulgaris), biljkama koje mogu značajno utjecati na sadržaj fenola u usporedbi s propolisom prikupljenim u kontinentalnim krajevima. Volumni postotci propolisa u reakcijskoj smjesi iznosili su 5%, 3, 5% i 2, 5%. Najviši postotak inhibicije od 67, 14% postignut je s volumnim postotkom propolisa od 5%.

Sweet spreads are characterized by high sugar and fat content, high sensory acceptability among all generations, but also low nutritional value. In order to increase the nutritional value/reduce the caloric value, sweet spreads are enriched with various additives and/or replacements for specific ingredients. Cocoa shell is a by-product of the food industry which, due to its favorable nutritional composition (fiber, polyphenols), is increasingly used in the production of functional products. In the development of a new product, sensory characterization is one of the key indicators of quality and possible success in the market. In this study, the sensory properties of sweet spreads with the addition of different share of cocoa shell in combination with sugar substitutes (xylitol and stevia) and various fats and emulsifiers against a control sample (sweet spread without cocoa shell) were examined. Sensory attributes (form, color, surface, consistency, chewing, odor and taste) of the sweet spreads were evaluated by a panel of 5 assessors using the scoring method. Although all enriched sweet spreads were rated lower than the control, samples with a higher cocoa shell content were rated better than product with the lowest added cocoa shell content, which had the lowest total weighted score. Overall, all enriched sweet spreads are acceptable because the average points of individual sensory properties as well as all total weighted scores are more than the minimum acceptable values. Future researches are needed to evaluate new combinations of cocoa shell and other additives/replacements to improve the sensory attributes of cocoa shell sweet spreads.

Chocolates are one of the most favourite confectionery products that have a long shelf life, commonly one to two years. Cocoa bean shell is one of the by-products generated in the cocoa industry that has a high content of dietary fibres and bioactive components. Since this by-product is generated in large quantities, it presents a growing environmental problem. The aim of this study was to implement cocoa shell in chocolate production and analyse the stability of such chocolates. Production was performed in a ball mill. Dark and milk chocolate without added cocoa shell were produced, and the cocoa shell was used in share of 15% for the production of dark chocolate and 5% for the production of milk chocolate. After refining and conching, chocolates were tempered and cooled. All analyses were performed after the production, and after 3, 6, 9 and 12 months of storage in the dark, at ambient temperature. The stability of chocolates was determined by analysing fatty acid composition, peroxide value and gloss of chocolates. Fatty acids were determined by GC-FID and peroxide value was determined by the spectrophotometric method. The gloss of chocolates was measured with a gloss meter. Results showed that chocolates had the highest content of palmitic, oleic and stearic acid. In addition, all analysed fatty acids were stable during tested period. The peroxide value of chocolates after the production was similar for all chocolates, while after one year chocolates with added cocoa shell had a slightly higher peroxide value but it was still in acceptable range. The gloss of all dark chocolates decreased after 3 months and for milk chocolates after 6 months of storage.

Food waste is created at every stage in the production cycle – from farm through distribution and retail to customer. The valorisation of food wastes and by-products has become a major subject of research to improve the sustainability of the food chain. Today the global products from food waste market size is valued at USD 52.91 billion, and is projected to grow at a CAGR (the compound annual growth rate) of 4.6% to reach USD 83.26 billion by 2032. This review will provide an overview of the current trends in the use of food by-products for improving human nutrition and production of innovative products as well as the methodologies employed for the recovery of highly valued molecules. The use of certain methodology for the extraction of bioactive compounds from food by-product depends on their source, chemical properties, functionality, and end-use. Some of the major extraction techniques that are used are microwave-assisted extraction, sub-critical water extraction, pulsed electric field extraction etc. This extracted bioactive compounds are now often used for the production of different functional and nutraceutical food products such as, gluten- free crackers, ice cream, bread, yogurt, cheese, fruit purees, snack bar etc. However, food by- products can also be used for production of some non-food innovative products such as t-shirts made with the help of sour milk, food containers made from coffee grounds and husks or car parts made from food waste

Food industry is prompted to make a production eco- friendly and sustainable. Among other issues, by-products generated during processing received a great attention due to large quantities and valuable chemical composition– high contents of fiber, protein, and/or bioactive compounds. They are no longer considered as a waste, but as a valuable resource for food, feed and energy production. This article presents results gained through different projects conducted by the authors where solutions for the use of food industry by-products in food have been found. Brewer’s spent grain, apple pomace, sugar beet pulp, oil press cakes, cocoa shell, citrus peel and even tobacco industry waste contain compounds that can be isolated and used in the form of extracts in food and other industries, but different ways of use of by-products “as such” are also shown on the examples of snacks, biscuits and chocolate, where not only problem of by-product disposal was resolved, but the nutritional values of these products were increased. Although projects were conducted locally, the results and findings can be applied worldwide in order to resolve food industry by-product issues.