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In this research the screening of several higher fungi - basidiomycetes cultures for the presence of collagenolytic activity was carried out. The highest collagenase activity was detected in submerged culture of higher fungus Coprinus lagopides. The enzyme preparation of collagenase was isolated from culture liquid of this producer. The optimum temperature and pH of the collagenolytic activity of the enzyme preparation were determined. The selection of nitrogen and carbon sources and ratios of carbon and nitrogen sources in the composition of nutrient mediums was carried out in order to increase the collagenase activity of fungus submerged culture. In addition to the collagenase activity of producers culture the amount of accumulated biomass, pH and protein concentration in the culture liquid of basidiomycete were also determined.

The task in treating acute nasopharyngitis (ANP) deals with reducing the disease symptoms and the risk of complications. The lack of reliable antiviral drugs makes it important to search for appropriate medicines among other pharmacotherapeutic groups.The study involves a comparative analysis of the efficiency and estimates potential: the recombinant interferon α2b and the compound containing fungal β-D-glucans used in treat ANPThe studies involved patients with ANP from 18 to 55 years old. As many as 152 people were examined including the following: 38 were practically healthy people (group 1); and 114 patients wuth ANP: 38 people (group 2) was subject to a standard therapy (vasoconstrictor nasal drops, nasal cavity irrigation using 0.1% Miramistine solution, gargling using the Furacilin solution); forty people (group 3) were administered application of intranasal interferon α2b of 105IU, it was delivered with a spray into each nasal passage twice a day; 36 people (group 4) were administered an immunotropic drug containing β-D-glucans orally twice a day. The duration of drug administration lasted 7 days. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to identify the ANP etiological factor. Concentrations of cytokines IL-1β, IL-1ra were estimated using enzyme immunoassay (ELISA) technique. Clinical efficiency was assessed through score approach. The following symptoms were taken into account: general malaise, sore throat, character of nasal discharge, and the difficulty of nasal breathing. The results of the study were analyzed using parametric and nonparametric statistical methods. In 60.0% the nasal secretions of patients revealed RV. The distribution of cytokine concentrations in nasal secretions in group 1 indicated that the concentration of IL-1β was in the range of 20.0-25.0 pg/ml, and the concentration of IL-1ra was about 1250.0-2500.0 pg/ml. Developing ANP stimulated an increase in IL-1β concentration up to 30.0-70.0 pg/ml in nasal secretions of patients without affecting IL-1ra concentrations. On day 7 of treatment, the cytokine concentrations among the patients treated using the immunotropic drugs were the same as in the group of healthy individuals. There were no significant changes in cytokine production on day 7 in the group of patients undergoing the standard treatment. Application of proposed immunobiological medicines to ANP does not result in overproduction of proinflammatory cytokine IL-1β in nasal secretion. This confirms that these drugs are promising in the treating strategy including reduction of the risk of developing complications.

The aim of this paper is to present the antibacterial activity of peppermint, basil and rosemary essential oils obtained by steam distillation after the preservation period using various methods. The processing methods used for the plant materials were natural drying, freezing and gamma ray irradiation. The oils were extracted after certain preservation periods from Mentha piperita, Ocimum basilicum and Rosmarinus officinalis aromatic plant materials. The antibacterial activity of the studied essential oils was assessed against 8 bacterial strains (Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, Streptococcus viridans, Enterococcus faecalis, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Serratia marcescens). Antibacterial activity of the essential oils was investigated using disc diffusion method. The results showed that the antibacterial activity depends on the type of aromatic plant and the type of used preservation methods. The most active essential oils against the tested bacteria were, in descending order rosemary, peppermint and basil.

Eastern European national traditions are historically rooted, and form a set of customs, rites, habits, and skills practiced and passed down from generation to generation. These traditions, especially related to food, clearly distinguish some of the unique characteristics of the nations inhabiting the region and can, therefore, serve as an object of special pride and almost sacred veneration.

National cuisine is an integral part of every national culture and depends on such factors as the geographical location of the country, its climatic conditions, and the history, religion, and traditions that people have developed over many centuries. In the vast expanses from the White Sea in the north to the Black Sea in the south, from the Baltic Sea in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east, live the Russians—a nation united in language, culture, and way of life. The Russian Federation is multinational, and the peoples living on its territory have different cultural and everyday traditions, the specifics of which are determined by natural and climatic factors.

According to the concept of trained immunity (TRIM), by stimulating the immune response with one pathogen, one can strengthen it against infection by another. With this understanding, one can take advantage of such immune responses with a stimulant such as β-glucan, which does not actually cause disease in humans, but has the advantage of generating primed immune cells that will respond to a variety of deadly infections. Mushroom β-glucans are known to act as training agents that leads to an increase in immune responses when these trained cells are subjected to a secondary stimulus. Understanding whether the TRIM processes are responsible for antiviral responses will undoubtedly provide a deeper understanding of other potential antiviral strategies, as the new SARS-CoV-2 is not the first- or last-time humanity has to deal with viral pandemics. More studies and clinical evidence are necessary for better understanding of the role of β-glucans in viral infections and COVID-19.

Over the last few decades, polysaccharides of fungi, namely beta-glucans captivated researchers' attention for they hold many significant properties; the most important ones are immunomodulating and antitumor properties. Although, beta-glucans are widely represented in nature, the most biologically active form of beta-glucans is beta-1,3 / 1,6-glucan. Most often, this type of beta-glucans is found in some yeast, bacteria, and mycelial fungi. Thus, in recent years, fungi have been the focus of scientists around the world as a source of biologically active compounds with beneficial effects on human health. Some fungi and derived from them biologically active substances were included in the product group, defined as "functional foods", i.e. as food, whose health benefits were documented by scientific research and whose beneficial effects can not be attributed only to the availability of nutrients. The use of functional foods containing beta-glucans leaves no doubt. With the aim of imparting new properties to functional fermented products by introducing into their composition beta-glucans of fungal origin, the effect of water-soluble beta-glucans obtained from the deep mycelium of oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) on the activity of lactobacillus bacteria (Lactobacillus acidophilus, Streptococcus salivarius subsp., thermophilus, Lactobacillus bulgaricus).

Diabetes mellitus is a group of metabolic diseases characterized by hyperglycemia caused by impaired insulin secretion, insulin action, or both. The World Health Organization identifies 4 types of diabetes: type 1 diabetes is characterized by inadequate production of insulin in the human body, type 2 is characterized by insulin resistance, impaired glucose tolerance and impaired fasting glycemia and gestational diabetes. The following criteria are important in studies of antidiabetic action: the level of glucose in the blood plasma, the level of various types of lipoproteins, the effect on immunity, the antioxidant effect, the level of insulin in the blood plasma, the effect on the intestinal microbiota, structural changes in β-cells of the pancreas glands. Many cultures of fungi are demonstrated high activity against hypoglycaemia, insulin resistance and dyslipidemia. The glucan part is often found in the composition of the investigated mushroom preparations. The β-glucans of fungi are known for their wide and varied biological activities. There is a hypothesis that it is these substances that are responsible for the antidiabetic effect of fungi. According to researchers, it is possible to identify how many possible key mechanisms of action of natural polysaccharides on diabetes mellitus: - an increase in plasma insulin levels and a decrease in the activity of pancreatic glucagon; - an increase in the sensitivity of the insulin receptor and a decrease in insulin resistance; - increased synthesis of glycogen in the liver; - improving the use of glucose by peripheral tissues; - anti-inflammatory effect.

Submerged culture of the mushroomCoprinus lagopideswas studied as a source of surfactant proteins and milk-clotting enzyme. Low molecular fungal proteins called hydrophobins exhibit unusual surfactant properties. They are able to self-assemble at the interface and to change the surface properties. Emulsions formed by these low-molecular proteins are very stable and can be used as stabilizers for edible foams and emulsions. By their taste and mouth feel air emulsions of hydrophobins resemble fats and can be used to substitute up to 50 % of them in large variety of foods. Despite the fact that hydrophobins have great application potential, however, the possibility of their use is currently very limited due to their insufficient output. Screening for new efficient producers of hydrophobins and development of new integrated methods of their production along with other valuable materials can help to overcome this problem. n this paper, we propose a novel producer of highly active surfactant proteins and a novel integrated method of obtaining as a result of a single fermentation surfactant proteins and milk-clotting enzyme.

Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites of microscopic moulds with pronounced toxic properties. Moulds infect products of plant and animal origin at any stage of their receipt, transportation and storage, in industrial and home conditions. Mycotoxins are more commonly found in plant foods. Their biosynthesis by fungi occurs during the ripening and harvesting period under unfavourable meteorological conditions and improper grain storage. Untimely harvesting or insufficient drying of the crop before storage, storage and transportation of products with insufficient protection against moisture leads to the multiplication of microorganisms and the formation of toxic substances in food products.

Mushrooms have been an important part of the diet for centuries. There are more than 2,000 different species of mushrooms found in the nature, but only 25 species are generally used in the human diet, and even fewer are grown commercially. One of the more popular mushrooms for cultivation and culinary use are mushrooms of the genus Pleurotus. The objectives of this study were: (i) preparation of isolates from the basidiomycetes Pleurotus ostreatus by sequential extraction with cold and hot water, extraction with hot water and extraction with hot alkali solution for determination of antiradical activity and (ii) preparation of water and 70% ethanol extracts for determination of antidiabetic activity. The antiradical activity of the extracts was determined using spectrophotometric method based on inhibition of free radical 2,2- diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl. Antidiabetic activity was determined using α- amylase inhibition assay with DNSA reagent and spectrophotometric determination. As a result of the work carried out, it was found that the preparations obtained by extraction exhibit antiradical activity. Regarding antidiabetic activity, all tested extracts showed considerable antidiabetic activity. Moreover, water extracts were inhibiting α-amylase significantly more than ethanol extracts at higher concentrations of dry extract (50 and 100 mg/mL), whereas at lower concentrations (1 and 10 mg/mL) of ethanol extracts were more efficient than water ones.

Among all medical pathologies, cardiovascular diseases are the most dangerous and deadly. On the one hand, thrombosis is a natural reaction of a person to damage to blood vessels, on the other hand, thrombosis is often the cause of death in the event of cardiovascular disease. There is a natural process called fibrinolysis to dissolve a blood clot after the bleeding has stopped and preventing vascular occlusion. This article examines current understanding of the human fibrinolytic system, main elements of fibrinolytic system and also addresses the topic of thrombolytic therapy.

Introduction: Nowadays, plant extracts are highly applied in food industries either as sources of bioactive components or as an alternative to artificial additives. Therefore, food manufacturers are focused on innovative products, which can satisfy consumers’ requirements. Objectives: This study investigates the encapsulation of Origanum majorana, Achillea millefolium, Foeniculum vulgare, Juniperus communis and Anethum graveolens EOs in alginate capsules as a means of controlling the fast release of volatile constituents. Materials and Methods: The EOs were obtained via steam distillation. Sodium alginate was chosen as a carrier because of its biodegradable and biocompatible properties. The paper describes the simple dripping technique used for the preparation of the alginate microcapsules with EO cores, and a possible application of the microcapsules as a natural flavor additive. Results: Sensorial properties of the final product were subjectively analyzed and described. The changes of the taste and the flavour of candies in comparison with the control sample were significant. Nevertheless, the strong herbal odour was found as "uncommon in confectionary but pleasant. Conclusion: It has been investigated, that the sodium alginate encapsulated EOs have to be added as a final step of a recipe to save its antimicrobial and antioxidant potential. Further assays need to be performed to investigate the recipe, which includes the EO alginate microcapsules in order to get a high-quality final product that can be used for commercial purposes.

Hydrophobins are low-molecular surface-active proteins of fungi with high surface activity and the ability to self-assemble at the interface. The unusual properties of hydrophobins open up possibilities for their application in various fields, including medicine and the food industry. The wide range of possible applications of hydrophobins makes it important to develop and improve technology for their isolation and purification. The aim of the study was to select methods for the extraction of hydrophobin-type proteins and to study the ability of the obtained extracts to modify the solid surface. The source of hydrophobins in this study was the biomass of the fungus Funalia trogii. Methods for the isolation of hydrophobin-type proteins were developed, including purification of the extract from ballast proteins, followed by the destruction of agglomerates of hydrophobin-type proteins using acids in high concentrations. The surface activity and the ability to modify the surface of the obtained proteins were evaluated. As a result, we obtained extracts containing hydrophobin-type proteins with high surface activity. Funalia trogii extracts are capable of changing the hydrophobicity of the surface and can be used in various industries.

Currently, the search continues for fibrinolytic and thrombolytic drugs that quickly dissolve blood clots and do not have side effects. One of the directions of these studies is the production of fibrinolytic enzymes from deep cultures of basidiomycetes. This work examines the fibrinolytic activity of culture liquids obtained from two cultures of saprophytic basidiomycetes: Coprinus lagopides and Funalia trogii in comparison with the commercial thrombolytic drug Actilyse.

Mushrooms are rich in biologically active substances. Basidiomycete oyster mushroom or Pleurotus ostreatus is not only widely used in food, but also have radioprotection, preventive effect on recurrent respiratory tract infections, hypocholesterolic action, antitumor effect, strong immunostimulatory activity and other beneficial medical effects. It is considered that β-glucans play significant role in the biological activities of the oyster mushroom. The aim of this research was to study the effect of the addition of various β-glucan containing preparations obtained from the submerged biomass of P. ostreatus on the process of milk fermentation and properties of the finished product. Preparations of β-glucans obtained from submerged cultured P. ostreatus biomass were obtained using different extraction protocols. The content of β-glucans in preparations was determined using Assay Kit (Megazyme). Preparations were added to milk in different concentrations before the introduction of starter culture. A starter containing Lactobacillus acidophilus n.v. Er 317/402 strain «Narine» was used for fermentation. The titratable acidity was controlled during the fermentation. Physicochemical, structural-mechanical properties (water holding capacity) of the obtained samples were studied. The sensory evaluation of the products was evaluated. Results show that the addition of preparations increase the glycolytic activity. Structural-mechanical properties of yogurt samples fortified by β-glucan-containing preparations depend on the preparation and its concentration. Sensory evaluation showed that experimental samples differed not only from the control sample but also from each other.

Immunotropic effect of oyster mushroom beta-glucans, birch tree triterpenes and dipeptide of gamma-D-glutamyl-tryptophan were studied on white male mice. The study demonstrated that bestim, beta-glucan, as well as a combined preparation consisting of bestim, betulin and beta-glucan administered in a single dose) have an immunotropic effect, which is confirmed by reliable increase in the mass of the thymus, as well as the “mass ratio of the thymus”. The reaction of the spleen of animals to the studied preparations was less obvious. Stimulation of humoral immunity of animals by these preparations was also detected.

Yeast β-glucan is a promising biologically active polysaccharide for developing mass consumption functional food. This research uses the method to obtain β-glucan-containing preparations from cell walls of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and studies the effect of the resulting concentrate on the rheological properties of wheat flour dough and the quality of finished products. During the analysis, both traditional and modern methods were applied to determine the rheological indicators of the flour and dough quality. The introduction of a concentrate obtained from the residual brewer's yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae into the dough causes no significant effects on the characteristics of both semi-finished products and finished products. This opens new prospects for using yeast β-glucans as a functional additive in the development of bakery products.

A survey among the consumers of North-Western region of Russia (St. Petersburg and Leningradskaya oblast) was carried out, to determine awareness and understanding of food labeling, as well as usefulness of various elements of food labeling.

Residual brewing yeast is one of the main solid wastes in brewing. Using residual brewing biomass as a source of biologically active substances is an important way of recycling these brewing by-products. According to the literature S. cerevisiae is considered as the promising source of polysaccharides, particularly beta-glucans. Beta-glucans are structural polysaccharides of the yeast cell and perform immune stimulating properties. At the same time, there is too little information about the content of these polysaccharides in brewing yeast of the genus Brettanomyces. The objects of this study were yeast cultures of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Brettanomyces bruxellensis. In this work, the cultivations of the yeasts were carried out to compare them as possible sources of beta-glucans. The yeasts were cultivated in a simple periodic culture using a laboratory fermenter (Biostat A, Sartorius). As a result, the content of beta-glucans in the yeasts S. cerevisiae and B. bruxellensis biomass was measured by enzymatic method (Megazyme, Ireland). According to the obtained data, the yeast B. bruxellensis contains a higher amount of beta-glucans than the yeast S. cerevisiae.

Submerged cultured higher basidiomycetes were screened for milk-clotting activity. The native liquid of Coprinus lagopides demonstrated high milk-clotting activity, while having relatively low general proteolytic activity. Optimization of growth media composition and ultrafiltration of the native liquid allows increasing the ratio of milk-clotting and proteolytic activities. The Enzyme was purified and characterized.

The Eurasian Economic Community (EurAsEC) is an international economic organization created to effectively advance the process of forming a Customs Union and Common Economic Space by member states and also to implement other goals and objectives connected with the enhancement of integration in the economic and humanitarian spheres. One of the major challenges for the successful functioning of the common customs space of the members of the Customs Union, is the harmonization and unification of the legislation, including food legislation of the countries - members of the Customs Union. Unification of the legislation related to the labeling of food products will promote the trade and will ensure the awareness of the consumers.

Aqueous extracts from fruit bodies and mycelia of various higher Basidiomycetes were studied in search for reliable biological effects. In vitro and in vivo experiments were conducted. The results showed that the aqueous extracts demonstrated various types of marked biological actions: an increased production of reactive oxygen forms by neutrophil cells of human peripheral blood; a significant mitogenic activity in a wide range of concentrations; stimulation on production of inflammatory cytokines interleukine 1-β and interleukine-8 by peripheral blood cells; a decrease in both average tumor size in mice with transplanted melanoma B16 and a manifestation of tumorous intoxication; and a prolongation in the survival rate of such mice.

Bringing Russian legislation into compliance with international norms and standards is necessary after its accession to the World Trade Organization. Harmonization of food legislation and of sanitary and phytosanitary measures are among the problems that had to be solved first. Many Russian food and trade regulations had been changed or are still in the process of being reformed, largely owing to a policy of integration pursued by the Customs Union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan. However, as a member of the Eurasian Economic Community, Russia is also engaged not only in harmonization throughout the Customs Union but also Kirgizstan and Tajikistan, and Armenia, Moldova and Ukraine as observer countries. Russia also continues to coordinate policy reforms closely with the European Union, its primary trade partner, ultimately bringing Russian food and sanitary norms closer to international standards (e.g. Codex). Today, all participants in the Russian food production chain, processing and sale of foods have to deal with growing numbers of security standards. Many organizations are certified under several schemes, which leads to unnecessary costs. Harmonization of standards has helped promote solutions in the domestic market as well as import-export of foods and raw materials for production. Priorities have included food safety for human health, consumer protection, removal of hazardous and/or adulterated products and increased competition within the domestic food market as well as mutual recognition of certification in bilateral and multilateral (inter)national agreements.

While the neuroprotective effect of green tea (Camellia sinensis) might be explained by the presence of amino acid L-theanine in the tea leaves, it is not known whether postischemic administration of L-theanine could also provide neuroprotection. In the present study, we investigated the neuroprotective effect of L-theanine (1 and 4 mg/kg) administered at 3, 12, and 24 h after reperfusion in the rat model of stroke. We also studied the effect of L-theanine on brain injury caused by exogenous administration of N-methyl-D-aspartate and α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-isoxazole-4-propionate/kainate receptor agonists during reperfusion. Rats were subjected to 30-min middle cerebral artery occlusion followed by 48-h reperfusion. Neurological deficit and infarct size were determined at the end of reperfusion. At 3 and 12 h, but not at 24 h of reperfusion, L-theanine substantially reduced the size of brain infarct. Neurological status was improved when L-theanine was administered 3, 12, and 24 h after reperfusion. Repeated intrastriatal injections of L-theanine at a total dose of 800 µg/kg during reperfusion prevented brain injury caused by glutamate receptor agonists. In conclusion, L-theanine at reperfusion exerts neuroprotective effect in the in vivo rat model of stroke. Local treatment with L-theanine at reperfusion prevents glutamate receptor agonist-mediated brain injury.