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The increasing demand for natural compounds as an alternative to synthetic antioxidants and conservans has led to the utilization of secondary plant metabolites in the food industry, as these bioactive compounds possess great antioxidative and antimicrobial properties without side effects on human health. Despite this, the sensitivity of plant-derived compounds is a restrictive factor in terms of their full potential. The current research aimed to characterize rosehip-fruit-extract-loaded liposomes (non-treated and UV-irradiated) in terms of their density, surface tension, viscosity, chemical composition (FTIR and HPLC analyses), and thermal behavior. In the storage stability study, the vesicle size, polydispersity index (PDI), zeta potential, conductivity, and mobility of the liposomes were monitored. FTIR analysis confirmed that the plant compounds were successfully loaded within the carrier, while no chemical reaction between the rosehip fruit extract and phospholipids was detected. The results of the HPLC analysis evidence the high potential for liposomal encapsulation to protect sensitive bioactives in the rosehip fruit extract from the degrading effect of UV irradiation. The size of the rosehip-fruit-extract-encapsulated liposomes increased on the seventh day of storage from 250 nm to 300 nm, while the zeta potential values were between −21 mV and −30 mV in the same period and further stabilized over 60 days of monitoring. In Vitro release studies in water and simulated gastrointestinal fluids showed that the presence of enzymes and bile salts (in intestinal fluid) enhanced the rosehip–polyphenol permeability from liposomes (70.3% after 6 h) compared with their release in water after 24 h and in gastric fluid after 4 h (38.9% and 41.4%, respectively). The obtained results indicate that the proliposome method was an effective method for rosehip fruit extract liposomal encapsulation and for the delivery of these plant-derived bioactives in foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recovery of valuable nutritional compounds, like proteins, from waste streams and by-products is a key strategy for enhancing production sustainability and opening up new market potential. This research aimed to use high-intensity ultrasound as an innovative technique to extract the soluble proteins from the pumpkin leaves. The impact of various sonication amplitudes and duration periods on protein yield, functional properties, antioxidant qualities, and structural characteristics, were studied. Utilization of ultrasound technology significantly increased the yield of pumpkin leaf protein by up to 40%—six times higher than maceration. The ultrasound extraction provided a RuBisCO-rich protein fraction with high radical scavenging and chelating activities, especially at 40% amplitude. Cavitation modified the tertiary and secondary structures of leaf proteins: the amount of α-helix changed based on amplitude (12.3–37.7%), the amount of random coil increased to 20.4%, and the amount of β-turn reduced from 31 to 18.6%. The alteration of the protein fluorescence spectrum (blue shift in spectrum) provides further evidence that ultrasound alters the proteins' molecular structure in comparation with maceration; the maximum tryptophan fluorescence intensity decreased from 22.000 to 17.096. The hydrophobicity values of 76.8–101.5 were substantially higher than the maceration value of 53.4, indicating that ultrasound improved the hydrophobicity of protein surfaces. Ultrasound resulted in a significant increase in solubility in an acidic environment with the increase in sonication amplitude. A 2.4-fold increase in solubility at pH 2 becomes apparent (20% amplitude; 43.1%) versus maceration (18.2%). The emulsifying ability decreases from 6.62 to 5.13 m2/g once the sonication amplitude increases by 20–70%. By combining the ultrasound periods and amplitudes, it is possible to create high-value protein leaf extracts with improved properties which can find real application as food additives and dietary supplements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The expected economic growth of the EU27 and China by 2025 will lead to a further increase in the share of the Chinese economy in world GDP and the overtaking of the EU economy in 2022. The main contribution of this paper is the presentation and analysis of IMF projected GDPs for China and the EU27 in the period 2020-25, and assessing the impact of divergent GDP growth trends of the two economic giants on the further development in their bilateral relations. Namely, since the change in the global economic position causes geopolitical consequences, it is clear that the very expectation of such trends influences the decisions of political and economic actors today - such as the signing of the investment agreement between Brussels and Beijing, despite Washington's opposition. The EU's response to China's growing influence could be an attempt to mitigate Beijing's strategic challenge by creating a stronger transatlantic partnership, but it is uncertain that Washington will be willing to offer significant concessions to Brussels. An alternative scenario could involve strengthening the EU's "strategic autonomy", which would imply an attempt at a more independent geopolitical positioning, which would enable better relations with China and easier access to the country's huge market. The EU, the world's largest trading bloc and the largest trading partner of as many as 80 countries, will find it difficult to come to terms with its subordinate role in Sino-US competition and will remain focused on exploring synergies with both powers.