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The aim of this study is to explore the impact of the main determinants on the rapid increase in fertilizer prices in Poland and to foresee the consequences of this situation regarding sustainable policy developments. We developed linear regression models for N, P, and K fertilizers to show the direction of influence of explaining variables and make a decomposition of the fertilizer price increases. The models illustrate that four major factors were responsible for the fertilizer price increases in Poland in 2020–2022, i.e., wheat, gas, GHGE allowance prices, and domestic production volumes. These factors explained the variation in the price of fertilizers concerned with different strengths. There were also other impacts associated with the 'black swans' occurrence (the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine). High mineral fertilizer prices provide an opportunity to revise agricultural policy and legislation, taking into account environmental concerns and the latest technological developments. Fertilizer management practices are at the center of a triangle of critical objectives that track the progress toward sustainable agricultural systems, such as (1) an increase in farm incomes, (2) environmental protection, and (3) food and nutrition security. We recommend adjusting the set of explaining variables in the models (i.e., wheat/corn price) to the specificities of the domestic agri-food system. This study provides important guidance for agricultural policymaking, emphasizing the need to integrate sustainable fertilizer management practices to achieve synergies between economic growth, environmental protection, and food security. Such an approach can support the long-term development of agriculture in Poland and contribute to the economic and environmental stability of the agricultural sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The magnetic field (MF) effects resulting from water or solution treatments are still of significant interest. However, a relatively small number of papers have been published dealing with the pure surfactant solutions alone. On the other hand, surfactants are applied in many industrial processes as well as in everyday life and are also present in different waste waters. Therefore, it seemed interesting to investigate whether some effects would appear after the MF treatment of pure aqueous surfactant solutions. In the earlier published papers after MF action the changes in water evaporation rate and the surface tension were found for both the cationic dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide (DTAB) and anionic sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) solutions. The gradient MF originated from three connected ring magnets inside which the solutions were placed. The objective of this paper is to study whether using the same magnets but in a different position the effects of the MF are observed. The given surfactant solution in a closed vessel was placed in an uniform MF when the magnets were in the "lying" position. The investigated solutions on the magnet surface remained for 24 h. In this paper, despite SDS and DTAB also the cationic hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and nonionic Triton X‐100 solutions were applied. It appeared that in the uniform MF the surface tension of cationic and anionic surfactant solutions changes. However, larger changes were observed in the gradient MF. Generally, the changes of surface tension depend on the surfactant kind and its concentration. Stronger MF influence was found for the cationic surfactant and almost no changes were observed for nonionic Triton X‐100. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. The purpose of the work was to study the functional and technological properties of natural ingredients in low-calorie ice cream as potential structure stabilizers and fat substitutes. Materials and methods. Ice cream mixes with β-glucans from oats and yeast, with fermented and non-fermented pectin-containing beet purée were studied. The viscosity of the mixes was measured on an ultrasonic viscometer Unipan type 505, viscoelastic properties on a Kinexus lab+ device, surface tension on a KSV Sigma 700 tensiometer, water activity on an AWMD-10 device. Results and discussion. According to the results of the research, it was established that oat β-glucan shows greater technological activity in the composition of ice cream mixes with a low fat content (2%), compared to β-glucan from yeast, including the combination with soluble pectin of vegetable purée. Fermented beet purée, which contains at least 1.0% soluble pectin, has the greatest impact on the structural and mechanical characteristics of low-fat ice cream mixes in all its combinations with other structuring ingredients. Ice cream mixes with oat β-glucan and vegetable purée at lower frequencies of measurement of viscoelastic properties show high elasticity, but after exceeding a certain frequency value, the structure is destroyed and the mixes show greater viscosity than elasticity, which will allow more intense saturation of the mixes with air under freezing. A correlation between viscosity, water activity and surface tension of low-fat ice cream mixes was revealed, which is explained by intermolecular interaction between macromolecules of hydrocolloids and active binding of free water by a complex of low- and high-molecular compounds. An alternative substitute for the Vianoks C45 stabilization system (mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids + polysaccharides) in the amount of 0.5% in low-fat ice cream is a complex of natural ingredients - oat β-glucan and fermented beetroot purée in amounts of 0.5 and 15%, respectively. Conclusions. β-glucan from oat and fermented vegetable puree reveal synergism between β-glucan macromolecules and vegetable pectin to form complex three-dimensional structures in low-fat ice cream mixes that significantly improve the viscoelastic characteristics, surface tension, and water activity of the obtained ice cream mixes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]