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The presence of mycotoxins and other toxic metabolites in hops (Humulus lupulus L.) was assessed for the first time. In total, 62 hop samples were sampled in craft breweries, and analyzed by a multi-toxin LS-MS/MS method. The study collected samples from craft breweries in all of the Croatian counties and statistically compared the results. Based on previous reports on Alternaria spp. and Fusarium spp. contamination of hops, the study confirmed the contamination of hops with these toxins. Alternaria toxins, particularly tenuazonic acid, were found in all tested samples, while Fusarium toxins, including deoxynivalenol, were present in 98% of samples. However, no Aspergillus or Penicillium metabolites were detected, indicating proper storage conditions. In addition to the Alternaria and Fusarium toxins, abscisic acid, a drought stress indicator in hops, was also detected, as well as several unspecific metabolites. The findings suggest the need for monitoring, risk assessment, and potential regulation of Alternaria and Fusarium toxins in hops to ensure the safety of hop usage in the brewing and pharmaceutical industries. Also, four local wild varieties were tested, with similar results to the commercial varieties for toxin contamination, but the statistically significant regional differences in toxin occurrence highlight the importance and need for targeted monitoring.

Nutritional status is a series of related parameters collected using different available methods. In order to determine the nutritional status of elderly populations and ensure nutritional support based on an individual approach, the implementation of the increasingly used foodomics approach is available; this approach plays a key role in personalized diets and in the optimization of diets for a population group, such as an elderly population. The Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) method and the Nottingham Screening Tool (NST) form were used on 50 users in a home for the elderly in northwest Croatia. A loss of body mass (BM) was statistically significantly higher for those who had the following: decreased food intake in the last week and users who had complete and partial feeding autonomy. Additionally, the obtained data on drug intake, fluid, individual nutrients, and physical activity are based on an individual approach. The available documentation provides insight into nutritional values and food preparation in an attempt to satisfy a holistic approach in the evaluation of exposure while trying to achieve as many elements of foodomics as possible.

The proportions of twelve minerals were determined in 200 samples of the black locust honey from five Croatian regions during two seasons. The average proportions were dominated by that of K (205.57-428.05 mg/kg), followed by Ca (33.53-329.00 mg/kg) and Na (23.34-218.04mg/kg), which was in percentages as follows: K 31.69-81.34%, Ca 6.51-35.56%, and Na 7.36-23.65%. Melissopalynological and physico-chemical analysis of honey confirmed its general quality requirements and botanical origin. One-factor analysis of variance showed a significant differences between the regions in each season based on the average proportions of macro and micro elements except for Mn and Cd in season 2 (P < 0.05). t-Test enabled an insight into the significance of differences between the seasons within each region based on the average proportions of macro and micro elements. Principal components analysis (PCA) showed that Al (Bjelovar-Bilogora), Fe (Bjelovar-Bilogora and Istria), Cu (Eastern Croatia), and K (Istria) could present mineral substances typical for the black locust honey of each region.

The aim of the study was to investigate health safety and quality of the Croatian acacia honey, the selected elements in the soil, and whether multivariate methods can provide identification of the origin of honey. The study included 200 acacia honey samples and 100 soil samples from East, Northwest Croatia, and Istria. The proportion of acacia in honey was determined by conducting pollen analysis. Water, free acids, electric conductivity, reducing sugars, saccharose, diastase, and HMF were determined. No significant differences were found using Kruskal-Wallis test regarding the physicochemical parameters (p=0.9190), the mineral content of honey (p=0.8955), or the mineral composition of the soil (p=0.8789). No significant correlation was found between the analyzed elements in honey and soil. Multivariate methods indicated that East Croatia honey samples have higher concentrations of water, HMF, and higher concentrations of measured elements, except for Al. Honey samples from Northwest Croatia are characterized by low concentrations of elements and a higher concentration of saccharose. The Istria samples are richer in reducing sugars, free acids, diastase, higher conductivity, higher content of the acacia pollen grains, and lower concentrations of most metals. Honey from Northwest Croatia and Istria shares the high concentration of Al in honey.

Total flavonoid and total phenolic content were studied in acacia and multifloral honey for 12 months in 6-month intervals. DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) and FRAP (ferric reducing antioxidant power) methods were used to determine total antioxidant activity in honey samples during the same period of time. Samples were stored in transparent glass containers at room temperature, on shelves exposed to natural light during daytime and in the dark during nighttime. Two types of honey from four different regions in Varaždin county, Croatia, were investigated: monofloral – acacia (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) and multifloral. Of the total of 40 samples, there were 20 of each type of honey (5 from each region). The goal of this study is primarily to demonstrate the changes in the antioxidant activity of the two investigated types of honey during one year of storage, and not to make comparisons between them. According to the obtained data, the rate of decrease in the content of total flavonoids and phenolics was determined and changes in the antioxidant activity in honey samples were measured. After one year of storage, total phenolic content decreased by 91.8 % in acacia honey, and by 88.6 % in multifloral honey. Total flavonoid content also decreased in both types of honey, by 45.6 % in acacia honey and by 43.8 % in multifloral honey. During the same period, an increase from 12.20 to 16.73 mg/mL (i.e. by 37.1 %) was recorded in the IC50 values in multifloral honey, while in acacia honey this increase was from 44.64 to 407.01 mg/mL (i.e. by 811.7 %). Decrease in the antioxidant activity measured by FRAP method was also bigger in acacia honey than in multifloral honey (by 428.0 and 72.5 %, respectively), which corresponds well with the results obtained by DPPH method. Simple correlations were made to determine how each of the investigated parameters affects the others. The analysis of variance was used in order to determine the influence of the region, honey type and storage time on different parameters of antioxidant activity as well as on the total phenolic and total flavonoid content in honey samples.