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The European Commission has established legislation for toxic metals in certain foodstuffs in order to protect public health already in 1993. After several amendments, new maximum levels for cadmium and lead in certain foods were set as per 30 and 31 August 2021 for lead and cadmium, respectively. The new Serbian Regulation on "maximum levels of certain contaminants in food" is fully harmonised with this European legislation. The concentrations of cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), and arsenic (As) were determined in 832 samples of 39 species of fruits and processed fruits, collected during the period January 2015 to December 2017. Fruits and fruit products originated from 45 countries, including Serbia. Samples were analysed by inductively coupled plasma - optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). Concentrations of cadmium, lead, mercury, and arsenic in fruits and fruit products were compared to these maximum levels (MLs). Overall, measurable Cd, Pb, Hg, and As were found in 377 samples (45.3%). According to the former regulations, the maximum levels of Cd and Pb for analysed fruits and fruit products were exceeded in only 10 samples (1.20%; n = 832): Cd in 6 and Pb in 4 samples, but according to the latest regulations, the maximum levels of Cd and Pb for fruits were exceeded in 196 of the samples (23.9%; n = 820): Cd in 191 and Pb in 5 samples. The increase of ML exceedances shows that attention needs to be paid for compliance of food to the recent MLs for these metals.

The aim of this study was to investigate the possibility of computer vision system (CVS) application in fat content estimation for different types of fermented sausages. Four different types of local fermented sausages with different fat contents were studied: Njeguska, Kulen, Pirotska and tea sausage. Results obtained for CVS-estimated fat content were compared to the results of traditional chemical analysis. Relative errors of fat content estimation in Njeguska, Kulen, Pirotska and tea sausage were 1.47%, 0.46%, 20.84% and 11.19%, respectively. Results of t-test showed a significant (p

Early post-mortem, objective and non-destructive prediction of tissue distribution in the major pork cuts is a challenge for the meat industry. Mathematical models to predict pig carcass composition using total lean meat percentage and carcass weight were evaluated in this study. The data were obtained from 455 cold pig carcasses which were dissected according to the EU reference method; total lean meat percentage and carcass weight ranged from 42.45 to 69.21% and from 23.26 to 55.22 kg, respectively. Developed empirical models gave a reasonable fit to the experimental data and successfully predicted the carcass composition and tissue distribution in primal cuts. The second order polynomial models showed high coefficients of determination for prediction of experimental results (between 0.612 and 0.929), while the artificial neural network (ANN) model, based on the Broyden-Fletcher-Goldfarb-Shanno iterative algorithm, showed better prediction capabilities (overall r(2) was 0.889). The newly developed software, based on ANN model is easy, fast, cheap and with sufficient precision for application in the meat industry.

This study investigates the effects of sodium nitrite replacement by the sage essential oil (SEO), on the physico-chemical, microbiological and sensory quality of dry fermented sausages (DFS) during 225 days of storage. The SEO (0.00, 0.05 and 0.10 µL/g) was added in DFS batters formulated with different levels of pork back fat (15% and 25%) and sodium nitrite (0, 75 and 150 mg/kg). The inclusion of SEO had no negative impact on pH, color (instrumental and sensory) and texture parameters. Total plate counts were lower than 6 log CFU (colony forming units)/g in all samples throughout the storage. Furthermore, the addition of SEO at concentration of 0.05 µL/g provided acceptable TBARS (2-Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances) values (&lt, 0.3 mg MDA (malondialdehyde)/kg) in the samples produced with reduced levels of sodium nitrite (0 and 75 mg/kg) without negative alternations on sensory attributes of odor and flavor. Generally, our findings confirmed that the usage of SEO could be a good solution to produce healthier DFS with reduced levels of sodium nitrite.

The effect of supercritical fluid extract of tomato pomace (TP) and essential oil of organic peppermint (PM) on pH, color, residual nitrite content, lipid oxidation (TBARS value) and total plate count (TPC) of cooked pork sausages produced with 50 mg/kg of sodium nitrite was investigated. Five batches were produced: T1: 100 mg/kg of sodium nitrite; T2: 50 mg of sodium nitrite; T3: 50 mg of sodium nitrite and 0.150 µL/g TP; T4: 50 mg of sodium nitrite, 0.075 µL/g TP and 0.075 µL/g PM; T5: 50 mg of sodium nitrite and 0.150 µL/g PM. The lowest residual nitrite content and TBARS value were observed in treatment T4. The inclusion of TP increased redness of cooked pork sausages. TPC was the lowest in treatment T5. The results of this study showed that the addition of TP and PM enhanced quality of cooked sausages produced with reduced level of sodium nitrite.

Effects of endpoint temperatures of 51, 61, 71, 81 and 91C on mineral contents (mg/100 g WW, wet weight) of pork loin (longissimus thoracis et lumborum, n = 12) were investigated. Pork was cooked in water bath set to 100C. In both raw and cooked samples, phosphorus was determined by the standard spectrophotometric method while metals (potassium, sodium, magnesium, calcium, zinc, iron, copper and manganese) were determined by the flame atomic absorption spectrometry after mineralization by dry ashing. All cooking treatments led to significantly increased mineral contents, except for potassium and sodium, compared to raw meat. As endpoint temperature was increased, mineral contents increased, reaching numerically or significantly highest contents at: 61C for sodium and magnesium; 71C for phosphorus, potassium, calcium, zinc, copper and manganese; and 81C for iron, after which mineral contents decreased. Practical Applications During cooking, the meat undergoes changes in its physical properties and chemical composition. Cooking temperature and especially endpoint internal temperature affect mineral contents of cooked pork. Thus, it is important to know the extent of mineral losses occurring during different boiling treatments. Data in the most food composition tables are based on mineral contents of raw meat. The results provide update and improve regularly nutrient compositional data of meat.

During the tests in this paper, meat processing was carried out at different temperatures between the range of 51°C to 100°C. The meat was processed by dry heat (roasting) and wet heat treatments (cooking) in water at atmospheric pressure. After heat treatment, myofibrillar proteins were extracted from solutions at constant ionic strength. Quantitative and qualitative determinations of protein´s fractions were performed by capillary electrophoresis. Myofibrillar proteins were also analized for fresh pork meat sample. Results obtained in fresh meat were compared with those recorded after roasting and cooking. In the fresh and thermally processed pork the following proteins were identified: myosin, light chain 3; myosin, light chain 2; troponin - C; troponin - I; myosin, light chain 1; tropomyosin; troponin - T; actin; desmin; α - actinin; C - protein; M - protein (Mβ); M - protein (Mα); heavy meromyosin - HMM. For both methods of thermal processing, with increasing heat treatment temperature, concentration of soluble protein in the extract decreases rapidly after 51°C. Cooking treatment had a more intense effect on the proteins change and denaturation than roasting. [Projekat Ministartsva nauke Republike Srbije: Effect of heat treatment temperature on protein structure and properties of pork meat]

Dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) atmospheric plasma treatment is an innovative non-thermal food processing technology. There is an abundant body of research on the effectiveness in inactivation of foodborne pathogens on fresh fruit and vegetable produce with atmospheric air DBD plasma. However, studies that disclose plasma interactions with fruit or vegetable juices are scarce in number to the knowledge of the author. Color changes of orange and carrot juice blend due to atmospheric air DBD plasma treatment have been examined to estimate the extent of juice changes after treatments at varying durations of 5 s,15 s, and 30 s. Results indicate potentiality of cloud loss reduction, while treatments can cause minor degradation of color attributes. However, browning of treated samples was not observed. The influence of this new non-thermal treatment on measured properties of orange and carrot juice blend shows promising results which need to be further confirmed and established. Practical applications The work described in this research offers an innovative treatment of orange and carrot juice blend with atmospheric air DBD plasma. This article assesses the suitability of atmospheric air DBD plasma to be used in orange and carrot juice blend, and its effects on color attributes. The results indicate the potential of treatment as a browning inhibitor in orange and carrot juice blend during processing which could be of practical industrial relevance.

Summary: In this paper, based on derived differential equation for the heat transfer and a suitable boundary condition (equation of heat exchange), the appropriate model of cooling of meat stakes in the form of a flat plate is set up. By using theory of similarity, Fourier and Biot criterion is defined, which allowed setting criterial equation of temperature field which included an unnamed temperature and geometric criterion. For solving the obtained criterial equation, existing diagrams of temperature functions were utilized, which were specified by analytical method for the core, the surface and the interior of the observed model. The proposed model is used for analytical solving of a number of practical problems in the cooling process of meat steaks in a gaseous environment. Particular focus has been on the temperature of the surface and core of steak as well as ambient temperature and cooling time. Also, it was shown that proposed model can be used to define temperatures or temperature field along the thickness of steak, depending on the distance from the central plane. Special possibility of applying the model is for the case of preventing freezing steaks, when their temperature is maintained within specified limits.

This paper presents the results of a survey carried out in 89 operating objects with food (restaurants, fast food restaurants, distribution centers, stores, etc.) in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The questions that the employees have been asked (owners, managers, workers) were related to good hygiene practices, good manufacturing practices and HACCP principles, and general knowledge about the production and preparation of food. The survey covered 520 people. Displayed knowledge level requires fast actions in taking a series of measures to improve it. The best and quickest results will be achieved by organizing a series of seminars tailored to the needs of individual sectors in the field of catering services.

The real importance of meat in human nutrition has been defined during the last century. Professional and scientific publications of the twentieth century are often written about the nutritional value of meat. Thermal processing of meat is as old as civilization itself. Meat drying as a procedure for a longer shelf life, probably first appeared as a result of some accident in which the fresh meat has been exposed to heat. The first works about the problems of heat treatment of pork were published in the 1950s.The aim of this paper was to investigate the effect of temperature and different methods of heat treatment on chemical properties of processed pork meat. To determine the optimal conditions for various heat treatment processes, in this paper, meat processing was performed at different temperatures, and set the temperature range from 51 ºC to 100 ºC. Therefore, the meat is processed by dry heat treatment (roasting) and cooking in water (at atmospheric pressure). Then, the change of chemical composition of processed meat was noted (moisture content, ash, fat, protein, micronutrients).