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Glucosinolates are well known as natural antimicrobials and anticarcinogenic agents. However, these compounds can lose their properties and transform into antinutrients, depending on processing conditions. In addition, the bitterness of some glucosinolate in rapeseed meal can affect the likability of the final product. Therefore, it is important to identify and determine each glucosinolate and its derived form, not just the total glucosinolate content, in order to evaluate the potential of the final rapeseed protein product. This study provides a comprehensive report of the types and quantities of glucosinolates and their derived forms (isothiocyanates) associated with different rapeseed processing conditions. Glucosinolates and isothiocyanates were determined by HPLC-DAD-qTOF. In our study, the enzymatic degradation of glucosinolates by myrosinase was the main factor affecting either glucosinolate or isothiocyanate content. Other factors such as pH seemed to influence the concentration and the presence of glucosinolates. In addition, process parameters, such as extraction time and separation technology, seemed to affect the amount and type of isothiocyanates in the final protein extracts. Overall, both determined intact glucosinolates and their derived forms of isothiocyanates can give different types of biological effects. More studies should be performed to evaluate the impact of glucosinolates and isothiocyanates on human health.

The valorization of olive pomace through the extraction of phenolic compounds at an industrial scale is influenced by several factors that can have a significant impact on the feasibility of this approach. These include the types and levels of phenolic compounds that are present, the impact that seasonal variation and cultivar type have on the phenolic compound content in both olive pomace and mill effluents and the technological approach used to process the olive crop. Chemical analysis of phenolic compounds was performed using an HPLC-diode-array detector (DAD)-qTOF system, resulting in the identification of 45 compounds in olive mill wastewater and pomace, where secoiridoids comprised 50&ndash, 60% of the total phenolic content. This study examined three different factors that could impact the phenolic compound content of these processing streams, including cultivar types typically grown on local farms in Slovenia, the type of downstream processing used and seasonality effects. Olive crop varieties sourced from local farms showed high variability, and the highest phenolic content was associated with the local variety &ldquo, Istrska Belica&rdquo, During processing, the phenolic content was on average approximately 50% higher during two-phase decanting compared to three-phase decanting and the type of compound present significantly different. An investigation into the seasonal effects revealed that the phenolic content was 20% higher during the 2019 growing season compared to 2018. A larger sample size over additional growing seasons is required to fully understand the annual variation in phenolic compound content. The methods and results used in this study provide a basis for further analysis of phenolic compounds present in the European Union&rsquo, s olive crop processing residues and will inform techno-economic modelling for the development of olive biorefineries in Slovenia.

Mediterranean plantHelichrysum italicumrepresents a rich source of versatile bioactive compounds with potential benefits for human health. Despite extensive research on the plant’s active constituents, little attention has yet been paid to characterizing the relationship between its intra-specific genetic diversity and metabolite profile. The study aimed to determine metabolic profile ofH. italicumssp.italicum(HII) and ssp.tyrrhenicum(HIT) cultivated on the experimental plantation in Slovenia and to compare the chemical composition of extracts regarding the solvent extraction process. Extracts were prepared upon conventional extract preparation procedures: maceration with 50% methanol or ethanol and cold or hot water infusion and analyzed using High Performance Liquid Chromatography-Diode Array Detection-Electrospray Ionization-Quadrupole Time-of-Flight-Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-DAD-ESI-QTOF-MS). One hundred compounds were identified in the samples, among them several isomers and derivatives were reported for the first time, while caffeoylquinic acids and pyrones were the most abundant. Semi-quantitative comparison revealed that the extraction procedure had a greater impact on the chemical profile than genetic variability. AllHITextracts showed a higher total phenolic content compared toHII, while the antioxidant potential evaluated by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazil test was not proportionally higher. In addition, hot water extracts proved to be comparably active as alcoholic ones, confirming high commercial potential ofHelichrysum italicumas herbal functional beverages.

Phenolic compounds are well-known bioactive compounds in plants that can have a protective role against cancers, cardiovascular diseases and many other diseases. To promote local food development, a comprehensive overview of the phenolic compounds’ composition and their impact on human health from typical Mediterranean plants such as Punica granatum L., Ziziphus jujuba Mill., Arbutus unedo L., Celtis australis L., Ficus carica L., Cynara cardunculus var. Scolymus L is provided. Moreover, the potential use of these data for authenticity determination is discussed. Some of the plants’ phenolic compounds and their impact to human health are very well determined, while for others, the data are scarce. However, in all cases, more data should be available about the content, profile and health impacts due to a high variation of phenolic compounds depending on genetic and environmental factors. Quantifying variation in phenolic compounds in plants relative to genetic and environmental factors could be a useful tool in food authentication control. More comprehensive studies should be conducted to better understand the importance of phenolic compounds on human health and their variation in certain plants.

Jujube (Ziziphus jujuba Mill.) has favourable horticultural properties including adaptation to arid conditions, abiotic and biotic stresses, as well as positive impact on human health. The present study describes the characterization of genetic diversity of the germ­plasm of jujube from the Istrian peninsula, the determination of important chemical compounds, antioxidative properties in relation to antibacterial and antifungal activities of jujube fruit extracts, and the determination of nutritional properties of jujube fruit. The results of the genetic analysis showed that most of the samples from the Istrian peninsula belong to two recently introduced varieties, 'Li' and 'Lang', and the most widespread local variety 'Navadna žižola'. The local variety has smaller fruit than the ‘Li’ and ‘Lang’ varieties, with thick and fleshy mesocarp. Chemical analysis indicated that fruits of the local variety contained a valuable source of dietary fibre ((9.7±0.6) g/100 g) and were rich in minerals such as (in g/100 g dry mass): potassium (829±51), calcium (177±11) and phosphorus (129±19). Aqueous extracts showed slight antibacterial activity, while ethanol extracts had higher mass fractions of phenolic compounds (expressed as gallic acid equivalents (GAE), 5.8-8.7 mg/g) than the aqueous extracts, but did not show antimicrobial activity. Compounds other than phenolic compounds in jujube fruit may be more biologically active. Based on the results of these analyses, the local Istrian jujube variety is a promising candidate for cultivation potential.

Sugars, the primary metabolites of plants, play an important role in the process of olive ripening, as they provide energy for metabolic changes and serve as a source for the biosynthesis of fatty acids. Phenolic compounds, which are secondary metabolites, can be synthesized in plants as a reflection of stressful situations such as tissue damage and UV irradiation. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of different irrigation treatments (0, 15, 33, 40, and 100% crop evapotranspiration (ETc)) on primary metabolites (sugars, sugar alcohols) and secondary metabolites (phenolic compounds). In different phenological periods, the levels of oleuropein, sugars and sugar alcohols were determined in olives and leaf samples in the crop years 2014, 2015, and 2016. The levels of oleuropein in olive fruits and leaves were highest under the irrigation treatment of 40% ETc and decreased noticeably under the irrigation treatment of 100% ETc. The median levels of glucose were higher compared with the mannitol and fructose levels in olive fruits. Total determined sugars in olive fruits during maturation decreased. While significant correlations were found in olive fruits between determined sugars and sugar alcohols and different irrigation treatments, we did not observe any correlation between determined sugars and sugar alcohols in olive leaves and irrigation treatments. Our research confirmed the complexity of the content of oleuropein and sugars or sugar alcohols in the leaves and fruits of olive trees from Slovenian Istra, which depend on various factors, not just drought stress. Weaker and less obvious correlations between the studied compounds and drought stress might be a consequence of unusual rainfall in the studied crop years.

Introduction Neurotoxicity due to acute prenatal exposure to high-dose of mercury (Hg) is well documented. However, the effect of prenatal exposure to low Hg levels on child neurodevelopment and the question about “safety” of fish-eating during pregnancy remain controversial. International comparisons of Hg concentrations in mother-child biological samples and neurodevelopmental scores embedded in birth cohort studies may provide useful evidence to explore this issue. Materials and methods The Mediterranean (Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, and Greece) cohort study included 1308 mother-child pairs enrolled in the Public Health Impact of long-term, low-level, Mixed Element exposure in a susceptible population EU Sixth Framework Programme (PHIME). Maternal hair and venous blood, cord blood and breast milk samples were collected, and total Hg (THg) levels were measured. Demographic and socioeconomic information, lifestyles and nutritional habits were collected through questionnaires at different phases of follow-up. Children at 18 months of age underwent neurodevelopmental testing using the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition (BSID-III). Multivariate linear and logistic regressions were performed, for each country, to assess the association between THg and BSID-III scores, obtaining adjusted β coefficients and odds ratios (ORs). These values were used to conduct a meta-analysis, to explore possible heterogeneity among countries and to obtain combined estimates of the association between THg exposure and BSID-III scores. Results Median THg (ng/g) was: 704 in maternal hair, 2.4 in maternal blood, 3.6 in cord blood, and 0.6 in breast milk. THg concentrations were highest in Greece and lowest in Slovenia. BSID-III neurodevelopmental scores were higher in Croatia and Slovenia. The meta-analysis of multivariate linear models found an overall positive association between language composite score and receptive communication scaled score and increasing THg in maternal hair (n = 1086; β = 0.55; 95%CI: 0.05–1.05 and n = 1075; β = 0.12; 95%CI: 0.02–0.22, respectively). The meta-analysis of logistic regression models showed that the overall adjusted OR between THg in cord blood and suboptimal gross motor score was borderline significant (n = 882; OR = 1.03; 95%CI: 1.00–1.07). Heterogeneity was found across the four sub-cohorts for language composite score in maternal blood, and for fine motor scaled score in cord blood and breast milk. Language composite score and THg concentrations in maternal venous blood were positively related (n = 58; β = 4.29; CI95% (−0.02, 8.60)) in Croatia and an increase of 1 ng/g of THg in maternal venous blood was associated with a reduced risk for children to fall in the lowest quintile of language score by 31% (n = 58; OR = 0.69; CI 95%: 0.37, 1.01). The comparison of β coefficients obtained by multiple linear regression model showed an inverse association between fine motor score and THg concentrations in cord blood for Croatia (n = 54; β = −0.53; CI 95%: −1.10, 0.04) and Slovenia (n = 225; β = −0.25; CI 95%: −0.49, −0.01). In Slovenia THg level in breast milk was associated with suboptimal fine motor performance (n = 195; OR = 5.25; CI 95%: 1.36, 21.10). Conclusions This study showed an inverse relation between THg levels and developmental motor scores at 18 months, although the evidence was weak and partially internally and externally inconsistent. No evidence of detrimental effects of THg was found for cognitive and language outcomes at these concentrations and age.

This study characterises the genetic variability of local pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) germplasm from the Slovenian and Croatian areas of Istria. The bioactive components and antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of ethanol and water extracts of different parts of pomegranate fruit were also determined, along with their preliminary nutritional characterisation. Twenty-six different genotypes identified with microsatellite analysis indicate the great diversity of pomegranate in Istria. The pomegranate fruit ethanol extracts represent rich sources of phenolic compounds (mean value of the mass fraction in exocarp and mesocarp expressed as gallic acid is 23 and 16 mg/g, respectively). The ethanol extracts of pomegranate exocarp and mesocarp showed the greatest antimicrobial activity against Candida albicans, Candida parapsilosis, Rhodotorula mucilaginosa, Exophiala dermatitidis and Staphylococcus aureus, and the same water extracts against S. aureus and Escherichia coli. To the best of our knowledge, this study represents the first report of the characterisation of pomegranate genetic resources from Istria at different levels, including the molecular, chemical, antimicrobial and nutritional properties.

Celtis australis is a deciduous tree commonly known as Mediterranean hackberry or the European nettle tree. The fruit of hackberry are seldom used for nutritional purposes. The nutritional and physicochemical properties of ripe hackberry fruit from Istria (Marasi village near Vrsar, Croatia) were determined, including water, total fiber, protein, vitamin, mineral, and phenolic contents. This analysis demonstrates that the hackberry fruit is a valuable source of dietary fiber, protein, and vitamins, and of pigments such as lutein, β-carotene, zeaxanthin, and tocopherols. The seasonal differences associated with the different growth stages for the element composition, total phenolic content, and phenolic profile were also determined for hackberry mesocarp and leaves. Water and ethanol extracts were prepared from mesocarp and leaves harvested at different growth stages and their phenolic profiles and antioxidant and antimicrobial activities were investigated. This study demonstrates that water and ethanol extracts of hackberry fruit and leaves collected at different growth stages contain epicatechin, gallic acid, vanillic acid, 3,4-dihydroxybenzaldehyde, delphinidin-3,5-di-O-glucoside, cyanidin-3,5-di-O-glucoside, and pelargonidin-3,5-di-O-glucoside. They also show some antimicrobial and antifungal activities. Further studies are needed to identify and define the active ingredients of these hackberry leaf ethanol extracts.