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Strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo L.) honey (STH) has been used since ancient times as a folk medicine remedy, especially in certain Mediterranean countries. This honey, rich in phenolic content, is well recognized for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial activities, and is used for the treatment of skin lesions as well as gastrointestinal and respiratory disorders. This study investigated whether STH alleviates genome damage in human peripheral blood lymphocytes produced by the cytotoxic drug irinotecan. The phenolic profile of STH was previously estimated by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to a linear ion trap–Orbitrap hybrid mass spectrometer. The effects of STH were evaluated at three concentrations (1×, 5×, and 10×), based on the daily consumption of the honey by an adult person. After 2 h of in vitro exposure, standard lymphocyte cultures for the analysis of chromosome aberrations and the cytokinesis-block micronucleus cytome assay were established. Our results demonstrate that STH offered remarkable geno- and cytoprotection when administered with irinotecan. These findings are relevant for drawing preliminary conclusions regarding the in vitro safety of the tested honey. However, further studies are needed with the application of more complex experimental models. Supplementary material: [https://cherry.chem.bg.ac.rs/handle/123456789/5875]

The confirmation of honey authenticity is an ongoing challenge. We investigated new authenticity markers (13 macro and trace elements, total phenolic (TP) content, antioxidant capacity) in 62 unifloral and multifloral honeys from Croatia as loadings for principal component analysis (PCA), taking into account the spatial, temporal and production practice variation and combining them with traditional tools for authentication of the botanical origin (melissopalynological, sensory and physicochemical analyses). PCA as a chemometric tool was compliant with basic statistical testing results (Mann- Whitney U test) figuring Ba and Mn, and also pointed to TP, antioxidant capacity parameters, Ca, K and Mg (PC1) as useful markers for discriminating chestnut honey from other unifloral and multifloral honeys. The first PC discerned deciduous honeydew honey sample fairly from nectar honey samples. Although some elements showed regional, seasonal and production practice differences, PCA was not able to discriminate between all groups clearly. Our nutritional assessment based on a calculation of the contribution to the Dietary Reference Value pinpointed deciduous honeydew honey, savory and chestnut honey with the highest daily mineral intake relevance among seven honey types.

Strawberry tree (Med obične planike (

The honey bee forage resources in the Neretva Valley enable production of unifloral Satsuma mandarin (Citrus unshiu Marc.) honey. Given the insufficient knowledge about this type of honey, the aim of this study was to establish its botanical origin (pollen spectrum), as well as physico-chemical and sensory properties. In total nine samples of Satsuma mandarin unifloral honey collected from Neretva Valley in the period from 2014 to 2015 were analysed. Floristic observations have recorded 78 plant species and the results of qualitative melissopalynological analysis revealed pollen originating from 50 plant species in analysed honey samples. The number of determined types of pollen in individual honey samples varied from 8 to 19 with an average of 13 pollen types. Proportion of Satsuma mandarin pollen ranged from 3 to 35% with average of 10.88%. The average water content in honey samples range from 17.1% to 17.3%, electrical conductivity from 0.22 mS/cm to 0.27 mS/cm, pH value from 3.82 to 4.02 and diastase activity from 7.78 to 9.36. The main sensory attributes of Satsuma mandarin were determined by sensory analysis: colour ranging from light to dark yellow, orange blossom odour with medium intensity, weak to medium taste persistence characterised by medium sweetness and poorly expressed acidity, and floral and fruity aroma. Due to almost monocultural orchards of Satsuma mandarin in the Neretva Valley, the possibility of producing this rare type of honey in this region should certainly be utilized., Na osnovu pašnih resursa u dolini Neretve značajnu proizvodnju uniflornog meda od unšijske mandarine (Citrus unshiu Marc.) omogućavaju površine pod navedenim agrumom. Međutim, zbog nedovoljnih saznanja o ovoj vrsti meda cilj je ovog istraživanja bio utvrditi njegovo botaničko podrijetlo te fizikalno-kemijska i senzorska svojstva. S navedenog je područja analizirano ukupno 9 uzoraka meda od unšijske mandarine prikupljenih u razdoblju od 2014. do 2015. godine. Florističkim je opažanjima zabilježeno 78 biljnih vrsta, a kvalitativnom je melisopalinološkom analizom u uzorcima meda utvrđena pelud 50 biljnih vrsta. Broj se utvrđene peludi po uzorku meda kretao od 8 do 19, a prosjek je bio 13. Udio peludnih zrnaca unšijske mandarine u istraživanim se uzorcima kretao od 3 do 35% s prosjekom od 10.88 %. Prosječni se udio vode u uzorcima meda kretao od 17.1 do 17.3%, električne provodnosti od 0.22 mS/cm do 0.27 mS/cm, pH vrijednosti od 3.82 do 4.02, dok se aktivnost dijastaze kretala od 7.78 do 9.36. Senzorskom je analizom utvrđeno da boja meda varira od svijetlo do tamno žute, miris meda je po parfemu narančina cvijeta i srednjeg je intenziteta, okus je slabo do srednje postojan sa srednje izraženom slatkoćom i slabo izraženom kiselošću, dok je aroma srednje postojana, cvjetna, odnosno voćna. Na osnovu gotovo monokulturnih nasada unšijske mandarine u dolini Neretve trebalo bi iskoristiti mogućnost proizvodnje ove raritetne vrste meda.

Chemical characterization of bee pollen is of great importance for its quality estimation. Multifloral and unifloral bee pollen samples collected from continental, mountain and Adriatic regions of Croatia were analyzed by means of physico-chemical, chromatographic (GC-MS), and spectroscopic (FTIR-ATR) analytical tools, aiming to conduct a comprehensive characterization of bee pollen. The most distinctive unifloral bee pollen with regard to nutritional value was Aesculus hippocastanum (27.26% of proteins), Quercus spp. (52.58% of total sugars), Taraxacumofficinale (19.04% of total lipids), and Prunusavium (3.81% of ash). No statistically significant differences between multifloral and unifloral bee pollen from different regions were found for most of the physico-chemical measurement data, with an exception of melezitose (p = 0.04). Remarkable differences were found among the bee pollen HS VOCs. The major ones were lower aliphatic compounds, monoterpenes (mainly linalool derivatives, especially in Prunusmahaleb and P.avium bee pollen), and benzene derivatives (mainly benzaldehyde in T.officinale and Salix spp.). Aldehydes C9 to C17 were present in almost all samples. FTIR-ATR analysis revealed unique spectral profiles of analyzed bee pollen exhibiting its overall chemical composition arising from molecular vibrations related to major macromolecules—proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates (sugars).

Analytical parameters were determined for the first time in honey produced in the honeycomb constructed on comb foundations adulterated with 90% of paraffin (PF-H) and compared to honey ripened in genuine beeswax (BWF-H) using physico-chemical and spectroscopic techniques (1H NMR, FTIR-ATR, HS-SPME/GC–MS). Water content was significantly higher (SH) and glucose/water ratio significantly lower in PF-H samples. The contents of acetic and citric acid were marginally significantly higher (MSH) in PF-H samples. These findings suggest that adulterated beeswax affects composition of honey as the set of altered parameters indicate chemical changes leaning towards fermentative processes. Moderately changed headspace chemical profile of PF-H honey was determined depending on the floral source (pentanal, α-pinene and benzaldehyde were SH in BWF-H sunflower honey ; butanal was MSH, and 2-phenylethanol was more abundant in BWF-H black locust honey). Higher percentage of nonanal, octane and β-damascenone were found in PF-H samples that could indicate more intensive oxidation.

The aim of this study was analyze reproductive performance of wild boar in different habitat over a 7-year period (2006–2012). A total of 468 pregnant females and 2.819 fetuses were analyzed, the mean number of fetuses was 6.02 (median = 6) per animal (4.62 per juvenile, 6.39 per yearling and 6.77 per adult). In litters, male-biased fetuses occurred significantly more often than female, the overall fetal sex ratio is 1: 0.86. Positive reproductive traits increased up to 90 kg of live body weight and then decreased. The reproductive parameters observed in our study reflect a relatively high reproductive capacity compared to the populations in southern and northern Europe, but are comparable with some populations in central Europe. Concerning habitat conditions, it is obvious that they influence the reproductive performance of females, and therefore must be included in management plans.

Analytical parameters were determined for the first time in honey produced in the honeycomb constructed on comb foundations adulterated with 90% of paraffin (PF-H) and compared to honey ripened in genuine beeswax (BWF-H) using physico-chemical and spectroscopic techniques (

Although Satsuma mandarin secretes large amounts of nectar and is considered as excellent honey bee plant species, its anthers are either sterile or produce very small amount of pollen. Th erefore, honey bees collect pollen from other plant resources as well. Th e aim of this study was to determine the botanical origin of pollen loads collected with pollen trap during Satsuma mandarin (Citrus unshiu Marc.) honey bee forage, and to investigate relating foraging parameter (pollen collection time). Th e study was carried out on Carniolan honey bee (Apis mellifera carnica Pollmann, 1879) colony during April in 2014 and May 2015 in Neretva Valley, Croatia. Pollen of 12 plant species was identifi ed in analysed samples. Results have revealed that a total pollen mass was signifi cantly higher (p

Samples of Satsuma mandarin (Citrus unshiu Marc.) nectar, honey sac content and honey were analyzed by FTIR-ATR spectroscopy and reference methods. The spectral analysis allowed detection of the major chemical constituents in C. unshiu nectar- to-honey transformation pathway thus providing information on the intensity and location of the compositional changes occurring during this process. The preliminary results showed that in average more than one-third of sugar-related nectar-to-honey conversion takes place directly in the honey sac ; the average sugar content (w/w) was 17.93% (nectar), 47.03% (honey sac) and 79.63% (honey). FTIR-ATR results showed great spectral similarity of analyzed honey samples and small degree variations in both sugar and water content in nectar samples. The spectral data revealed distinctive differences in the chemical composition of individual honey sac contents with the most intensive and complex absorption envelope in the spectral region between 1175 and 950 cm-1 (glucose, fructose and sucrose absorption bands).

Šljuka bena (Scolopax rusticola, Linnaeus 1758.) jedna je od najrasprostranjenijih vrsta iz roda Scolopax i predstavlja vrlo važnu vrstu u cijeloj biocenozi. Danas se populacija šljuka smatra stabilna u svijetu, ali novija saznanja o biologiji te konkretne smjernice u lovnom gospodarenju neophodna su za njenu budućnost. Cilj istraživanja bio je istražiti morfološke osobine šljuke bene i time steći više spoznaja o biologiji. Prema dostupnim podatcima iz literature ustanovljeno je da se dobivene morfološke vrijednosti podudaraju., Woodcock (Scolopax rusticola, Linnaeus 1758) is one of the most prevailing types of the Scalopax species, and presents the important species in the entire biocenosis. Although today the woodcock population is considered stable worldwide, the newest research in biology and concrete guidelines in hunting management are necessary for the future. The reason to start this research was simply this unsufficiently researched population of woodcock which has its habitat in our area. According to the data available from the literature morphological values gathered match.

Although beeswax adulteration represents one of the main beeswax quality issues, there are still no internationally standardised analytical methods for routine quality control. The objective of this study was to establish an analytical procedure suitable for routine detection of beeswax adulteration using FTIR-ATR spectroscopy. For the purpose of this study, reference IR spectra of virgin beeswax, paraffin, and their mixtures containing different proportions of paraffin (5 - 95%), were obtained. Mixtures were used for the establishment of calibration curves. To determine the prediction strength of IR spectral data for the share of paraffin in mixtures, the Partial Least Squares Regression method was used. The same procedure was conducted on beeswax-beef tallow mixtures. The model was validated using comb foundation samples of an unknown chemical background which had been collected from the international market (n = 56). Selected physico-chemical parameters were determined for comparison purposes. Results revealed a strong predictive power (R2 = 0.999) of IR spectra for the paraffin and beef tallow share in beeswax. The results also revealed that the majority of the analysed samples (89%) were adulterated with paraffin; only 6 out of 56 (11%) samples were identified as virgin beeswax, 28% of the samples exhibited a higher level of paraffin adulteration (>46% of paraffin), while the majority of the analysed samples (50%) were found to be adulterated with 5 - 20% of paraffin. These results indicate an urgent need for routine beeswax authenticity control. In this study, we demonstrated that the analytical approach defining the standard curves for particular adulteration levels in beeswax, based on chemometric modelling of specific IR spectral region indicative for adulteration, enables reliable determination of the adulterant proportions in beeswax.

Delta rijeke Nerteve s gotovo monokulturnim nasadima mandarine (Citrus unshiu Marc.) područje je zanimljive medonosne pašu. Zbog nedovoljne istraženosti odlika, med od mandarine nije dovoljno poznat. Cilj istraživanja bio je utvrditi fizikalno-kemijske parametre meda od mandarine radi njegove bolje karakterizacije. Istraživanje je provedeno na 25 uzoraka meda. Dobiveni rezultati pokazali su kako je u uzorcima meda srednja vrijednost udjela vode iznosila 16, 00 %, a električne provodnosti 0, 23 mS/cm. Srednja je vrijednost udjela fruktoze i glukoze (zbroj) iznosila 77, 33 %, a saharoze 1, 50 %. Prosječna slobodna kiselost iznosila je 15, 10 mEq/kg, a aktivnost dijastaze 10, 60 (DN). Dobiveni rezultati mogu poslužiti kao smjernice za pokretanje postupka dodjele oznake izvornosti neretvanskom medu od mandarine.

Procjena trenutne reproduktivne sposobnosti populacije divljih svinja je potrebna zbog nedavnog povećanja populacije diljem Europe. Istraživanje je provedeno u razdoblju od 7 godina (2006.-2012.) tijekom redovitih prigonskih lovova diljem Hrvatske. Ukupno je pregledano 543 odstrijeljenih slobodno živućih ženskih životinja, a podatci su preuzeti od 468 suprasne ženke te je analizirano sveukupno 2.819 fetusa. Cjelokupni omjer spolova fetusa bio je nešto neuravnotežen u korist mužjaka (1:0, 86). Dobna distribucija ukazuje na relativno mladu populaciju: 62 % životinja bilo je mlađe od 24 mjeseci, a gotovo 65 % juvenilnih ženki bilo je suprasno. Prosječan broj fetusa po životinji bio je 6, 02 (4, 62 za juvenilne ; 6, 39 za jednogodišnje i 6, 77 za odrasle). Friedman Test određuje najznačajniju razliku u broju fetusa između dobnih skupina (χ2=96, 448 ; d.f.=2, p1.000 mm ), brojem snježnih dana (59 dana) i najnižom temperaturom (

Divljač je prema lovnom zakonodavstvu dobro od interesa za Republiku Hrvatsku, a kvalitetna trofejna divljač značajan gospodarski resurs. Kvalitetna hrana uz dobre genetske predispozicije, omogućuje postizanje vrijednih trofeja divljači što uvećava gospodarski značaj lovišta. Pokus je postavljen radi istraživanja utjecaja roka sjetve na prinos i kakvoću krmnog kelja za potrebe prehrane divljači u lovištu VII/403 «Ivano Selo- Ilova». Dobiveni rezultati pokazuju da je najveći prinos zelene mase (88, 5 t ha), suhe tvari (12, 6 t ha-1) i sirovih bjelančevina (2118 kg ha-1) imao krmni kelj sijan u prvom roku sjetve.

The objective of this study was to compare the colony development cycle (unsealed and sealed worker brood, drone brood, pollen and colony strength) of two Apis mellifera carnica subpopulations in two distinct environments (alpine and continental). At each test location were two sub groups of 12 colonies headed by naturally mated sister queens from either the Institute of Apiculture Lunz am See, Austria (AT) or from the Faculty of Agriculture University of Zagreb, Croatia (HR). Colony development was monitored every 14 days. The HR genotype, adapted to a continental climate, had faster spring brood development in both environments. During spring and early summer the AT genotype maintained the number of sealed brood cells at a constant level in the more favourable conditions, although the amount of unsealed brood reached its maximum in early June. The environment influenced colony development, food stores and colony strength. Interaction between genotype and environment did not affect the number of unsealed brood cells, but the difference was statistically significant for the number of sealed brood cells. The study indicated the presence of a number of genotype and environment interactions between the two honey bee genotypes and their colony traits.

Headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) and ultrasonic solvent extraction (USE), followed by GC-MS/FID, were applied for monitoring the nectar (NE)/honey-sac (HoS)/honey (HO) pathways of the headspace, volatiles, and semi-volatiles. The major NE (4 varieties of Citrus unshiu) headspace compounds were linalool, -terpineol, 1H-indole, methyl anthranilate, and phenylacetonitrile. Corresponding extracts contained, among others, 1H-indole, methyl anthranilate, 1, 3-dihydro-2H-indol-2-one and caffeine. The major HoS headspace compounds were linalool, -terpineol, 1, 8-cineole, 1H-indole, methyl anthranilate, and cis-jasmone. Characteristic compounds from HoS extract were caffeine, 1H-indole, 1, 3-dihydro-2H-indol-2-one, methyl anthranilate, and phenylacetonitrile. However, HO headspace composition was significantly different in comparison to NE and HoS with respect to phenylacetaldehyde and linalool derivatives abundance that appeared as the consequence of the hive conditions and the bee enzyme activity. C. unshiu honey traceability is determined by chemical markers: phenylacetaldehyde, phenylacetonitrile, linalool and its derivatives, as well as 1H-indole, 1, 3- dihydro-2H-indol-2-one, and caffeine.