Sorption of copper and zinc on wheat and rye bran as well as on collagen and elastin preparations under conditions simulating human digestive system parameters was determined. Results collected during this study indicate, that sorption abilities of investigated preparations are differential and depend on the origin source, as well as pH environment. Wheat and rye bran showed higher sorption ability. The value of copper and zinc sorption was between 39-82% and was lower for collagen and elastin (15-17%). Examined preparations show higher sorption ability when pH equals 8.7 and 6.8, and lower value of this parameter in an acidic environment.

Until recently, the dietary fibre and its components were regarded as ballast substances from vegetal food. These days, they are given more and more attention because of the beneficial physiological effects they may exert on human and animal organisms. The dietary fibre includes a number of components, and each of them displays specific properties. The components of major importance are cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin and pectins. The objective of this study was to determine the amounts of particular dietary fibre fractions in samples containing apple, black currant, chokeberry or cherry pomace. The results revealed the following pattern: in each pomace sample, pectins occurred in the smallest amounts, and the content of lignin was very high (black currant and cherry pomace) or comparatively high (pear, chokeberry and apple pomace). The other dietary fibre components were difficult to form into clearly defined groups. Their proportions varied from one pomace type to another.

Commercial modified starches were investigated by comparison with unmodified potato starch. Pasting characteristics of preparations were examined using rotational viscometer Rheotest 2, whereas their rheological properties were examined using rotational rheometer Rheolab MC1. It was stated that the commercial modified starches exhibit different pasting characteristics. The modified starches were characterized by lower value of maximum viscosity and except for oxidized starch (E 1404) lower final viscosity at 50°C than native potato starch. Based on obtained results it was stated that the pastes of investigated preparations were shear thinning fluids. The modified starches exhibited greater resistance to shear and greater rheological stability than unmodified potato starch.

TA-XT2 texture analyser was used to check hardness and resilience of 10 gels prepared from wheat and rye starch isolated at early- and latewaxy stages of development and at full maturity. It was found that gels made of starch obtained from earlywaxy kernels revealed the most desirable functional features: the lowest and stable hardness, regardless of storage temperature (8°C and 20°C). At chosen storage temperature the gels were characterised by stable resilience in contrast to those prepared from starch isolated from mature wheat.

The fermentation of Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus L.) tubers and juices using various microorganisms: the bacterium Zymomonas mobilis, a distillery yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and a yeast with inulinase activity was investigated. Jerusalem artichoke carbohydrates in mashed tubers and juices were acid and enzymatic hydrolysed before fermentation by the bacterium and a distillery yeast. Although enzymatic hydrolysis with an inulinase gave less reducing sugars it was significantly more efficient in fermentation process. The ethanol yield after enzymatic hydrolysis (expressed as % theoretical yield) was 78.3-90.0% and 72.4-84.2% for the bacterium and yeasts respectively in tubers as well as 78.3-88.1% and 74.4-82.2% for the bacterium and yeasts in juices. The yield was 2.0-9.2% higher than after acid hydrolysis. The yeast with an active inulinase yielded better when juices were used for fermentation than on mashed tubers.

The aim of the work was to preliminary establish the pasteurization temperature of beverage, in which Saccharomyces cerevisiae are inactivated but lactic acid bacteria survive. The possibility to use of pasteurization for elimination of yeast from beverage was screened in tubes for 10 min at temperature 45, 50, 55, 60, 65 and 70°C. Inactivation yeast when lactic acid bacteria was survived (10¹-10² cfu/ml) was caused by the pasteurization, which was kept in tubes at the temperature of 60°C. The pasteurization of beverage was conducted also in bottles at temperatures of 55, 60 i 65°C for 15 min. Also it was proved that pasteurization in bottles at 65°C is sufficient for inactivation of yeast. After that in beverage viable lactic acid bacteria were left, which after 48 hours multiplied to the level before pasteurization.

The paper presents some possibilities of using chokeberry pomace as raw material in production of infusion. In this work the influence of drying methods on anthocyanin contents and infusion colour was estimated. In comparison to the traditional air drying of fruit, using other methods (drying in vacuum, microwave or liofilization) or using pomaces improved the quality of infusions. The high temperature and long time of air drying negatively influenced fruit infusion colour- it was the brightest and brown hue. Infusion prepared from pomaces instead of fruits, contained twice less glucose, fructose and sorbitol and 11.5 times more anthocyanins.

The work attempts to carry out the stabilization of anthocyanins of canned fruits and jams from strawberry by flavones of skullcap (Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi) addition of during the preparation of these products. Effect of stabilization was controlled in fresh samples and after 60 days of storage at 30°C. The addition of stabilizer influenced the improvement of the behavior of anthocyanins and stability of red colour in the process of production and storage the strawberry only of jams. The growth of ability of scavenging of free radicals as a result of addition of stabilizer was observed in the studied canned fruit and jams simultaneously, but only directly after their production. This beneficial effect of stabilizer disappeared in strawberry products during 6 months storage at 30°C.

The effect of fruit maturation on changes of caretenoid concentrations was presented. The levels of β-carotene and xanthophylls were determined in unripe fruits 20 and 30 days after flowering (DAF) and also at the first and the end of fruit maturation stages (45 and 60 DAF). Their xanthophyll content was more than 19 times higher, and β-carotene contents 2 times higher than in unripe fruits (30 DAF) and also the level of these compounds was twice higher than at the begining of fruit maturation (45 DAF). The quality analyses of carotenoid fraction of red pepper fruit indicated that the dominant carotenoids were capsanthin – the red pigment contributing 37%, β-carotene and β-cryptoxanthin – provitamin A – 26.8% of total carotenoids. The ethephon treatment stimulated carotenogenesis in pepper fruit. It was noticed that the level of β-carotene increased by more than 30% in 100 g of dry weight of fruit at the red stage as control.

The aim of this work was to determine the influence of the amount of isolated soy protein, polysaccharide hydrocolloids, fiber and the kind of flavour agents on the quality of soy beverages. The addition of guar gum increased the stability of soy beverages in higher degree than the addition of locust bean gum. However, the sensory properties of beverages which contained the locust bean gum were evaluated higher. As far as physico-chemical and sensory properties are concerned the best evaluated sample among all investigated was the one which contained 3.48% isolated soy protein, 0.5% locust bean gum and 0.5% fiber. The kind of flavour agents had the influence on the sensory evaluation of beverages. The raspberry beverage possessed the highest consumer’s desirability among all investigated samples.

In this research the possibilities of cottage cheese fortification with supplement of calcium salts to dressing cream were studied. Water-soluble calcium salts caused loss of heat stability of proteins. The highest amount of calcium (45 mg%) was added to dressing cream as calcium gluconate form. Application of water-soluble calcium salts blends did not yield benefits. Application of water-insoluble calcium salts made considerable fortification (up to 350 mg%) possible. Influence of addition of dressing cream containing calcium salts to cottage cheese curd on the some properties of cottage cheese was studied. The most beneficial fortification, without decrease of sensory properties, was achieved by addition of water-insoluble calcium salts or calcium chloride. Changes of dressing acidity and cottage cheese acidity were dependent on the amount and type of the applied calcium salts.

This study is an investigation of determining the changes of scavenger capacity of DPPH^* free radicals through substances contained in soybean cold pressed oil and in oils taken after individual phases of refinement. The content of tocopherols and phenolic compounds was determined. Scavenging of DPPH^* was examined and the coefficient of antiradical activity (AE) was counted in order to objectively determine the potential. Cold pressed oil had the highest ability of scavenging of DPPH^*. This oil also possessed the largest coefficient of antiradical efficiency (AE = 14.51∙10^-3). The largest quantity of tocopherols was observed in crude oil and phenolic compounds in cold pressed oil. It was affirmed that every next stage of refinement causes the decreasing of tocopherols and phenolic compounds content.

Catalitic effects of calcium chloride on ripening of salted Baltic herring were studied. Herring carcasses, fresh or frozen/thawed, were covered with 12% NaCl solution with 0, 0.1, 0.5 or 1.0% addition of calcium chloride; the fish brine weight ratio was 1:1. Samples were incubated for 18 days at 7⁺1^oC and assayed after 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 15 and 18 days of ripening. The assays involved determination of pH, water content, and contents of protein hydrolysis products (PHP) soluble in 6% NaCl and in 5% tricholoacetic acid (TCA) (biuret and modified Lowry methods), as well as fish meat sensory desirability. Calcium chloride addition was found to primarily enhance the release of 6% NaCl-soluble, 5% TCA-precipitated PHP; the 5% TCA-soluble TCA release was less enhanced, while almost no tyrosine release enhancement could be detected. Calcium chloride enrichment was also found to act as a salted herring preservative by extending the induction phase, preceding that of intensive trimethylamine increase. Calcium chloride improved salted Baltic herring meat texture, the effect being more pronounced in fresh than in frozen/thawed fish. The best texture was shown by those fish ripened in 0.1% calcium chloride enriched brine. In practice, application of calcium chloride as a ripening catalyst can be limited by its sensory detection in the final product. For this reason, the maximum calcium chloride concentration in brine should not exceed 0.5%.

The aim of this work was to check the formation of physicochemical properties of PSE, DFD and “normal” meat on a large population of broiler chickens coming from the current production of poultry processing plant. Meat was divided into the above mentioned classes based on measurement of pH₁₅ value. 264 broiler chickens collected from various suppliers were tested in the experiment. Meat was classified into groups : “normal”, “with PSE-” or “with DFD-symptoms” based on determination of pH value 15 minutes after slaughter. After 24 hours meat was evaluated sensorically (color and elasticity) and underwent some physicochemical tests ( pH₂₄, color measurement – brightness and hem pigments content, content of water soluble proteins, free water content, water binding ability and thermal drip). Experiments conducted here did not confirm that the pH₁ value is a sufficient criterion for categorization of poultry meat into PSE, DFD and “normal” meat taking into consideration properties reflecting meat water binding (water binding ability, free water content, thermal drip). On the other hand, regarding formation of meat properties influenced by different speed of glycolisis like color and elasticity evaluated sensorically, color brightness and content of hem pigments, the differentiation between meat samples was found.

The checking of the influence of casing type and packaging method onto sensory quality changes of Wiener type sausages characterized by their different formulation was the aim of the present study. Based on the wide sensory evaluation of experimental sausages, the “nojax” type casing was selected as the best one for more detailed searching. The obtained results show the significantly better quality of all experimental sausages packed and stored under gas modified atmosphere than the vacuum packed sample.

Fourteen kinds of “ready to eat” minimally processed vegetable salads (7 days of use-fulness) manufactured by two companies were the material of this investigation. The content of dry matter, total protein, total sugars, crude fibre, total ash, ascorbic acid, nitrates and nitrites were examined. Significant differences between average content of the investigated constituents in dependence on kind of salads were stated. Ascorbic acid content was in range 2.04-30.30 mg(100 g^-1 and most of salads (portion of 100 g) might provide 20-40% of the recommended daily dose of ascorbic acid. The quantity of nitrates oscillated between 184.9-768.6 mg NaNO₃ (kg^-1 and could be qualified as low to middle-high. Nitrites were absent in most of tested salads and in the others their quantity was low (0.20-0.83 mg NaNO₂(kg–^;1).

The aim of the questionnaire survey undertaken in autumn 2003 among 449 pupils aged 13-15 was to assess the frequency of occurrence of snacking, to describe food eaten as snacks and to define factors determining snacking habit. Snacking habit occurred among more than 90% of the respondents. Sweets were indicated by the greatest number of population as snacks. More girls than boys ate fruits, chocolate, candies and lollipops for snacking. Simultaneously more boys than girls consumed doughnuts and buns. The greater number of main meals was associated with more frequent consumption of snacks.

The purpose of this work was the comparison between preferences and frequency of consumption of the 29 chosen kinds of fruits and vegetables among 235 girls and 129 pregnant women. High degree of preference of most of fruits was shown. Strawberries, grapes, mandarines, peaches as well as apples were the most liked both among girls and pregnant women and the least were avocado, grenades as well as mango. The most often consumed were apples, lemons, oranges and bananas and seldom also fruits which were least popular. Weak strength of the relationship between the preference and frequencies of the consumption of the studied fruits both in the group of girls and pregnant women was shown.

In the paper the results of a survey carried out in 2003 on a sample of 100 women were presented. The main goal of the survey was an analysis of the conditions of consumers behavior on the market of food concentrates, for example concentrates of soups, sauces, condiments, desserts, cakes etc. The analysis concerned such problems as reasons and frequency of consumption of particular kinds of food concentrates, conditions of choice, consumers preferences as far as taste and brand are concerned. Based on the results of the research it has been confirmed that food concentrates are universally used by Polish consumers. Use of different kinds of concentrates in nutrition depends on such social and economical factors like age, education, income and place of living but direction and strength of particular factors influence are dependent on the group of concentrates. The consumption of food concentrates will increase systematically. Consumers will be interested mainly in technologically advanced products, which also nowadays are very popular among young and educated people.