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In recent years, with the interest in healthy diet and environmental protection, plant-based alternatives, to classic milk, have been developed and produced. In addition to the already well-known products, such as almond or soy milk, amaranth milk is also becoming increasingly known. Amaranth milk is considered a possible alternative with both nutritional and ecological benefits. As a result of environmental problems and people's needs, this paper aims to compare these types of plant-based beverages, in terms of c...

Celery (Apium Graveolens var. Rapaceum) is a tasty and aromatic vegetable, part of the Apiaceae family. It is an important horticultural crop, being rich in nutritional value. It is cultivated worldwide both for food and for use in the pharmaceutical industry. This medicinal vegetable hosts a valuable source of minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, pigments, aromatic compounds, organic acids, tannins. The aim of this study was to determine the mineral composition of celery root using X-ray fluorescence (XRF), but also...

Quince (Cydonia oblonga) is a fruit of notable nutritional and therapeutic value, largely due to its high content of bioactive compounds. This study presents a comprehensive evaluation of the nutritional composition, antioxidant capacity, and polyphenolic profile of quince fruits Through standardized and rigorous physico-chemical analyses, the fruit was shown to possess a complex nutritional profile, with a particularly high concentration of vitamin C. Additionally, quince exhibited strong antioxidant activity, wh...

The stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) and purple dead-nettle (Lamium purpureum) are widely distributed plants, known for their medicinal and nutritional properties. Urtica dioica is particularly valued for its significant mineral content, being widely used in traditional medicine and agricultural practices. Similarly, Lamium purpureum presents notable medicinal properties and typically occupies comparable ecological functions. Calcium is critically important for developing cell walls, growth of plant cells as well a...

Parsnip (Pastinaca sativa) is a vegetable with high nutritional value, which is cultivated mainly for the consumption of its roots, used as a spice in the preparation of dishes, being appreciated for its rich fiber content, as well as for vitamins and bioactive compounds. The paper aims to assess the differences between raw and cooked parsnip, based on its nutritional composition, focusing on the content of amino acids, fatty acids and essential vitamins, as well as on how these components influence health. Parsni...

Chenopodium album L., is a plant from the Amaranthaceae family. In many traditional cuisines, the leafy plant is highly valued for the nutritional properties, especially the leaves. Being native to Europe and Central Asia, the plant has been used and cultivated for its nutritional and medicinal properties. Containing several bioactive compounds, makes Chenopodium album very beneficial to human health, including: betalains пїЅ pigments with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties; polyphenols пїЅ antioxidants ...

For most soils, genetic inheritance is the determining factor of heavy metal abundance. The anthropogenic impact on the soil produced by fertilizers, pesticides, zootechnical residues, wastewater or particles brought to the soil by gaseous emissions, brings important quantities of heavy metals into the soil. Among these, the most toxic are Cd and Pb. The aim of the study was to establish the levels of Cd and Pb in soil and Beta vulgaris roots, sampled from eight locations from Tarnaveni area, an industrial center ...

Copper has a fantastic role in the organism, indifferent if its mammalian, plant, bacteria or yeast, functioning as a cofactor in enzymes involved in various processes. In agriculture, different copper compounds are used as fungicide to protect plants from fungal diseases. In humans the role of copper is also crucial, as it is an essential trace element being involved in many processes as well as a cofactor for several enzymes involved in antioxidant defense, iron metabolism, and neurotransmitter synthesis, playin...

The technology for producing gluten-free products based on grains flour continues to improve, which appreciably increases the nutritional importance of these products and expands the assortment of inexpensive gluten-free food products of domestic production. The aim of the addressed topic was to characterize the mineral composition and total antioxidant capacity of millet, flax and buckwheat flours and to identify some potential characteristics to help create healthier products with specific fingerprints. The case...

Algae are some of the oldest forms of life on earth, being consumed for centuries. There are numerous studies that highlight the health benefits of consuming seaweed, due to the high content of proteins, dietary fibers, vitamins, antioxidants, and the low-fat content. Nori seaweeds, which is used in the preparation of sushi rolls, stands out for its low caloric intake and high content of minerals, vitamins (vitamin B12 and vitamin C), as well as iodine. Only certain types of species of seaweed are used to make Nor...

Tomatoes (Solanum Lycopersicum) are fruits rich in bioactive substances, especially compounds with antioxidant characteristics. Tomato fruits are a source of vitamin C, having beneficial properties for health. Current indications lead us to the conclusion that tomato fruits are potential candidates for the study of bioactivity, as well as for functionally developed fruits. The activity of these bioactive compounds is to combat the activity of free radicals. Tomatoes are the most popular vegetable crop in the world...

The indicator of the quality of edible oils is its oxidative stability. The oxidative reactions can be influenced by several factors (light, heat, oxygen reaction with unsaturated lipids) and by chemical and enzymatic mechanisms (autoxidation, photooxidation and lipoxygenases). These factors can accelerate lipid oxidation, decrease oxidative stability and cause significant modification on sensory properties, what lead to nutritional depreciation of edible oil and decrease in the shelf life. The aims of this study ...

This study aims to determine the specific fingerprints of cauliflower and broccoli available on the Romanian market based on mathematical models and chemical analysis (moisture content, minerals content, total antioxidant capacity and total polyphenols content). These vegetables (cauliflower and broccoli) are considered essential for the human diet due to their bioactive content and nutritional value. The content of minerals and antioxidant compounds varies depending on their varieties, environmental conditions, r...

Urtica dioica L. is a multi-functional plant commonly known as stinging nettle, which has been used as wild vegetable for centuries. Stinging nettle is a highly nutritious vegetable due to its increased use in different food products and its health-promoting properties. Nettles are highly adaptable occurring in most common areas from unpolluted to highly polluted areas, along stream banks, farmland and also in highly disturbed areas. In hot areas, they prefer sites in partial shade, but accept to grow also in full...

The chocolate is one of the most popular foods all over the world, representing a highly nutritious source of energy. In this paper is proposed a way to improve the antioxidant function of chocolate by rosehip powder incorporation in the recipe. Additionally, a part of cocoa from its manufacturing recipe was replaced by carob powder. Rosehip powder brings along a high intake of vitamin C, B1, B2, K, carotenoids, pectin, carbohydrates, and also organic acids. Due to the high level of vitamin content, it is recommen...

There is an emergent trend for the protection of geographical indication (GI) of medicinal plants, herbs and teas not only in the context of intellectual property rights, but also due to multiple concerns regarding contamination from polluted air, soil and water in some source countries, climate change, quality control and traceability. The mineral content coupled with chemometrics can be used to create elemental fingerprints. Lime flower (Tilia cordata), chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla), and Lady-s Bedstraw (Gal...

Lettuce is one of the most popular leafy vegetables due to the high concentrations of minerals and vitamins. The high ecological plasticity and short vegetation period makes it extremely vulnerable to environmental conditions and, indirectly, to climate change. In order to obtain plants with valuable nutritional profile, the environmental conditions for cultivation, like moisture content and temperature are very important. There are many research studies performed concerning the effects of climatic changes on agri...

Magnesium deficiency is on the rise due to intensive industrialized farming practices, food processing and evolution of human diets. Human nutrition needs great amount of magnesium, Mg deficiencies being rampant in many developed and developing countries mostly due to dietary reliance on vegetal food with low Mg concentrations. Magnesium is an element that we might describe today as an ancient mineral but essential to life, being a vital factor within our cells, helping to maintain balance, achieve performance und...

Magnesium deficiency is on the rise due to intensive industrialized farming practices, food processing and evolution of human diets. Human nutrition needs great amount of magnesium, Mg deficiencies being rampant in many developed and developing countries mostly due to dietary reliance on vegetal food with low Mg concentrations. Magnesium is an element that we might describe today as an ancient mineral but essential to life, being a vital factor within our cells, helping to maintain balance, achieve performance und...

The pastoralism, with tradition in the history of the Romanian people, embraces various forms. In this viewpoint, the entrance with animals on pasture is linked to the Orthodox religious holiday, Saint George, celebrated on the 23rd of April. In the Romanian people tradition, too, the entrance with animals on the pasture is carried out in spring, after the flowering of the blackthorn (Prunus spinosa L.) present in protection belts or green fences that delimitate parcels in the studied area. Under such circumstance...

The bioactive compounds in apples and pears might confer many health protective benefits by improving oxidative stress, on the other hand in case of higher than the admitted values, Heavy metals could affect health. Apple and pears are members of the Rosaceae (Rose) family, known for their pomaceous fruits. The aim of this study was to describe the quality traits, the level of antioxidant activity and polyphenol content of some apples and pears available on the Romanian market as well as the heavy metals concentra...

Soil contamination is a component that contributes to the increase of environmental pollution, as soil is the key element that underpins food production for household consumption. The transfer of contaminants from soil to plants is one of the input mechanisms of human exposure to metals through food chain. Mathematical models are documented as effective tools, that could help observe pollutants impact on agricultural products (vegetables and fruits) as well as on environmental systems, to evaluate different scenar...

The relief, as genetic factor and пїЅsupportпїЅ on which the grassland areas are engrafted on, may be equally considered the major decisive element for vegetationпїЅs type, aspect and consistency, through altitude, slope and orientation. This study will highlight the influence exerted on grassland areas by relief factors, in mountain and sub-mountain regions, and subsequently it will determine the differentiated landscaping пїЅnormsпїЅ in concordance with the singularity of each analyzed sector. The grassland asse...