Volume 55, Issue 4 (2025)
Gene and genome editing improves the prognosis by preventing non-target or pleiotropic consequences. Genomic editing targets can be assessed by localizing their structural and functional traits on the most polymorphic genomic elements, e.g., by transposons. This research clarified the distribution of transposons in the most popular gene editing targets and on their flanks in different mammalian species.
The study covered the genomic sequences of humans (Homo sapiens), cattle (Bos taurus), domestic rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus), and house mice (Mus musculus). It involved the protein-coding genes of myostatin (mstn), melanophilin (mlph), leptin receptor (lepr), X-localized chromatin remodeling protein (atrx), and three genes in the evolutionarily conserved chromatin loop (transcrip-tion regulation factor – auts2, N-acetylgalactosaminyl transferase – galnt17, calcium binding protein 1 – caln1), as well as at least four genes on their flanks. The distribution of transposons was estimated using RepeatMasker; the statistical processing relied on the Jamovi software. The analysis was conducted for the following gene and genomic traits: 1) the frequency of dispersed repeats that were dominant in ancestral species to be displaced by later varieties; 2) the correlation between the frequency and the localization in autosomes and chromosome X, the functional affiliation of gene groups, their localization in the same and different chromosomes, and gene overlap.
The differences in the frequencies of ancient and young transposons between humans, cattle, and rodents were associated with different rates of generational exchange. The research also revealed some links between the protein functions and the conservatism of genetic linkage. The blocks of genetically linked genes across the species differed in ancient transposons, which depended on the species-specific differences in the protection of the corresponding genomic regions from transpositions.
The data on species- and gene-specific traits of transposons distribution may help to prevent undesirable pleiotropic effects of genetic modifications.
Oats (Avena sativa L.) is an important agricultural crop. Unfortunately, it is exposed to a wide range of phytopathogenic microorganisms that cause significant yield losses. Aa a result, agricultural science is on the outlook for new effective and sustainable pesticide methods. This research focused on a new bacterial strain of the Pantoea genus isolated from grain crops to assess its potential as an antagonist of phytopathogens and a plant growth stimulator.
The strain was isolated from the Maruchak spring oats variety. The taxonomic identification relied on the 16S rRNA gene sequence. The antagonistic activity was assessed against the phytopathogens Fusarium graminearum F-877, Bipolaris sorokiniana F-529, Erwinia rhapontici B-9292, and Xanthomonas campestris B-4102. The ability of the strain to produce phytohormones and siderophores was determined spectrophotometrically. The biological nitrogen fixation was assessed using a Rapid N Cube nitrogen analyzer. A set of culture-dependent methods made it possible to measure the zinc, phosphorus, and potassium solubilization activity, as well as the biofilm-forming potential.
The isolated strain was identified as Pantoea pleuroti. It exhibited antagonistic activity against the abovementioned phytopathogens. It was especially effective against F. graminearum F-877: the inhibition zone was 62 mm (agar block diffusion method) and 12 mm (agar well method). P. pleuroti produced such phytohormones as indole-3-acetic acid (5.64 mg/mL), gibberellic acid (284.3 μg/mL), and kinetin (9.46 μg/mL). In addition, it fixed atmospheric nitrogen (680.0 μg/mL), synthesized siderophores (53.1%), formed biofilms, and solubilized phosphates (102.3 μg/mL), potassium, and zinc.
The obtained results confirmed the potential of P. pleuroti as part of biofertilizers, bioprotectors, and oat growth stimulators.
Food is a complex system that requires holistic quality assessment. Chemometrics uses mathematical, statistical, and computer science methods to analyze and interpret chemical data, which means good prospects for food quality evaluation.
This review covered Russian and international publications indexed in Scopus, PubMed, MEDLINE, Web of Knowledge, Google Scholar, IEEE Xplore, Science Direct, and eLIBRARY.RU (RSCI). The search queries included such keywords as chemometrics; chemometric methods; principal component analysis; PLS (projection to latent structures); artificial neural network (ANN); multivariate classification; multivariate data analysis.
The main chemometric tools applied to food systems included hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA), principal component analysis (PCA), latent structures-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA), projections to latent structures (PLS), quadratic projection to latent structures (QPLS), multiple linear regression (MLR), artificial neural network (ANN), support vector machine (SVM), k-nearest neighbors (KNN), and ensemble model prediction (RF, XGBoost). The PCA proved to be the most popular chemometric method applied in the food industry. However, combinations of methods were always more effective than a single one. The KNN methods appeared to be quite unreliable.
Combinations of chemometric methods demonstrate the best prospects, e.g., PCA + PLS-DA + ANN or PCA + PLS-DA +KNN. If combined with instrumental tools, they are able to improve analytical accuracy and provide effective management approaches, thus ensuring sustainable food industry.
Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death worldwide, largely due to unhealthy diet, obesity, and associated metabolic disorders. Formulating specialized food products incorporating milk fat replacers could help reduce these risks. Forty patients from the personalized diet therapy department were recruited for the study and randomized into two groups.
The study group (n = 20) received a low-calorie diet fortified with a specialized preventative product, while the control group (n = 20) received an unfortified diet. The diagnostic tests included a clinical examination (medical history, physical examination, and anthropometric measurements such as body mass index, blood pressure, and heart rate), laboratory tests (clinical and biochemical blood tests, analyses of the lipid profile, carbohydrate metabolism, vitamin status, and antioxidant activity), instrumental methods (bioimpedance analysis, indirect calorimetry), as well as diet analysis, protein metabolism analysis, sensory evaluation, and monitoring of side effects. Statistical analysis was performed in StatTech v.3.0.4.
Fortifying the diet with the specialized product resulted in a significant reduction in total cholesterol (by 13.5%), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (by 12.1%), and fat mass (by 1.5%) with preserved muscle tissue. Significant improvements in metabolic parameters included a 13.0% decrease in homocysteine levels, lower oxidative stress (malonaldehyde down by 31.9%), and a 58.3% increase in vitamin B12. The administration of this diet therapy was not associated with the development of any adverse reactions.
The specialized preventative product manufactured using cheese technology can be recommended for use in preventative nutrition to reduce cardiovascular risks.
Honey is a popular product and one of the most faked foods in the world. Current authentication methods remain rather ineffective. In this study, isotope radio mass spectrometry (IRMS) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) made it possible to reveal a set of criteria that could be used to identify fake honey.
The research featured 54 samples of honey of various botanical and geographical origin, as well as 25 samples of sugars and sugarcontaining additives. By obtaining the isotopic profile of total carbon and the protein fraction, the authors calculated the proportion of exogenous sugars from C4 plants. The ICP-MS method was used to assess the botanical and geographical profile based on the mass concentrations of 71 elements.
The method was able to detect the presence of beet sugars; the sample preparation did not require reagents. The elemental profile proved diverse and involved a wide range of parameters. However, 22 elements were not detected (Be, Sm, V, Eu, Cr, As, Se, Rh, Pd, Sb, Tb, Er, Tm, Re, Ir, Pt, Lu, Ho, Au, Hg, Te, Bi). The qualitative and quantitative differences in elemental content were most likely associated with the botanical origin, not the harvesting location. Some samples of expensive honeys (pine, honeydew, manuka, herbs with honeydew and chestnut pollen, etc.) were rich in Zn, Cu, Al, Mn, etc.
The new criteria may simplify the procedure of honey authentication and reduce the share of fake honey on the market as a separate product or a formulation ingredient in mead beverages.
Callus cultures of medicinal plants have good prospects for biotechnology as sources of bioactive compounds. Hyssop callus cultures (Hyssopus officinalis L.) possess unique chemical composition and properties. To study the factors that enhance the synthesis of bioactive compounds, the author assessed the effect of salinity on the growth, phenolic content, and antioxidant potential in H. officinalis callus cultures.
While the content of phenolic compounds and hydroxycinnamic acids was determined using standard methods, the radical absorption activity, reducing capacity, and chelating activity made it possible to measure the antioxidant activity of the callus cultures. High concentrations (200–500 mM) of NaCl suppressed the callus culture growth. The growth agents included three variants: MS-2 (2 mg/L kinetin, 3 mg/L 1-naphthaleneacetic acid), MS-5 (0.8 mg/L 6-benzylaminopurine, 1.5 mg/L 3-indoleacetic acid), and MS-6 (0.2 mg/L 6-benzylaminopurine and 1 mg/L 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid). The nutrient medium salinity affected the yield of phenolic compounds in the MS-2 callus culture. As the nutrient medium salinity increased, the amount of phenolic compounds went down. Adding 50 and 100 mM NaCl to MS-5 and MS-6 nutrient media boosted the content of phenolic compounds in the callus culture. The total content of hydroxycinnamic acids pointed at a significant decrease in their amount at different NaCl concentrations. Various salt concentrations in the nutrient medium inhibited the antioxidant activity of the callus culture extracts.
In this research, salt stress failed to increase the accumulation of phenolic compounds and hydroxycinnamic acids in H. officinalis. callus culture extracts. It also proved ineffective as antioxidant activity catalyst.
The lynx (Lynx lynx Linnaeus, 1758) is a valuable game and fur farm animal. The article describes the game potential of the lynx in the Kirov Region, Russia, and the nutritional profile of lynx meat.
The morphometric and physicochemical analysis covered 137 samples of lynx meat, 90 of which were tested for trichinosis. The statistical analysis involved MS Excel and Statgraphics software, as well as the methods of Student’s t-test, Fisher’s test, the Newman-Keuls multiple comparison method, and the nonparametric Mann-Whitney test (p ≤ 0.05). Lynx meat demonstrated satisfactory nutritional value and sensory properties. The meat yield indicators made it possible to estimate the product value as 500 rubles/kg and its potential contribution to the regional economy (562,500 rubles if lynx is ever legalized as a game species). In terms of moisture content (50.47%), lynx meat was inferior to that of most conventional farm animals, except for pork. It contained 4.6 times as much ash (5.60%) as rabbit meat. In terms of protein content (25.14%), it demonstrated the highest indicators while being low in fat (1.81%) and calories (116.86 kcal/100 g). The highest ash content belonged to the meat of 18-month-old animals while the highest protein content was found in animals born in the year of consumption. The content of vitamin A was 4.0 times as low as in nutria meat but the content of vitamin E was 8.7 times as high. Lynx meat was rich in vitamins B1, B6, and B12 but contained little vitamins B2, B3, and B4.
The sensory profile and physicochemical characteristics depended on the environmental conditions, diet, sex, age, physiological and reproductive status, season, and hunting methods. However, the high susceptibility to trichinosis in natural populations may affect the commercial potential of lynx meat. The data obtained can be used to develop state standards for lynx meat in the Russian Federation.
The dairy industry needs new methods for food quality assessment at all stages of production and storage. Mathematical methods offer efficient tools of product quality control. This article introduces a mathematical approach to assessing the kinetics of protein and carbohydrate profiles of milk powder to predict their transformations throughout production and storage.
The study featured milk at different processing temperatures and exposure times. The analysis focused on the concentrations of compounds that mark the changes in the carbohydrate and protein profiles of milk during heat treatment. The equation of pseudo-zero-order and the Arrhenius equation were applied to carbohydrates while a first-order equation made it possible to assess the changes in proteins. The calculation algorithm was processed in Python.
The lactulose, hydroxymethylfurfural, and furosine accumulations proved to depend on the integral heat load. The activation energies that provided the linearity maximum were as follows: 130 kJ/mol for lactulose and furosine; 85 kJ/mol for hydroxymethylfurfural. The calculation model failed to assess the accumulation of carbohydrate profile products during prolonged thermal exposure due to more profound product changes. β-lactoglobulin appeared to be more susceptible to thermal effects than α-lactalbumin. The activation energies for whey proteins were 72.1 and 85.1–85.7 kJ/mol, respectively.
The new mathematical approach provided a reliable quantitative assessment of thermal stress that can be used for food quality control and shelf-life adjustments, e.g., in milk powder production.
Food products have a limited shelf life, which remains a major challenge for the food industry. Active packaging with antimicrobial additives extends shelf life and prevents spoilage. This research tested two hypotheses: 1) ultrasonic treatment affects polymer blends based on thermoplastic polyolefins (polyethylene, polypropylene) dispersed with botulin; 2) their structural and antimicrobial properties depend on the formulation and processing parameters.
The study featured polyolefin-based films (polyethylene and polypropylene), as well as polymer composites based on polyolefins and betulin. The melts of these composites were ultrasonicated during casting using a flat-die extruder (MashPlast, Russia). The structural and morphological properties of these composites were determined using a JSM-7500F scanning electron microscope (JEOL, Japan); their thermophysical properties were tested using a DSC 204 F1 calorimeter (NETZSCH, Germany). The chemical investigation relied on IR spectroscopy in an FSM-1201 device (Infraspek, Russia) with an NTR attachment. The strain and strength properties were measured on a Z010 tensile tester (ZwickRoell, Germany). The antimicrobial experiment involved the disk diffusion method.
Ultrasonic vibrations were effective when the betulin content in the polyolefin blends exceeded 6 wt.%. This process provided targeted dispersion of agglomerated betulin particles od minimal size. It resulted in a homogeneous distribution of polyolefin blends during polymerization. The ultrasonic treatment slowed down the decline in strain and strength properties. The increased interfacial interaction between the polyolefins and betulin was due to the development of polar functional carboxyl and carbonyl groups during processing. Ultrasonication affected neither processing temperatures nor extrusion performance, which makes the method ergonomical and cost-effective.
This research confirmed the positive antimicrobial effect of ultrasonicated polymer composites based on polyolefins dispersed with botulin. The growth inhibition coefficient for test microorganisms increased by 1.5 times, compared to the original polymer composites. For the polypropylene-based polymer composites, it was higher than for polyethylene-based ones. This phenomenon could be explained by the chemical structure of the original polyolefins. This coefficient also inhibited Candida albicans, Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. However, it failed to inhibit Escherichia coli, rendering betulin unsuitable as an antimicrobial additive for this group of microorganisms.
In general, the ultrasonic modification of polyolefin-based polymer composites blended with betulin showed good prospects as a component in new active food films.
Velvet antlers are non-ossified antlers of maral (Cervus elaphus sibiricus) harvested during the growth phase. They are a common raw material in biologically active supplements with reliable preventive and therapeutic effects. This new technology provides a high-quality fractionation of raw velvet antlers that expands the potential application of velvet antler products in functional foods. The article describes the biochemical profile of substances derived from maral velvet antlers obtained by fractionation.
The raw maral velvet antlers were fractionated using percolation, high-temperature hydrolysis, and subcritical extraction. The samples were dried to a moisture content of 5–10%. The analysis involved the following parameters: proteins, fats, ash, moisture, macro- and microelements, amino acids, fatty acids, and molecular weight distribution of peptide fractions.
The blood and cartilage-derived substances contained a high-value protein fraction (74.29–80.59%) with an amino acid score ranging from 97 to 227% for threonine, phenylalanine, isoleucine, and tryptophan. The analysis of peptide fractions revealed the presence of low-molecular-weight peptides (< 2.9 kDa), with the highest concentration in the cartilage-derived substance. Regarding the mineral composition, the blood and lymph fraction proved to be rich in calcium (16,590.00 mg/100 g), sodium (799.10 mg/100 g), magnesium (319.80 mg/100 g), and zinc (6.40 mg/100 g) while the cartilage contained a lot of potassium (408.60 mg/100 g) and iron (54.30 mg/100 g). Phosphorus was the predominant element across all mineral fractions, with a concentration of 14,000.00 mg/100 g.
The biochemical composition of the substances fractionated from maral (Cervus elaphus sibiricus) velvet antlers demonstrated a high biological value and a strong potential for the functional food industry.
Sunflower is an oilseed crop of global significance. It is a valuable source of protein with a crude protein content of up to 40%. Mechanical fractionation increases the yield of crude protein content from plant raw materials, but it remains understudied for sunflower meal. Sunflower meal contains up to 4% phenolics, which renders it with strong antioxidant properties. However, phenolics may cause coloration. This article describes sunflower protein preparations with low phenolic content.
The study featured sunflower meal fractions obtained by mechanical fractionation with high crude protein content. To reduce the phenolic content, the fractions were treated with ethyl solutions. The antioxidant properties of the resulting protein preparations were determined using the DPPH radical scavenging method.
The phenolic content of sunflower meal fractionation products ranged from 2.81 to 3.31% and correlated with the crude protein content (41.98–43.87%). Fractions with the same particle size (≤ 0.25 mm) had similar crude protein and phenolic contents, regardless of the original sample composition and the grinding method. The obtained fractions demonstrated enhanced antioxidant properties (51.08–54.52% DPPH). The highest phenolic yield (73%) belonged to the procedure that involved a single extraction with 80% ethanol at 60°C and a hydromodulus of 1:10. This result was comparable to the yield (76%) obtained by three extractions.
The resulting protein preparations were rich in crude protein but low in phenolics. The method could be used to fortify flour products with proteins and antioxidants.
Artificial intelligence can be used to monitor production parameters in the food industry. Kissel is a jelly-like fruit or berry starch drink. Instant kissel usually consists of granules. Neural networks may help to control the size of kissel granules. In this research, convolutional neural networks monitored the production parameters of granulated kissel powder by localizing granules in an image.
Size is the most important parameter of kissel granules: it should remain between 2 and 5 mm. To detects larger granules (≥ 5 mm), the network was provided with a visual dataset of granules of varying sizes. The localization models were developed using Detectron2.
The research yielded a set of optimal operating principles and quality metrics. The R50-FPN model achieved the best results. The AP50 metric had the highest value, followed by AP75 and AP. The models performed well in visual detection and successfully determined the coordinates of the bounding rectangle. The resulting dataset did not label objects for small (APs) and medium (APm) sizes because the study focused on localizing large granules. The APl metric values for all models were high. The approach to AI training and neural network architecture proved optimal for food production control.
The trained model made it possible to develop a computer program based on convolutional neural networks that demonstrated good results in detecting large granules in instant kissel powder. The new program can be used in continuous production to monitor the size of finished products and their compliance with process parameters.
The Caspian roach (Rutilus rutilus caspicus) is in a collapsed status as a fish resource. The lack of current data on its quality and safety requires comprehensive studies to assess the impact of anthropogenic, pathogenic, invasive, and other factors on its population. This assessment of Caspian roach products relied on the current veterinary and sanitary requirements that protect customers from pathogens and invasive diseases.
The research featured fresh and dried Caspian roach from the Volga-Caspian region. Collection, processing, and analysis involved standard methods for commercial fishery. The sensory, physicochemical, microbiological, parasitological, and species-specific (DNA barcoding) results were compared with the current state standards and technical regulations.
The study revealed the current status of the Caspian roach population in the Volga-Caspian region, based on the anthropogenic and other factors. It involved a review of scientific publications and regulatory documents on the quality and safety of Caspian roach products. The veterinary and sanitary inspection documents ensure the safety of roach products in terms of parasite infestation and chemical pollutants. The relevant quality and safety indicators include the histological studies aimed at identifying tumors of various etiologies in fish. Adulteration can be prevented by DNA identification.
Further studies of Rutilus rutilus caspicus and its products are needed to update the existing veterinary and sanitary requirements, as well as to obtain reliable data on the nutritional and consumer value of roach products.
Plant metabolites undergo a thorough toxicity test before becoming part of pharmaceuticals or functional food products. In vivo toxicity studies on animals are expensive and time-consuming. Moreover, they require an ethic approval and a lot of expendables. Alternative methods often involve microbial models. As a result, they reduce the number of animal test subjects on further research stages. This study tested the toxicity of several plant metabolites in vitro on Aliivibrio fischeri and gastrointestinal microbiota.
The research included rutin, rosmarinic acid, trans-cinnamic acid, quercetin, kaempferol, baicalin, and wogonin (≥ 94%). These plant metabolites were isolated from callus, suspension, and root cultures of Siberian plants. Their toxic effects were tested on the bioluminescent properties of Aliivibrio fischeri. The analysis relied on the method of thin-layer chromatography. Another experiment assessed the toxic effects of these plant metabolites on Propionibacterium jensenii (B-6085), Propionibacterium freudenreichii (B-11921), Lactobacillus freudenreichii subsp. freudenreichii (B-6561), Lactobacillus plantarum (B-884), Bifidobacterium longum (AC-1257), and Bifidobacterium bifidum (AC-1779).
The solutions of rutin, quercetin, wogonin, and baicalin (20% ethanol) were toxic towards A. fischeri. Kaempferol was the only metabolite that stimulated the biomass growth of lacto- and bifidobacteria. Quercetin, rutin, and trans-cinnamic acid inhibited the biomass growth of propionic bacteria. The other metabolites suppressed the negative impact of 20% ethanol without affecting the growth of the test strains.
A. fischeri tests proved to be a reliable preliminary toxicity assessment of plant materials before in-vivo studies.
Reclamation of disturbed lands restores the post-mining ecosystem and land use. It is an essential stage of any mining operation. The appropriate reclamation strategy improves the speed and effectiveness of soil reclamation. For instance, the soil thickness and the bioactivation method determine the effectiveness of plant reclamation on depleted open-pit coal mines.
This three-year field experiment (2023–2025) focused on an open-pit coal mine wasteland in the Kemerovo Region, Russia. It involved three types of experimental plots that simulated different reclamation approaches: humus-producing technosol, lithogenic technosol, and initial embryozem. Each plot was planted with trees, shrubs, and grass. The survival of woody plants was assessed visually, with mortality and survival criteria recorded. The grass cover status was assessed by Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), obtained from aerial photography and processed in Agisoft Metashape Professional. The biopreparation included a consortium of Bacillus subtilis strains selected for high antioxidant and phytohormonal activity, which demonstrated the greatest stimulating effect on grass seed germination.
The effectiveness of the biopreparation depended significantly on the substrate conditions. The humus-rich technosol failed to improve the biopreparation: the survival rate of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L., 1753) was 66.7%, which was below the control (85.3%). The lithogenic technosol had a species-specific effect: the survival rate of pyramidal poplar (Populus nigra L., 1753) reached 100.0% while that of blue honeysuckle (Lonicera dioica L., 1753) dropped to 63.6% by 2025 versus 84.1% in the control. The embryozem demonstrated the lowest results: the survival rate for black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa (Michx.) Elliott, 1821) was 52.9% versus the initial 70.6%. The projective grass cover reached 100.0% by 2024 on all three plots but was much lower during the first year.
The biopreparation failed to become a universal solution, and its effectiveness depended on the type of soil substrate and plant species. It proved rather effective for lithogenic technosols of intermediate fertility. However, its use seems impractical under optimal conditions and even inhibiting under extreme conditions.
Plant extracts are a source of new drugs and alternative therapies. This article describes the antioxidant and antibacterial properties of aqueous methanol extracts of Eastern Baltic Glycyrrhiza glabra L., Salix alba L., and Echium vulgare L., as well as their effects on the viability of human blood cells.
The aerial parts of the plants were harvested in the Kaliningrad Region, Russia. The phytochemical composition of their plant extracts was studied by the method of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The bioactive profile and antibacterial action were described using the methods of spectrophotometry and disk diffusion, respectively. Cytotoxicity of extracts was studied by WST-1 colorimetric analysis. The extracts proved to contain phenolic compounds. The antioxidant activity of the S. alba extracts was four times higher than that of G. glabra and more than seven times higher than that of E. vulgare. The G. glabra extracts were active against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria while the E. vulgare extract samples inhibited Gram-negative bacteria only. As for cytotoxicity, S. alba and E. vulgare were able to reduce the viability of human T-lymphoblastic leukemia (Jurkat) cells and human blood mononuclear cells.
The extracts of G. glabra, S. alba, and E. vulgare demonstrated good prospects for biomedicine. Further detailed research may result in their eventual introduction into official medicine as potent therapeutic and preventive agents.
This publication addresses the challenges of financial recovery for commodity producers at the stages of identifying and preventing pre-crisis situations. The research objective was to identify and describe the key benchmarks for financial recovery for commodity producers within the regional crisis management system.
The study included individual intra-corporate processes and their patterns while taking into account the external influences. A previously developed selective-indicative model for express diagnostics of bankruptcy risks provided statistical data. The regional and industry-specific model covered large and medium-sized agricultural organizations in the Kemerovo Region, Russia.
The research started with sampling, interpretation, and classification (direct indicators) of bankruptcy risks, which were then correlated with typical bankruptcy criteria. After structuring the bankruptcy risks into commercial risks and unbalanced liquidity risks, the authors recorded the metrics of structural risk components. Next stage involved a synthesis of direct bankruptcy risk indicators into a diagnostic structure to develop a gradation scale for the model. The operational bankruptcy risk instruments were structured as a pyramid that included bankruptcy criteria, structural components of bankruptcy risks, analytical vectors of anti-crisis diagnostics, direct bankruptcy indicators, bankruptcy signal analytical base (factors of preferred growth and decline), and quantitative bankruptcy factors. The model was tested on data obtained from 38 local enterprises. They were differentiated by bankruptcy risk level (≥ 50 vs. ≤50 %). After that, each enterprise was provided with crisis fields and key benchmarks for financial recovery, as well as fundamental areas of economic impact to strengthen the financial status of regional economic entities. The key benchmarks for the financial recovery of commodity producers (crisis management levers) were identified using a system of operational tools and general bankruptcy risk metrics based on the crisis areas identified in the producers’ activities.
Pre-trial recovery should become a standard strategy aimed at restoring the regulatory solvency levels. Factors for the growth of equity capital and the sources (elements) of its formation were identified as fundamental benchmarks for the financial sustainability of regional agricultural enterprises. Insufficient equity capital is a serious and wide-spread financial problem. It explains the current government restrictive monetary policy, which stimulates the expansion of producers’ equity capital.
The analysis of nutrition of schoolchildren and students of the Kemerovo region is presented in the article. On the results of the conducted analysis, the actual individual nutrition is estimated according to the content of the basic nutri-ents, and biologically active substances. The influence of nutrition on the health of the younger generation has been shown. To provide the schoolchildren’s bodies with necessary nutrients the way of correcting their diets by introducing biologically active additives has been offered.
The purpose of the present work is the investigation and the development of the production technology of the low-calorie fat imitator on the basis of casein for the improvement of organoleptic properties of dairy products. Before the development of the technology it is necessary to choose an optimum way of milk protein coagulation. The object of the research was skim milk subjected to coagulation. The analysis of the obtained results has shown that the most rational way of coagulation for the formation of particles of the required sizes and forms is rennet coagulation. To form the particles of the required sizes and forms it is offered to start and to stop rennet coagulation at the moment when particles have already increased in size, but haven't yet formed a clot. On the basis of the presented data the production technology of protein microparticls that can be used as fat imitators in dairy products has been developed.
The moose has good prospects for hunting and game breeding. Peripheral blood indicators can provide information about their health status and adaptive capabilities, as well as non-infectious, infectious, and invasive pathologies. Serum alkaline phosphatase activity is one of the most common clinical biochem ical tests in this respect.
The study involved blood samples obtained from male moose (n = 75) of four age groups: calves aged 6–7 months, young animals of 18 months old, adults of 2.5–7.5 years old, and adults aged ≥ 8.5 years. The biomaterial sampling was carried out in October – December in the southern taiga subzone, Kirov Region. The blood samples were obtained by cutting the jugular vein (Venae jugularis) immediately after the animal was shot during legal hunting. The blood serum tests involved a semi-automatic biochemical analyzer (Biochem SA High Technology, USA).
The alkaline phosphatase activity in male European moose during different periods of ontogenesis demonstrated the following pattern. In the first months of life, the enzyme activity was as high as 222.16 ± 31.14 U/L. This process was typical of intense hydrolysis of organic phosphorus esters, including the exchange of macroergs caused by rapid osteogenesis. At 18 months, the demand for organophosphorus compounds in metabolic processes decreased (46.48 ± 44.09 U/L), as did the role of the enzyme in maintaining homeostasis. In adults of 2.5–7.5 years old, alkaline phosphatase activity dropped to 69.88 ± 11.31 U/L. In 8.5-year-old males, it was as low as 47.34 ± 4.74 U/L. All age groups demonstrated significant differences in alkaline phosphatase activity. Therefore, age had a significant effect on enzyme activity. The study also revealed a certain correlation between alkaline phosphatase activity and body weight.
The dynamics of alkaline phosphatase activity in ontogenesis reflected homeostatic changes in the moose body. Indicators of alkaline phosphatase activity can serve as an efficiency marker and an additional criterion in standard selection methods in zootechnical practice.
Wild ungulates are a convenient object for environmental monitoring. The authors used the histological structures in deer’s liver to assess the well-being of populations in unfavorable anthropogenic and natural habitats.
The research featured liver tissues of red deer (Cervus elaphus), sika deer (Cervus nippon), and fallow deer (Dama dama). The histosections were examined in a MEIJI TECHNO microscope using the Vision Bio (Epi) software. The statistical processing involved traditional methods using the correlation and one-factor analysis of variance. The null hypothesis was rejected at an ingenuity level of ≤ 0.05.
The structure of the hepatic plates, blood vessels, foci of necrosis, and inflammation proved suitable as indicators. The cell count, structure, shape, ratio of mono- and binuclear hepatocytes, as well as their nuclei and cytoplasm, were assessed by microscope. The areas of cells, nuclei, and cytoplasm, as well as the value of the nuclear-cytoplasmic index, demonstrated diagnostic significance. A number of parameters depended on age and sex. The indicators demonstrated reliable correlations. The animals had a similar histological picture, even when the samples were obtained from geographically separated areas. The samples showed pathological transformations, including necrotic foci and binucleate hepatocytes. The structure and micro- vasculature of hepatic plates were disturbed.
Well-being assessment is a relevant issue for populations of economically important animal species. An environmental moni- toring system with wild ungulates as biological indicators could improve the monitoring system for the state of biota and its qualitative parameters, as well as ensure the well-being of the livestock and the high quality of the resulting products. The obtained histomorphometric parameters can be used as reference values in the norm-pathology gradient.
Antibiotics have long been overused for non-therapeutic purposes. As a result, Escherichia, Enterobacter, Klebsiella, and Proteus in avian microbiomes have become reservoirs for genetic determinants of resistance, thus spreading resistance to antibiotics and contaminating raw materials and finished products. The food industry is looking for alternative means to preserve health and maintain high productivity of commercial poultry, e.g., probiotics, phytobiotics, organic acids, etc. The research featured the effect of antibiotics and phytobiotics on enteropathogenic bacteria in the microbiomes of broiler chicken.
Escherichia coli bacteria were cultivated in vitro in subthreshold concentrations on nutrient media with antibiotics for 37 days to study the effect of low doses of antibiotics on the sensitivity of isolates. The study involved microbiocenoses of broiler chicken that received avilamycin A and a phytobiotic based on Brassica juncea, Linum usitatissimum, and Nigella sativa L. A set of experiments covered the species composition of opportunistic Enterobacteriaceae, the phenotypic sensitivity to antibiotics, and the genetic determinants of resistance, as well as the antimicrobial potential of phytobiotics.
E. coli developed no resistance for 37 days when the antibiotic dose remained below minimal inhibitory. Opportunistic gram-negative Enterobacterales predominated in all litter samples. E. coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Proteus mirabilis accounted for more than 30% of all isolated strains. Avilamycin A and the phytobiotic affected the coccal microflora but had no effect on the genus-species composition of Enterobacteriaceae. Litter samples from both experimental and control groups demonstrated K. pneumoniae with severe phenotypic resistance to ciprofloxacin, as well as blaDHA genes. In broiler farming, maintenance and circulation of resistance agents depends on litter microbiota. In this research, the chicken that received the phytobiotic showed the lowest level of resistance to ciprofloxacin while the groups that received avilamycin A had the highest resistance results.
During a broiler’s life span, bacteria with no active resistance determinants in their genome remained sensitive to antibiotics, even though the contact with the latter was constant. Phytobiotics showed good prospects for broiler farming as food additive that could reduce and eventually eliminate the intake of antibiotics.
The article discusses the dairy industry in the Chuvash Republic, Russia. The Russian Federation is experiencing a shortage of milk. Currently, the per capita milk consumption in the country is by more than a quarter behind the rational intake recommended by the Ministry of Health, which is 325 kg. However, the Chuvash Republic boasts 373 kg of per capita milk production, which is by 71% higher than the average data for the rest of the country, and the high quality of Chuvash milk is unanimously confirmed by leading domestic experts. The authors analyzed the success factors of milk production in the Chuvash Republic to be extrapolated on the entire domestic industry.
The research relied on such demographic data as the ratio of urban vs. rural population; dairy herd data, e.g., livestock population, farm types, dairy productivity, etc.; dairy production and processing business data. The methods included systematization, generalization, grouping, statistical data processing, and analysis of temporal dynamics indicators.
The Chuvash Republic has a large percentage of rural population and a lot of subsidiary dairy farms: 22 000 farms own more than 60% of dairy cows in the region and provide 55% of milk processing volumes. Subsidies allocated by the local government allow farm owners to ensure the high dairy productivity of cows. Most of the milk in the Chuvash Republic can be classified as near-organic. Leading regional milk producers have their own agricultural lands to provide environmentally friendly feed, as well as specialized premises for herd keeping and milking, retail outlets to sell their products, etc. A third of enterprises maintain the milk productivity at 7800–9200 kg, which is as high as in Denmark, the Netherlands, Great Britain, and Germany. Most Chuvash dairy farmers owe their high results to the state support funds allocated for the purchase of breeding cattle. The twelve largest milk producers in the region provide 100% of the output of drinking milk, so private farms mainly focus on meeting the needs of dairy processing enterprises. The latter also receive seasonal subsidies.
The Chuvash milk miracle can be explained by the following factors: big rural population; private subsidiary farms; high-quality breeding dairy livestock; high-quality feed; good milk production and processing equipment. However, the comprehensive system of state support measures remains the most important success factor.
The Russian wine industry permits the use of concentrated grape must. Due to its shortage on the market, it often becomes subject to adulteration. The article introduces a comprehensive system for assessing the quality of concentrated grape must that prevents adulteration of semi-dry and semi-sweet wines.
The research featured 446 samples of fresh and concentrated grape must, commercial preparations of concentrated white grape must, and sugar or glucose-fructose syrups. The method of high-performance liquid chromatography made it possible to identify the profile of organic acids and sugars. After introducing authentic concentrated grape must, the samples were tested for colloidal turbidity and crystalline destabilization.
The authentic samples retained the chemical composition of the original grape variety, as evidenced by such authenticity markers as pH, disaccharide content, tartaric and malic acids, and glucose-fructose index. In the adulterate samples, these values did not fit the standard limits. The experiment involved 179 samples of commercial preparations: 21% proved to be mixes of authentic must with other products; 9% proved to be syrup substitutes, and 1% was concentrated apple juice. Authentic concentrated must aggravated the trend to colloidal opacity (17%) and crystalline destabilization (13%); a combination of both trends occurred in 13%. Low-quality preparation of fresh grape must before vacuuming increased the content of high- molecular components, tartrate anions, and potassium cations in the concentrated product.
The following two-step assessment of concentrated grape must quality made it possible to adopt a rational technological solution: I – confirming the grape origin; II – assessing the effect of the authentic product on the colloidal and crystalline stability of wine. This protocol demonstrated a good potential for ensuring the authenticity and bottling stability of semi-dry and semi-sweet wines.
Modern highly sensitive and selective sensors are able to determine biologically active substances, which makes this direction one of the most popular areas of analytical chemistry. The study featured the electrochemical properties of new fiber materials based on single-wall carbon nanotubes with prospects of using them in the voltammetry of ascorbic acid.
The authors developed a new technology to synthesize films from disordered single-wall carbon nanotubes by chemical vapor deposition. Fibers were produced from a solvent by wet-pulling of single-wall carbon nanotubes networks. Thin films of randomly oriented single-wall carbon nanotube bundles were deposited downstream of a floating aerosol CVD reactor, which included a high temperature furnace with a quartz tube. The synthesis of the single-wall carbon nanotube samples was performed at 825°C. Ethanol served as carbon source while ferrocene was used as catalyst precursor. The single-wall carbon nanotubes were collected on a nitrocellulose filter in the form of films with transmittances of 10% in the middle of the visible wavelength (550 nm). The method was optimized to involve air annealing at 300–320°C and a treatment with strong inorganic acids, i.e., HCl, HNO3 + H2SO4. The voltammetric curves recording included background electrolyte, scan rate, and preconditioning. These parameters were selected experimentally to obtain the maximal sensor response to ascorbic acid content. The anodic peak of ascorbic acid in the phosphate buffer electrolyte (pH 6.86) was observed at a potential of +0.2 V. The current and peak area of ascorbic acid oxidation depended neither on the time nor on the conditioning potential of the sensor. The linear dependences of these parameters on the concentration of ascorbic acid stayed within 50–500 μmol/L (8.8–90 mg/L) at a scan rate of 0.1 mV/s. The single-wall carbon nanotube microsensor had a length of 0.5 cm and an average width of 400 μm. Its sensitivity was two times as high as that of a disk glassy carbon electrode with a diameter of 5 mm.
The experimental sensors proved effective in determining ascorbic acid in food products, pharmaceuticals, and biological fluids.
Problems concerning the efficiency of production processes and manufacturing high quality goods are important for productions based on the activity of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The paper identifies major reasons for the need to regulate yeast culture metabolism, considers existing practice and proposed methods of changing its metabolic activity. The purpose of the research is to create the classification of the supplements / preparations of different origin to improve yeast vital activity by adjusting its culture medium composition with the use of complex hierarchical faceted method. The classification is based on the division of the set of "supplements / preparations to enhance yeasts vitality" into subsets related to the intended use of the preparation, stage of its application, chemical and structural organization, and ultimate goals. Preparations are divided into groups for various purposes: to fill in the medium with missing compounds and / or additional enrichment with biostimulating components; to extract undesirable components from the medium for the yeast development; preparations-stressors; antibacterial agents, creating favorable conditions for the development of basic yeast culture; contributing to the degradation of raw material biopolymers and intermediates. Medium composition adjustment is possible at the stage of preparation the yeast for fermentation, directly at the main step of the technological process, during pure culture growing and seed yeast storage, at earlier stages of manufacture by processing raw materials or intermediates. According to chemical nature supplements / preparations can be organic, inorganic, mixed (complex) ones and those obtained by chemical or microbial synthesis or be of natural origin. This classification enables a more targeted approach to choosing preparations that provide the change of metabolic activity of the yeast culture by adjusting the composition of the culture medium.
Eukaryotic probiotics currently attract a lot of scientific attention, with Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Saccharomyces boulardii being the most widely investigated probiotic yeasts. The range of yeast species with probiotic potential needs to be broadened. In this respect, juice-providing plants may diversify eukaryoti c probiotic sources for organism preference.
This study tested the probiotic potential of Pichia kudriavzevii and Kluyveromyces marxianus isolated from coconut juice and Schizosaccharomyces pombe and Wickherhamomyces anomalus isolated from raffia palm juice in Nigeria. The in vitro tests used the optical density method to assay the tolerance to acid (pH 2, 3, 5), alkaline (pH 7.5, 8.0), gastric juice (30%), bile (1, 2, and 3%), and osmotic pressure (5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30% gluco se solution).
All four yeasts survived in the test environments, exhibiting varying degrees of probiotic potential. After 96 h in simulated gastric juice, S. pombe outperformed K. marxianus and W. anomalus by 13 and 97.7% (p < 0.05), respectively. W. anomalus appeared to be the least viable in 30% gastric juice. After 96 h in the acid media, all yeasts performed better at pH 3.0 than at pH 2.0, with roughly 89% (1.695/0.185 mean absorbance values) greater growth in pH 3.0 than in pH 2.0. The alkaline media had a better effect on the growth rate. P. kudriavzevii fared best at pH 2.0 and 3.0 for up to 96 h. All yeasts maintained viability in 1, 2, and 3% bile solutions, although the growth rate did not improve significantly in any of the assay periods. Only minimal growth increase was registered in increased bile concentrations. All samples demonstrated sustained viability in 5–30% glucose between 24 and 48 h of incubation. After 48 h of incubation, the yeast concentrations began to fall as the glucose concentration rose from 5 to 30%. P. kudriavzevii was the least affected after 96 h (41.8%) and demonstrated the best survival results by the four criteria tested in this study.
If this species meets all other non-assayed parameters which qualify a microorganism as a probiotic, P. kudriavzevii obtained from Nigerian coconut juice can be recommended as a potential s ource of commercial probiotics.
