Jelena Vujetić

This study demonstrated the potential of wild Bacillus strains isolated from Camelina sativa plants and rhizospheric soil for the bioconversion of camelina oilseed cake. Five selected strains (Z1, Z9, Z22, Z23, and Z26) exhibited promising enzymatic potential and the potential to improve the nutritional and functional properties of camelina cake. Both solid-state fermentation (SSF) and submerged fermentation (SF) increased the crude protein content and reduced the glucosinolate levels in ‘NS Slatka’ and ‘NS Zlatka’ camelina cake varieties, with the extent of these changes influenced by the bacterial strain, camelina variety, and fermentation mode. SSF generally showed a greater potential for improving the nutritional characteristics of the substrate, while fermentation also enhanced its antioxidant potential. Several wild isolates performed comparably to or better than the reference strain Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6051. Among the tested isolates, Z26 showed the most consistent overall performance, combining a broad enzymatic profile with favourable effects on the nutritional and functional properties of the fermented camelina cake under the investigated experimental conditions. MLSA (multilocus sequence analysis) putatively assigned Z26 to the B. amyloliquefaciens operational group, indicating a close relationship with B. amyloliquefaciens and B. velezensis. These findings highlight the potential of indigenous Bacillus strains as promising biocatalysts for the valorization of cold-pressed camelina oilseed cake and its conversion into a nutritionally improved feed ingredient.

This study investigated the isolation and bioactive characterization of proteins obtained from insect flours of Tenebrio molitor, Zophobas morio, and Acheta domesticus. Protein isolates were produced from defatted insect flours using a modified alkaline extraction procedure, including extraction at pH 11, isoelectric precipitation at pH 4, and an additional purification step aimed at improving protein purity and isolate quality. The obtained protein isolates were characterized in terms of chemical composition, electrophoretic profile, solubility, water- and oil-holding capacities, amino acid composition, and antioxidant activity. All isolates exhibited notable antioxidant potential in the 2,2-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) assay, indicating their ability to act as natural radical-scavenging compounds. In order to further evaluate their bioactive potential, the protein isolates were subjected to enzymatic hydrolysis using Alcalase. The obtained protein hydrolysates exhibited antimicrobial activity against both Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus epidermidis, whereas the corresponding protein isolates showed no antimicrobial activity under the applied conditions. Among the investigated samples, Zophobas morio hydrolysate showed the highest antioxidant potential and degree of hydrolysis, whereas Acheta domesticus hydrolysate demonstrated the strongest antibacterial activity. These findings highlight the potential of edible insect-derived proteins as sustainable sources of natural antioxidant and antimicrobial ingredients for future applications in the food, feed, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries.

The global wine industry generates approximately 20 million tonnes of organic residues annually, representing a significant environmental and management challenge. While phenolic compounds from winery by-products have been extensively studied, protein and peptide fractions remain underutilised. This review provides a systematic overview of proteins derived from major winery side streams, including grapevine leaves, stems, pomace, seeds, and wine lees, with emphasis on their characterisation and recovery. Conventional and emerging extraction strategies are evaluated, with particular attention to green technologies such as ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE), pulsed electric fields (PEF), and natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES) in the context of sustainable and resource-efficient processing. Enzymatic hydrolysis is discussed as a key approach for converting complex proteins into bioactive peptides with antioxidant, antimicrobial, and antihypertensive properties. Potential applications in agriculture, plant protection, animal nutrition, and food systems are considered, together with the implications of the EU circular economy regulatory framework. Overall, winery by-products are highlighted as promising nitrogen-rich secondary resources, and the review outlines valorisation pathways supporting nutrient recycling, waste reduction, and the development of a more sustainable agricultural bioeconomy.

Rapeseed proteins, due to their quality and wide availability, have great potential for application in human nutrition. However, their high content of antinutritional compounds poses significant economic and environmental challenges for food industry applications. To overcome these obstacles, various extraction and modification techniques, including enzymatic and ultrasound-assisted methods, were used to enhance protein functionality and improve both nutritional and sensory properties. In this study, the effects of dephenolization on the structural, physicochemical, and functional properties of rapeseed protein isolate obtained from defatted rapeseed cake were investigated through four different protocols. All obtained protein isolates (PIs) exhibited high protein purity (above 65%), with a notable difference in extraction yield. Furthermore, the extraction process was optimized using an artificial neural network (ANN) model, which demonstrated high predictive performance. The optimal extraction conditions for the dephenolization of rapeseed oil cake were 84% ethanol concentration, a solid-to-liquid ratio of 1/60 w/v, and 15 min of ultrasound treatment, resulting in an impressive protein purity of 90.68% with a yield of 29.17%. The obtained proteins were further characterized and compared in terms of protein profile (FTIR and SDS-PAGE), amino acid composition, solubility, and digestibility. The protein isolate (PI) obtained under optimized conditions displayed superior functional properties, underscoring the relevance and necessity of a data-driven, mathematical approach for scale-up and industrial implementation.

Contemporary animal feed production increasingly embraces zero-waste strategies, focusing on the use of food waste and cost-effective by-products to promote environmental sustainability. Oilseed cakes, by-products from oil extraction, have emerged as valuable resources due to their nutritional benefits and diverse applications. However, their use in animal feed is challenged by various antinutritional factors (ANFs) such as glucosinolates, cyanogenic glycosides, phytic acid, saponins, sinapine, tannins, and enzyme inhibitors, which can negatively impact nutrient absorption, digestibility, and feed palatability. The chemical properties of these ANFs differ considerably, and their concentrations vary significantly depending on the plant type. This variability makes it difficult to pinpoint a universally effective method for their reduction and removal. This paper aims to provide an overview of the different ANFs present in oilseeds used for animal feed, their concentrations, and their adverse effects on animal health and feed intake. It also reviews traditional methods for ANF removal, including heating, autoclaving, soaking, and chemical treatments, and explores novel techniques such as fermentation and enzymatic methods based on previous studies.

Plum protein isolate obtained from plum cake after oil extraction had protein content over 90% and amino acid composition of 36% which about 13% were essential amino acids. Evaluation of functional properties of conjugates obtained by interaction between plum protein isolate and caffeic acid, in three different concentrations, was carried out in this study. The conjugation of proteins with phenols forms complexes of higher molecular weights as a result of cross-linking. The solubility of obtained conjugates was increased with the increase a concentration of caffeic acid at alkaline pH (8–10) for about 50%. Moreover, emulsion properties also were improved by conjugation with caffeic acid. In vitro digestion is considered to characterise and understand ‘fate’ of food components after passing gastrointestinal conditions. The obtained conjugates were digestible and have a good bioavailability of bioactive compounds.

Milk contains more than 400 different fatty acids, some of which play a positive role in promoting human health. The profile of fatty acids in milk can be enhanced by providing animals with plant-based resources that possess feeding characteristics adequate for favorable changes in the fatty acid composition and increasing healthy fatty acids in milk. This review summarizes the available 41 research studies on the utilization of oilseed industry byproducts rich in linoleic acid (hemp, pumpkin, sunflower) and alpha-linolenic acid (camelina and linseed) in dairy cow, sheep, and goat nutrition; their impact on milk production characteristics; and potential to improve fatty acid composition of milk through the diet. This review illustrates that incorporating byproducts into the diet for dairy ruminants generally does not have any adverse effects on both milk production and composition. A similar trend of improvement in milk fatty acid profile was observed when ruminants were fed diets supplemented with camelina, linseed, and sunflower byproducts, while no significant changes were noted with pumpkin byproducts. Hempseed byproducts showed potential for use as an alternative ingredient in dairy ruminant diets. Nevertheless, more in-depth research investigating the inclusion of selected byproducts is required before valid conclusions can be drawn regarding their value.

Agro-industrial waste has been considered to be a good source for the production of biofuels. Apart from that, it has also proven to be a valuable source of high-value-added products. The conversion of agro-industrial waste into high-value-added products allows the whole process to be designed in line with the biorefinery and zero-waste circular economy concept, especially because all parts of agro-industrial waste can be utilised. The application of the circular economy to agro-industrial systems is spreading globally and is a response to the current unsustainable model of production and consumption based on resource depletion and increased demand. This review provides a more detailed understanding of the potential of the circular economy as a response to the need to reduce the environmental impact of agro-industrial waste in organic production and to promote a more sustainable agri-food industry.

Having scarce information about ultrasound assisted extraction (UAE) and microwave assisted extraction (MAE) of white horehound (Marrubium vulgare L.), the idea has emerged to determine the optimal process parameters for the maximization of polyphenols and to compare the efficiency of these green extraction technologies. The optimal UAE parameters are temperature of 73.6 °C, extraction time of 40 min and ultrasound power of 30.3 W/L, while the optimal MAE parameters are 63.8% ethanol, extraction time of 15 min and microwave power of 422 W. Extract obtained at optimal UAE parameters shows the highest antihyperglycemic activity (α-amylase inhibition: 50.63% and α-glucosidase inhibition: 48.67%), which can potentially be explained by the presence of chlorogenic acid and quercetin, which were not identified in the macerates. The most sensitive bacterial strain to optimal ultrasonic extract is Bacillus cereus, whereas the most sensitive fungal strain is Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Research background. Despite the growing trend of the gluten-free market and the presence of a wide range of gluten-free products, there are still some shortcomings in nutritional and sensory quality of these products. The commercially available gluten-free products are characterised as products of inferior nutritional quality, particularly in terms of protein and dietary fibre content and with high glycaemic index. On the other hand, from a sensory point of view, gluten-free products usually have inappropriate textural and mechanical properties, poor mouthfeel and flavour. This is a consequence of the limiting choice of raw materials that mainly possess large amount of carbohydrate components. Experimental approach. Chickpea flour and two types of pumpkin seed press cake flour (virgin and cold pressed), at two substitution mass fractions (20 and 35 %), were blended to produce gluten-free crackers without the presence of conventional gluten-free starch-rich ingredients. This study aims to investigate the effect of these non-conventional flours on nutritional and physicochemical properties, sensory acceptability, antioxidant activity and glycaemic index of crackers. Results and conclusions. All produced crackers can bear nutritional claims ’high fibre’, ’source of protein’ and ’source of minerals’. Replacing chickpea flour with pumpkin seed press cake flour increased protein and total phenolic content and enhanced antioxidant activity. The selected combination of raw materials allows the production of gluten-free crackers with a moderate glycaemic index. Besides nutrient content, the addition of cold-pressed flour increased overall sensory acceptability, noticeably improving taste and flavour scores compared to the control and crackers with virgin pumpkin seed flour. Novelty and scientific contribution. To the best of our knowledge, there is no study investigating the use of chickpea and pumpkin seed press cake flour blend without using conventional gluten-free flour and starch. The used non-conventional flour represents complementary raw materials in terms of protein quality and valuable alternatives to produce nutrient-rich, health-promoting gluten-free crackers with reduced glycaemic response and acceptable sensory properties.