Protein hydrolysates are a promising active component in specialized food products. Due to the presence of bioactive peptides with enzyme inhibiting activity in their composition, protein hydrolysates exert different physiological effects. The aim of the research was to establish the potential hypoglycemic activity of the protein hydrolysate of broiler chicken stomachs in whey and to develop a beverage on its basis for patients with diabetes mellitus. Protein hydrolysates obtained from microbial fermentation of muscular stomachs of broiler chickens in whey were assessed by UHPLC coupled to mass-spectrometry. Using the BioPEp database, the molecular weight distribution of peptides in the hydrolysates was determined. In addition, bioactive peptides showing the inhibitory activity toward enzymes dipeptidyl peptidase‑4 and amylase were revealed. Based on the obtained hydrolysates, recipes of beverages for patients with diabetes mellitus were modeled in the Excel software program with regard to the recommendations for nutrition of this population group. According to the obtained recipes, beverages were produced in the laboratory conditions and their taste was assessed. An effect of the beverage on glucose reduction in the blood of laboratory animals was assessed upon single peroral administration with a dose of 1.3 ml before the main meal. The results of the investigation of the peptide composition of protein hydrolysates showed the presence of bioactive peptides (SY, VW, SW) in them with the inhibitory activity toward enzymes dipeptidyl peptidase‑4 and amylase confirmed by the BioPep database. The highest amount of the above indicated bioactive peptides (37.1 mg/100 g hydrolysate) was in the protein hydrolysate produced by fermentation of raw materials with propionic acid bacteria. The beverage produced on the basis of the protein hydrolysate and lemon juice was more acceptable for consumers in terms of taste than the beverage with the taste of cacao. The results of the in vivo trials showed that the beverage based on the protein hydrolysate was effective in reducing sugar in blood of both healthy rats and rats with diabetes mellitus. The blood sugar level in the healthy animals of the G1 group (without using the beverage) increased by 151% relative to the initial values, which was a higher value compared to the G2 group (with the use of the beverage), where an increase was 87%. A more significant growth in the blood sugar level (61% relative to the initial values) was also observed in the ill animals in the G3 group (without using the beverage), while this increase was 46% in the G4 group (with the use of the beverage). Thus, the results of the study show the prospects of using the protein hydrolysates from broiler chicken stomachs in whey as an active hypoglycemic component in beverages for patients with diabetes mellitus. However, more profound research is necessary including studies on the representative group of patients.

At present, secondary products of the main production in the form of cake, oil meal, bran and whey are widely used for feeding cattle. Despite the presence of protein, fats, carbohydrates, minerals and fiber in their composition, there is a problem of low assimilability of these nutrients. Moreover, secondary products are often unsafe in terms of microbiological parameters. To solve this problem, various physical and mechanical impacts are used. The paper presents the results of the study of an ultrasound effect on the feed mixture of sunflower cake and whey. Ultrasound is wave oscillations with frequencies higher than 20 kHz. Ultrasound waves propagate in solid, liquid and gas media, have a high mechanical energy and cause several physical, chemical and biological phenomena. When ultrasound impacts a mixture, bubbles are formed and large amounts of energy are emitted upon their collapse. This energy is expended on destruction of large particles of cake with particle sizes of 1370.8–2776.6 µm in the dry cake and up to 1.8–300.0 µm in the suspension. The overwhelming majority (60–75%) of particles have sizes of 11 to 30 µm when duration of the ultrasound treatment is 20–30 min. This can be seen in the photographs of the mixture under a microscope. With that, the homogeneous gel-like mass containing protein, fat, fiber and sugars is formed from a simple mixture of components, which significantly improves the process of assimilation of structured nutrients of cake by animals. A decrease in the protein content from 10.20% to 6.65% has been revealed in the suspension with a component ratio of 1:4 to 1:8. Temperature-time regimes for ratios of the cake/whey components have been established. The optimal temperature was 60–70°C, treatment time was 20 min. A temperature was lower in the mixture with a ratio of 1:8 for all time periods due to a decrease in viscosity of the formed suspension. Microbial inactivation occurs under the impact of ultrasound, which is important for animal health and productivity. As a result of the statistical processing of process indicators, a range was established for optimal values of variable factors at which a decrease in the microbiological contamination of the mixture takes place.

Microbial enzyme preparations (EPs) of the cellulolytic, proteolytic and phytase action, as well as their compositions, allow obtaining quite a wide spectrum of products of hydrolysis of proteins, non-starch polysaccharides and phytin by means of targeted biocatalysis upon action on grain bran. The use of EPs and multienzyme compositions (MECs) is inherently a modern tool for intensification of biochemical processes underlying one or another food technology. At the same time, EPs allow modifying products of processing plant raw materials, in particular cereal, leguminous and oil-bearing crops (deep processing) and obtain valuable feed and food ingredients. Two multienzyme compositions based on domestic and foreign EPs have been developed and scientifically substantiated. Optimal conditions have been determined for conducting enzymatic reactions when using wheat-lentil-flax bran as a substrate. High effectiveness of the developed MECs has been shown: the proportion of reducing substances (RS) in the hydrolysates under study increased compared to the mass fraction of the autolysates of wheat and three-component bran by 2.8 and 2.3 times (MEC‑1) and by 3.5 and 2.7 times (MEC‑2), respectively. The content of soluble protein increased by 4.7 and 3.0 times (MEC‑1) and by 6.4 and 4.2 times (MEC‑2). The proportion of soluble phosphorus increased on average by 3.0–3.5 times when using MEC‑1 and MEC‑2. It has been found by gel-electrophoresis that the fractions containing low-molecular-weight peptides and free amino acids (MW  < 1000 Da) in the hydrolysates obtained using MECs exceeded by 3–4 times the corresponding fraction in the hydrolysates obtained under the action of endogenous enzymes (autolysis). With that, according to the HPLC results, the concentration of amino acids that are most valuable in terms of nitrogenous nutrition of yeasts (aspartic acid, arginine) increased on average by 2.5–3.0 times, the concentration of valine by 5 times, histidine and isoleucine by 2.0–2.5 times in the experimental hydrolysates of three-component bran.

Express detection of viruses, in particular, norovirus (NoV) and hepatitis A virus (HAV), is becoming an extremely important task for food safety control. This study examines various approaches to recovery of viral particles and methods for RNA extraction from food matrices to assess mengovirus extraction efficiency. Efficiency of mengovirus extraction from raspberry was 14.26%, from oysters 7.99%, from pork liver 8.33%. Assessment of RNA extraction by various methods was carried out. The highest efficiency of mengovirus extraction from pork liver (19.37%) was observed when RNA was extracted using the eGene-up semi-automatic system. The lowest extraction efficiency (5.31%) was achieved upon manual RNA extraction. When RNA was extracted from oysters, the maximum efficiency (33.35%) was ensured by the AutoPure nucleic acid extraction station and NucliSens kit, while the minimum efficiency (9.78%) was observed when using the eGene-up system. The performed monitoring of food products showed that the highest occurrence of norovirus GII was recorded in oyster samples (9.6% of tested samples); the second place was occupied by strawberry, where occurrence of norovirus GII was 6.8%. In the raspberry samples, norovirus GII was not detected.

HIV has a host cell, T‑cell lymphocytes with CD4+ receptors. HIV drugs have the inhibitory activity on HIV‑1 protease by producing chemical bonding interactions such as hydrogen and hydrophobic. However, some cases show long-term side effects that may be harmful from the use of synthetic antiretrovirals. This requires new innovations to make drugs based on natural resources or alternative medicine for handling these cases. Natural-based drugs are claimed to reduce the side effects produced. Garcinia mangostana L. or queen of fruit is widely found in Southeast Asia. Many parts of this plant, such as fruits, are used for traditional medicine. Research with in vitro and in vivo approaches reveals that mangostin compounds from Garcinia mangostana L. can be an antiviral candidate. Garcinia mangostana L. has the main chemical compounds of garciniaxanthone, garcinone A, and mangostin. This study uses garciniaxanthone, garcinone A, and mangostin compounds to reveal the molecular mechanism of the antiviral activity in Garcinia mangostana L. through inhibition of HIV‑1 protease with a bioinformatics approach. In silico methods used in this study are druglikeness, molecular docking, interactions, visualization, and dynamic simulation. Garciniaxanthon B, garcinone B, and beta-mangostin from Garcinia mangostana L. have potential as antiretroviral agents for the treatment of HIV‑1 infection. The three compounds are predicted to inhibit the protease activity in HIV‑1 with a more negative binding affinity score, form ligand-protein molecular complexes with van der Waals, hydrogen, pi/alkyl/anion/ sigma bonds, form stable bonds and drug-like molecules.

The study examined semi-hard cheeses made with milk-clotting enzymes (MCEs) of animal origin (Naturen Extra with a mass fraction of chymosin 95%, “Bovine Pepsin” with a mass fraction of chymosin 10%), microbial origin (Fromase 750 XLG) and recombinant origin (Chy-max Extra and Chy-max Supreme), at an introduction dose of MCE of 1,500 to 6,000 IMCU per 100 kg of milk. In cheeses at the age of 7, 60, and 150 days, pH, the degree of proteolysis, the content of peptides with a mass of 1–5 kDa, and the compressive stress at fracture were determined. Cheeses produced with a dose of MCE of 5,000–6,000 IMCU/100 kg of milk had a substantially (p<0.05) lower pH compared to cheeses made with doses of MCEs of 1,500–3,000 IMCU/100 kg of milk. At the same time points, there were no significant differences (p>0.05) in the degree of proteolysis between cheeses made using diverse types of MCEs at the same dose. The exceptions were cheeses produced with Chy-max Supreme, which had a substantially (p<0.05) lower level of proteolysis. Sensory assessment of the bitter taste intensity in cheeses is proportional to the content of peptides with a molecular weight of 1–5 kDa. With an increase in the MCE dose, the content of peptides with a molecular weight of 1 to 5 kDa increases in cheese. Chy-max Supreme forms the least number of bitter peptides in cheeses (p<0.05). There are no significant differences (p<0.05) in the magnitude of the compressive stress at fracture between the cheese variants produced with the same MCE doses of diverse types at the same time points.

The topicality of studying synthetic colorants and a possibility of their strictly regulated application is linked with an increasing producers’ interest in natural food colorants due to the attempt to grant the status of natural products to foods. New data on the content of photosynthetic pigments in leaves of leather bergenia (Вergenia crassifolia (L.) Fitsch) of different periods of vegetation growing in the Republic of Buryatia were obtained in this work. It is shown that it is one of the few plants, which leaves contain a significant amount of carotenoids. Their maximum total content (1257.9 ± 33.1 mmol/mol chlorophyll) was noticed in red leaves of bergenia. Seasonal changes in the complex of photosynthetic pigments in leaves were revealed. For example, the content of chlorophylls in black leaves reduced by four times compared to the amount of pigments in green leaves. Insignificant losses of the pool of green pigments were also observed in red leaves. About 18% of chlorophylls remained in black leaves. During the period after plants’ appearance from under the snow, the content of chlorophyll α increased by 3 times and chlorophyll β by 1.8 times. In leaves of bergenia, β- carotene was found in the composition of carotenoids (30% of the sum of carotenoids). Among xanthophyllic pigments, lutein was found in the prevailing quantity; its proportion accounted for 51% of the sum of carotenoids.

Animal products have traditionally been considered the main sources of protein, but due to the increasing population of the planet and environmental pollution, there is a need to find new solutions to meet basic human nutritional needs. An alternative can be insects and microalgae — groups of organisms that, in their nutritional properties and chemical composition, are not inferior to products of animal origin. They are able to have a beneficial effect on the human body due to their high content of vitamins, polyunsaturated fatty acids and antioxidants. Introducing edible insects or microalgae into the human diet has many environmental benefits, including reducing overall greenhouse gases and reducing land and water consumption. This review examines the chemical composition of microalgae and some types of insects, notes the influence of raw material components on human health, describes associated biologically active compounds, as well as basic cultivation technologies and examples of commercial use. In Russia, due to climatic conditions, only seasonal cultivation of microalgae in open pools is possible. Phytobioreactors for year-round operation require significant financial investments, especially for additional lighting and heating. Microalgae are not very popular in Russia; they are mainly used as part of dietary supplements. Edible insects can be grown using recycled resources and require less initial investment. Today they are considered by scientists as a source of protein for farm animals.

The article discusses the prospects of creating vertical farms as a modern eco-friendly solution to increase the productivity of the agro-industrial complex. Throughout the work, the authors justify the need to switch from the old model of food security to a new one, which is based on innovative agricultural technologies. In particular, the nature of vertical farms, their organization models, as well as their relevance for the “smart city” concept are considered. The paper discusses the ecosystem of vertical farms and the role of various stakeholders. The importance of vertical farms for digital transformation of agriculture is demonstrated.

The microflora of most fermented dairy products, including cheeses, consists entirely of lactic acid bacteria, i. e., bacterial starter cultures with different species and strain composition that are specially introduced into the mixture. The species composition of the starter must ensure the intensity and direction of the microbiological and biochemical processes of the produced product and guarantee its safety, quality and storability. In particular, lactic acid bacteria transform the main components of milk (protein, milk fat, lactose) into taste, aromatic, and biologically active substances involved in the formation of identification and organoleptic characteristics of fermented dairy products. The number of starter microorganisms in fermented dairy products, including cheeses, significantly exceeds the content of any foreign microflora and can cause the appearance of organoleptic defects such as acid, bitterness, non-specific off-taste or excessive gas formation. The ability of microorganisms to form certain metabolic products is determined both by their species and strain properties, and by cultivation conditions. These include, first of all, the composition of the development environment and temperature conditions of cultivation. By combining the composition of the starter and selecting favorable modes for cultivating microorganisms, it is possible to achieve optimal development of the starter microflora, obtaining products with the desired quality characteristics. This article presents the results of a comparative assessment of the properties of production strains of Streptococcus thermophilus during their development in dairy environments at optimal temperatures (41 ± 1) °C, simulating conditions for the production of fermented milk products, as well as in modes simulating cheese ripening conditions (11 ± 1) °C and 4% table salt concentration. The nature of the enzymatic processes of glycolysis, proteolysis, lipolysis, and flavor formation as a result of the metabolism of these cultures was also assessed.

Monitoring and maintaining food quality, safety, and authenticity are the most important concerns in the food industry. The cutting-edge flexible sensors for food monitoring precisely meet the needs of acquiring information on multiple parameters in small space and more reasonable layout, providing data on mechanical deformations, and conformably attaching to arbitrarily curved surfaces. Flexible sensing materials with a large specific surface area, high carrier mobility and carrier density, dense active sites, outstanding tunability, and processability, such as two-dimensional carbon nanomaterials, conductive polymers, and nanohybrid materials, have further improved the sensitivity, stability, and selectivity of flexible sensors. This article attempts to critically review state-of-the-art developments with respect to materials, fabrication techniques, and sensing mechanisms of devices, as well as the applications of the electrically-transduced flexible sensors. In addition, this review elaborates on the transduction mechanisms of several typical transducers, with a focus on the physics behind, including the modulation of doping level, Schottky barrier, and interfacial layer that typically lead to changes in conductivity, work function, and permittivity. We also highlight the benefits, technical challenges with corresponding solutions of current flexible sensors, and discuss potential strategies to overcome limitations in energy consumption, quantify the trade-offs in maintaining quality and marketability, optimize wireless communication, and explore new sensing patterns.

The deficiency of protein is an important global problem. Whey, as a by-product of the production of cheese and cottage cheese, can be an additional source of protein. The feasibility of using whey for food purposes due to its composition and biological value is substantiated in the review. Besides, the usage of whey for food purposes reduces threat of environmen‑tal pollution existing when disposing it into the sewer. The aim of the article was to collect, analyze and summarize data on the use of whey and products of its processing in the technology of ice cream and whipped frozen desserts. The analysis of the data of the International Dairy Federation (IDF) on the global volumes of milk whey production as well as the amount of high-value protein, to which they are equivalent, is given. The modern world experience in processing technologies of whey and the product assortment made with its usage has been analyzed. Attention is concentrated on the characteristics and properties of whey processed products (concentrates, isolates, milk hydrolysates, first of all, whey proteins) and micellar casein. The research experience in studying the possibility of their use in the production of ice cream and other foods is assessed and summarized. The influence of these products on the technological, structural-mechanical, microstructural and organoleptic characteristics of ice cream and on its biological value is considered. The presence of positive and negative experience in the usage of dairy proteins, including whey proteins, on the consumer characteristics of frozen food is noted. The necessity of more detailed study of results of using each particular source of milk protein in relation to different types of ice cream and whipped frozen desserts is substantiated.

The porcine pancreas contains various enzymes, structural, regulatory, secretory, receptor and other biologically active substances that ensure both the functioning of the organ and its biological role in the organism. The aim of this work was to study the influence of pH changes in 0.9% sodium chloride solution used as an extractant on the efficiency of bioactive protein isolation from the porcine pancreas. The extraction was carried out with the 0.9% NaCl, 0.9% NaCl pH=4 and 0.9% NaCl pH= 8.5 with a stirring speed of 400 rpm for 150 min at 4 ºC; the ratio of pancreas: extractant was 1:5, the supernatant was separated by centrifugation. The protein concentration was measured by a biuret reaction on a semi-automatic biochemical analyzer Biochem SA. The proteomic composition of extracts and native pancreas was evaluated by 10% SDS-PAGE according to Laemmli method in the “VE10” chamber. Digital images of electrophoregrams were obtained using a Bio-5000 Plus scanner, edited in a graphic editor and analyzed using ImageJ software. When determining the intensity of protein fractions, it was noted that the use of 0.9% NaCl contributed to a greater yield of proteins with molecular weights of 200 kDa, 150 kDa, 69 kDa, 52 kDa and 33 kDa into the extractant; a pH shift to the acidic area stimulated the yield of fractions with molecular weights of 130 kDa, 50 kDa, 49 kDa, 45 kDa, 40 kDa, 30 kDa and 27kDa, and a pH shift to the alkaline area — only 47 kDa and 42 kDa. Most pancreas proteolytic enzymes have a molecular weight in a range of 34–23kDa, excepting the immature form of carboxypeptidases with MW 45–47kDa. The greatest intensity of protein bands was observed in the region with MW less than 33kDa on the obtained electrophoregrams. The presence of intense protein fractions in the region of molecular weights of less than 50–52kDa and 40kDa was also noted, which may correspond to enzymes such as pancreatic lipase and phospholipase A2, and the presence of protein fractions with MW above 130 kDa corresponding to various types and isoforms of collagen and laminin. In addition, such processes as protein aggregation and proteolysis can also influence the molecular weight distribution of protein fractions.

The aim of this study is to enhance the comprehension of the mechanism of enzymatic gelation in milk by visualizing the evolution of its microstructure through transmission electron microscopy. In order to minimize the potential for artifacts during the preparation process and eliminate any possible difficulties in interpreting the resulting images, three distinct methods were employed in the research: shading the surface topography with vacuum deposition of heavy metal, negative staining of the specimen with a heavy metal solution and replicating a cleavage of a quick-frozen sample. The selection of time intervals for sampling the gel during its evolution is determined by the most probable significant modifications in the resulting gel. Based on the research, it has been shown that natural milk is a nonequilibrium system from the perspective of statistical thermodynamics. A notable observation is that the glycomacropeptides forming the hair layer on the surface of casein micelles are unevenly distributed, leading to the formation of micelle dimers and trimers. It has been determind that during the initial stage of enzymatic gelation in milk, clusters of loosely bound micelles are formed in areas with the highest concentration. The formation of micelle chains is absent at this stage due to the non-anisometric nature of micelles and the energetic disadvantage of their formation. It has been found that under the influence of enzymatic gelation near the gel point, a hierarchical process involving the transformation of the milk’s protein component is activated. The trigger mechanism for this process is a cooperative conformational transition in clusters of casein micelles, which initiates a chain of more energy-intensive reactions in the following sequence: hydro­phobic interactions → hydrogen bridges → electrostatic interactions → calcium bridges. The result is the conversion of loosely bound micelle clusters into denser aggregates, predominantly contributing to the formation of milk curd. It is worth noting that gelation in milk can be regarded as a process that reduces the free energy of the dispersed system. Understanding the correlation between the decrease in the free energy value during gelation and the physical properties of the finished cheese and other dairy products continues to be a relevant area of research.

Currently, the problem of deficiency of macro- and micronutrients in the diet of the population remains relevant. One of the promising areas for solving this problem is the development of methods for the production of domestic food ingredients with the aim of creating food products fortified with microelements on their basis. The biotechnological method for production of such ingredients is considered one of the most relevant. The most widely used microorganism in the food industry is the Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast. The aim of the research was to study the possibility of baker’s yeast enrichment with microelements: zinc and chromium. The possibility of yeast fortification during batch fermentation on malt wort with the addition of salt solutions — sources of trace elements (zinc sulfate (ZnSO₄×5H₂O) and chromium (III) chloride (CrCl₃×6H₂O)) was confirmed. The optimal dosages of the selected trace element salts for fortification were 250 mg Zn/dm3 and 500 µg Cr/dm³. An increase in the crude protein content by 11.6±0.5% was also observed. When using this combination (250 mg Zn/dm³ + 500 µg Cr/dm³), it was possible to reach optimal results in the process of simultaneous enrichment of the object with two microelements. It makes possible to obtain a sample with a concentration of 263.4±13 mg Zn/100 g of yeast (percentage of incorporation was 58.8%) and 308.2±15 µg Cr/100 g of yeast (percentage of incorporation was 34.4%). An increase in the crude protein content by 30±1.5% was also observed. The possibility of including the produced experimental samples in food products was studied. Bread as a mass consumer product was chosen as a model. Experimental bread samples were produced with a complete replacement of yeast without enrichment with yeast fortified with zinc and chromium. Organoleptic evaluation and study of important parameters such as moisture and acidity demonstrated that the experimental samples can be used in the food industry after passing the necessary safety tests. The values of replenishing the norms of physiological needs in microelements when consuming 100 g of the experimental bread samp