Consumer Perceptions and Acceptance of Edible Insects in Slovenia.

Slovenia, influenced by Slavic, Mediterranean, and Balkan cultures, along with Austro-Hungarian traditions and strong environmental concerns, is an ideal case study for understanding consumer perceptions of edible insects and increasing their acceptance as an alternative protein source. A survey conducted in Slovenian and English with 537 participants examined existing perceptions and acceptance of edible insects as food and livestock feed. Findings show moderate interest in insects, particularly in non-visible, integrated forms, despite most participants not having tried whole insects.

Drivers and Barriers Influencing Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet: A Comparative Study across Five Countries.

Given the global decline in adherence to the Mediterranean Diet (MD), even within its native region, it is key to identify the factors influencing this trend to mitigate the negative health outcomes associated with westernized diets. To this end, 4025 individuals (49.6% women, 42.

Academic education in environmental chemistry in Europe-addressing future challenges in research and regulation.

Following the tradition of the 16th International Conference on Chemistry and the Environment (ICCE) in Oslo, Norway (2017), and the subsequent 17th ICCE in Thessaloniki, Greece (2019), a follow-up session on higher education in environmental science was organized at the 18th ICCE in Venice, Italy (June 2023). The aim of the session was to stimulate the exchange of experiences and knowledge on graduate and post-graduate level educational programmes, including their development, prioritization, and implementation. The session discussed the integration of practical training activities, which included the integration of environmental chemistry in various bachelor's and master's programmes.

Is Sustainable Consumption a Sufficient Motivator for Consumers to Adopt Meat Alternatives? A Consumer Perspective on Plant-Based, Cell-Culture-Derived, and Insect-Based Alternatives.

This study investigates consumer preference and acceptance of three meat alternatives-plant-based, lab-grown, and insect-based-as sustainable choices to meet the demands of a growing population and evolving food systems. Insights were gathered from European consumers regarding their perceptions and consumption patterns using a mixed-methods approach. The approach employed a questionnaire followed by focus group discussions conducted in Slovenia and the UK to understand the motivations and barriers behind their responses.

Re-determination of R(C/C) for Vienna Peedee belemnite (VPDB).

Rationale: The isotope ratio for the internationally agreed but virtual zero-point of the carbon isotope-delta scale, Vienna Peedee belemnite (VPDB), plays a critical role in linking carbon isotope delta values to the SI. It is also a quantity used for various data processing procedures including 'O correction', clumped isotope analysis and conversion of carbon isotope delta values into other expressions of isotopic composition. A value for R(C/C) with small uncertainty is therefore desirable to facilitate these procedures.

Optimization and validation of an HS-SPME/GC-MS method for determining volatile organic compounds in dry-cured ham.

The formation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in dry-cured ham is a result of different biochemical and enzymatic processes. Moreover, accurately quantifying these VOCs is challenging since ham is a complex matrix, which contains compounds from various chemical families and a wide range of volatilities of different molecular masses. In this study, we systematically optimized and validated an analytical method for quantifying VOCs in dry-cured ham using headspace solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME) coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS).

From language models to large-scale food and biomedical knowledge graphs.

Knowledge about the interactions between dietary and biomedical factors is scattered throughout uncountable research articles in an unstructured form (e.g., text, images, etc.

Contaminant uptake in wastewater irrigated tomatoes.

As population growth and climate change add to the problem of water scarcity in many regions, the argument for using treated wastewater for irrigation is becoming increasingly compelling, which makes understanding the risks associated with the uptake of harmful chemicals by crops crucial. In this study, the uptake of 14 chemicals of emerging concern (CECs) and 27 potentially toxic elements (PTEs) was studied in tomatoes grown in soil-less (hydroponically) and soil (lysimeters) media irrigated with potable and treated wastewater using LC-MS/MS and ICP-MS. Bisphenol S, 2,4 bisphenol F, and naproxen were detected in fruits irrigated with spiked potable water and wastewater under both conditions, with BPS having the highest concentration (0.

Determining the Authenticity of Dietary Supplements Based on Stable Isotope and Elemental Composition.

While the demand for dietary supplements continues to grow, product inspection in terms of authenticity and safety remains limited. This study used the stable isotope ratios of light elements (C, N, S, H, and O) and the elemental composition to characterize dietary supplements available on the Slovenian market. Forty-six samples were labelled as originating from the EU (1), non-EU (6), Hawaii (2), Italy (2), Japan (1), Portugal (2), Taiwan (3), India (4), and China (16), and nine products were without a declared origin.

Reply to Horacek, M.; Cannavan, A. Comment on "Sinkovič et al. Isotope Fingerprints of Common and Tartary Buckwheat Grains and Milling Fractions: A Preliminary Study. 2022, , 1414".

We thank Dr. Horacek and Dr. Cannavan for their interest [.

Characterization of Botanical Origin of Italian Honey by Carbohydrate Composition and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs).

Honey is a natural sweetener constituted by numerous macro- and micronutrients. Carbohydrates are the most representative, with glucose and fructose being the most abundant. Minor honey components like volatile organic compounds (VOCs), minerals, vitamins, amino acids are able to confer honey-specific properties and are useful to characterize and differentiate between honey varieties according to the botanical origin.

Isotope Fingerprints of Common and Tartary Buckwheat Grains and Milling Fractions: A Preliminary Study.

The grains and milling fractions of common buckwheat ( Moench) and Tartary buckwheat ( (L.) Gaertn.) are widely used for both industrial and small-scale food and non-food products.

Reply to Horacek, M. The Need to Consider Geochemistry When Interpreting Sr-Isotopes. Comment on "Gregorčič et al. The Provenance of Slovenian Milk Using Sr/Sr Isotope Ratios. 2021, , 1729".

We appreciate Dr Horacek's interest in our paper and his feedback [...

Fermented Biomass of as a Potential Food Ingredient.

Lactic acid fermentation (LAF) is known to improve nutritional properties and functionality and to extend the shelf life of foods. We studied the LAF of as the sole substrate using as the starter culture. Fermented (FB) and non-fermented broth (NFB) were analysed by means of pH, lactic acid bacteria (LAB) count, lactic acid concentration, microbiological safety, and nutritional composition.

Geographical identification of strawberries based on stable isotope ratio and multi-elemental analysis coupled with multivariate statistical analysis: A Slovenian case study.

The geographical classification and authentication of strawberries were attempted using discriminant and class-modelling methods applied to stable isotopes of light elements and elemental composition. The work involved creating a database of 92 authentic Slovenian strawberry samples and 32 imported samples. All samples were harvested between 2018 and 2020.

The Effect of Cultivation Practices on Agronomic Performance, Elemental Composition and Isotopic Signature of Spring Oat ( L.).

The present study investigated the effects of cultivation practices on grain (oats) yield and yield components, such as straw yield, harvest index, thousand kernel weight, and plant lodging. In addition, multi-element composition and isotopic signature (C, N) of the oat grains were studied. The spring oat cultivar 'Noni' was grown in a long-term field experiment during 2015-2020, using three management practices: control without organic amendment, incorporation of manure every third year and incorporation of crop residues/cover crop in the rotation.

Dryland irrigation increases accumulation rates of pedogenic carbonate and releases soil abiotic CO.

Agricultural fields in drylands are challenged globally by limited freshwater resources for irrigation and also by elevated soil salinity and sodicity. It is well known that pedogenic carbonate is less soluble than evaporate salts and commonly forms in natural drylands. However, few studies have evaluated how irrigation loads dissolved calcium and bicarbonate to agricultural fields, accelerating formation rates of secondary calcite and simultaneously releasing abiotic CO to the atmosphere.

"Kisanje" severnega Jadrana.

The present knowledge of the carbonate system in the northern Adriatic is described in this short overview. Its buffer capacity is rather high, due to riverine input of carbonates dissolved from Alpine and Karstic watersheds, and the waters should have a higher resilience to acidification. In the shallow eutrophic areas, the combined effect of rising atmospheric CO2, warming and river-induced anthropogenic CO2 with the associated decrease in buffer capacity could act to acidification process.

Extremophilic Microorganisms in Central Europe.

Extremophiles inhabit a wide variety of environments. Here we focus on extremophiles in moderate climates in central Europe, and particularly in Slovenia. Although multiple types of stress often occur in the same habitat, extremophiles are generally combined into groups according to the main stressor to which they are adapted.

Insight into the Antioxidant Effect of Fermented and Non-Fermented Water and Ethanol Extracts at the Proteome Level Using a Yeast Cell Model.

is rich in various antioxidants and nutraceuticals and it has proven to be effective in the treatment of various pathological conditions. This study explores the antioxidant effect of fermented and non-fermented extracts on the proteome level using the yeast as a model organism. Yeast cells were treated with fermented water extract (SV), non-fermented water extract (NFV), fermented ethanol extract (SE), and non-fermented ethanol extract (NFE).

Differences in the Levels of the Selected Phytoestrogens and Stable Isotopes in Organic vs. Conventional Hops and Beer.

Xanthohumol (XN), isoxanthohumol (IX) and 8-prenylnaringenin (8-PN) are important prenylflavonoids present in hops with potential beneficial properties. In this study, we examined differences in the content of XN, IX and 8-PN in hops and beer produced under organic and conventional production regimes. A An ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) method for analysing XN, IX and 8-PN in hops and beer was developed and validated, with LOQ ranging from 0.

The Provenance of Slovenian Milk Using Sr/Sr Isotope Ratios.

This work presents the first use of Sr isotope ratios for determining the provenance of bovine milk from different regions of Slovenia. The analytical protocol for the determination of Sr/Sr isotope ratio was optimised and applied to authentic milk samples. Considerable variability of Sr/Sr ratios found in Slovenian milk reflects the substantial heterogeneity of the geological background of its origin.

Construction of IsoVoc Database for the Authentication of Natural Flavours.

Flavour is an important quality trait of food and beverages. As the demand for natural aromas increases and the cost of raw materials go up, so does the potential for economically motivated adulteration. In this study, gas chromatography-combustion-isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC-C-IRMS) analysis of volatile fruit compounds, sampled using headspace-solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME), is used as a tool to differentiate between synthetic and naturally produced volatile aroma compounds (VOCs).

Isotope partitioning between cow milk and farm water: A tool for verification of milk provenance.

Rationale: The oxygen and hydrogen isotope compositions of the water component of the milk from nine Italian dairy farms were studied together with the farm water for one year. The aim was to verify the importance of farm water and seasonal temperature variation on milk isotope values and propose mathematical relations as new tools to identify the milk origin.

Methods: Milk was centrifuged to separate the solids and then distilled under vacuum to separate water.