Percorrer por autor "Pastor, Kristian"
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- Betaine as a functional ingredient: metabolism, health-promoting attributes, food sources, applications and analysis methodsPublication . Dobrijević, Dejan; Pastor, Kristian; Nastić, Nataša; Özogul, Fatih; Krulj, Jelena; Kokić, Bojana; Bartkiene, Elena; Rocha, João Miguel; Kojić, JovanaBetaine is a non-essential amino acid with proven functional properties and underutilized potential. The most common dietary sources of betaine are beets, spinach, and whole grains. Whole grains—such as quinoa, wheat and oat brans, brown rice, barley, etc.—are generally considered rich sources of betaine. This valuable compound has gained popularity as an ingredient in novel and functional foods due to the demonstrated health benefits that it may provide. This review study will provide an overview of the various natural sources of betaine, including different types of food products, and explore the potential of betaine as an innovative functional ingredient. It will thoroughly discuss its metabolic pathways and physiology, disease-preventing and health-promoting properties, and further highlight the extraction procedures and detection methods in different matrices. In addition, gaps in the existing scientific literature will be emphasized.
- Quality assessment of 3D-printed cereal-based productsPublication . Mustač, Nikolina Čukelj; Pastor, Kristian; Kojić, Jovana; Voučko, Bojana; Ćurić, Duška; Rocha, João Miguel; Novotni, DubravkaThe process of three-dimensional (3D) printing is of greatest interest to food science and engineering community because it offers numerous opportunities for innovative food design, new product formulations and personalized nutrition. Of particular interest are food inks based on cereal flours or starches, whose unique rheological properties make them suitable for 3D printing, typically with an extrusion-based printer. While the factors that influence the success of food printing are well addressed, the terminology and methods used to evaluate the process and product features are miscellaneous. Therefore, this research work aims at providing an overview of the most commonly used parameters and methods for evaluation of the extrusion-based 3D printing process and the resulting cereal-based foods. Physical and sensory methods that are successfully used for the quality assessment of the ink and the printed raw objects, as well as the post-processed products are here reviewed and outlined. The properties of inks, usually determined with dynamic rheological tests, are linked to various aspects of printing quality whereas the physical properties of printed raw forms are usually evaluated by image analysis combined with mathematical calculations. Microscopy analysis is undertaken to study the microstructure of both the raw objects and the end-products, while texture analysis and sensory evaluation of final product are performed both by a panel and instrumentally. We provide details of the tests, but also emphasize the need to standardize the procedures and terminology in order to avoid misunderstandings and multiple variations of similar methods. This review provides a basis for further development and standardization of the methodology for quality assessment of 3D-printed cereal-based foods.
- A screening study of elemental composition in legume (Fabaceae sp.) cultivar from Serbia: nutrient accumulation and risk assessmentPublication . Pastor, Kristian; Nastić, Nataša; Ilić, Marko; Skendi, Adriana; Stefanou, Stefanos; Ačanski, Marijana; Rocha, João Miguel; Papageorgiou, MariaThe study is the first analytical approach to evaluate thirteen elements’ profiles of 4 different species (Phaseolus spp., Vicia spp., Pisum spp. and Lathyrus spp.) comprising 38 varieties of legumes cultivated in Serbia. The inductively coupled plasma with an optical emission spectrometer (ICP-OES) was used to determine the levels of macro-, micro- and trace elemental contents, namely, P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn, Cd, Pb, Ni, Cr and As, after microwave-assisted digestion. MANOVA was utilized to reveal significant differences in elemental composition within and between groups, while PCA to reveal the underlying patterns. Among the macroelements, the most abundant was K (8980.7-14177.4mgkg-1), followed by P, Mg and Ca, being the highest in Phaseolus spp. The data revealed that the studied legumes generally contained a high amount of Zn and Fe, with Lathyrus spp. being the richest in Zn. The mean concentration of trace elements in the analyzed legume samples was in the following order: Ni (24.2-57mgkg-1) > Cr (0.8-4.1mgkg-1) > Pb (0.07-1.2mgkg-1) > Cd (0-0.07mgkg-1). The determined Pb and Cd contents in all cultivars exceeded the set maximum limits by European and Serbian legislation, having a potential for human health risk. Pattern recognition techniques applied to the data did not distinguish among the species, revealing a similar elemental profile. In conclusion, this study highlights legumes as an extremely valuable source of macro- and microelements, but also the importance of monitoring the level of heavy metals in this commonly consumed foodstuff.