University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Bucharest

Food waste remains a global challenge, particularly among younger generations. This study examines the attitudes and behaviours of 330 Generation Z individuals (aged 18-24 years) from Italy, Estonia, Croatia, Romania, and Serbia using an extended Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB). The TPB model was expanded to include moral social values, awareness of health risks, and good provider identity. A mixed-methods approach was applied, combining 7-day food waste diaries, visual plate-waste analysis, and self-administered questionnaires. Food recognition analysis showed that Estonian participants wasted less food per meal (3.43%) than those from Italy, Serbia, Croatia, and Romania (12.53%, 12.57%, 14.53%, and 17.18%). Nationality-specific patterns emerged: Romanians mainly discarded meat and potatoes, while participants from Estonia, Croatia, and Serbia wasted fruit and vegetables; Italians most frequently wasted fish and dairy. The extended TPB effectively predicted intentions to reduce food waste, identifying key behavioural determinants that can inform targeted interventions for young consumers.

ABSTRACT The rising consumer demand for clean‐label foods has intensified the search for natural alternatives to synthetic preservatives. Postbiotics from lactic acid bacteria are safe and multifunctional, but their effectiveness in real food systems remains unclear. This study examined the biochemical composition, functional properties, and biopreservation potential of cell‐free supernatants (CFSs) produced by two Lactiplantibacillus plantarum strains (MI131 and MI207). Compositional analyses by FTIR, GC–MS, and UHPLC identified diverse bioactive metabolites. GC–MS detected 25 metabolites, with MI131 being more abundant. UHPLC confirmed the presence of phenolic acids and flavonoids, which are known for their antioxidant activity. Antioxidant activity, measured by DPPH assay, was similar for both strains. Antibacterial tests showed strain‐specific effects: MI131 exhibited a broader inhibition spectrum, whereas MI207 had lower minimum bactericidal concentrations against Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella Typhimurium (6.25 mg/mL). Applying CFS to meat stored for 15 days at 4°C reduced viable counts (< 3 log CFU/g) and inhibited pathogens, as confirmed by culture‐based methods and qPCR. The results support the use of postbiotics from L. plantarum strains MI131 and MI207 as natural biopreservatives that extend shelf life, promote clean‐label formulations, enhance safety, and reduce reliance on synthetic antimicrobials, thereby aligning with EU regulations.

Polyphenols are present in honey due to the collection of nectar and pollen. These bioactive compounds may be used for assessing honey's composition, antioxidant capacity and overall quality. This study presents the development and validation of an optimized liquid chromatography coupled with photodiode array detection with mass spectrometry confirmation (HPLC-PDA-MS) method for the determination of eight phenolic acids (chlorogenic acid, rosmarinic acid, caffeic acid, syringic acid, p-coumaric acid, ferulic acid, vanillic acid, and gallic acid) and four flavones (apigenin, rutin, luteolin, and quercetin) in diverse honey matrices. Method optimization focuses on improving chromatographic resolution, ionization efficiency and sensitivity through fine-tuning of mobile phase composition, gradient profile, and MS parameters. Validation followed international guidelines, evaluating linearity, accuracy, precision, limits of detection (LOD), limits of quantification (LOQ), recovery, and matrix effects. The method demonstrated excellent linearity (R2 >= 0.998), precision below 5%, and recoveries ranging from 85% to 110% across all the tested polyphenols. Repeatability test, assessed by injecting mixed standard solution six times in a row, resulted in RSD values below 3%. The LOD and LOQ values were in the low ng/g range, confirming the method's high sensitivity. The optimized method was tested on four honey samples with different botanical origins. For sample preparation, a liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) protocol was followed, and the obtained chromatograms showed differences in phenolic composition. Overall, the validated HPLC-PDA-MS method provides a robust, sensitive, and reproducible analytical tool for the reliable quantification of polyphenols in honey. Its applicability across multiple honey types supports its use in routine quality control, authenticity verification, and research on honey's bioactive profile.

Risk management is essential for ensuring the stability and sustainability of both agricultural enterprises and economic agents as a whole. The paper analyzes the evolution of the concept of risk in agriculture, highlighting the transition from a reactive to a proactive approach based on identification, assessment and control. The main risk management strategies are also presented, including the use of agricultural insurance instruments. The study is based on a review of the specialized literature and relevant research, emphasizing the importance of adopting effective practices to protect agricultural enterprises, but also for creating training programs for farmers so that they can move towards a digitalized agriculture that aims to ensure both socio-economic stability and the food needs of the global population.

As global demand grows for natural health-promoting food ingredients, the agri-food industry’s organic wastes are emerging as promising alternatives thanks to attributes such as biocompatibility, nutritional value and nutraceutical effect. During saffron (Crocus sativus L.) production, approximately 53 kg of petals are obtained as a by-product for every 1 kg of saffron spice. The use of saffron petals and petal extracts in bakery products improves products’ shelf life due to the petals’ high content of nutraceuticals and minerals acting as natural preservatives. Petal-enriched bakery products contain high levels of fiber, minerals and antioxidants. Addition of saffron petals into bread dough reduces gluten network strength, increases crumb hardness, enhances acidity, improves water retention, alters color profiles and increases the duration of the shelf life. The formulation for incorporating saffron petals or petal extracts into food products must address three primary criteria: the maximum concentration of bioactive compounds per 100 g of the finished matrix, the thermal stability of these compounds during the baking process, and their bioavailability (in the food matrix) within the human gastrointestinal tract. Nutraceuticals with pharmacological potential are also influenced by the compositional profile: the proximate composition, minerals, phenolic content, flavonols, and antioxidant capacity of saffron petals and bakery products containing saffron petals. Saffron petals exhibit diverse therapeutic potentials, acting as antidepressants, anxiolytics, anticonvulsants, and neuroprotective agents. They also offer metabolic, cardiovascular, hepatoprotective, and renoprotective benefits, along with anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antitumor activities. This article proposes a roadmap for developing bakery products enriched with saffron petals or petal extracts, targeting both pharmacological applications and consumer goods focused on disease prevention and general wellness. This study investigates the biochemical composition of saffron petals and their integration into bakery products. It evaluates the influence of petal-derived additives on rheological properties, shelf stability, and organoleptic characteristics, alongside an assessment of their bioactivity and toxicological profiles. Furthermore, the analytical methodologies employed for ingredient and biological sample characterization are discussed, emphasizing their role in verifying the authenticity, safety, and nutritional functionality of both raw materials and finished formulations.