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Upcycling in the food industry: by-product potential

Upcycling is a higher form of recycling. It involves using by-products in such a way that a higher value product is obtained than the original one. An example in the food industry is the processing of fruit pomace. As scientists point out, pomace is in fact a rich source of health-promoting bioactive compounds.

29 September is International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste, established by the United Nations. According to UN estimates, more than one billion tonnes of food went into the rubbish in 2022.

– The idea of upcycling is part of the trend towards a closed-loop economy, one of the goals of which is to reduce the amount of by-products produced. Therefore, upcycling is being promoted more and more loudly in the food industry. Science is also coming to the rescue – emphasizes Dr Bartosz Fotschki from the Biological Function of Food Team of our Institute.

According to estimates, approximately 400,000 tonnes of waste are produced annually in fruit and vegetable processing in Poland. These can include, among others, onion plant husks, marc, peelings from root vegetables, leafy cuttings and seeds. These products are most often used to produce compost or biogas. One trend is also to extract natural food colourings from them for use in the production of beverages, confectionery and bakery products, dairy products and ready meals.

The Polish juice industry is at the forefront of Europe. However, the production of juices or nectars produces a very large amount of pomace, i.e. residues of seeds, fruit or vegetables. It turns out that these by-products are a rich source of health-promoting ingredients.

– Such pomace is in fact a source of many valuable bioactive compounds with great health-promoting potential. Apple pomace, for example, contains a great ammount of dietary fibre, which, if properly prepared, could support the function of our intestines and serve as food for the bacteria in them. Proper stimulation of the intestinal microbiome with dietary fibre causes these micro-organisms to start secreting various metabolites and compounds beneficial to our health – says the scientist.

And how can such pomace be used? – For example, they can be dried and then ground and added as an ingredient to bars or muesli. On the other hand, if you separate the seeds from the pomace, you can press oil from it. Our team has repeatedly tested oils from e.g. raspberry, strawberry and blackcurrant seeds and found that they are all extremely rich in nutritionally valuable fatty acids and other bioactive compounds. Producing them from fruit pomace could be another valuable direction for the use of this by-product, according to Bartosz Fotschki.

This also fits in with the growing trend of functional foods, i.e. value-added foods with extra health benefits. In addition, fruit oils from, for example, raspberry seeds are also used in cosmetology.

In the upcycling of pomace, the Polish food industry is only taking its first steps. – However, we see a regular increase in interest in this topic, also in research project grants awarded. Certainly, it is mainly entrepreneurs who have to be willing to get involved and invest, but I think the potential is very high – the researcher points out.

So why bet on upcycling? – Using pomace as an example, we can see that with relatively little effort we can reduce the amount of waste and use its huge health-promoting potential – he concludes.

Currently, Dr Bartosz Fotschki is heading the scientific part of a research and implementation project for the development and implementation of innovative functional foods aimed at the prevention of diet-related diseases. The project is funded by the National Centre for Research and Development as part of the Nutritech: nutrition in the light of the challenges of improving societal wellbeing and climate change.

9th Weekend with Polish Konik horses [report]

The annual horse breeders’ festival is gaining popularity among both Polish Konik experts and fans of nature and Polish heritage. This year’s 9th edition was held on 6-7 September. The event was hosted by the Research Station of the Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Popielno. – We are delighted that every year the Weekend with Polish Konik gains more and more supporters – pointed out Dr Mamadou Bah, head of the station, during the opening ceremony.

Participants in the event were welcomed by Dr Mamadou Bah and Aleksandra Szymborska, who looks after the breeding of the Polish Konik horses in Popielno – a native breed derived from wild horses, the tarpan. During the opening ceremony, the importance of the event was emphasised, which is becoming more and more popular with the public every year. The prestige of the ‘Weekend with Polish Konik’ is also evidenced by this year’s guests, including representatives of horse breeders’ associations, members of the Polish Academy of Sciences, representatives of scientific and academic institutions, etc.

The first day featured the performance trials of Polish horses, for which a total of 19 horses were entered. Performance trials are ‘examinations’ developed for a specific breed of horse. Their purpose is to assess the performance requirements adopted for a given breed. The Commission pays attention to, among other things, the horse’s behaviour, speed or physical parameters evaluated at the performance test. A horse from the research station in Popielno also entered the performance test. Eventually, 15 horses completed the trials with positive results. In harness trials, 2 mares and 1 stallion were successful. In the riding trials, 12 mares took part. The horses with the best results were awarded cups.

In the harness trials, special attention was drawn to the stallion Grosz P, who finished with an excellent score of 34 points. The stallion, owned and bred by the research station in Popielno, was awarded the cup for the best performed basic field harness trial. The preparation of the horse and the driving of the carriage were handled by an employee of our station, Jacek Lipka.

The judging committee, appointed by the Polish Horse Breeders Association (PZHK) in Warsaw, consisted of Adam Domżała, director of the Warmia and Mazury Horse Breeders Association, Jan L. Slomiany, chairman of the Polish Horse Stud Book Commission, Prof. Zbigniew Jaworski and Patrycja Wojciechowska from the PZHK Stud Book and Identification Department. After the end of the trials, the commission also carried out the licensing and verification of the horses. As a result of the bonus assessment (i.e. the evaluation of the animal’s breeding and performance value), the stallion Gambit P from the breeding of the research station in Popielno scored 81 points. It is worth noting that horses receiving more than 80 points are considered to be of exceptional breeding value. On the same day, two mares entering the bonus verification were assessed. The mare Wiechlina finished the assessment with a score of 78 points, and the mare Dawka received 79 points, which shows a high level of breeding.

Foals Assessment

On the second day of the event, the presentation and evaluation of foals took place. There were 15 foals on the entry list, 9 of which came from the breeding of the Research Station of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Popielno and 6 belonged to private breeders. The committee composed of: Adam Domżała, Prof. Marta Siemieniuch, an expert in the physiology and pathology of animal reproduction and horse breeding and use, and Marek Niewiński, director of the Provincial Horse Breeders’ Association in Białystok, conducted the premiuming of the young horses.

The highest scored foal was Weksel P, the offspring of the stallion Batial P and the mare Wiechlina, bred by the IARFR PAS research station in Popielno. The stallion Gwiazdor P, also a son of the stallion Batial P, also deserves an honourable mention and was awarded second place. Third place went to the mare Legalna M from the breeding of Sławomir Niedbalski. It is worth noting that this year the mare Lotka M from the breeding of Sławomir Niedbalski placed her progeny on the podium for the third time in a row, which confirms the continuation of the high breeding level of this line.

Our sincere congratulations to all breeders, riders and drivers. Thanks and appreciation also go to all those involved in the preparation of the horses for the trials and judging.

Photo Michał Janiak

Although our awareness of the proper handling of food packaging continues to grow, the need for education on, for example, knowing the symbols on packaging or recycling multi-material packaging is not diminishing. Packaging Day is celebrated on 15 September.

With help and answers to these concerns comes a European educational campaign for responsible handling of food packaging, in which our Institute participates.

The premise of the international InformPack project is to investigate gaps in consumer knowledge and create educational campaigns to ‘give’ food packaging a second life.

– In the first stage of the project, we surveyed consumers in various European countries, including Finland, Spain, Denmark and Poland. We asked them, among other things, whether they pay attention to the material the packaging is made of when buying food, whether they are able to resign from buying a product because of an excessive amount of plastic in the packaging, or whether they find it difficult to segregate used packaging – says Dr Joanna Fotschki, involved in the project on behalf of the Institute.

The results of the surveys identified gaps in consumer knowledge and were the basis for the creation of educational materials – infographics and films – on issues related to food packaging and responsible consumer attitudes. The materials have been translated into many languages including Polish, Italian, German, Danish, Finnish and French.

The infographics can be viewed and downloaded here. They include answers such as what to do with used multi-material materials, what the symbols on food packaging mean and whether it is really necessary to clean food packaging before recycling.

The videos are available here. They cover topics such as bioplastics, multi-material packaging and rPET (recycled plastic).

– We have also created ‘Recycle Hero’ quizzes in both children’s and adult’s versions, and organised workshops for schools, e.g. at the Municipal Waste Neutralisation Plant in Olsztyn, where participants could learn about the waste processing technologies used there – adds Dr Joanna Fotschki.

You can find all the information and materials on our website.

Food packaging in Poland

The InformPack project is supported by Monika Michalska – an expert in waste processing technology, known in social media as the ‘Waste Lady’.

When asked whether Poles know and understand the symbols of different packaging, she answers that our society is divided into two groups on this issue. – Some are actually interested, read the symbols on the packaging and know what they mean. Others, on the other hand, don’t pay any attention at all – she points out.

She adds that although awareness is changing for the better (also in terms of the ability to sort used packaging), when it comes to choosing a product with more or less ecological packaging, we are still guided by its price.

According to the expert, on average in Poland, 27% of all selectively collected (i.e. sorted) waste is recycled.

– The easiest and most effective recycling is that of metal, e.g. all aluminium cans. In this case, recycling does not result in a loss of quality of this packaging. The same applies to glass – stresses Monika Michalska.

Plastic packaging is the most difficult to recycle. – In this case, the easiest packaging to recycle is household chemical, cosmetic or detergent packaging, i.e. the ‘thicker’ plastic. On the other hand, flexible packaging such as disposable packaging, packaging from sweets or loose products is very difficult to process. We are not able to recycle them mechanically, and research is still trying to develop chemical recycling in this area (and even if such solutions are already appearing, it is in small installations, not on an industrial scale) – explains the expert.

In her opinion, one of the challenges that we as a society still need to work on is the segregation of bio waste. – There is still a lot of plastic in there, which means that although we are throwing bio waste out there, it is in some sort of plastic bags or commercial bags – she says.

On the occasion of Packaging Day, Monika Michalska points out two more issues. – First of all, we should remember to dispose of empty packaging, as left-over foodstuffs are a big barrier to recycling. Even if a product spoils, let’s throw it into mixed or bio waste and the packaging separately. The second point is to buy food in the simplest possible packaging, preferably mono-material packaging, which is recycled most easily and efficiently – she urges.

According to estimates cited by the expert, in 2025, 250 000 tonnes of PET bottles, 30 000 HDPE bottles (e.g. for dairy drinks such as milk, buttermilk, drinking yoghurt) and 75 000 tonnes of aluminium cans will be introduced into the Polish market. At the same time, it is estimated that between one third and more than half of these will be recycled.

About EIT Food InformPack

The EIT Food InformPack project is an international initiative of scientific institutions from the University of Aarhus (Denmark), the University of Reading (UK), the Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences (Poland), the VTT research network (Finland), manufacturers: Bioazul (Spain) and Maspex Group (Poland), and the Spanish supermarket chain Eroski.

The aim of the project’s activities is primarily to change consumer behaviour so that they deal with food packaging in a responsible and sustainable manner. It is also important to involve and raise awareness among food producers themselves, as well as the local authorities responsible for, among other things, the availability of waste segregation bins on the streets.

InformPack is funded by EIT Food, the Knowledge and Innovation Community for Food of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), a body of the European Union, under the EU’s Horizon 2020 framework programme for research and innovation.

VI edition of Symposium: Perspectives in biodiversity protection

Representatives from the Korean Agri-Food Technology Promotion Agency KOAT visited the Institute

At the end of August, we hosted representatives of the Korean Agri-Food Technology Promotion Agency KOAT at our Institute. Research, offers designed for business and the Institute’s international projects were discussed at the new headquarters.

The aim of the delegation was to strengthen relations with local entrepreneurs, government authorities and scientific and research institutions that are working on the agri-food market development, taking into account the characteristics of the region and the challenges of the food chain. The visit of the Korean delegation to the region was coordinated by the Marshal’s Office of the Warmia and Mazury Voivodeship.

– Poland is already in seventh place in the ranking of countries with which South Korea cooperates. Increasing imports and exports from both countries are observed. Our country is listed among those with the greatest potential, the Marshal’s Office highlights.

During their visit to the Institute, guests from KOAT had the opportunity to learn about the areas of work of our scientists, including activities for high-quality food, one of the smart specialisations of our region. Cooperation with business is an integral part of the Institute’s activities, as the guests found out when they got to know the core facilities – laboratories that offer external entities and companies research resources, access to equipment, technology or specialised consultations – all according to their needs and at the highest level.

– We are delighted to have hosted the KOAT representatives at our new premises, where we had the opportunity to present the level, but also the scale, of our activities, including those in the international arena. We hope that this visit will result in future joint activities in areas related to food and its production – says Michał Żurek, General Affairs Director.

Photo W. Fabiszewski

Researchers: functional foods to help prevent lifestyle diseases

Products that support the digestive tract or reduce the risk of overweight and obesity – consumers are increasingly looking for value-added foods with extra health benefits. Scientists see this trend as a chance to prevent noncommunicable diseases (NCDs).

– There is a growing body of research that points to the beneficial effects on human health of specific substances present in and added to foods. These include probiotics, prebiotics, vitamins, dietary fibre, but also natural antioxidants, minerals or good fats from the omega-3 group. Manufacturers are even outdoing each other in creating innovative proposals, because consumers expect this, which results in the development of the functional food market – emphasise food researchers from the Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Olsztyn, Dr Joanna Fotschki and Dr Lidia Markiewicz, in an interview for Science in Poland news platform.

They add that there is also scientific evidence that functional food ingredients can have an impact on the prevention of chronic diseases, cardiovascular diseases, gastrointestinal disorders and neurological diseases.

– It is in functional foods that help in the prevention of civilisation-related diseases, e.g. diet-related diseases, including supporting the maintenance of proper body weight and alleviating the consequences of metabolic disorders such as diabetes – they point out.

Both scientists work in the Team of Immunology and Food Microbiology of our Institute, where they research the impact of dietary ingredients contained in food on the human body, e.g. on the immune or digestive systems.

Currently, Dr Lidia Markiewicz is leading a task in a project on combining fruit ingredients with vegetable ingredients or with a postbiotic (i.e. a bioactive ingredient made from probiotic bacteria) to increase the nutritional and health-promoting values of such mousses. Dr Joanna Fotschki, on the other hand, is concerned with the development of functional food additives derived from food processing by-products, i.e. raw materials that are not used by industry on a daily basis.

Functional foods are new foods that have been developed to have a positive effect on the body. – In order to be considered functional, a food must contain – in addition to natural ingredients – an increased concentration of some active substance that does not naturally occur in the food in question or is present in small amounts. The simplest example of a functional food, which has been known for years, is iodised salt, as an adequate dose of iodine is necessary for the production of thyroid hormones – says Joanna Fotschki.

She adds that it can also be a food without an ingredient, e.g. gluten, lactose, sugar or salt. In addition, the latest definitions also take into account the content of live micro-organisms with potential health-promoting or disease-preventing effects. An example is yoghurt drinks, where there are billions of live bacteria cultures in a single bottle.

The most popular products include dairy products (e.g. yoghurt), cereals, drinks or bars. – We can divide them into products aimed at a selected group of consumers, e.g. pregnant women or athletes, or into product categories in terms of the effect we want to achieve, e.g. supporting the functioning of the digestive tract, counteracting stress, reducing the risk of overweight and obesity – says Joanna Fotschki.

Compared to dietary supplements, functional foods are often better absorbed. – Nutrients found in food and consumed as part of a meal are often more bioavailable than supplements in the form of capsules, tablets, gels or powders. This means that our bodies are better able to assimilate the nutrients and thus benefit more from functional foods, in which the bioavailability of these nutrients is higher – emphasises Joanna Fotschki.

At the same time, Lidia Markiewicz reminds us that in order to obtain the health-promoting properties of functional foods, one must wait for the effect – it will not happen immediately after consumption. – It is also worth mentioning that you should choose functional products with the lowest possible level of processing and the presence of bioactive compounds with scientifically proven effects in their composition – she adds.

When asked about trends in functional foods in global science, Lidia Markiewicz points to several research directions: research into dietary fibre (food fortification and the search for/characterisation of new sources of fibre, including from food production side streams, i.e. from cocoa bean husks, grape pomace or legume hulls, for example), fermented foods and ‘good fats’ (e.g. omega-3 fatty acids).

– The increasing interest in functional foods is mainly due to the growing awareness of consumers, and these consumers, having easy and wide access to information (internet, social media), are looking for value-added foods, the consumption of which will bring them additional benefits. Probably the key in this phenomenon is precisely the access to information, however, the source and reliability of which are not always verified by consumers. This is why the role of food producers is so important here, so that the information they place on packaging does not follow what the consumer wants to read, but provides reliable information about the product and its ingredients – points out Lidia Markiewicz.

– I think that soon, under pressure from consumers, even “ordinary” food will have to have certain features assigned or highlighted in order to compete with functional food, while “ordinary” food of good quality is already in itself a source of valuable nutrients and health-promoting ingredients – she adds.

Sylwia Judycka is the winner of the 2024 Dayong Gao Young Investigator Award

Established in 2019, the Dayong Gao Young Investigator Award (DGYI) is the Society for Cryobiology’s prestigious award for excellent researchers who are in the first 10 years of their post-doctoral career. This year’s winner is Dr. Sylwia Judycka from the Team of Fish Reproduction and Development of our Institute.

The aim of the award is to foster and encourage early career cryobiology researchers. The DGYIA is open to cryobiology researchers from around the world. The award carries a cash prize, sponsored by GoldSim, as well as a special lecture and registration waiver to the Society for Cryobiology’s annual meeting.

Dr. Judycka’s research concerns effective methods of preserving the biodiversity of native fish species, which is extremely important today in the face of climate catastrophes. In her research, she uses the cryopreservation technique, which involves storing fish semen at low temperatures, but ensuring that sperm remain viable after thawing. She and her team have demonstrated the effectiveness of this technique for salmonid and perch species. The point of the developed procedures has been confirmed by the high results of egg fertilization using cryopreserved semen.

„One hallmark of Dr. Judycka’s work is the establishment of a comprehensive sperm cryobank housing genetic material from a diverse array of fish species. This includes sex-reversed female rainbow and brook trout, rainbow trout variants (both spring and autumn lines), Atlantic salmon, whitefish, sea trout, grayling, carp, and Atlantic sturgeon. These repositories serve as invaluable reservoirs of genetic diversity, safeguarding the future of endangered species and bolstering breeding programs” – we read in the CRYO2024 Conference Book.

Congratulations!

Fermented beetroot and red cabbage beneficial for diabetics

Introducing fermented beetroot and red cabbage into the daily diet may be helpful in the prevention of diet-related diseases and may protect against chronic inflammation in these diseases, scientists from our Institute have shown. The researchers looked at biologically active compounds capable of inhibiting the process of protein glycation. This process, which is one of the features of diabetes, leads to the intensive combination of sugar with proteins, which are then deposited in cells, negatively affecting their function.

This is the first study to show a link between the content of individual bioactive compounds (phenolic acids, flavonoids, anthocyanins and betalains) and antiglycation properties following spontaneous (i.e. spontaneously occurring) fermentation of beetroot and red cabbage.

– We have shown that the fermentation of these vegetables had a beneficial effect on the content of those components that have the ability to inhibit protein glycation. After all, the accumulation of Advanced Glycation End-products (AGEs) is one of the key mechanisms leading to diabetic complications, such as nephropathy and diabetic retinopathy – emphasises study leader Dr. Małgorzata Starowicz, acting head of the Team of Chemistry and Biodynamics of Food at the Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Olsztyn.

THE POWER OF NATURAL COLOURS

Beetroot and red cabbage are popular in Poland not only for their culinary tradition, but also for their numerous health benefits. Rich in antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and fibre, they support the health of the heart, cardiovascular, immune or digestive systems, making them valuable components of a healthy diet.

Beetroot owes its characteristic colour to betalains and red cabbage owes it to anthocyanins, natural pigments which, in addition to their colouring properties, have numerous health-promoting effects, including being powerful antioxidants (neutralising harmful free radicals that have a negative impact on the body, e.g. by contributing to faster ageing).

Another property of antioxidant compounds (antioxidants) is that they do not cause sugar to combine with proteins (glycation), resulting in excessive sugar accumulation in the body. This process intensifies during hyperglycaemia – one of the features of pre-diabetes or diabetes itself.

BENEFICIAL FERMENTATION

Combining these issues, the researchers wanted to test whether the fermentation process of beetroot and red cabbage increases their anti-glycation properties. And they demonstrated that this is indeed the case.

– Fermentation of vegetables has significantly increased the bioavailability and thus the biological activity of key bioactive compounds. Raw vegetables have a naturally high content of bioactive compounds, but their bioavailability in the human body is limited by, among other things, the tight bonds between these compounds and the plant cell structure. The fermentation process breaks down these structures, releasing the bioactive compounds. Furthermore, the fermentation process leads to the formation of new beneficial metabolites. As a result, fermented beetroot and red cabbage have stronger antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, making them more effective in diabetes diet therapy, compared to their raw counterparts. It is important to understand these processes in order to be able to optimise the fermentation conditions to increase the health benefits of the final products – points out study co-author Dr. Natalia Płatosz from the Team of Chemistry and Biodynamics of Food at the Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Olsztyn.

Why fermentation? – Fermentation, which is one of the longest known natural methods of food preservation known to mankind, is returning in favour and becoming very popular. In addition to the most popular pickled cucumbers or sauerkraut in Poland, we are opening up to new flavours, such as kimchi. In our study, we also wanted to show that our local vegetables subjected to the fermentation process gain not only a unique taste and texture, but also a number of health-promoting benefits, which may increase their attractiveness and encourage consumption of larger amounts of these products – explain the researchers.

FERMENTED FOODS AND DIET

In their view, this knowledge can benefit both consumers and food producers.

– Increased awareness of healthy lifestyles among the public may make fermented products increasingly popular, especially for people with diabetes or pre-diabetic conditions. In the context of food processing, fermentation is one interesting technique to further increase the bioavailability and health benefits of bioactive compounds contained in fruit and vegetables. Therefore, collaboration between researchers and food producers on the fermentation process and the impact of fermentation end products on human health is essential and can lead to the development of new, innovative products that meet the high expectations of consumers. Such products can be promoted as part of a diabetic-friendly diet and thus increase their market value – the researchers emphasise.

The findings were published in the journal ‘Foods’ . This is basic research, conducted in vitro. However, the authors do not rule out continuing and conducting further stages of research, including with humans.

– We have shown that the introduction of fermented beetroot and red cabbage into the daily diet can be helpful for prevention and protect against chronic inflammation in diet-related diseases. However, we should remember that the consumption of raw as well as fermented vegetables should be combined with a balanced diet and, if necessary, appropriate treatment, the researchers conclude.

Dr. Anna Kononiuk from our Institute received a scholarship from the Minister of Science and Higher Education for outstanding young scientists. Her research focuses on the potential of deer meat as an alternative to commonly consumed meat species.

The ministerial scholarship program for outstanding young scientists can be awarded to a person conducting scientific activity who is a doctoral student or academic teacher and does not have a doctoral degree, or to a person with a doctoral degree that has been obtained within 7 years.

In the last edition, the Minister awarded scholarships to 228 outstanding young scientists representing 53 scientific and artistic disciplines. This time, 1,708 applications were submitted to the competition: https://www.gov.pl/web/nauka/ponad-44-mln-zl-dla-228-wybitnych-mlodych-naukowcow

The main scientific goal of Dr. Anna Kononiuk’s is to demonstrate the potential of deer meat as an alternative to commonly (conventionally) consumed meat species.

– Meat of animals classified as cervids (including red deer, roe deer, fallow deer) is a very valuable raw material compared to beef, pork and poultry popular on Polish tables. This is due to both nutritional and health considerations (incl. a higher content of iron and antioxidant compounds) as well as ecological considerations (incl. the fact that their breeding is less harmful to the environment compared to farm animals) – shows Dr. Anna Kononiuk from the Team of Biodiversity Protection IARFR PAS in Olsztyn.

She adds that in 2022, over 10,000 tons of game meat was obtained in Poland, of which approximately 56% was deer, 21% venison, and the remaining wild boar meat (data from the Central Statistical Office). – Game consumption in the country is only 0.08 kg per person per year, and approximately 95% of game purchased in Poland is exported, mainly to the German market (approx. 70%). This is related to the relatively high retail price of venison and the lack of consumer habits to eating it – points out the researcher.

Her current research focuses on comparing the potential of deer and beef for the formation of biologically active peptides (she heads the MINIATURA 7 project, financed by the National Science Center).

– The topic of this research results from previously observed differences in the concentration and antioxidant activity of peptides from raw-ripened fallow deer sausages and beef sausages. Compounds in fallow deer meat products showed much higher antioxidant activity than analogous variants of beef sausages. Additionally, the in silico research conducted confirms the higher potential of proteins from red deer to have anti-atherosclerotic effects, reduce glycemia and improve insulin release. These are very important functions that food consumption may have in terms of lifestyle diseases such as hypertension or type II diabetes – she points out.

In turn, in 2021-2022, the scientist managed a project under the Innovation Incubator 4.0 program, the aim of which was to develop two feed additives with unique technological and nutritional parameters, improving the condition of deer after the reproductive period and positively influencing the quality characteristics of the obtained meat, along with the entire their production process and animal feeding plan.

Moreover, in her research to date, she has also focused on limiting the use of nitrates in meat processing. This plays an important role in shaping the quality of meat products (including extending their shelf life), but – due to the high reactivity of nitrate – is also associated with the risk of the formation of undesirable compounds, mainly nitrosamines, which are considered carcinogenic compounds and may contribute to the formation of cancer of the large intestine, stomach and esophagus.

– The solution to this problem may be the use of freeze-dried acid whey, a by-product of cottage cheese production. It contains lactic acid bacteria, lactose and other nutrients necessary for the proper course of the fermentation process. My research has shown that the use of acid whey in organic, raw-ripened products allows the products to be durable during long-term refrigerated storage at a level similar to products with the addition of pickling salt. The process of freeze-drying acidic whey that I have proposed makes it possible to extend the shelf life and standardize the whey used, without losing its properties – says the researcher.

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Dr. Anna Kononiuk received her PhD in 2020 from the University of Life Sciences in Lublin. Her work (written under the supervision of Prof. Małgorzata Karwowska) was distinguished by the Discipline Council and awarded in the competition of the Polish Society of Technology.

Our researchers at Europe’s most important event on fish gamete biology

The biennial ‘International Workshop on the Biology of Fish Gametes’ conference once again brought together world-class experts in the field of fish reproduction. Scientists met from 15-18 July at the University of León (Spain). This was the 9th edition of the conference aimed on unraveling the biological bases of the reproductive processes, thereby contributing to the improved reproductive efficienecy in aquaculture.

Every two years, the conference successfully brings together research groups from all over the world that study fish gametogenesis, gamete quality, the development of reproductive biotechnologies, the banking of genetic resources, the identification of biomarkers of reproductive performance, etc. For a scientific community dealing with such a narrow and highly specialised topic, this is the most important event of its kind in Europe. Not only does it provide a comprehensive look at the latest research and developments in the field of reproduction of fish and other aquatic organisms, but it also provides an opportunity for collaboration, forging partnerships, and initiating joint scientific projects.

Our Institute was the organiser of the 8th edition of the conference, which took place in Gdańsk in 2022. This year’s edition was attended by 7 researchers from our Institute. Dr. Daniel Żarski, the team leader of emerging Team of Fish Reproduction and Development, was a member of the international scientific committee responsible for shaping the scientific program of the conference and co-chair of the ‘Parental Contribution’ session.

Abhipsa Panda, a PhD student of Dr. Daniel Żarski, pursuing her thesis under the SONATA BIS project, was awarded the prize for the best oral student presentation. The research she presented included an exploration of the relationship between the origin of perch spawners, the quality of the offspring and their transcriptomic profile, which the researchers referred to as the ‘parental dispute’. The results of the presented research were based on unique crosses between wild and domesticated populations, characterised by exceptionally diverse phenotypes and breeding efficiency under laboratory conditions. The data presented by Abhipsa shed new light on the role played by individual perch parents on the ability of offspring to adapt to breeding conditions. ”We are convinced that this research will contribute in the future to optimising breeding procedures not only for perch fish, but also for other valuable fish species,” – explains Daniel Żarski, principal investigator of the project.

Additionally, the team of Daniel Żarski was represented by three more scientists from our institute.

Taina Rocha de Almeida, who is about to complete her postdoctoral training at our Institute, presented groundbreaking data on alternative pathways to build innate immunity in rainbow trout. Her work represents a key contribution to future breeding programmes. Dr. Joanna Nynca delivered a talk on the issue of virginity in wild pikeperch, shedding new light on the reproductive capacity of this species at both zootechnical and molecular levels. Dr. Sylwia Judycka presented the team’s scientific efforts to understand the developmental consequences in perch larvae obtained using cryopreserved sperm. Her poster was highlighted in the ‘flash talk’ session.

It should also be noted that during the conference, two scientists from Professor Andrzej Ciereszko’s team presented their work. Dr. Mariola Dietrich gave a lecture on the impact of cryopreservation strategies on the sturgeon sperm proteome, while Dr. Anna Majewska presented in poster form the results regarding the identification of a previously undescribed protein, Cap31 (SNAD1), and its potential role in the reproductive system of carp.

The active participation of our scientists, especially the first-time awarded oral presentation by a Polish doctoral student, cemented our Institute’s international position in the field of fish reproductive biology, stimulating many constructive discussions. As in previous years, the conference proved to be a highly inspiring event both from a scientific perspective and in terms of collaboration with leading centers across Europe.