On 10 February, we celebrated World Pulses Day. The initiative was born in 2016 by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The day aims to popularise these valuable plants. We asked Professor Ryszard Amarowicz, head of the Department of Chemical and Physical Properties of Food, about all the good things that can be found in pulses. (więcej…)
Publication by Dr. Agnieszka Wacławik’s team selected as Editor’s Choice
The publication by the team of Dr. Agnieszka Wacławik from the Department of Hormone Mechanisms, entitled „Novel role for conceptus signals in mRNA expression regulation by DNA methylation in porcine endometrium during early pregnancy” by P. Kaczyński, V. van der Weijden, E. Goryszewska-Szczurek, M. Baryly, SE Ulbrich and A. Waclawik, was selected as ’Editor’s choice’ in the prestigious journal Biology of Reproduction 2023, 108(1): 150-168.
’Edtitor’s choice’ publications are articles that have made a significant contribution to a field of science. The selection of an article as an 'Editor’s choice’ recognises the authors’ work and highlights the importance of their research in the field of reproductive biology.
Dr. Piotr Kaczyński and the authors mentioned above have described a novel mechanism of embryonic effects on processes related to methylation changes in DNA sequences that may regulate the expression of genes in the endometrium that are important for the development of pregnancy. The findings, published in the journal Biology of Reproduction (2023, 108(1): 150-168, doi: 10.1093/biolre/ioac193), were produced within the framework of the NCN OPUS project (2017/27/B/NZ9/03014) under the direction of Dr. Agnieszka Wacławik, carried out at our Institute and during the internship of Dr. Piotr Kaczyński in the team of Prof S. Ulbrich at the ETH Zurich.
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Phd Student Edyta Walewska with SRF Poster Prize Winner Award
We are happy to announce that PhD student Edyta Walewska from Institute’s Department of Reproductive Immunology and Pathology has been awarded the SRF Poster Prize Winner at recent Fertility 2023 „Reproduction in an ageing world”, held in January 10-14, 2023 in Belfast. The awarded poster is entitled „Impaired decidualisation in obese mice is associated with the upregulation of leptin signalling modulators Socs3 and Ptpn2”.
The research presented at the conference was carried out as part of the following research projects funded by the National Science Centre (NCN):
- Sonata Bis nr 2019/34/E/NZ4/00349; Principal Investigator Dr. António Galvão
- Preludium 14 nr2019/35/N/NZ4/03496; Principal Investigator Edyta Walewska
For further information, visit the conference website.
Poster Prize Winners.
Prof. Ryszard Amarowicz and Prof. Henryk Zieliński honored with Statuettes of St. Jacob
Awards Gala for the President of Olsztyn’s Statuettes of St. Jacob was held on 27 January at the Auditorium in Olsztyn. The committee, chaired by Piotr Grzymowicz, awarded distinctions in six categories for the years 2020, 2021 and 2022. Two statuettes in the Science category went to scientists from our Institute – Prof. Ryszard Amarowicz and Prof. Henryk Zieliński.
The St. Jacob Statuettes honour outstanding people living and working in the capital of Warmia and Mazury who are particularly involved in the life of the city, create its scientific, cultural and economic achievements, and thus shape the image of Olsztyn.
Prof. Ryszard Amarowicz – Statuette of St. Jacob 2020
In 1980, while a graduate of the Faculty of Food Technology at the Warsaw University of Life Sciences, he joined the Faculty of Food Technology at the Agricultural and Technical Academy in Olsztyn. He studied food contamination with pesticides and heavy metals. He was awarded for his teaching activities by the Minister of Science and Higher Education and the Rector of ART. In 1988 he started working at the Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research, Polish Academy of Sciences. He currently heads the Department of Chemical and Physical Properties of Food, where he investigates the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties of biologically active compounds in food.
Prof. Amarowicz is the highest ranked scientist from Poland in the field of food science in a ranking published by Stanford University, Elsevier Publishing and SciTech Strategies. More than 380 publications authored by Prof. Amarowicz are recorded in world science databases, cited more than 11,000 times, which gives him a Hirsch index of 57 (according to the Scopus database).
The Professor’s high international position is confirmed by his former and current membership in several editorial boards of world-class scientific journals. He was repeatedly awarded the title of outstanding reviewer of scientific papers, and the Minister of Science and Higher Education entrusted him with the function of chairman of the team evaluating scientific journals in the area of food technology and nutrition. For his remarkable scientific achievements, he was awarded the Golden Cross of Merit by the President of the Republic of Poland and the „Best of the Best” Award by the Marshal of the Warmia and Mazury Region.
Prof. Henryk Zieliński – Statuette of St. Jacob 2022
His relationship with Olsztyn goes back to 1985. As a graduate of the Faculty of Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Astronomy of the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, majoring in chemistry, he started working at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the Agricultural and Technical Academy in Olsztyn. For his research activity at ART, he was awarded the Bronze Cross of Merit and three times awarded by the Rector of ART. In 1996 he started working at the Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences. For many years, he headed the Department of the Chemistry and Biodynamics of Food. In 2010-2020, he was the editor-in-chief of the scientific quarterly Polish Journal of Food and Nutrition Sciences. In 2023, he took the position of the Deputy Director for Scientific Affairs at the Institute’s Division of Food Sciences.
Prof. Zieliński’s research concerns biologically active compounds in plant raw materials, mainly in cereals, and their functional properties. There are almost 190 publications by Prof. Zieliński recorded in world science databases, cited over 4600 times, which gives him a Hirsch index of 35 (according to the Scopus database). These achievements placed Prof. Zieliński on the list of the Top 2% of the best scientists in the world. He has been recognised and awarded many times for his scientific activities, i.a. by the American Chemical Society and the President of the Republic of Poland, from whom he received the Golden Cross of Merit. In 2022, the team under his direction received the Scientific Award of the Marshal of the Wamia and Mazury Region for research entitled „Buckwheat products of potential importance in the prevention of civilization diseases – a new brand of Warmia and Mazury”. In recognition of his outstanding scientific achievements, in the same year he was awarded the title „Honorary Citizen of the Town of Jabłonowo Pomorskie” by the authorities of his hometown.
These are two more St. Jacob’s Statuettes to add to the Institute’s distinctions, yet the first ones in the ‘Science’ category. So far, the Institute has been honoured with two distinctions in the category of 'Special merits for Olsztyn’, awarded to Prof. Zenon Zduńczyk (2018) and in recognition of the European Researchers’ Nights organised by the Institute between 2014 and 2017.
Scientific Awards of the Branch of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Olsztyn and Białystok
Prof. Agnieszka Wacławik honoured with the Scientific Award of the Branch of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Olsztyn and Białystok for significant achievements in the category of biological, agricultural and medical sciences in 2022. Distinction award – based on the recommendation of the Award Committee, for deepening knowledge on understanding the mechanisms regulating two opposing ways of healing skin injuries – went to Prof. Barbara Gawrońska-Kozak. (więcej…)
Scientists use flaxseed oilcake to enrich gluten-free bread
Dr. Urszula Krupa-Kozak from the Department of Food Chemistry and Biodynamics at our Institute and dr. Łukasz Łopusiewicz from the West Pomeranian University of Technology is working on a new recipe for gluten-free bread. They use flaxseed oilcake, the residue left after pressing oil from oilseeds.
The food industry generates vast amounts of waste and by-products, most of which go unused. Some of them may be useful for their nutritional value and health-promoting properties. One example is oilcake, which are the residues from oilseed oil pressing. They can be raw materials for various food industries.
Due to their content of valuable biopolymers and bioactive components, one of the uses of oilcake (or pomace), proposed by scientists from the Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Olsztyn and the West Pomeranian University of Technology, could be to enrich baked goods for particular dietary purposes.
„Gluten-free baked products, compared to conventional bread, are characterized by lower quality due to unsatisfactory texture, bad taste, reduced nutritional value, and short shelf life. The need to improve their quality and enrich them with nutrients prompted us to study the potential of flaxseed cake, as a natural source of valuable protein, minerals, and antioxidants, in the context of improving the qualities of gluten-free bread.” – wrote the researchers in their latest publication, which appeared in the journal Molecules.
„People who go on a gluten-free diet for medically justified reasons (celiac disease, non-celiac gluten intolerance, wheat allergy, or gluten allergy) can only consume gluten-free products. This is because the elimination diet is the only effective therapeutic method in this case,” says the study’s lead author, dr. Urszula Krupa-Kozak in an interview with PAP. – Consumers on a gluten-free diet have the right to expect that the quality of gluten-free products available commercially, rolls, pastries, etc., will be similar to conventional products. However, this is difficult to achieve and poses a significant challenge for food technologists and manufacturers.”
„Younger children diagnosed with the gluten-dependent disease, who have to start therapy and switch to a gluten-free diet, have it a little easier because they have not yet become so accustomed to the taste of traditional bread (wheat, wheat-rye) and are not so attached to it. More difficult are adult patients who have established eating habits and preferences. They are often very disappointed with the taste, texture, and even appearance of these products.” – he adds.
That’s why she and her colleagues, dr. Krupa-Kozak is trying to develop gluten-free products in such a way as to improve their quality. „It is often significantly lower compared to gluten-containing counterparts. The elimination of this visco-elastic protein, which is important in bread technology, entails the need to look for substitutes. Therefore, ingredients that mimic the characteristics of gluten are often used, making it possible to impart the right dough texture and consistency to baked goods: hydrocolloids, gums, emulsifiers,” the specialist explains.
The latest study by a team from the Institute of Food and Agriculture of the Polish Academy of Sciences and the University of Science and Technology (ZUT) looked at flax seed cake’s use to enrich the gluten-free bread composition. With flaxseed cake extract, the scientists replaced water (from 25 to 100 percent of its original content).
„I have been involved in research for years on improving the quality of gluten-free baking products, among other things. Those commercially available are often low in dietary fiber, for being excessively sweet and fatty. This translates negatively into the quality of the diet and the health of a secret group of consumers. When developing new recipes, I use both naturally gluten-free raw materials and supplements, i.e., prebiotics, minerals, proteins of plant and animal origin,” she says. – tells the publication’s author.
She adds, „This year, I have established an interesting cooperation with dr. Łukasz Łopusiewicz from ZUT in Szczecin researches oilseed pomace daily. We managed to find a common denominator for our rather distant scientific interests, which resulted in the creation of an idea for an innovative gluten-free bread with linseed cake extract. Dr. Łopusiewicz shared his knowledge and experience on the method developed by his team to extract water extract from flaxseed cake.”
As dr. Krupa-Kozak explains, „The extraction above results in a product resembling flax 'milk.’ And it was this extract, rich in valuable substances, that we used to develop a new formula for gluten-free bread. The research included recipe development, pilot baking, and final product characterization, from nutritional evaluation, through analysis of various technological and functional parameters to sensory quality testing.”
„Along with flaxseed cake, we introduce numerous proteins and polysaccharides into the bread recipe, which are responsible, among other things, for the formation of the characteristic mucilage that we probably all associate with cooking flaxseed. In this case, they give the bread the desired cohesiveness, porosity, structure, or in a word, improve its technological properties.” – dr. Łukasz Łopusiewicz adds.
He explains that the same compounds are also responsible for improving the color of the bread (crust and flesh) and aroma. „The previously mentioned proteins and polysaccharides react with each other during baking. This results in forming compounds responsible for, among other things, the perception of aroma.” Meanwhile, both of these aspects are often as important to consumers as other characteristics of bread.
The researchers’ goals were twofold: first, to study what effect replacing part of the water with flaxseed „milk” would have on the technological parameters of the bread, and second, to increase the content of nutritional and bioactive compounds in the final product, which would have a potential nutraceutical effect on the human body.
„And this was successful,” says the Olsztyn scientist. – Proportionally to how much of the water we replaced with the maca extract, the content of protein and minerals, especially potassium and magnesium, increased. The use of flax 'millet’ had a particularly positive effect on the sensory quality of the bread, which we believe could enrich the daily diet of gluten-free bread consumers with both valuable nutrients and ingredients with health-promoting potential.”
Detailed analyses of the bread’s composition showed an increased nutritional profile (it contained more protein and much higher concentrations of essential minerals) and antioxidant properties.
Dr. Krupa-Kozak stresses that a highly favorable result would be an increase in the freshness of the bread. „The disadvantage of the gluten-free one is its crispness. It quickly loses its moisture content, and its crumb disintegrates,” she says. – Manufacturers are making efforts to improve its quality and slow the blackening, such as using packaging with a modified composition of the atmosphere inside to keep the tasty product longer.”
„We are currently investigating whether the addition of flax 'milk’ could affect extending the freshness of our bread. In addition, it will be interesting to test the microbiological stability of this product, that is, how quickly it goes moldy compared to bread without adding the cake extract.” – he adds.
For the time being, the team’s research from IARFR PAS and ZUT is in the pilot stage. „Already at this stage, we are delighted with the results obtained. So much so that we will continue the research perhaps using other oilcake, extracted from more 'exotic’ oil plants,” – dr. Krupa-Kozak says.
„After all, depending on the plant species, oilcake can contain very different macronutrients, antioxidants, and bioactive substances,” adds dr. Łopusiewicz.
The researcher recalls that, for the moment, oilseed plant extraction waste is practically not used in any way. The exceptions are rare cases of adding them to animal feed or using them for fuel.
„And their potential is enormous. My team and I have been running a project for a few years now, in which we are trying to use the extract (milk) mentioned here to make fermented vegan foods, such as yogurt and kefir or camembert-type cheese,” – he mentions.
„Our study presents an auspicious way to use the by-product, which, due to its high content of proteins, polysaccharides, minerals, and antioxidants, can significantly increase the value of gluten-free baked goods.” – Dr. Krupa-Kozak concludes.
Polish Journal of Food and Nutrition Sciences with a state grant
The scientific quarterly Polish Journal of Food and Nutrition Sciences has received funds from the Ministry of Education and Science Republic of Poland as a part of the program “Development of scientific journals” (project no. RCN/SP/0520/2021/1). The program aims at improving the level of publishing and editing practices, increasing the impact of scientific journals on science development, and extending the international range of scientific journals.
The financing is planned for 2022-2024 and amounts to 120,000 PLN.
Scientific and practical aspects of horse reproduction – conference
On February 23-25, 2023, the Walewice Horse Stud will host the 1st Conference entitled „Scientific and practical aspects of equine reproduction.” The Committee of Veterinary Sciences and Reproductive Biology of the Polish Academy of Sciences and the Polish Hippiatric Society have assumed scientific patronage of the event. One of the organizers of the conference is our Institute.
The conference’s main objective will be to exchange scientific and practical experience and integrate the community of researchers and practitioners: zootechnicians and veterinarians dealing with equine reproduction in Poland. The conference will be divided into two parts: scientific and practical.
The scientific discussion will focus on the genetic basis of equine reproduction, biotechniques and biotechnology of equine reproduction, and the physiology and pathology of these animals. Oral presentations and poster sessions are planned. The practical workshop is divided into theoretical and practical parts. Workshop participants will learn about various aspects of stallion reproduction with particular emphasis on issues related to semen collection and preparation for insemination.
The conference is organized by the Department of Reproductive Immunology and Pathology of the Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Olsztyn; the Department of Animal Reproduction, Anatomy and Genomics of the Agricultural University in Cracow; the Department of Reproduction with the Clinic of Farm Animals of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the Wrocław University of Life Sciences; and the Center for Equine Reproduction in Walewice.
More information on the Conference can be found on the website.
Prof. Agnieszka Wacławik recipient of the SRF Academic Scholarship
Prof. Agnieszka Wacławik from our Institute has been awarded the prestigious SRF Academic Scholarship by one of the world’s oldest scientific societies specializing in human and animal reproductive biology.
The Society for Reproduction and Fertility (SRF) has awarded prof. Agnieszka Wacławik from the Department of Mechanisms of Hormone Action, the SRF Academic Scholarship for Reproduction and Fertility. Prof. Wacławik received a grant to continue her research program on „Novel role for estradiol-17β in embryo-maternal crosstalk”.
The project’s goal will be to study the role of estradiol, an embryonic signal in the pig, in regulating the function of the cells from which the placenta develops – the embryonic trophoblast and endometrial cells. New signaling pathways involved in embryo implantation and placental development will be investigated.
The Society for Reproduction and Fertility is one of the oldest international scientific societies related to human and animal reproductive biology, dating back to the 1940s. The SRF organizes annual conferences and publishes the journals Reproduction and Reproduction & Fertility, among others.
For more information, visit the SRF website.
Innovative buffers will extend the shelf life of fish semen
Existing methods of storing fish semen are not perfect. Researchers at our institute, Dr. Radosław Kowalski and Agnieszka Brzyszcz, MSc., have developed special diluents that will significantly improve the process while protecting the sperm.
Climate change has led to the desynchronization of male and female spawning. It is now common for males to mature much earlier than females, hence the need for methods of storing the semen used for fertilization. Under the direction of Radosław Kowalski, Ph.D., researchers from our Institute have created special buffers for carp and trout that can improve this process. The project „Method of storing fish semen under production conditions” was carried out under the Innovation Incubator 4.0 program.
We asked Dr. Radoslaw Kowalski about the significance of his research and what it could change among fish farmers.
How is fish semen currently stored?
Dr. Radosław Kowalski: In hatchery practice, semen taken directly from the fish is stored in a container or bag with oxygen – such methods work well within hours of collection. Keeping undiluted semen risks declining quality immediately, as urine contamination is dangerous. Fish semen has the property that it is activated by low osmotic pressure so that it can be accidentally activated by urine. Long-term storage of semen with oxygen is also not good – our studies have shown that oxidative changes bring more harm than benefit.
What can be done to improve existing methods?
RK: We have developed special immobilizing liquids for storage. If, during sperm retrieval, it becomes contaminated with urine, sperm movement will not be activated after dilution in the immobilizing fluid. In the favorable environment created by the buffer, sperm „recharge their batteries,” that is, rebuild their energy reserve in the form of ATP, which positively affects their motility. Thanks to diluents, we can regenerate any sperm – from 0 to even 90% of mobile sperm.
Does such a method also work in the long run?
RK: When we store sperm in a buffer for a long time, about 5 percent of the resulting offspring develop into embryos with severe deformities, such as heart defects or other physiological changes… It turned out that sperm stored for a long time had oxidative changes in DNA (at the level of the epigenome) that caused permanent genetic changes. Old sperm can be responsible for lower-quality offspring, as we see throughout the natural world.
Can this cellular aging be stopped?
RK: As part of the Innovation Incubator 4.0 project, we used antioxidant additives to protect sperm from oxidative changes within the genetic material. We used three different antioxidants and observed how they worked – vitamin E was the best. We studied two species of the most popular fish in Poland – carp and rainbow trout. These are two extreme examples – trout is a cold-loving fish, and carp is warm-loving. Trout have spermatozoa resistant to oxidative changes in the genome due to the presence of protamines as chromatin-stabilizing proteins. Carp spermatozoa are more sensitive to these changes because their genome is stabilized by histones, which are less efficient at packing DNA.
Our study compared the differences in sperm quality and motility after a designated storage period – in trout for a month and carp two weeks after harvesting. We also analyzed the quality of offspring obtained from fertilization using semen stored in this way. In both cases, we used mixtures of antioxidants, and vitamin E performed best.
What else is in the buffers?
RK: The composition of the buffers was patented back in 2014. I can’t reveal the concentrations of antioxidants, but the basic composition of the buffers itself is public. The most critical substances are sodium and potassium. There is also magnesium, calcium, and a pH stabilizer. In addition, we were the first in the world to enrich the composition of buffers with thickening polysaccharides (alginates, carrageenans, and xanthans), which prevents gravitational sedimentation of sperm and their consequent sinking to the bottom of the containers. Sedimentation is a process by which, after just 48 hours, more than 90% of sperm can be permanently damaged.
Can the composition of buffers be further improved?
RK: Antioxidants of natural origin change their color under different pH. My research goal is to create additives that indicate changes in pH by color. I want to develop a buffer that, on the one hand, would protect sperm and, on the other hand, through its color, would show how advanced the aging changes of sperm are. Such a solution would make life much easier for fish breeders, who could tell from the color changes whether or not to use a given sperm.
