The increase of milk and cheeses consumption belongs to the key problems of food and nutrition policy worldwide, because the consumption of these products has the irreplaceable health benefit. The main aim of the workshop is to discuss the possibility of increasing the consumption of milk and cheeses with special attention paid to the consumers in order to find products which are for them in every way satisfactory in the market. To increase consumption and popularity of milk and milk products we have to know and understand socio-economic and qualitative factors affecting the production and consumption of milk and cheese. There is a place to discuss microbiological and sensory aspects of milk quality as well as all external product and marketing features. Experiences from using various research techniques will be discussed and compared to in order to show how they contribute to discovering rational and emotional feelings and reactions of consumer, all together leading to understanding purchasing and consumer behaviour on milk and milk products market. Partial attention will be devoted to intercultural studies and perception of symbols as external product features.

Statement of the problem: Memantine hydrochloride is an N-Methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist and approved for treatment of moderate to severe Alzheimer’s disease. It is compulsory for the generic product of memantine hydrochloride to conduct the bioequivalence study. Bioequivalence studies are important to compare the systemic exposure profile of a test product to that of a reference product. This study was performed to investigate the pharmacokinetics and bioavailability of two memantine hydrochloride film coated tablet formulations in order to prove bioequivalence between the two formulations.

Methods: The study was a single dose, open label, randomized, two way cross over in 19 healthy subjects under fasting condition. The wash out period was five weeks. Blood samples were obtained prior to dosing and at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 16, 24, 36, 48 and 72 hours after drug administration. Plasma concentration of memantine HCl was monitored using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. The pharmacokinetics parameter AUC 0-24 h and Cmax were tested for bioequivalence after log transformation of data and ratios of Tmax were evaluated non parametrically. Result: the point estimates and 90% confidence interval for AUC 0-72 h and Cmax were 97.43 to 104.13% and 97.15 to 105.96% respectively.  Conclusion: The results indicate that two formulations of memantine  HCl were bioequivalent thus may be prescribed interchangeably. 

TBA

In Ukraine, the choice of OTC-drug in case of relief of particular non-dangerous symptoms is regulated by the Order of the Ministry of Health No. 283 "About approval of the list of medicines permitted for use in Ukraine, which are dispensed without prescriptions from pharmacies and their structural units" and Order No. 875 "About approval of the Standards for the pharmacist ". However, there are only lists of recommended medicines, without any indications of their interchangeability and quality in the both documents. In this issue a reference book "Rx-index: a guide to the equivalence of medicines" is a good argument to Ukrainian pharmacists. The authors describe the characteristics of medicines from the point of view of the therapeutic (bio-) equivalence code. Information about the drugs, registered in Ukraine at the time of publication, according to the ATC classification, complete list of analogues with the indication of the manufacturer, dose and dosage forms, main indications and contraindications, information about the therapeutic equivalence, short and sufficient information for the prescribing are presented in this book. For a generic replacement, the pharmacist is recommended to choose preparations having the same composition, the same dosage form and code A (products, registered on the base of full dossier, including innovative medicines), B (products, the effectiveness of which was proved by bioequivalence research) or B1 (products, the equivalence of which is not subject to proof or proved by the dissolution test (biowaver). Thus, in Ukraine today there is a source of reliable information about the quality of the studies performed during the registration of drugs, which will help any pharmacist to perform correct generic replacement or qualitative pharmaceutical care.

Millet is a general word used to refer to a wide range of small-seeded annual grasses, which have been grown for thousands of years in different parts of the world. They are still the main source of food and nutrition in some countries in Africa and Asia. Millet seeds are rich in oil and contain essential fatty acids and essential amino acids as well as a number of minerals. We have been formulating nanocarrier systems employing proso millet protein and different tocopherol homologues for the nanoencapsulation of hydrophobic compounds. These formulations possess added nutritional value, are cost-effective and are able to increase the bioavailability of the encapsulated material.  Proso millet protein was extracted by either wet milling or ethanol and then used as the wall material together with tocopherol homologues to encapsulate curcumin and omega fatty acids. The formulated nanocarrier systems depicted spherical morphologies and had diameters in the range of 180–240nm and polydispersity index (PdI) around 0.2–0.3. The entrapment efficiency for omega fatty acids ranged from 47.5% to 68.5% and for curcumin ranged from 34.0% to 56.5%. It was observed that millet protein extracted by ethanol exhibited better performance than that extracted by the wet milling process. The encapsulated omega fatty acids and curcumin exhibited a lower degradation rate than corresponding free compounds at 60°C. The encapsulation showed no negative effect on the antioxidant activity of curcumin as assessed by the DPPH and ABTS assays. In conclusion, results of the present study suggest that the composite nanocarrier systems formulated using millet protein and different tocopherol homologues have great potential for the nanoencapsulation of lipophilic compounds and can increase the bioavailability of food compounds significantly

Fermentation is one of the oldest methods for the preservation of food. It has the advantage of being generally regarded as safe (GRAS) and offer immense opportunities for production of novel products which can be classified as “organic foods”, “natural foods”, “health foods”, “functional foods”, and foods for clinical nutrition. Production of food products such as wine, beer, bread, yogurt, cheese and pickle by fermentation constitutes most ancient technologies develop by man to improve the quality and storage life of food materials from time immemorial. The art of fermentation practiced by common man continue in spite of scientific and technology revolution but largely remained confined to rural or tribal areas due to high cost of inaccessibility of the industry made products in remote areas, taste of the people for the traditional fermented products and finally, there socio cultural linkages with such products. In western Himalayan regions the traditional fermented beverages form an important constituent of stable diet of the people. The traditional methods of preparing Indigenous beverages are simple and inexpensive. India has a rich knowledge of traditional fermented beverages prepared from milk (dahin, butter milk, lassi) and fruits. In North western Himalayan region especially Himachal Pradesh different traditional beverages are still being prepared and those include likarak/ghanti prepared using chulli, apple, pear etc., angoori, Lungri, and sur. Traditional starter cultures like Malera and Treh are used as starter culture inoculums in making these fermented beverages. However, in some of the products natural microflora is also used as a source of inoculum. Further, the ancient methods of making such foods are changing rapidly through modern microbiology. In recent years much interest has been generated in foods of Asian and African countries including India where such foods being manufactured according to the traditional but technologically  less advanced methods at cottage scale by means of natural micro flora. So, in present review an attempt has been made to present the available information on different aspects of the traditional beverages. Marrying modern science with traditional food products is a vital necessity for the future of these nutritionally rich fermented food products.

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry (MS) has become a rapid tool for microbial identification of food and beverages. The aim of the study was to evaluate microbiological quality of raw cow milk produced in Slovakia. Additionally, 35 raw cow milk samples from the western and middle Slovak producers were collected (Banovce nad Bebravou, Liptovsky Mikulas, Cerveny Kamen, Vazec). Samples were collected in sterilized sample containers and brought to laboratory with icebox for microbiological investigation. Samples were kept in a refrigerator (4±1°C) until the testing began.  The total count of bacteria, coliforms, enterococci, lactic acid bacteria and microscopic filamentous fungi were detected in raw cow milk samples. Total numbers of bacteria were cultured on Plate count agar at 37 °C for 24-48 h, aerobically; enterococci were cultured on Enterococcus selective agar at 37 °C for 24-48 h, aerobically; coliforms bacteria were cultured on Violet Red Bile lactose agar at 37 °C for 24-48 h. The LAB were cultured on MRS (Main Rogosa agar), MSE and APT agar at 30 °C, microaerophilic. The microscopic fungi and yeasts were cultured on Malt extract agar at 25 °C for 5 days, aerobically. Isolated strains (total 220) were subjected to identification by the MALDI-TOF MS profiling. Typical bacterial colonies were selected for identification with MALDI-TOF MS Biotyper. In group of lactic acid bacteria three genera were identified: Lactococcus and Leuconostoc. Lactobacillus spp. was the most abundant genus, which was found in 35, Leuconostoc in 20 and Lactococcus in 15 samples. Lactobacillus was mostly represented with Lactobacillus plantarum, L. garvieae and L. acidophilus. Another bacterial isolates included Gram-positive and Gram-negative Citrobacter youngae, Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli, Ewingella americana, Klebsiella oxytoca, Lelliottia amnigena, Raoultella ornithinolytica and others. Our study shows that MALDI-TOF MS could serve as an important method for identifying microorganisms for dairy industry needs.

Micronutrient deficiencies is responsible for an estimated 1.1 million of the 3.1 million child deaths that occur each year as a result of under nutrition. Malnutrition is particularly prevalent in Sub-Saharan Africa requiring urgent intervention through a sustainable integrated innovation. This work investigates the effect of thaumatin in formulated nutritional drink and snack on the nutritional status of Wistar rats. Cocoa, Moringa and composite flour in combination with Thaumatin isolated from the West African Thaumatococcus danielli as an organic sweetener.

Cocoa powder and Moringa leaf powder were locally sourced from organically grown farms in South Western Nigeria. Thaumatin was isolated from the fruit obtained from Thaumatococcus danielli collected from the wild. Isolation of Thaumatin protein was carried out in accordance with standard procedure. Twelve Wistar rats of an average weight of 120 g, were acclimatized for one week then subjected to the specially formulated organic drinks and snacks

The results revealed a significant (p≤0.05) increase in vitamin A (37.55. ±0.821), calcium value (26.45±0.821), zinc (3.83±0.314), iron (28.38±1.20) and iodine value of 1.49±0.62 for group one and group two values are Vitamin A (36.10+0.65), calcium value (26.83+0.38), Zinc (4.10+0.341), iron (29.08+ 1.11) and iodine value of 1.49+0.49 for group two while group three which is the control has micronutrient value of Vitamin A (27.08+0.51), calcium value (19.15+0.60), zinc (1.87+0.30), iron (20.40+0.91) and iodine value of 1.05+0.037.  Based on the Results of this study suggest that formulated drinks and snacks from cocoa, Moringa and Thaumatin protein produced a significant effect on the growth and micro nutrient levels of the experimental rats and thus hold potentials in combatting hidden hunger and malnutrition.

Coccidiosis is the result of the cooperation of a prokaryotic (Clostridium perfringens) and of a eukaryotic (Eimeria tenella) pathogen. Objective: in vivo tests on the efficacy of the bio-preparation Xenofood, (active on both pathogens in vitro), on C. perfringens colony forming units (CFU). Methods: Xenofood is a mixture of an autoclaved, mid-stationary phase culture of Xenorhabdus budapestensis and X. szentirmaii grown in conventional “starter” and “grower” chicken food. The thermo-stability, and the trypsin and pepsin resistance of the antimicrobials were determined.  1-day old (Ross) broiler cockerels were kept on a Xenofood diet for 42 days. Body weights were measured daily, and growth and food conversion rates were monitored for 24-d. Results: Antimicrobial compounds were heat-stable, and trypsin and pepsin resistant. No chickens died. No significant differences either in growth, or in food conversion rates between the control and Xenofood-fed groups were detected.  The larger bursa, and smaller spleen weights indirectly indicated an elevated humoral immune activity. The number of CFU in Xenofood-fed birds significantly decreased. Conclusions: The arguments for and against Xenofood as an anticoccidial tool should be taken into considerations. The cell-free cultures of X. budapestensis and X. szentirmaii exerted strong antimicrobial effects on C. perfringens, and an anticoccidial effect on E. tenella in previous in vitro tests, but also exerted cytotoxic effects on permanent chicken liver (LMH) cells in vitro. Xenofood proved gastrointestinal active without any adverse effects, suggesting that oral application was efficient to reduce C. perfringens CFU without any detectable sign of biohazard.