Gheorghe Gutt

Multi-element composition of honey as a suitable tool for its authenticity analysis.

Abstract The aim of this study was to evaluate the composition of 36 honey samples of 4 different botanical origins (acacia, sun flower, tilia and honeydew) from the North East region of Romania. An inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) method was used to determine 27 elements in honey (Ag, Al, As, Ba, Be, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cs, Cu, Fe, Ga, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, Pb, Rb, Se, Sr, Tl, U, V and Zn). We would like to achieve the following goal: to demonstrate that the qualitative and quantitative multi-element composition determination of honey can be used as a suitable tool to classify honey according to its botanical origin. The principal component analysis allowed the reduction of the 27 variables to 2 principal components which explained 74% of the total variance. The dominant elements which were strongly associated with the principal component were K, Mg and Ca. Discriminant models obtained for each kind of botanical honey confirmed that the differentiation of honeys according to their botanical origin was mainly based on multi-element composition. A correct classification of all samples was achieved with the exception of 11.1% of honeydew honeys.

Chemical composition and temperature influence on the rheological behaviour of honeys

The purpose of this work was to examine the viscoelastic properties of Spanish honeys with various sugar contents [fructose (32–42 g/100 g honey), glucose (24–35 g/100 g honey), sucrose (0.0–3.4 g/100 g honey)]; concentrations (79–83 °Brix), and moisture levels (16–19 g/100 g honey) at different temperatures (5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, and 40°C). Honey showed Newtonian behaviour, presenting a highly viscous part (loss modulus was much greater than the elastic modulus). The loss modulus (G″) and viscosity increased with moisture content and a decrease with temperature. Exponential and power law models were applied to fit loss modulus and viscosity data. Polynomial models were proposed to describe the combined effect of temperature, fructose, glucose, sucrose content, other sugars, non-sugar substance, and moisture content.

Classification of unifloral honeys using multivariate analysis

The aim of this study was to investigate the physicochemical properties (moisture content, conductivity, 5-HMF, fructose, glucose, L*, a* and b* color parameters) and volatile compounds of Romanian honeys. According to the melissopalynological analysis, the honey samples were of the following botanical origins: acacia, sunflower and tilia. Liquid–liquid extraction followed by GC-MS analysis was used to study the volatile fraction. The volatile compounds of the three types of honeys are given by a total number of forty-five compounds of different chemical groups (aldehydes, alcohols, acids, ketones, organo-sulphur compounds, terpenes, hydrocarbons, esters and furan compounds). The physicochemical properties and volatile compounds data of the fifty samples analyzed were subjected to cluster analysis (CA), principal component analysis (PCA) and stepwise discriminant analysis (SDA). The classification of honeys according to their botanical and geographical origin was made using the physicochemical properties and volatile compounds with percentages higher than 80%.

Patulin in apple juices from the Romanian market

The aim of this study was to determine patulin levels in apple-based juices from the Romanian market and to establish a health risk assessment. For this purpose, 50 samples of apple-based juices have been purchased from the Romanian market. Aliquots were extracted by liquid–liquid extraction using ethyl acetate, analysed and quantified using a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method. The patulin level in the apple juices from Romania ranged between <0.7 μg/l and 101.9 μg/l. In 6% of the 50 samples analysed, the maximum limit for patulin as set by the European Union (50 μg/l) was exceeded.

Acrylamide in Romanian food using HPLC-UV and a health risk assessment

The aim of this study was to investigate the level of acrylamide from coffee, potato chips and French fries in Romanian food. According to the European Food Safety Authority, coffee beans, potato chips and French fries have the highest levels of acrylamide. For this survey, 50 samples of coffee beans, 50 samples of potato chips and 25 samples of French fries were purchased from different producers from the Romanian market. Acrylamide levels have been quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography with a diode array detector (HPLC-DAD) method, using water as mobile phase. Health risk assessment was achieved by computing the average daily intake, hazard quotient, cumulative risk, carcinogenic risk and cancer risk. For coffee, potato chips and French fries, acrylamide was not shown to pose a health risk in Romanian food.

Evaluation of strawberry texture in close relation with their anisotropy

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to determine the anisotropy of three strawberry varieties (Coral, Darselect, and Elsanta) related to texture profile analysis and texture parameters of creep curves. Color and physico-chemical properties were determined and a correlation was established with texture properties. The texture parameters were negatively related with moisture content, whereas the coefficient of anisotropy showed a significant positive correlation with hardness and texture parameters of creep curves (p < 0.01). The Darselect variety in different stages of ripeness (nearly ripe, ripe, and over ripe) showed the highest coefficient of anisotropy, the highest hardness, and simultaneously, a greater resistance to mechanical stress.

Study on toxic metal levels in commercial marine organisms from Romanian market

Abstract The goal of this study was to analyze the content of heavy metals in fish, shellfish, molluscs cephalopods on the Romanian market. We have analyzed heavy metals traces in sixteen marine organisms species. Analyses of heavy metal traces were done with mass spectrometer with inductively coupled plasma- ICP-MS, Agilent Technologies 7500 Series. Among the elements identified it was analyzed the content of Cd, Hg, Pb, metals with high toxicity to the human body, and the obtained values were interpreted in accordance with Commission Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006 concerning the maximum allowable quantity per kg wet product and Provisional Tolerated Weekly Intake (PTWI) established by the Joint Committee experts WHO / FAO. The risk assessment performed indicated that marine organisms were safe for the consumer except the four species that cadmium content may be exceeded for a regular or excessive consumption.