The aim of the study was to present a comprehensive characterisation of crayfish meat, which is crucial to assess its potential usefulness in the food industry. To this end, we assessed the yield, basic chemical composition (protein, fat, minerals), nutritional value (amino acid and fatty acid profiles, essential amino acid index (EAAI), chemical score of essential amino acids (CS), hypocholesterolaemic/hypercholesterolaemic ratio (h/H), atherogenicity (AI) and thrombogenicity (TI) indices), as well as culinary value (lab colour, texture, sensory characteristics, structure) of the meat of spiny-cheek crayfish (Faxonius limosus) (n = 226) from Lake Sominko (Poland) harvested in May–September 2017. Crayfish meat, especially that from the abdomen, was shown to have high nutritional parameters. It is lean (0.26% of fat), with a favourable fatty acid profile and a very high quality of fat (PUFA (sum of polyunsaturated fatty acids):SFA (sum of saturated fatty acids), n-6/n-3, h/H, AI, TI) and protein (high CS and EAAI). It is also a better source of Ca, K, Mg, Na, P, and Cu than meat from slaughter animals. Hence, crayfish meat can be an alternative to livestock meat in the human diet. Owing to its culinary value (delicateness, weak game flavour, and odour), it meets the requirements of the most demanding consumers, i.e., children and older people.

Cannabis sativa (hemp) is a plant considered to be abundant in bioactive compounds. The increasing production of hemp oil is leaving considerable amounts of hemp press cakes (HPC), which have not been sufficiently managed so far. One of the directions of development of plant-based food is the use of by-products of the agri-food industry in accordance with the idea of zero waste and the circular economy, so the purpose of this study was to determine the possibility of HPC fermentation using yogurt and kefir cultures and to determine the effect of the type of starter on the properties of the products. In the present study, starter cultures of yogurt (YO 122) and kefir (commercial grains) were used for HPC fermentation. Changes in lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and yeast population, pH, acidity, the content of bioactive compounds by spectrophotometric methods (proteins, amino acids, polyphenols, flavonoids, reducing sugars) and antioxidant activity (DDPH, ABTS, FRAP and reducing power) were determined. The results showed that it was possible to develop high-value beverages based on HPC with high fermentation efficiency: survivability of LAB and yeast (>10⁶ CFU/g) and acidification (pH in a range of 4.82–6.36 and 5.34–6.49 for yogurt and kefir culture, respectively). Moreover, the stability of hemp protein, with its variable free amino acid composition, antioxidant potential and presented changes in polyphenolic content, was observed during storage. The presented results show a new way to manage HPC as an oil industry residue by using it as a raw material for the development of a bioactive food product and illustrate the relationship between applied starter culture, the direction of fermentation and changes in the content of bioactive compounds.

In recent years, there has been a growing interest from the food industry in new products that are increasingly desired by consumers because of the functional ingredients they contain. This category certainly includes fermented plant-based beverages, which combine the properties of plant substrates with the beneficial effects of fermentation on human health. In our study, two trial variants containing 20% and 30% black cumin (Nigella sativa L.) seed press cake (BCPC) were inoculated with kefir grain cultures and then incubated at 25 °C for 24 h. The resulting beverages were stored under refrigeration (6 °C) for 28 days. During storage, pH, total free amino acids, reducing sugars, changes in the microbial population, viscosity, textural parameters, and color were measured on days 1, 5, 7, 14, 21, and 28. Throughout the storage period, the number of lactic acid bacteria, as well as yeasts, exceeded the recommended minimum level. Numerous changes in product parameters were observed in the tested beverages as a result of fermentation compared to non-fermented products. This study indicates the possibility of using BCPC as a valuable matrix for the production of a functional kefir-like beverage.

Spray-drying is one of the most popular techniques in the food industry for converting liquid material from a fluid state into a form of dried particles to produce encapsulated or instant products. Instant products are considered as convenient foods; moreover, the goal of encapsulation is to close the bioactive compounds in a shell, preventing them from being affected by environmental factors. The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of spray-drying conditions, in particular three inlet temperatures, on the physicochemical and antioxidant properties of powders obtained from Camelina Press Cake Extract (CPE). The CPE was spray-dried at 140 °C, 160 °C and 180 °C. The solubility, Carr and Hausner Indexes, tapped densities and water activity of the powders were analyzed. The structural changes were also detected using FTIR spectroscopy. Additionally, the characteristics of the initial and reconstituted samples and their rheological properties were evaluated. The antioxidant potential, total polyphenols and flavonoids content, free amino acids, and the Maillard reaction products contents in the spray-dried powders were also evaluated. The results indicate a cascade of changes between the initial and reconstituted samples, and important changes in the bioactive potential of samples. The inlet temperature significantly influenced the solubility, flowability and particle sizes of the powders, as well as Maillard products formation. The results of the rheological measurements illustrate the changes after the reconstitution of extracts. This study indicates the optimal parameters of CPE spray-drying, those that yield favorable physicochemical and functional values, which may open up a promising path for CPE valorization, indicating its potential and the possibilities of its use.

In recent years, there has been increasing consumer interest and research into plant-based dairy alternatives, due to the increasingly negative impact of animal products on human health, animal welfare, and the environment. The purpose of this study was to investigate the physicochemical and microbiological changes in a Camembert alternative based on the seeds of sweet lupine (Lupinus angustifolius L cv. ‘Boregine’). After heat treatment and homogenization, the seeds were incubated with lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and Penicillium camemberti mold. After fermentation at room temperature, the samples were stored at 12 °C for 14 days, and then ripened until day 49 at 6 °C. Changes in microbial population, acidity, texture, content of polyphenols, flavonoids, reducing sugars, and free amino acids were monitored. In addition, the antioxidant capacity of the samples during ripening was determined. The results showed that LAB and fungi were able to grow well in the lupine matrix. Initially, a decrease in pH was observed, while in the further stages of ripening, alkalization of the product linked with progressive proteolysis associated with an increase in free amino acid content was noted. Hydrolysis of polysaccharides and an increase in antioxidant activity were observed. This indicates the potential of lupine seeds as a raw material for the development of a new group of plant-based ripened cheese alternatives.

Native to the Gulf of Mexico, Gulf wedge clam (Rangia cuneata) has been successfully invading Baltic Sea since first introduction with ballast waters in 2010. In this study, we report new occurrence sites in the Pomeranian Bay and in the brackish water of the Szczecin Lagoon. We aimed to describe the structure and stability of the new population of Gulf wedge clam using ecological indicators (i.e. condition index, length-at-age) and a molecular approach targeting first cytochrome oxidase subunit (COX1) fragments. The study showed an age structure dominated by adult clams (aged 4+), rather than the often reported juveniles. We found that the condition of the R. cuneata population in the Pomeranian Bay is characteristic of the expansion model after bottleneck. Genetic analyses indicated low nucleotide (π = 0.00387 ± 0.00012) and haplotype (h = 0.79 ± 0.018) diversity. A haplotype network inferred by a median-joining method showed lack of haplotype H6 (Chesapeake Bay, NW Atlantic) and numerous individuals with haplotype H1 (Gulf of Mexico). Demographic parameters (non-significant Tajima’s D = 2.058, Fu’s Fs = 2.298, Fu and Li’s D* = 1.195, and significant Fu and Li’s F test = 1.757) suggested that the population underwent a moderate population bottleneck, while analysis of mismatch distribution showed a bimodal shape which may imply population admixture as a consequence of “allelic surfing”. Moreover, we concluded that R. cuneata has successfully invaded the basin of the LNG terminal, although our study proved non-linear growth of this species.