Natalija Ursulin-Trstenjak

Prof. Dr. Natalija Ursulin-Trstenjak

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Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

10Years (2017-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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21 December 2017 in Journal of Food Quality
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NUNatalija Ursulin-Trstenjak
Natalija Ursulin-Trstenjak
DPDinko Puntarić
Dinko Puntarić
DLDavor Levanić
Davor Levanić
VGVlatka Gvozdić
Vlatka Gvozdić
ŽPŽeljka Pavlek
Željka Pavlek
MVMarina Vidosavljević
Marina Vidosavljević
The aim of the study was to investigate health safety and quality of the Croatian acacia honey, the selected elements in the soil, and whether multivariate methods can provide identification of the origin of honey. The study included 200 acacia honey samples and 100 soil samples from East, Northwest Croatia, and Istria. The proportion of acacia in honey was determined by conducting pollen analysis. Water, free acids, electric conductivity, reducing sugars, saccharose, diastase, and HMF were determined. No significant differences were found using Kruskal-Wallis test regarding the physicochemical parameters (p=0.9190), the mineral content of honey (p=0.8955), or the mineral composition of the soil (p=0.8789). No significant correlation was found between the analyzed elements in honey and soil. Multivariate methods indicated that East Croatia honey samples have higher concentrations of water, HMF, and higher concentrations of measured elements, except for Al. Honey samples from Northwest Croatia are characterized by low concentrations of elements and a higher concentration of saccharose. The Istria samples are richer in reducing sugars, free acids, diastase, higher conductivity, higher content of the acacia pollen grains, and lower concentrations of most metals. Honey from Northwest Croatia and Istria shares the high concentration of Al in honey.

14 October 2025 in Applied Sciences
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NBNina Puhač Bogadi
Nina Puhač Bogadi
NUNatalija Ursulin-Trstenjak
Natalija Ursulin-Trstenjak
BSBojan Sarkanj
Bojan Sarkanj
IŠIvana Dodlek Šarkanj
Ivana Dodlek Šarkanj
The malicious contamination of food has been recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a real and current threat that must be integrated into food safety systems to ensure preparedness for deliberate attacks. Traditional approaches, such as HACCP, effectively address unintentional hazards but remain insufficient against intentional contamination and sabotage. Food defense frameworks such as HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points), VACCP (Vulnerability Assessment and Critical Control Points), and TACCP (Threat Assessment and Critical Control Points) represent complementary methodologies, addressing unintentional, economically motivated, and deliberate threats, respectively. This review critically examines food defense frameworks across the European Union, the United States, and the United Kingdom, as well as standards benchmarked by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI), drawing on peer-reviewed and grey literature sources. In the United States, the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) mandates the development and periodic reassessment of food defense plans, while the European Union primarily relies on general food law and voluntary certification schemes. The United Kingdom’s PAS 96:2017 standard provides TACCP-based guidance that also acknowledges cybercrime as a deliberate threat. Building on these regulatory and operational gaps, this paper proposes the Cyber-FSMS model, an integrated framework that combines traditional food defense pillars with cyber risk management to address cyber–physical vulnerabilities in increasingly digitalized supply chains. The model introduces six interconnected components (governance, vulnerability assessment, mitigation, monitoring, verification, and recovery) designed to embed cyber-resilience into Food Safety Management Systems (FSMS). Priority actions include regulatory harmonization, practical support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and the alignment of cyber-resilience principles with upcoming GFSI benchmarking developments, thereby strengthening the integrity, robustness, and adaptability of global food supply chains.

1 January 2022 in Ekonomski izazovi
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ADAldin Dugonjić
Aldin Dugonjić
NUNatalija Ursulin-Trstenjak
Natalija Ursulin-Trstenjak
According to the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), sustainable tourism is defined: "as tourism that fully takes into account current and future economic, social and environmental effects, addressing the needs of visitors, sectors, the environment and destinations". It is well known that halal tourism occupies an increasingly important place in the overall tourist traffic, while on the other hand, increasing attention in the world is paid to sustainable tourism. In this paper, we analyze the development of halal tourism and sustainable tourism, their similarities and differences, ie does sustainable tourism also mean halal tourism. Halal tourism is a tourist offer primarily intended for muslims, in which at least two conditions must be met, namely the possibility of performing prayers and halal food.

9 October 2021 in Foods
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NUNatalija Ursulin-Trstenjak
Natalija Ursulin-Trstenjak
IŠIvana Dodlek Šarkanj
Ivana Dodlek Šarkanj
MSMelita Sajko
Melita Sajko
DVDavid Vitez
David Vitez
IŽIvana Živoder
Ivana Živoder
Nutritional status is a series of related parameters collected using different available methods. In order to determine the nutritional status of elderly populations and ensure nutritional support based on an individual approach, the implementation of the increasingly used foodomics approach is available; this approach plays a key role in personalized diets and in the optimization of diets for a population group, such as an elderly population. The Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) method and the Nottingham Screening Tool (NST) form were used on 50 users in a home for the elderly in northwest Croatia. A loss of body mass (BM) was statistically significantly higher for those who had the following: decreased food intake in the last week and users who had complete and partial feeding autonomy. Additionally, the obtained data on drug intake, fluid, individual nutrients, and physical activity are based on an individual approach. The available documentation provides insight into nutritional values and food preparation in an attempt to satisfy a holistic approach in the evaluation of exposure while trying to achieve as many elements of foodomics as possible.

2 March 2025 in Nutrients
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NUNatalija Ursulin-Trstenjak
Natalija Ursulin-Trstenjak
DPDamir Poljak
Damir Poljak
BSBojan Sarkanj
Bojan Sarkanj
MSMelita Sajko
Melita Sajko
IŠIvana Dodlek Šarkanj
Ivana Dodlek Šarkanj
Background: Nutritional support through oral nutritional supplements (ONSs) is important for patients. It leads to improved nutritional intake and better clinical and economic outcomes. Objectives: The problem that often accompanies the use of ONSs is their consumption below the optimal prescribed doses. One of the reasons for this is patient education on the importance of ONS intake. This study investigated hospitalized patients and focused on the impact that educational sources have on ONS intake. It also investigated patient compliance with the intake of the prescribed dose, and the time of initiation and discontinuation of ONS consumption. Methods: A qualitative survey using an anonymous questionnaire was conducted on 120 hospital patients across three locations in the Republic of Croatia: Varaždin General Hospital, the Special Hospital for Chronic Diseases in Novi Marof, and the hospital for lung diseases and tuberculosis in Klenovnik. Data were collected by independent nurses and analyzed using appropriate statistical tests, including Shapiro–Wilk, Levene, Mann–Whitney, and χ2 tests. Results: There is a statistically significant difference between compliance with the intake at home and the source of information on how to consume ONSs (p = 0.003). There is also a statistically significant difference between compliance with intake at home and the initiation of ONS consumption (p = 0.000) with a key time of six months (half a year) when most of them give up. Conclusions: Only 47.95% complied with the recommended dose of ONS intake at home who received the information from a nurse, if we look at the information source. There is a clear need to change patient education by developing a standardized form and tools accessible to patients. After six months, most patients discontinue ONS consumption. Further research is necessary to determine whether a medical specialist is the reason for discontinuation, or whether discontinuation happened due to insufficient education on the importance of ONS intake.

26 June 2024 in Toxins
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IŠIvana Dodlek Šarkanj
Ivana Dodlek Šarkanj
NVNada Vahcic
Nada Vahcic
KMKsenija Markov
Ksenija Markov
JHJosip Haramija
Josip Haramija
NUNatalija Ursulin-Trstenjak
Natalija Ursulin-Trstenjak
BSBojan Sarkanj
Bojan Sarkanj
The presence of mycotoxins and other toxic metabolites in hops (Humulus lupulus L.) was assessed for the first time. In total, 62 hop samples were sampled in craft breweries, and analyzed by a multi-toxin LS-MS/MS method. The study collected samples from craft breweries in all of the Croatian counties and statistically compared the results. Based on previous reports on Alternaria spp. and Fusarium spp. contamination of hops, the study confirmed the contamination of hops with these toxins. Alternaria toxins, particularly tenuazonic acid, were found in all tested samples, while Fusarium toxins, including deoxynivalenol, were present in 98% of samples. However, no Aspergillus or Penicillium metabolites were detected, indicating proper storage conditions. In addition to the Alternaria and Fusarium toxins, abscisic acid, a drought stress indicator in hops, was also detected, as well as several unspecific metabolites. The findings suggest the need for monitoring, risk assessment, and potential regulation of Alternaria and Fusarium toxins in hops to ensure the safety of hop usage in the brewing and pharmaceutical industries. Also, four local wild varieties were tested, with similar results to the commercial varieties for toxin contamination, but the statistically significant regional differences in toxin occurrence highlight the importance and need for targeted monitoring.