Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive brain disease that is becoming a major health problem in today’s world due to the aging population. Despite it being widely known that diet has a significant impact on the prevention and progression of Alzheimer’s disease, the literature data are still scarce and controversial. The application of the principles of rational nutrition for the elderly is suggested for Alzheimer’s disease. The diet should be rich in neuroprotective nutrients, i.e., antioxidants, B vitamins, and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Some studies suggest that diets such as the Mediterranean diet, the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet, and the MIND (Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay) diet have a beneficial effect on the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

Flavonoids, a ubiquitous group of naturally occurring polyphenolic compounds, have recently gained importance as anticancer agents. Unfortunately, due to low solubility, absorption, and rapid metabolism of dietary flavonoids, their anticancer potential is not sufficient. Nanocarriers can improve the bioavailability of flavonoids. In this review we aimed to evaluate studies on the anticancer activity of flavonoid nanoparticles. A review of English language articles published until 30 June 2020 was conducted, using PubMed (including MEDLINE), CINAHL Plus, Cochrane, and Web of Science data. Most studies determining the anticancer properties of flavonoid nanoparticles are preclinical. The potential anticancer activity focuses mainly on MCF-7 breast cancer cells, A549 lung cancer cells, HepG2 liver cancer cells, and melanoma cells. The flavonoid nanoparticles can also support the anti-tumour effect of drugs used in cancer therapy by enhancing the anti-tumour effect or reducing the systemic toxicity of drugs.

The study determines the antioxidant properties of methanol vegetable extracts from raw vegetables, conventionally cooked vegetables and sous-vide. In the research, two methods were used: free radical scavenging DPPH (µM Trolox) and the reduction of Fe3+to Fe2+ - FRAP (µM Fe2+). Antioxidative properties for raw vegetables were obtained with the range of 7.47-235 (µM Trolox/100g of vegetables) and 2.66-103 (µM Fe2+/100g of vegetables), for vegetables after the conventional cooking process 6.15-657 (µM Trolox/100g of vegetables) and 3.03-99.9 (µM Fe2+/100g of vegetables), for vegetables after the sous-vide process 4.45-648 (µM Trolox/100g of vegetables) and 3.06-99.9 (µM Fe2+/100g of vegetables). For some vegetables, an increase in the antioxidative potential was observed as a result of cooking processes; however, it was much higher for the sous-vide technique. All results were subjected to a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and, if significant differences were revealed, the POST-HOC Duncan test was used (α=0.05).

Milk is an exceptional nutritional product that has been used for many millennia in human nutrition. Milk is a source of many valuable nutrients, including calcium, vitamin B, an especially significant amount of vitamin B2 and fat-soluble vitamins, such as A, D and E. Milk is an attractive product for fortification as it has a high nutritional density in a small volume and a relatively low price. Research shows positive health effects of drinking milk and consuming dairy products. Even more health benefits can be obtained from consuming fortified dairy products. A literature review, current nutritional recommendations, medical recommendations and an analysis of the market situation all recommend introducing milk enriched with minerals in combination with vitamins to the market. This concept corresponds to the current market demand and may supplement the missing and expected range of fortified milk and the correct number of recipients.

Milk and dairy products are among the most important foods in the human diet. They are natural and culturally accepted and supply the human body with microorganisms that modulate the intestinal microflora. Improper lifestyles, highly processed diets, and certain drugs may contribute to adverse changes in the composition of the gut microflora. These changes may lead to dysbiosis, which is associated with the pathogenesis of many gastrointestinal diseases. This review aims to determine the effect of fermented milk products on the composition of the gut microbiota and their possible support in the treatment of dysbiosis and gastrointestinal diseases. While most research concerns isolated strains of bacteria and their effects on the human body, our research focuses on whole fermented products that contain complex mixtures of bacterial strains.

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, the incidence of which is increasing annually. Interest has recently grown in the anti-cancer effect of functional foods rich in selenium (Se). Although clinical studies are inconclusive and anti-cancer mechanisms of Se are not fully understood, daily doses of 100–200 µg of Se may inhibit genetic damage and the development of cancer in humans. The anti-cancer effects of this trace element are associated with high doses of Se supplements. The beneficial anti-cancer properties of Se and the difficulty in meeting the daily requirements for this micronutrient in some populations make it worth considering the use of functional foods enriched in Se. This review evaluated studies on the anti-cancer activity of the most used functional products rich in Se on the European market.