The number of consumers seeking safe and health-beneficial foods is systematically increasing. Consumers demand more environmentally friendly and safe food options coming from organic farming. Blackcurrants fruits are a perfect source of biological active compounds, such as vitamin C, polyphenols and flavonoids as well anthocyanins. Organic agricultural practices have modified the level of bioactive compounds in blackcurrant fruits. The novelty and the aim of the presented study was to compare the concentrations of selected health-promoting antioxidants in fruits of three blackcurrants (‘Ben Adler’, ‘Tiben’ and ‘Titania’) grown in organic and conventional orchards in Poland. For bioactive compound determination, the high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method was used. The obtained results showed that organic blackcurrant fruits contained significantly more vitamin C (9.4 mg/100 g f.w.), total polyphenols (189.2 mg/100 g f.w.), total phenolic acids (10.3 mg/100 g f.w.), and total flavonoids (178.8 mg/100 g f.w.), as well anthocyanins (167.9 mg/100 g f.w.), compared to conventional ones. The selected cultivars and the years of cultivation system affect the concentration of the measured polyphenols, with strong interactions between these factors. The experiment confirms the hypothesis that organic blackcurrants should be a very important part of well-balanced, healthy diet.

The market of plant-based food, including plant-based beverages, is one of the fastest-growing food sectors within the food industry and a subject of major research in the area of new product development. Plant-based beverages are a diverse group of non-dairy beverages with varying nutritional value, depending on the raw material sources and additional substances used in their production. A wide range of plant beverages makes it possible to choose products tailored to individual consumer preferences and needs as a part of sustainable dietary patterns. Increased consumer awareness of the environmental and health implications of proper nutrition, interest in plant-based diets, climate, and natural resource protection, as well as ethical concerns about animal welfare and the negative environmental impact of animal production, have led some consumers to seek a more balanced diet based on varied plant-based products, including beverages. Considering the highly diversified nutritional value of plant-based beverages, their availability, convenience, accessibility to consumers, ethical and environmental concerns, increasing health concerns as well as growing popularity of plant-based beverages as potential cow-milk alternatives, the Group of Experts in medicine and nutritional sciences presents the opinion on the nutritional value, health benefits and concerns of the available plant-based beverages. The opinion was based on a critical review of the current scientific literature, as well as on the experts’ experience. This knowledge can be used to make the right choices to improve the nutritional status and health of the consumers from different groups. Since the nutritional profiles of plant-based beverages vary across different plant-based drink varieties and they do not have standards of identity, in our opinion, there is a need for action to standardize nutrient fortification regarding the type and amount of added ingredients to ensure the safety of consumers and avoid potential over- or under-fortification of plant-based beverages.

Fruit allergies are a large problem today. Many consumers suffer from food allergies or intolerances. The method of food production has a major impact on its quality. In fruit and vegetable production, three different farming systems are mainly found: conventional, integrated pest management and organic production. The latter is considered the best in terms of fruits and vegetables safety and high quality. The present experiment was performed to demonstrate the effect of the strawberry production method on its allergenic properties and flavonoid content. The strawberry ‘Honeoye’ cv. was used for the study. Fruits from the three cultivation systems, organic, conventional and integrated, were tested for their content of biologically active compounds and their potential allergenicity. The results obtained indicate that the strawberries from the organic system were the safest because they contained the lowest levels of Bet v1 and profilin in comparison with the fruits from the integrated and conventional systems.

Introduction: Gluten-free diet (GFD) is the only effective treatment for coeliac disease. The aim of GFD is to provide all necessary nutrients, excluding products containing gluten or products contaminated with it.Objective: The aim of the study was to assess the diet of a selected group of children with coeliac disease by analysing the frequency of consumption of basic food groups.Material and Methods: The study involved a group of 50 children between the ages of 1 and 10, whose parents completed food frequency questionnaires and a 7-day diary of current notes. The large age range precluded quantitative assessment of intake, so further analysis was qualitative. The assessment was based on the Diet Quality Indicators (DQI).Results: The results indicated a low variety of vegetables consumed, especially raw, and the proportion of fruit and fruit preparations significantly exceeding the amount of vegetables consumed. The GFD was dominated by light gluten-free bread and rice and millet groats. The main sources of animal protein were meat and its products and eggs, there was a very low consumption of fish and low consumption of legumes and unsweetened fermented dairy drinks. Water, flavoured waters and fruit juices and drinks were the main liquids consumed in the study group of children. In school-aged children were observed to consume frequent (daily, several times a week) sweet snacks and toast. The majority of patients complied with the GFD, however, deviations were noted, of which the children’s parents were informed.Conclusions: The assessment of GFD quality in most of the studied children indicated a need to improve its quality, particularly in terms of increasing the intake of vegetables and reducing the intake of easily digestible carbohydrates. Regular monitoring of GFD quality and education of children and parents on the principles of GFD and proper nutrition.

Background/Objectives: Hydrolyzed rice formula (HRF) is an alternative to extensively hydrolyzed cow’s milk formula (eHF) or soy formula for infants with cow’s milk allergy (CMA). We evaluated its effects on acquisition of tolerance to cow’s milk protein, growth, safety, and tolerability in infants and young children with confirmed CMA. Methods: PubMed, Embase, and CENTRAL were searched through 26 May 2026 without language restrictions (PROSPERO CRD420261445267). Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 tool for tolerance acquisition and growth, and certainty of evidence was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) for tolerance acquisition. Owing to heterogeneity, results were synthesized narratively. Results: Four RCTs (321 participants; range, 16–108) were included. Two reported tolerance acquisition, assessed at 12 months of age in one trial and during 12 months of follow-up in the other. Estimates were imprecise and in opposite directions: RR 0.84 (95% CI 0.53–1.32; 18/41 vs. 21/40) and RR 1.35 (95% CI 0.95–1.91; 26/36 vs. 22/41). Certainty of evidence was very low. Growth did not differ significantly between HRF and eHF in two trials. In another trial, an unadjusted advantage for HRF and casein hydrolysate over soy formula did not persist after correction for multiple comparisons. Allergic reactions were rare, with no clear differences in adverse events between formulas. Conclusions: Available evidence does not establish whether HRF is equivalent, superior, or inferior to eHF or soy formula for tolerance acquisition or growth in infants with CMA. Adequately powered RCTs using standardized outcome definitions are needed.