The aim of this study is to develop a non-targeted approach for the authentication of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) using vibrational spectroscopy signatures combined with pattern recognition analysis. Olive oil samples (n = 151) were grouped as EVOO, virgin olive oil (VOO)/olive oil (OO), and EVOO adulterated with vegetable oils. Spectral data was collected using a compact benchtop Raman (1064 nm) and a portable ATR-IR (5-reflections) units. Oils were characterized by their fatty acid profile, free fatty acids (FFA), peroxide value (PV), pyropheophytins (PPP), and total polar compounds (TPC) through the official methods. The soft independent model of class analogy analysis using ATR-IR spectra showed excellent sensitivity (100%) and specificity (89%) for detection of EVOO. Both techniques identified EVOO adulteration with vegetable oils, but Raman showed limited resolution detecting VOO/OO tampering. Partial least squares regression models showed excellent correlation (Rval ≥ 0.92) with reference tests and standard errors of prediction that would allow for quality control applications.

Food safety is perceived differently by consumers in different countries. The objective of this study was to examine the experience of young adults regarding the safety of meals eaten outside the home in Poland and Turkey. Questionnaire surveys were conducted on a group of 400 young adults. The findings provided new insights into cross-cultural consumer perceptions of the food safety of meals eaten out. Differences in the perception of the safety of the meals eaten out concerned both the manner in which consumers chose an eating establishment, the frequency with which they ate out, their experience of the meals consumed, and their practice of lodging complaints. Consumers in Poland and Turkey experienced different problems with the health quality of meals eaten out. The experience of consumers in Turkey reflected the occurrence of numerous cases of meals of poor quality, while in Poland it was smaller. This suggests that meals eaten out in Poland (an EU country) may have a lower health risk than in Turkey (a non-EU country). The method described in this study could be an additional tool for checking the operation of food safety systems in eating out establishments.

The composition and quality of goat milk is determined, but there is no similar studies on Turkish camel’s milk. Raw camel’s milk was collected from one-humped camels at a farm in western Turkey and evaluated for its physicochemical components and microbial properties. The dispersion of chemical composition values were found to be at similar levels in this study. However, they were lower than small amounts of monosaccharides such as fructose and glucose. Also, the camel’s milk was found to be a good source of zinc and vitamin C. The levels of yeast, mold, and coliform bacteria in the camel’s milk samples were low. Gas liquid chromatography analysis of milk fat showed that the predominant fatty acids were C16:0, C18:1, C14:0, C16:1 and C18:0. Saturated fatty acids average content was 59.33% and unsaturated fatty acids content was 40.74% of total fatty acids with low (2.12) atherogenic index (AI). The ratio of unsaturated/saturated acid (0.69%) was more favorable in these samples of Turkish camel’s milk compared with that of cow’s or goat’s milk as well as some other camel’s milk studies. The study’s results suggest that environmental and geographic conditions where camels are raised may cause variation in the composition of raw camel’s milk.

Doğal besin kaynağının yanı sıra biyoaktif bileşenler bakımından zenginleştirilmiş besinler fonksiyonel besinler (fermente gıdalar, meyve sebzeler, hayvansal gıdalar, sert kabuklu sebzeler vb.) olarak tanımlanmaktadır. Fonksiyonel besinlerin içerdiği biyoaktif bileşenler (karotenoidler, fenolik bileşikler, glikosinolatlar, lignanlar, organosülfür bileşikleri ve bitki sterolleri vb.) kalp damar hastalıkları, kanser, hipertansiyon, ateroskleroz, diyabet gibi hastalıkların önlenmesinde ve tedavisinde etkili olan biyoaktif bileşenleri içeren fonksiyonel besinlerin günlük olarak tüketilmesi büyük bir önem kazanmaktadır. Bu çalışmada kullanılan literatür; 2000-2021 yılları arasında yapılan İngilizce ve Türkçe çalışmalar Pubmed, Science Direct, Google Akademik veri tabanları taranmıştır. Yapılan taramalarda “fonksiyonel besin (functional food), biyoaktif bileşenler (bioactive compounds), meyve ve sebze (fruit and vegetable), sağlık (health)” anahtar kelimeleri kullanılmıştır. Son zamanlarda fonksiyonel besin olan meyve ve sebzelerde bulunan biyoaktif bileşenler (askorbik asit, tokoferoller, karotenoidler, flavonoidler, fenolik asitler ve tiyoller gibi) üzerine gerçekleştirilen çalışmalardan elde edilen sonuçlar dikkate alınarak meyve ve sebzelerin sağlığımız üzerine etkisi literatür ışığında detaylı şekilde ele alınarak derlenmiştir. Bu bağlamda günlük meyve vesebze tüketiminin kanser, kardiyovasküler hastalık, osteoporoz ve diyabet gibi hastalıkların etkilerini azalttığı, meyve ve sebzenin sağlıklı yaşam için vazgeçilmez fonksiyonel besinler olduğu ortaya konulmaktadır. Bu nedenle meyve ve sebzelerde bulunan biyoaktif bileşenleri derinlemesine incelemek ve etki mekanizmalarını belirlemek gereklidir. Çalışmalar, meyve ve sebzelerde bulunan biyoaktif bileşenlerin gıda güvenliği açısından değerlendirilmesi ve meyve ve sebzelerin beslenmemize yer verilmesi sürecinde etkili olacaktır.