The aim of the study was to evaluate table and hatching eggs of Japanese quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica) depending on the eggshell colour. The research was carried out in two stages, in terms of table eggs’ quality and their biological value as hatching eggs depending on the eggshell colour. In both stages, 300 Japanese quail eggs were used in each (600 in total) divided into two equal groups: with a brown-spotted shell, with a uniform shell in shades of blue. In the 1st stage, quality characteristics of the whole egg (weight, specific gravity, proportions of particular elements), yolk (weight, colour, index), albumen (weight, height) and shell (colour, strength, weight, thickness, density) were evaluated. In the 2nd stage, eggs were incubated under standard conditions and following biological characteristics were analyzed: eggs fertility, embryo mortality, hatchability of fertile and set eggs, body weight of hatchlings and their proportion in egg weight. The shell colour, “blue” or spotted, of Japanese quail eggs, does not appear to influence their quality if they are intended for consumption. However, the hatching results and body weight of obtained chicks of Japanese quail may be affected by the eggshell colour.

Cereal bars are so-called convenience foods. Consumers value these products as a healthier alternative to traditional chocolate bars. Since these snacks usually contain added dried fruit, they have high potential for the utilisation of waste materials from the fruit industry. The study aimed to determine the effect of fortification of cereal bars with grape and apple pomace on their nutritional value, physical properties, and sensory quality. The control recipe was modified by replacing 10 or 20 g of sultanas with apple or grape pomace. The fortification with these food by-products resulted in a significant increase in the moisture content of the products, an increase in soluble fibre content, and a decrease in the level of antioxidant compounds. The strength of the cereal bars supplemented with grape and apple pomace increased. In addition, the panellists noticed a colour difference compared to the unmodified product (2 < ΔE < 5). A positive effect of the addition of the fruit pomace on the visual characteristics of the cereal bars was also observed. No changes were observed in the tastiness of the product. On the other hand, the aroma of the modified products and the texture of the bars containing the apple residue were less acceptable. In conclusion, cereal bars containing grape pomace and up to 10 g of apple pomace are characterised by high soluble dietary fibre content and desirable sensory and mechanical properties and are therefore recommended for industrial production.

Glycerol, a by-product of biodiesel production, is non-toxic to humans and the environment. With the current increase in the demand for fuels obtained from biomass, the amount of glycerine waste production is increasing. There are many ways to dispose this substance (in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and in chemical industry), but its utilization is still insufficient. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the possibility of limiting quality changes in table eggs during storage by coating the shells with a glycerol solution. The material used in this research consisted of 270 table chicken eggs collected on the same day. On the first day of the experiment, quality traits of 30 eggs were evaluated (initial control group). The remaining 240 eggs were divided into two equal groups: control (eggs that were not subjected to any treatment) and experimental (eggs that were coated with a 5 % aqueous solution of glycerol). The eggs were placed on transport trays and stored at 14 °C and 70 % humidity. Quality evaluations were carried out after 14 and 28 days of storage. The depth of the air cell, mass and specific gravity of the egg, the shell characteristics (water vapour conductance, strength, mass, thickness, and density), and the content traits (pH of the albumen and yolk, Haugh units, and colour and weight of the yolk) were evaluated. The results obtained suggest that the use of glycerine may contribute to slowing adverse changes in egg quality during storage by limiting CO₂ removal from the egg content, which allows the egg to maintain albumen structure. Due to the fact that glycerine is a safe, cheap, and easy-to-apply substance, its large-scale use in poultry raw material storage seems to be a very real possibility.

In this study, the process of the vacuum impregnation of Kangoo barley grain, at the stage of soaking, was used in the production of light malt. The influence of vacuum impregnation on the speed of the water uptake by the barley, at temperatures of 12, 14, 16 and 18 °C, was also analyzed. At this stage of the research, the grain was soaked in water to obtain a moisture content of approximately 42%. The samples for the moisture content tests were taken every 2 h. The grain intended for malt was soaked in an air–water system and was kept submerged in water for 6 h. It was then removed from the water and kept for 18 h. The grain was aerated during the soaking process. The malting and soaking lasted eight days at temperatures of 12, 14, 16 and 18 °C. The samples for further testing were taken daily. Then, each of the samples was dried, following the same procedure. The sprouts were removed immediately after the dried samples contained approximately 4% moisture. Following a 3-month maturation process, the congress wort was produced from the malt. The pH and the extract content in the wort were tested. It was found that the process of vacuum impregnation significantly accelerates the uptake of water by the grain. In almost all cases, the influence of the tested factors on the pH of the wort and the extract content was also observed.

This study used the process of vacuum impregnation of seeds at the soaking stage. The barley varieties used were Kangoo and Xanadu. The raw material was used for the production of light malt. The effect of vacuum impregnation on the rate of water uptake by the seeds at different temperature conditions, i.e., 12, 14 and 16 °C, was also analyzed. Grain destined for malt was soaked in a water–air system. The germination (malting) stage lasted 8 days at temperatures of 12, 14 and 16 °C. Each sample was then dried using the traditional convection method. After a 3-month resting period, congress wort was produced from the malt. The wort parameters studied were the viscosity index and the wort extract content. The malt extract difference was also defined. Based on the results, it was concluded that the vacuum impregnation process significantly increases the absorption of water by the grain and thus shortens the soaking and germination stage of the seeds. Grain variety has a strong influence on extract content and wort viscosity. Malting temperature only affects the viscosity index. The most important correlations of the parameters studied were noted for the number of days the grains were malted.

The paper presents the results of research on the problem of the influence of various types of unmalted grain and its quantitative share on important parameters of the malt extract. The aim of the work was to control what precentage of unmalted grain can be added to malt, so that their starch is saccharified only thanks to the action of endogenous malt enzymes. The grains of millet, oats, buckwheat and spelt were used as unmalted raw materials. The basis of the mixture subjected to extraction was Pilsner type barley malt. The percentages of the additives ranged from 5 to 50%. Both the unmalted grain and the malt were crushed. The extract was prepared with the use of two methods: congress and infusion. Saccharification time, pH and extract content were tested. The results were analyzed statistically. It was found that the amount and type of unmalted raw material influenced the saccharification time of starch and the content of the extract and had no effect on the pH of the extract. Millet grain starch was saccharified if its amount was about 40% of the tested mixtures. In other variants of the experiment, endogenous malt enzymes were able to break down the starch when the amount of additive was as high as 50%.