This paper presents the physicochemical characteristics and antioxidative, antibacterial and antiproliferative effects of nineteen samples of different honey types (acacia, linden, heather, sunflower, phacelia, basil, anise, sage, chestnut, hawthorn, lavender and meadow) collected from different locations in the Western Balkans (Republic of Serbia, Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Northern Macedonia). Physicochemical parameters (moisture, pH, electrical conductivity, free acidity, and hydroxymethylfurfural [HMF]) were analysed. Based on the obtained results, all tested honey samples were in agreement with EU regulation. The antioxidant potential of honey samples was assessed by determination of total phenolic content (TPC) and evaluation of scavenging activity towards diphenilpicrylhydrazyl radicals (DPPH·). The highest phenolic content was found in basil honey (101 ± 2.72 mg GAE/100 g), while the lowest was registered in rapeseed honey (11.5 ± 0.70 mg GAE/100 g). Heather, anise, phacelia, sage, chestnut and lavender honey samples were also rich in TP, containing 80–100 mg GAE/100 g. DPPH scavenging activity varied among the samples being the highest for lavender honey (IC₅₀ = 88.2 ± 2.11 mg/mL) and the lowest for rapeseed honey (IC₅₀ = 646 ± 8.72 mg/mL). Antibacterial activity was estimated in vitro using agar diffusion tests and measuring minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC). Among investigated bacterial strains following resistant potencies were determined: Escherichia coli > Escherichia coli ATCC 8739 > Enterococcus faecalis > Proteus mirabilis > Staphylococcus aureus > Staphylococcus epidermidis. The linden honey from Fruška Gora (MIC values of 3.12% and 6.25% against Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis, respectively) and phacelia honey (MIC values of 6.25% and 3.12% against S.Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis, respectively) showed the strongest antibacterial activity. Antiproliferative activity was evaluated using the colorimetric sulforhodamine B (SRB) assay. The highest antiproliferative activity was obtained from linden honey sample 1 (IC₅₀^MCF7 = 7.46 ± 1.18 mg/mL and IC₅₀^HeLa =12.4 ± 2.00 mg/mL) and meadow sample 2 (IC₅₀^MCF7 = 12.0 ± 0.57 mg/mL, IC₅₀^HeLa = 16.9 ± 1.54 mg/mL and IC₅₀^HT−29 = 23.7 ± 1.33 mg/mL) towards breast (MCF7), cervix (HeLa) and colon (HT-29) cancer cells. Active components other than sugars contributed to cell growth activity.

The interest towards botanicals and plant extracts has strongly risen due to their numerous biological effects and ability to counteract chronic diseases development. Among these effects, chemoprevention which represents the possibility to counteract the cancerogenetic process is one of the most studied. The extracts of mushroom Meripilus giganteus (MG) (Phylum of Basidiomycota) showed to exert antimicrobic, antioxidant and antiproliferative effects. Therefore, since its effect in leukemic cell lines has not been previously evaluated, we studied its potential chemopreventive effect in Jurkat and HL-60 cell lines. MG ethanolic extract was characterized for its antioxidant activity and scavenging effect against different radical species. Moreover, its phenolic profile was evaluated by HPLC-MS-MS analyses. Flow cytometry (FCM) analyses of Jurkat and HL-60 cells treated with MG extract (0–750 μg/mL) for 24–72 h- allowed to evaluate its cytotoxicity, pro-apoptotic and anti-proliferative effect. To better characterize MG pro-apoptotic mechanism ROS intracellular level and the gene expression level of FAS, BAX and BCL2 were also evaluated. Moreover, to assess MG extract selectivity towards cancer cells, its cytotoxicity was also evaluated in human peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL). MG extract induced apoptosis in Jurkat and HL-60 cells in a dose- and time- dependent manner by increasing BAX/BCL2 ratio, reducing ROS intracellular level and inducing FAS gene expression level. In fact, reduced ROS level is known to be related to the activation of apoptosis in leukemic cells by the involvement of death receptors. MG extract also induced cell-cycle arrest in HL-60 cells. Moreover, IC50 at 24 h treatment resulted 2 times higher in PBL than in leukemic cell lines. Our data suggest that MG extract might be considered a promising and partially selective chemopreventive agent since it is able to modulate different mechanisms in transformed cells at concentrations lower than in non-transformed ones.

One can observe the sustainability of traditional food products (TFPs) consumption in terms of their market, production, and technical characteristics. These characteristics must be acknowledged by the management section of a catering facility responsible for purchasing and consuming these products. Consequently, this research was conducted among the management of catering facilities (chefs, managers, and owners) in Vojvodina (northern region of Serbia) from 300 different facilities. The research was conducted using a questionnaire. The data acquired were statistically processed using the non-parametric Mann–Whitney and Kruskal–Wallis tests and presented in this paper. Special attention was given to differences in perceiving the characteristics of TFP of Vojvodina (TASQ) as seen from the socio-demographic aspects of the respondents and the characteristics of catering facilities. The research deduced that the sensory quality of a product, menu diversity, freshness, local production, price, and seasonality are the prominent characteristics that affect the TFP’s choice of purchase and consumption. The least essential characteristics are organic production and brand. The differences in perception of the characteristics were based on the respondent’s age, education level, and working position, as well as catering offer (domestic, national, international, and combined) and the location of a catering facility (urban/rural).

Lycoperdon perlatum (Pers) 1796 is saprobic puffball species with a global distribution. It is edible if young, when the gleba is still homogeneous and white. Since this species has a pleasant texture and taste, it has been used in soups as a substitute for dumplings. The aim of this work was to study bioactivity of crude extracts prepared from wild-growing sporocarps of L. perlatum collected from Eastern Serbia during 2012. The bioactivity screens included antioxidant (DPPH and FRAP assays), antiproliferative (human breast MCF-7 cancer cell-line; MTT and SRB assays) and antibacterial (three referent ATCC strains; microdilution assay) effects. Polar extracts (aqueous - LycAq and ethanol - LycEtOH) and a nonpolar extract (hexane - LycHex) of the examined mushroom species were screened. In addition, LycAq and LycEtOH were primarily characterized by UV-VIS spectrophotometry, due to determination of chemical composition (total phenol and flavonoid contents). The highest anti-DPPH radical activity was observed for LycAq (IC50 = 46.56 µg/ml). In comparison with LycAq, less polar LycEtOH showed slightly better ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) (IC50 = 21.87 µg/ml and IC50 = 19.28 µg/ml, respectively). However, total phenol contents of both extracts were similar (≈ 2.0 mg GAE/g d.w.). Conversely, modest activities were found against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25922 (LycHex, MIC = 3.12 mg/ml) and MCF-7 cells (with the highest one obtained for LycEtOH after 72 h, IC50 = 367.54 µg/ml and IC50 = 390.03 µg/ml, MTT and SRB assays, respectively). According to the obtained experimental data, L. perlatum can be considered as a good source of novel and potent natural antioxidants for use in regular diet.

The aim of this work was to investigate nutritional profile in relation to proteins, amino acids, fatty acids and mineral composition, as well as phenolic profile of small edible fungal species Coprinellus disseminatus originated from Serbia. Total protein content in the analyzed fungal species was 9.72%. Fifteen protein fractions obtained by electrophoresis were identified in a range from 1.6 to 63.6 kDa. Chip-based separations showed the presence of protein fraction with molecular weight of 27.5 kDa that could possess antifungal activity. The total essential and non-essential amino acid contents were 29.57 and 96.69 mg/g DW, respectively. Among the essential amino acids, leucine was the most abundant. Fatty acid composition of C. disseminatus showed that polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA, 59.1% of total FA) predominated over saturated fatty acids (SFA, 23.1% of total FA) and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA, 17.9% of total FA). The dominant fatty acids were linoleic acid (56.6%), palmitic acid (13.9%), and oleic acid (12.0%). The most abundant macroelement in C. disseminatus was potassium, followed by calcium and magnesium, while iron dominated in microelements. Eight phenolic compounds were quantified in methanolic extract of C. disseminatus by LC-MS/MS with the highest amount of p-hydroxybenzoic acid and p-coumaric acid reaching 9.46 ± 0.2 µg/g DW and 7.8 ± 0.1 µg/g DW, respectively.

The aim of this work was to study chemical profile and antioxidant and cytotoxic activities of ethanol and water extracts of Lactarius controversus (Pers.) 1800 mushroom species growing in eastern Serbia. The chemical characterization of phenolic compounds performed by HPLC-MS/MS demonstrated the presence of quinic acid among others. Determination of antioxidant activity, including radical scavenging effects on DPPH?, NO?, OH? and SOA radicals and ferric reducing ability was investigated. The highest DPPH radical scavenging effect was obtained for water extract (LcAq) while ethanol extract (LcEtOH) demonstrated the highest FRAP activity. Hexane extract applied in antibacterial assay against three pathogenic strains demonstrated antibacterial effect only against S. aureus ATCC25922. Anti-proliferative properties against estrogen dependent MCF 7 breast cancer cell lines using MTT showed higher activity for ethanolic extract.