In the quality monitoring of 18 sunflower oil samples from the EU market, 14 were refined and 4 were cold-pressed. They demonstrated high quality of technological processing with low values of trans-unsaturated fatty acids, acid value, and peroxide value and also met the limits set by legislation in the content of process contaminants 3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol (3-MCPD) esters and glycidyl esters. Measurements of oxidative stability showed a difference in utility value. The average induction period of the oils from the traditional varieties was 2.6 h, predisposing them to cold cooking or short-term frying, while the 11.8 h of the four high oleic sunflower oils (HOSO) indicates the possibility of long-term heat stress. The nutritional benefit is the average vitamin E content of 663 mg/kg oil. The overall sensory quality of the samples was evaluated by a 12-member panel of trained assessors. On the seven-point category scale, the oils were of good to exceptional quality. The cold-pressed oils (CPOs) differed in having, on average, lower trans-unsaturated fatty acid content, process contaminants at unmeasurable levels, and, on average, higher vitamin E concentrations. The specific organoleptic properties of the CPOs were characterized by a pleasant nutty and sunflower seed flavor.

As dietary needs shift with the growing and aging population, there is a demand for food products that meet nutritional, safety, and tribological requirements while being cost-effective. Seniors must be given significant consideration in new product development. This study examines consumer preferences for arabinogalactan (AG) and beta-glucan (BG) hydrogels with vanilla and coffee-biscuit flavors, using consumer tests (N = 80) and an online survey (N = 852). It focuses on the gels’ physical properties, such as texture and viscosity, and their impact on sensory perception. The use of two different gel-forming polysaccharides, each with a unique sensory profile, was observed to affect the sensory properties of the resulting gels and subsequently influence product acceptance. This study analyzed preferences across three age groups: young (18–39 years), middle-aged (40–59 years), and older adults (60+ years). The results showed that seniors preferred AG-based gels. Significant attributes such as the intensity of flavor and bitter taste influenced the overall liking of the gels. Texture also notably impacted preferences. The survey findings revealed statistically significant (p < 0.05) differences in preferences between older adults and younger age groups. Tailoring product development and marketing strategies based on age and sensory preferences could enhance consumer acceptance of edible gels.

Vitamin E, as the most important lipophilic antioxidant of eukaryotic cells, plays an important role in human nutrition. So far, information has focused on the content of vitamin E in raw food materials or foods, and its losses under various processes and culinary treatments. However, the different degradation rates of its eight different forms, four tocopherols and four tocotrienols, during the preparation of oven-ready products have not been clearly and in detail described. Therefore, the aim of our research was to determine the changes in the content of tocochromanols and to evaluate the risks of the loss of these substances while preparing frozen French fries baked in classic and microwave ovens. The tocochromanols were determined using reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with an amperometric detector. The results showed a statistically insignificant loss of γ-tocopherol (γ-T), δ-tocopherol (δ-T), γ-tocotrienol (γ-T3) and δ-tocotrienol (δ-T3). Conversely, the losses of α-tocopherol (α-T), α-tocotrienol (α-T3), the total content of tocochromanols and the vitamin E content in α-tocopherol equivalents (α-TE) were statistically significant (p < 0.01). These losses were independent of the type of baking (conventional heating, heating with air circulation, grill, microwave heating, microwave and grill heating) and averaged at 0.80 mg/kg of the original fries (9.1% of the original content) for α-T, 0.44 mg/kg (36.6%) for α-T3, 1.11 mg/kg (12.7%) for the sum of the tocochromanols and 0.92 mg/kg (12.6%) for the vitamin E content expressed as α-TE. These dishes contained 0.4% to 26% of the daily requirement of vitamin E, based on a 100 g portion, depending on the fat used in the manufacture of the products. The choice of the right frying medium on the part of the manufacturer can increase the content of vitamin E both in the semi-finished product and in the final food, and consequently also its dietary intake.