Hawthorns (Crataegus monogyna L.) contain numerous bioactive compounds, with its extracts demonstrating health benefits. This study focused on optimizing a more sustainable extraction method, specifically microwave-assisted extraction (MAE), to obtain polyphenols from hawthorn leaves and flowers. HPLC/UV analysis identified key compounds, including gallic and chlorogenic acids, isoquercetin, rutin, hyperoside, vitexin, and quercetin. Principal component analysis (PCA) assessed correlations between extraction conditions, total phenolic content (TPC), and key compounds. PCA grouped conditions into three clusters, with two remaining ungrouped. The highest vitexin, rutin, and isoquercetin contents were achieved at 60 °C for 10 min using 160–500 μm particles in 75% ethanol (20/1 ratio) or 50% ethanol (20/1 and 30/1 ratios). An ungrouped condition (60 °C, 10 min, < 160 μm particles, 50% ethanol, 20/1 ratio) produced a higher TPC and greater gallic acid, chlorogenic acid, and hyperoside concentrations. The TPC and antioxidant activity (AA) of the extracts were optimized using a 2³ full factorial design, with temperature, ethanol concentration, and solvent-to-plant ratio as variables. Optimal MAE conditions (S/P_opt = 20.4 mL/g, T_opt = 65 °C, and EtOH_opt = 60%) yielded a TPC of 116.23 ± 2.85 mg GAE/g DM and an AA of 237.6 ± 6.33 mg TE/g DM using hawthorn leaves and flowers. Summarizing the above, to maximize phytocompound content, a one-factor-at-a-time design identified extraction parameters, but its limitations led to a 2³ full factorial design. The latter effectively optimized the TPC and AA, while PCA revealed correlations between extraction parameters, total phenolics, and key compounds.

The purpose of this study was to develop a complex composition of a foliar liquid mineral fertilizer containing NPK macroelements and microelements including Fe, Mg, B, S, Zn, Cu, Mo, Ni, V, and Cr. This complex fertilizer aims to support the optimal development and maturation of maize crops, thereby enhancing both the quality and quantity of production. In our study, an original recipe was established for a complex composition of foliar liquid mineral fertilizer, and a technological process was developed in order to obtain the recipe at the laboratory level. The designed fertilizer was a complex mixture of fertilizers with herbicides with multiple purposes, which can be used in different pedo-climatic areas and which present, at the same time, low toxicity and minimal ecological impact. A wide-spectrum mixture DICOPUR TOP containing 2,4-D acid and Dicamba was chosen as a systemic herbicide which is absorbed by plants both in the root system and also on the leaves. For conditioning the complex mixture of fertilizers with herbicides, different types of polyvinyl alcohol with different degrees of hydrolysis were used. The liquid fertilizer mixture with DICOPUR TOP was applied over two years (2021 and 2022) to the Felix maize hybrid, demonstrating significant positive effects on grain yield while effectively controlling both dicotyledonous and monocotyledonous weeds.

The use of wheat bran (WB) to obtain functional meat products is a concept to be studied, due to sustainability issues and the nutritional advantages related to the decrease in caloric value, and the intake of phytonutrients, which can limit the incidence of diseases such as obesity, diabetes, or colon cancer. Beef meatballs with added wheat bran (5, 10, and 15%) were analyzed in terms of their physico-chemical parameters: pH, proximal composition, fiber content, caloric value and texture, antioxidant activity, fatty acids, amino acids, mineral content, and peroxide value. The fiber concentration in the meatballs increased proportionally with the WB addition. Although the antioxidant activity of the meatballs with WB was higher at the time of sample production, their stability proved to be weaker over time. The addition of wheat bran resulted in an overall decrease in amino acid concentrations and an increase in polyunsaturated fatty acid concentrations from 9.32 g/100 g to 14.36 g/100 g. For Mg, Ca, Mn, Cu, and Cr, there were significant increases between groups (p < 0.001), while Na and Zn decreased with the addition of wheat bran. The peroxide value (PV) and free acidity (FFA) decreased with the increase in the proportion of added fiber. The increase in the percentage of wheat bran also generated significant reductions (p < 0.001) for all textural parameters investigated. Including wheat bran in meatballs can present technical challenges related to composition cohesion and product shaping, as well as sensory acceptance. At the industrial scale, problems may arise related to the processing equipment, and the shaping of meatballs becoming difficult with the increased wheat bran addition.