Propolis is an apicultural product known for its antioxidant, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. However, its composition varies with botanical sources, geography, season and bee species, complicating quality control and creating opportunities for adulteration, such as the addition of poplar bud extracts or non-propolis resins. This review synthesizes the latest primary studies and reviews addressing chemical markers identified through analytical platforms, such as TLC, HPTLC, HPLC, LC-MS, GC-MS, NMR, FTIR and ICP, often integrated with chemometrics and machine learning for authentication and standardization. Marker panels are linked to regional chemotypes, including poplar-type, Brazilian green, red and brown, Cuban variants, and stingless bee propolis. Fraud detection strategies using marker-based screening and spectral pattern recognition are also summarized. Multi-marker and chemometric approaches consistently differentiate botanical types, origins and commercial extracts. Common marker families include flavonoids (pinocembrin, chrysin, galangin), phenolic esters (CAPE, benzyl/allyl caffeates), prenylated cinnamates like artepillin C, lignans, and volatile terpenoids or benzenoids. Rapid screening by ATR-FTIR and NMR is often complemented with LC-MS for confirmatory quantitation. Propolis quality control is moving toward harmonized workflows combining FTIR/NMR/HPTLC screening with LC-MS verification and optional elemental or volatile profiling, paving the way for shared marker sets and international standards similar to those for honey.

The honey bee is an important insect pollinator that provides critical pollination services for natural and agricultural systems worldwide. However, inadequate food weakens honey bee colonies, making them vulnerable to various biotic and abiotic factors. In this study, we examined the impact of supplementary feeding on bees’ genes for antioxidative enzymes and vitellogenin, oxidative stress parameters, and the hygienic and grooming behavior. The colonies were divided into two experimental groups (with ten hives each): a treatment group that received the plant-based supplement and a control group. The experiment was conducted in two seasons, spring and summer. After the treatment, in both seasons, all the monitored parameters in the treatment group differed from those in the control group. The expression levels of genes for antioxidative enzymes were significantly lower, but the vitellogenin gene transcript level was significantly higher. Values of oxidative stress parameters were significantly lower. The levels of hygienic and grooming behavior were significantly higher. Therefore, our field study indicates that the tested supplement exerted beneficial effects on bees, reflected in reduced oxidative stress and enhanced hygienic and grooming behavior.

This study investigated the complete replacement of pork backfat in frankfurters with inulin-based emulsion gels made from linseed, walnut or algal oil and structured in two ratios (1:2:0.5 and 1:2:1, oil–water–inulin). Proximate composition, water holding capacity, emulsion stability and colour were assessed after production, while texture profile analysis (TPA) was monitored during 45 days of vacuum storage. The reformulated sausages showed a significant reduction in fat content (from 21.91% to 3.81%, p < 0.001) and increased water and carbohydrate levels (p < 0.001). These shifts in composition resulted in a slightly lower pH, higher cooking and purge losses and lower emulsion stability (p < 0.001), particularly when treated with algal oil. Colour measurements revealed lighter (higher L*, p = 0.008) and more yellowish sausages (p < 0.001), with walnut oil at a 1:2:0.5 emulsion ratio showing the least deviation from the control (ΔE = 7.45). The TPA showed that oil type was the dominant factor. Walnut formulations, especially in the 1:2:1 ratio, had hardness and chewiness values closest to those of the control, while algal sausages were softer and less cohesive (p < 0.05). PCA and heatmap analyses confirmed clustering by oil type and storage time, underlining the technological suitability of the walnut gels. Overall, inulin–oil gels enable nutritional reformulation but pose a technological challenge, with walnut oil proving to be the most promising substitute and algal oil requiring additional stabilisation.

Temperature is a major determinant of egg quality loss, but data for Banat Naked Neck hens are limited. This study evaluated 240 freshly laid eggs stored for 28 days at room temperature (RT, 20-22°C) or under refrigeration (RF, 4-6°C). Egg mass, shell deformation and breaking strength, shell weight and thickness, albumen height, Haugh units (HU), yolk colour, and albumen and yolk pH were measured on days 1, 7, 14, 21, and 28; preliminary screening for determine the total bacterial count, Salmonella spp. and Listeria monocytogenes was also performed. The egg mass remained stable. Albumen height significantly dropped by 35.18% under RF and by 57.58% at RT when compared to the first and last day of the four-week storage period, while HU declined from 80 to 62 under RF and from 81 to 46 at RT (p < 0.05). Shell breaking, shell thickness and yolk colour showed no significant variation. Albumen pH increased to 9.14 under RF and 9.37 at RT (p < 0.05), and yolk pH increased more slowly yet followed the same temperature-dependent trend (p < 0.05). No target pathogens have been detected in either treatment to date. A gradual increase in total bacterial count was observed during the storage period, with a significant difference (p < 0.05) observed on day 28. Our results show the need for the perseverance of the intact cold chain and proper storage within the recommended shelf life to preserve the optimal quality and safety of eggs.

Milk yield and composition are among the most important traits in cattle production. The aim of this study was to analyse the production traits of Simmental bull dams in their first lactation in Serbia and to evaluate the influence of the district (breeding region) on the variability of these traits. The study included 408 Simmental cows selected as bull dams from eight districts: Kolubara, Podunavlje, Braničevo, Šumadija, Zaječar, Rasina, Nišava and Belgrade. Milk production traits in the first lactation were standardised to 305 days and included milk yield (kg), milk fat content (%), milk fat yield (kg), protein content (%) and protein yield (kg). The data were analysed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) with the district as a fixed factor. The average milk yield in the first lactation was 6093 kg, with an average milk fat content of 4.00% and protein content of 3.25%, confirming that these cows represent a highly productive segment of the Simmental population in Serbia. Highly statistically significant differences (p < 0.001) were found between the districts for all analysed traits. The highest average milk yield was recorded in the Nišava district (6792 kg), the lowest in the Podunavlje district (5735 kg). The highest milk fat content (4.30%) and the highest milk fat yield (288.89 kg) were recorded in the Zaječar district, while the highest protein content (3.35%) was recorded in the Šumadija district. The results presented indicate the need to optimise selection criteria and improve rearing conditions in districts with lower production levels in order to support the sustainable development of milk production in Serbia.

Modern livestock farming operates within increasingly challenging climatic boundaries, making adaptation the cornerstone of sustainable development. In confronting climate change, the innate adaptive abilities of domestic animals must not be underestimated or neglected, as they provide the essential biological foundation for survival and productivity in an ever more demanding environment. Alongside human interventions, understanding and enhancing animal adaptations lay the groundwork for developing resilient and sustainable livestock systems. The strategies through which animals respond to climate challenges encompass physiological, biochemical, immunological, morphological, and behavioral mechanisms-from panting and sweating, changes in blood composition and endocrine function, to modifications in body size, coat characteristics, and behaviors such as seeking shade or reducing feed intake. Interspecies and interbreed differences further underscore the critical importance of genetic diversity in fostering resilience. These insights offer a basis for designing strategies that support not only productivity but also animal welfare under global warming conditions. While human interventions may alleviate the immediate impacts of climatic stressors, it is the integration of animal adaptations that provides the long-term foundation for the stability and future of livestock farming.