Goji berry is a rich source of polyphenols, carotenoids and polysaccharides, contributing to its diverse biological activities. Due to their high water content and perishability, the berries are often processed into dried forms or juices. This study hypothesized that juice obtained from Serbian-grown goji berries would exhibit a distinctive phytochemical composition and significant in vitro antioxidant and hypoglycemic potential. Antioxidant activity was assessed using DPPH, ABTS, CUPRAC, FRAP and β-carotene bleaching assays, while hypoglycemic potential was evaluated via α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibition. The analyzed goji juice exhibited mild acidity and moderate sweetness. In terms of bioactive composition, the juice contained high levels of polyphenols (194.50 ± 3.88 mg GAE/100 mL) exceeding the values reported for most commercial fruit juices, as well as notable levels of flavonoids (70.30 ± 5.11 mg CE/100 mL), carotenoids (289.53 ± 0.65 µg/100 mL) and polysaccharides (375.20 ± 12.46 mg Glu/100 mL), along with minerals, particularly potassium and copper. It also showed strong antioxidant capacity and concentration-dependent inhibition of α-amylase (IC₅₀ = 5.28 ± 0.26 mg/mL) and α-glucosidase (IC₅₀ = 10.12 ± 0.23 mg/mL). This study provides the first comprehensive characterization of Serbian-grown goji berry juice, confirming its potential as a functional ingredient.

Phthalates are a family of synthetic chemicals commonly used as plasticizers for polyvinyl chloride-based polymers. They are used in a variety of commercial consumer products, including children's toys. Exposure to phthalates is associated with various adverse health effects, such as developmental and reproductive disorders, liver and kidney toxicity, etc. In the European Union, but also in the Republic of Serbia, restrictions have been imposed on the presence of seven phthalates in toys. In addition, the European Union has established the Rapid Alert System for Dangerous Non-Food Products (RAPEX) to protect consumers across borders by preventing or restricting the sale and use of non-food articles, including children's toys, that pose a significant health and safety risk. In this work, 118 samples of children's toys from the market of the Republic of Serbia were analysed for the presence of all seven restricted phthalates using the HPLC-DAD method. We also comprehensively analysed the RAPEX notifications of toys posing a chemical risk due to the presence of phthalates from 2012 to 2022. In total, 23.7% of the tested toy samples contained one or more phthalates above 0.1% w/w, which corresponds to the legal limit. DEHP was found above the limit in all non-compliant toy samples, followed by DBP, DINP, BBP and DIDP. DIBP and DNOP were not found in any of the samples. In general, phthalates were present in the tested samples in concentrations ranging from <LOQ to 36.6% (w/w), depending on the type of phthalate detected, with DINP detected in the highest concentration. In the period 2012–2022, 1192 alerts related to non-compliant toys were registered due to the illegal presence of phthalates. Among them, DEHP was present in 94.79% of toy samples, while it was the only phthalate in 58.4% of toy samples. Furthermore, DEHP was present in the highest concentration of about 18.5% (w/w), with a maximum detected concentration of up to 55% (w/w). The results presented in this article show that even more than a decade after the introduction of the ban and restrictions on phthalates in toys, toys are still a significant source of children's exposure to phthalates.

Background: Phthalates, a group of synthetic organic compounds, have been subject of numerous studies due to their harmful effects on health. The use of bis(2-ethylhexyl)-phthalate (DEHP), dibutyl-phthalate (DBP), benzyl-butyl-phthalate (BBP) and diisobutyl-phthalate (DIBP) in concentrations equal to or greater than 0.1% by weight in plasticized materials is prohibited due to their classification as reproductive toxicants. Before ban, phthalates were used as polymer softeners in production of flexible, soft toys. Phthalates do not chemically bind to polymer, but are only incorporated into polymer structure, so they can migrate from plastic and thus pose a health hazard. Methods and Objectives: The testing of phthalate content included 90 polymer toys from the Belgrade market. The content of DEHP, DBP, BBP and DIBP was determined using HPLC-DAD (Agilent Technologies 1200 Series). Results: Baby teething toys (10) and toys made of hard polymeric materials (30) didn't contain phthalates (rattles, blocks, cars, figurines, kitchen sets). Of 30 doll samples, 15 (50%) had elevated levels of DEHP (0.15%-43.2%), and 6 of these also contained DBP (0.1%-0.30%). High phthalate content was found in softest parts: head, hands, and feet. The average DEHP content was 23.5%, which represents almost a quarter of percentage content of the plasticized material. Of 20 tested flexible samples (soft animal figures, unicorns, ducklings, dinosaurs, balls), 45% had elevated levels of phthalates. 9 samples contained DEHP (0.15%-21.9%), of which 5 also contained DBP (0.1%-12.5%). The average DEHP content was 9.3%, and DBP 4.6%, which is 93 times, and 46 times, higher than maximum allowed value. Conclusions: Testing phthalate content provides insight into the potential exposure of sensitive population groups. The study showed an increased risk of exposure to phthalates from flexible, soft toys. In order to protect and improve health and prevent disease, continuous monitoring and measures to reduce and eliminate exposure to phthalates are necessary.

In recent years, there have been numerous research activities related to the use of different herbal agents, especially those originating from chestnuts and garlic, as alternatives to synthetic growth promoters like antibiotics. Garlic and its active ingredients have been studied for their potential benefits, such as improving feed intake, production performance, rumen fermentation, and udder health. The aim of our study was to investigate the influence of garlic polysulfides, including diallyl polysulfide and dipropyl polysulfide, on hematological and biochemical parameters in dairy cows, as well as their possible effect on subclinical mastitis therapy. Eighteen late lactation Holstein cows were divided into three numerically equal groups (n=6): CON (non-supplemented cows), ALL (supplemented with 1000 mg/day of diallyl polysulfide), and PRP (supplemented with 1000 mg/day of dipropyl polysulfide). Blood sampling for hematological and biochemical analyses as well as the California mastitis test (CMT) test were performed before and after the 15-day study. The results showed that garlic supplementation significantly increased blood leukocyte count and blood glucose concentration (p<0.05, respectively), and significantly decreased blood urea concentration (p<0.05) after the 15-day trial in both ALL and PRP groups compared with the day 0. In the supplemented groups, the CMT score was significantly lower (p<0.05, respectively) after the 15-day treatment compared with the CON group. The use of different mixtures of biologically active garlic polysulfides in the diet could improve immune and metabolic status, as well as support mastitis treatments in dairy cows.