“Pirot ‘ironed’ sausage“ (Pis) is a traditional, fermented sausage, made from different types of meat (beef and chevon), without additives or starter cultures. The physical–chemical properties (pH, water activity, fats, moisture, and protein contents) were examined in the initial meat batter stuffing and during ripening. Total bacterial diversity was examined at different time points using both culturable (traditional) and non-culturable (NGS sequencing) approaches. During the ripening, a decrease in pH value, a_w, and moisture content was observed, as well as an increase in protein and fat content. At least a two-fold significant decrease was noted for colorimetric values during the ripening period. The dominance of Proteobacteria and Firmicutes was observed in the non-culturable approach in all studied samples. During the ripening process, an increase in Firmicutes (from 33.5% to 63.5%) with a decrease in Proteobacteria (from 65.4% to 22.3%) was observed. The bacterial genera that were dominant throughout the ripening process were Lactobacillus, Photobacterium, Leuconostoc, Weissella, and Lactococcus, while Carnobacterium, Brochothrix, and Acinetobacter were found also, but in negligible abundance. Among the culturable bacteria, Latilactobacillus sakei (Lactobacillus sakei) and Leuconostoc mesenteoides were present in all stages of ripening.

Objective. Every year, around 150 million people worldwide are diagnosed with some type of urinary tract infection. Urinary tract infections are the second most common, after respiratory infections. The aim of this paper is the microbiological analysis of the urine of primary health care patients on the territory of the municipality of Prokuplje. Methods. A six-month analysis was conducted retrospectively and included the isolation and identification of bacterial and fungal pathogens of urinary infections. Results. A total of 706 samples were collected. Of the tested samples, 388 (54.96%) were positive for pathogenic microorganisms. The most common pathogen is E. coli with a share of 67.52% in relation to the number of positively tested samples. Then follow Proteus spp. with 10.57%, Enterococcus spp. with 9.54%, Enterobacter spp. with 5.67%, Klebsiella spp. with 2.58%, Pseudomonas aeruginosa with 1.55%, S. aureus with 1.03% and C. albicans and Gardnerella vaginalis with 0.77% each in relation to the number of positively tested samples. According to the gender distribution of Gram-negative bacteria, the most common among women is Proteus spp. (82.93%), while in men the most common Klebsiella spp. (80%). Of the Gram-positive bacteria, S. aureus and Gardnerella vaginalis are 100% present only in the female population, as is C. albicans. Conclusion. When choosing antibiotic therapy for patients with urinary infections, it is very important to harmonize the therapy with the age and gender of the patient.

Raspberry (Rubus idaeus L.) is a plant from the rose family and the most important berry-type fruit in our country. The most significant sorts of raspberries grown in Serbia are the red sorts, namely Willamette, Meeker, Gradina, Malling exploit and Skina. Raspberry fruit may be used either fresh or as a raw material in food industry, for the production of fruit juice, nectar, syrup, concentrate, dried and frozen fruit. The goal of this paper is to determine pH, titratable acidity (as citric acid), soluble solids, concentration of anthocyanins, vitamin C and total polyphenols, and to perform sensory analysis and microbiological quality control in both fresh and frozen fruit. pH value was measured with pH-meter. The concentration of acids was determined by the volumetric method, by titration with NaOH. The dry matter was measured by a refractometer. The concentration of anthocyanins was determined by the spectrophotometry method. The concentration of vitamin C was determined using the volumetric method. The concentration of polyphenol compounds was determined according to the Singleton method. The microbiological methods of detection and counting microorganisms were performed according to ISO standards. The results of this study have shown that both fresh and frozen raspberries are a good source of anthocyanins, indicating that their consumption is favorable for human health and that they may be useful in the production of functional food. The microbiological analyses have shown the absence of L. monocytogenes and Salmonella spp., while the concentration of Enterobacteriaceae and E. coli was below 10 cfu/g in both fresh and frozen raspberry fruit.

Urinary tract infections (UTI) represent a significant cause of morbidity affecting individuals of all ages, including the pediatric population. In about 80% of cases, the cause of UTI in humans is Escherichia coli. In this paper, we have investigated the antibacterial effect of essential oils of ten species of plants on clinical isolates of pathogenic bacteria isolated from the pediatric population. The existing differences in the antimicrobial effect of essential oils were examined by the one-way ANOVA method, while Tukey's test was used to compare pairs. The results have shown that the essential oil of Origanum vulgare L. had the strongest antimicrobial activity (> 25 mm). The weakest effect was shown by the oil of Chamomilla recutita (L.) Raushert, which showed the antimicrobial effect only towards E. coli. Based on the results, we can conclude that essential oils can be a natural alternative to the use of antibiotics.

The aim of this study was to estimate the influence of biopolymer coatings based on chitosan and zein on the quality and storage stability of prunes (Prunus domestica L., cv. Stanley) over a one-year period coupled with modified atmosphere conditions (5% CO₂ + 95% N₂). Samples were analyzed at defined intervals (every 3 months) regarding physicochemical properties, antioxidative capacity, vitamin C content, phenolic profile, headspace gas composition, microbiological status and sensory characteristics. Biopolymer coatings, modified atmosphere, and temperature play key roles in controlling oxygen availability, which consequently affects all tested properties of prunes. Application of both types of coatings significantly improves product stability compared to uncoated samples, slows moisture loss, stabilizes pH, reduces degradation of vitamin C, phenolic compounds, and antioxidant activity, and improves microbiological safety. Chitosan exhibits more pronounced effects due to its antimicrobial and antioxidant properties, while zein primarily contributes to barrier characteristics. Gradual decline in quality, significantly slowed in coated samples, is additionally mitigated at low temperature (4 °C), which further inhibits chemical, oxidative, and microbiological changes compared to storage at 23 °C. Despite zein coating providing superior preservation of several physicochemical quality parameters, chitosan-coated prunes achieved higher sensory acceptance, demonstrating that improved physicochemical stability does not necessarily correspond to better consumer acceptability.