Cocoa beans are part of the cocoa plant fruit (Theobroma cacao L.) used to prepare various products such as chocolate, cocoa butter, jelly, liqueurs, cosmetics, etc. Dark chocolate is consumed worldwide by different populations and is known for its good taste, making it one of the most favoured food products. This work aimed to determine the content of total polyphenols (TPC), total flavonoids (TFC), and the antioxidant potential measured through the ability to scavenge DPPH free radicals (DPPH), ferric reducing power (FRAP), and total antioxidant capacity (TAC), as well as major and trace elements contained in twelve commercially available dark chocolate samples, with cocoa content ranging from 40% to 99%. The total polyphenols content ranged between 10.55 and 39.82 mg/g GAE, while the total flavonoid content was from 10.04 to 37.85 mg/g CE. All applied antioxidant assays indicate that the sample with the highest cocoa percentage shows the greatest antioxidant activity (DPPH: 48.34% of inhibition; FRAP: 89.00 mg/g GAE; TAC: 83.86 mg/g AAE). Statistical methods were applied to establish the differences between the samples concerning TPC, TFC, DPPH, FRAP and TAC, as well as to differentiate the samples according to the mineral content. The results indicated that the differences in TPC and TFC between different samples depended on the cocoa content and the addition of dried fruit pieces. A good correlation between antioxidant potency composite index (ACI) and declared cocoa content was noticed (R² = 0.8034), indicating that the declared percentage of cocoa is a reliable indicator for antioxidant activity of analysed dark chocolate samples. The nutritional evaluation proved that the studied chocolate samples were an excellent source of Mg, Fe, Mn and Cu.

Sorghum grain (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) is a gluten-free cereal with excellent nutritional value and is a good source of antioxidants, including polyphenols, as well as minerals with proven health benefits. Herein, the phenolic composition, elemental profile, and antioxidant activity of sixteen food-grade sorghum grains (S1–S16) grown under agroecological conditions in Serbia were determined. Nine phenolic compounds characteristic of sorghum grains, such as luteolinidin, 5-methoxyluteolinidin, luteolidin derivative, luteolidin glucoside, apigeninidin, 7-methoxyapigeninidin, apigeninidin glucoside, and cyanidin derivative, were quantified. The antioxidant potential of the analyzed sorghum grains was evaluated by UV/Vis (DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP) and Electron Paramagnetic Resonance spectroscopy (hydroxyl and ascorbyl radical scavenging assays). The content of macro- and microelements was determined by Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission spectroscopy. Theoretical daily intakes of selected major and trace elements were assessed and compared with the Recommended Daily Allowance or Adequate Intake. Sample S8 had the highest amount of phenolic compounds, while S4, S6, and S8 exhibited the strongest antioxidative potential. The sorghum studied could completely satisfy the daily needs of macro- (K, Mg, and P) and microelements (Se, Zn, Fe). Pattern recognition techniques confirmed the discrimination of samples based on phenolic profile and elemental analysis and recognized the main markers responsible for differences between the investigated samples. The reaction between hydroxyl radicals and luteolinidin/apigeninidin was investigated by Density Functional Theory and thermodynamically preferred mechanism was determined.

Maize is a globally significant cereal crop, contributing to the production of essential food products and serving as a pivotal resource for diverse industrial applications. This study investigated the proximate analysis of maize hybrids from different FAO maturity groups in Serbia, exploring variations in polyphenols, flavonoids, carotenoids, tocopherols, and fatty acids with the aim of understanding how agroecological conditions influence the nutritional potential of maize hybrids. The results indicate substantial variations in nutritional composition and antioxidant properties among different maturity groups. The levels of total polyphenols varied among FAO groups, indicating that specific hybrids may offer greater health benefits. Flavonoids and carotenoids also showed considerable variation, with implications for nutritional quality. Tocopherol content varied significantly, emphasizing the diversity in antioxidant capacity. Fatty acid analysis revealed high levels of unsaturated fatty acids, particularly linoleic acid, indicating favorable nutritional and industrial properties. The study highlights the importance of considering maturity groups in assessing the nutritional potential of maize hybrids.

In this study, whole grain sorghum flour was used to partially substitute the gluten-free flour blend in cookie formulation at 20% (C20) and 40% (C40) replacement levels. The goal was to explore its potential to improve the nutritional value and sensory appeal of cookies relative to conventional and commercially available gluten-free alternatives. Nutritional analysis revealed that cookies with added sorghum flour showed increased levels of protein, ash, and polyphenolic compounds, while maintaining favorable macronutrient profiles. Notably, several bioactive compounds, such as gallic acid, caffeic acid, and apigenin, were detected exclusively in sorghum-containing samples, suggesting enhanced functional properties. Despite these compositional changes, textural measurements showed no significant differences in hardness or fracturability compared with the control. Sensory profiling using the Rate-All-That-Apply (RATA) method demonstrated that both samples (C20 and C40) achieved balanced results in terms of aroma as well as texture and were generally well accepted by the panel. The results indicate that moderate inclusion of sorghum flour (20% and 40%) can improve the sensory and nutritional profiles of gluten-free cookies without compromising product acceptability. Sorghum thus offers a promising pathway for the development of high-quality, health-oriented, gluten-free bakery products.

To overcome the different challenges to food security caused by a growing population and climate change, soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) breeders are creating novel cultivars that have the potential to improve productivity while maintaining environmental sustainability. Genomic selection (GS) is an advanced approach that may accelerate the rate of genetic gain in breeding using genome-wide molecular markers. The accuracy of genomic selection can be affected by trait architecture and heritability, marker density, linkage disequilibrium, statistical models, and training set. The selection of a minimal and optimal marker set with high prediction accuracy can lower genotyping costs, computational time, and multicollinearity. Selective phenotyping could reduce the number of genotypes tested in the field while preserving the genetic diversity of the initial population. This study aimed to evaluate different methods of selective genotyping and phenotyping on the accuracy of genomic prediction for soybean yield. The evaluation was performed on three populations: recombinant inbred lines, multifamily diverse lines, and germplasm collection. Strategies adopted for marker selection were as follows: SNP (single nucleotide polymorphism) pruning, estimation of marker effects, randomly selected markers, and genome-wide association study. Reduction of the number of genotypes was performed by selecting a core set from the initial population based on marker data, yet maintaining the original population’s genetic diversity. Prediction ability using all markers and genotypes was different among examined populations. The subsets obtained by the model-based strategy can be considered the most suitable for marker selection for all populations. The selective phenotyping based on makers in all cases had higher values of prediction ability compared to minimal values of prediction ability of multiple cycles of random selection, with the highest values of prediction obtained using AN approach and 75% population size. The obtained results indicate that selective genotyping and phenotyping hold great potential and can be integrated as tools for improving or retaining selection accuracy by reducing genotyping or phenotyping costs for genomic selection.

Background: The effectiveness of soybean inoculants in field conditions may be improved through the joint application of rhizobia and plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB). Plant nutrients may also contribute to the higher efficacy of microbial inoculants as well as the growth and development of plants. Methods: A field experiment was performed to evaluate the responses of the rhizomicrobiome and soybean to seed treatments with multiple bacterial strains (Bradyrhizobium japonicum, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus megaterium and Azotobacter chroococcum), applied individually or in consortia, with and without nutrient complex (S, Mg, Mn, Fe, Zn, Cu, B and Mo). Result: Seed treatments with microbial consortia of Br. japonicum, B. subtilis/B. megaterium, A. chroococcum strains and nutrients had the highest effect on the abundance of total bacteria, nitrogen-fixing bacteria, actinomycetes and activity of dehidrogenase in the soybean rhizosphere. The highest effect on plant height, plant weight, pod number, pod weight, seed number and seed weight was obtained from treatment with Br. japonicum strains with nutrients, followed by co-inoculation with B. megaterium and A. chroococcum. In comparison with the control and Bradyrhizobium single inoculation, a statistically significant increase in the seed yield was recorded in treatment with Br. japonicum, B. megaterium, A. chroococcum and nutrients, reflecting the highest increase in protein and oil yield. The interactive effects of microbial consortia and nutrients could be used as promising seed technology for sustainable soybean cropping.