Inadequate culinary conditions used for preparation of baked meat can contribute to an increased oxysterol intake in the diet. Frozen storage did not stop oxysterol formation. The inhibition effect of marjoram on sterols oxidation was not confirmed. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Recently, Samoans have faced to alarming increase in the prevalence of obesity related diseases, which are connected to the consumption of imported calorie-rich and nutrient-poor food products. It is believed that the re-introduction of native diet may mitigate these negative trends. In Samoa, the seeds of Adenanthera pavonina, an underutilized leguminous tree, are popularly eaten when roasted. Although the seeds are also used in traditional medicine to treat inflammatory and cardiovascular diseases, information on their nutrients and any compounds potentially reducing risks of related health disorders is very limited. Therefore, the objective of this study was to analyse the nutrients and compounds potentially reducing risks of overweight- and obesity-related health problems in raw and roasted A. pavonina seeds from Samoa. The standard analytical and microbiological methods, namely gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry, high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection, ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, and Czech technical standard methods, were used for the determination of fatty acids, minerals, tocopherols, phenolic compounds, and B vitamins, respectively. The analyses showed that the lignoceric (17.59% and 18.24%), linoleic (39.80% and 37.88%), and oleic acids (14.67% and 14.75%) were the most abundant in the oil of raw and roasted seeds, with the unsaturated forms present in higher amounts than saturated. The seeds were found to be rich of vitamin E (33.09 and 15.94 mg/100 g), whereas the contents of vitamins B1, B2, B3, and B6 were rather low. Calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and sulphur were the minerals found in the highest concentrations. Salicylic acid (201.01 and 151.95 µg/100 g) has been detected in higher amounts than other phenolic compounds. In summary, the findings of this study indicate that the both raw and roasted seeds of A. pavonina are good sources of various health-beneficial nutrients, including those reducing the negative effects of obesity.

Atlantic salmon represents an important source of valuable proteins and lipids rich in n-3 fatty acids and micronutrients. However, there are reports that these marine fish still contain contaminants at levels that raise health concerns. Although the Stockholm Convention already bans some compounds, they can still be detected because of their persistence. The present study reports nutritional parameters and the occurrence of persistent and bioaccumulative chemicals in the tissues of fifty-five salmon from several major farming areas. The protein content of all samples was almost identical, averaging to 19.2% w/w, while lipids averaged 14.9% w/w. Fish from Chilean farms contained 6.0% less fat and a lower level of vitamin E than from other sources, that is, 2.2 mg per 100 g (w/w). Fish from Scottish farms contained higher levels of eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acid. Halogenated contaminants from polychlorinated biphenyls, organochlorinated pesticides, brominated flame retardants, and perfluoroalkylated and polyfluoroalkylated substances were measured, and generally, they were found to be at very low concentrations that did not exceed the legislation limits applicable in the European Union. These results showed that the compositional differences between Atlantic salmon from several important farming areas were only minor, but some significant differences were demonstrated in total fat content and fatty acid profiles.

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Nutrition plays an important role in human life. So far, there have been discussions focusing on the nutritional value of individual foods, separate dishes, or daily meals. However, they have not taken into account the composition of the diet in the longer term. The aim of this work was to evaluate a full-day diet from a currently renowned company that is producing box diets on the Czech market against a full-day diet of twenty randomly selected students. The results showed that the box diet met the required amount of protein, fat, vitamin E, cholesterol, and also the optimal intake of n-6 and n-3 fatty acids. The amount of saturated fatty acids (SFA) was only slightly increased. Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) content averaged 38 mg day^–1, which did not meet the current requirements. The students' full-day diet was variable, the individual differences were large. Protein intake could be assessed as sufficient in most cases. The total fat intake ranged from 21 g day^–1 to 126 g day^–1. Seven out of twenty samples would satisfy the recommendation for SFA. The content of the essential acids EPA and DHA was below the detection limit with the exception of one sample (containing herring fillets).