Fresh beef slices were marinated by immersion in marinades based on dry red wine, lime-tree honey, salt, spices and seasoning plants such as thyme (Thymus vulgaris), marjoram (Majorana hortensis), garlic (Allium sativum) and horseradish (Armoracia rusticana). Once marinated, meat pieces were vacuum packed and stored at 4C for 12 days. Experimental data indicated that marination of bovine Biceps femoris muscle in wine-based marinades with spices and seasoning plants addition significantly decreased (P < 0.05) cooking losses. A significant increase in tenderness (P < 0.05) was observed in the samples marinated compared with the control. The effect of marination on biceps femoris muscle was not significant (P > 0.05) on L*, a* and b* but significant on Mb (myoglobin), MMb (metmyoglobin) and MbO2 (oxymyoglobin) percentages. Electrophoretic pattern of muscle proteins showed reduction of molecular weight and relative density (%) of some protein fractions for marinated samples compared with the control. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONSMeat quality can be defined as a combination of sensory characteristics and technological aspects, such as color, water-holding capacity, cooking losses and texture. Marinades based on dry red wine, lime-tree honey, salt, spices and seasoning plants might be used as a marinating agent for improving the tenderness of tough meat and decreasing cooking losses with no effect on meat color. It can be easily applied at household and industrial levels as an easy technique to improve meat tenderness. Improvement in tenderness will be of great value to both consumers and meat processors.

Nowadays, people spend more time and effort to gain greater control over their health by exploring alternative or herbal medicines and natural health products to prevent disease or for a healthier life. It is known that people who consume a diet rich in natural foods, such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, and fish, tend to lead a life free of diseases. Recent studies suggest that regular or increased consumption of fruits and vegetables can reduce the risk of chronic diseases, and these health benefits are believed to be primarily due to their natural antioxidants and dietary fiber content. At present, consumers prefer foods with health benefits and, at the same time, convenient for consumption, storage, and handling. In this sense, ready-to-eat nutritious products, such as snack bars, are highly appreciated for their convenience. Snack bars are versatile products often made, with cereals, fruits, and nuts being an ideal food format to deliver healthy nutrients, bioactive compounds, and dietary fiber to the consumers.

Fresh beef slices were marinated by immersion in marinades based on dry red wine, lime-tree honey, salt, spices and seasoning plants as thyme (Thymus vulgaris), marjoram (Majorana hortensis), garlic (Allium sativum) and horseradish (Armoracia rusticana). Control samples were prepared without marinating treatment but packed and stored in the same conditions as marinated samples. After marination, meat pieces were packed under vacuum and stored at 4°C for 12 days. The combined effects of spices and marination on beef tenderness were evaluated by monitoring pH evolution, the protein and collagen degree of hydrolysis and tenderness. Experimental data indicated that marination weaken beef meat structure, producing improvement of functional properties of adult beef. Marinades use lead for an increase in the protein nitrogen fraction, free amino acids and hydroxyproline contents in boiled beef cuts. A significant increase in tenderness by hardness measurement was observed in the samples marinated and boiled, as compared with the control.

Anthocyanins are water-soluble pigments characterized by various intense colors found in fruits and vegetables. Scientific studies have shown growing evidence to support their health benefits. Therefore, estimating the anthocyanin content in food is essential to identify the ideal analytical method. Moreover, due to the instability of plant anthocyanins, it is important to select and optimize their extraction, separation and qualitative and quantitative analysis, steps that are indispensable and important in their study. The present article reviews the latest procedures for extracting anthocyanins from various food matrices and analytical methods for their quantification. Therefore, various forms of preliminary treatments of samples for anthocyanin extraction, extraction procedures for various fruits, vegetables and cereals, purification of samples and quantification of anthocyanins are highlighted and evaluated. Using ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) might be effective for anthocyanin extraction and the Amberlite XAD-7HP method is the most effective for purifying anthocyanins. Combining the liquid chromatography (LC) method with electrospray ionization (ESI) and mass spectrometry (MS) or quadrupole time-of-flight (QTOF) with mass spectrometry (MS) better quantifies the anthocyanins in the food complex samples. Therefore, the extraction and separation of anthocyanins and their qualitative and quantitative analyses are essential steps in their research. As a result, the study concentrates on a detailed characterization of various qualitative and quantitative analytical methodologies, while briefly describing the main anthocyanin extraction processes.

Reduction of nitro substituted 2,5-diaryloxazoles with hydrazine hydrate and Raney nickel affords in good yield 2,5-diaryloxazoles having amino group(s) on the aryl ring(s) . The reaction of 2,4,6-trisubstituted pyrylium perchlorates with mono- and diamino-2,5-diaryloxazoles yields new mono- and bispyridinium perchlorates with a central 2,5-diaryloxazole group. Their electronic, 13C NMR and 1H NMR spectra are presented and discussed.