Monotony in a gluten-free (GF) diet can be a challenge because of a limited choice of acceptable cereal sources. This study investigates the potential of five types of differently coloured lentils in the development of GF cookies using rice flour as a reference. Raw materials (lentil flours) and cookies were characterised in terms of physicochemical parameters (e.g., crude protein content, total phenolics and flavonoids, antioxidant properties, colour, pH); additionally, geometry, baking loss and texture profile were determined for the cookies. A sensory acceptance test was also conducted to find out consumer preferences regarding rice versus different lentil cookies. Results showed that lentil cookies were superior to rice control in terms of higher crude protein (12.1–14.8 vs. 3.8 g/100 g), phenolic (136.5–342.3 vs. 61.5 mg gallic acid equivalents/100 g) and flavonoid (23.8–75.9 vs. 13.1 mg catechin equivalents/100 g) content and antioxidant capacity (0.60–1.81 vs. 0.35 mmol trolox equivalents/100 g), as well as lower hydroxymethyl-furfural content (<1 vs. 26.2 mg/kg). Consumers preferred lentil cookies to rice ones (overall liking: 6.1–7.0 vs. 5.6, significant differences for red and brown lentils), liking especially their taste (6.3–7.0 vs. 5.5). Depending on the target parameter, whether physicochemical or sensory, these lentil flours can be promising raw materials for GF bakery products.

Gluten-free (GF) diets often become nutritionally imbalanced, being low in proteins and fibers and high in sugars. Preparing GF foods with improved nutritional value is therefore a key challenge. This study investigates the impact of different combinations of whey protein (11.9%), inulin (6.0%) as dietary fiber, and xylitol (27.9%) as a sweetener used in the enrichment of green- and red-lentil-based gluten-free cookies. The cookies were characterized in terms of baking loss, geometric parameters, color, texture, and sensory profile. The results showed that these functional ingredients had different impacts on the lentil cookies made of different (green/red) lentils, especially regarding the effect of fiber and xylitol on the volume (green lentil cookies enriched with fiber: 16.5 cm3, sweetened with xylitol: 10.9 cm3 vs. 21.2 cm3 for control; red lentil cookies enriched with fiber: 21.9 cm3, sweetened with xylitol: 21.1 cm3 vs. 21.8 cm3 for control) and color (e.g., b* for green lentil cookies enriched with fiber: 13.13, sweetened with xylitol: 8.15 vs. 16.24 for control; b* for red lentil cookies enriched with fiber: 26.09, sweetened with xylitol: 32.29 vs. 28.17 for control). Regarding the textural attributes, the same tendencies were observed for both lentil products, i.e., softer cookies were obtained upon xylitol and whey protein addition, while hardness increased upon inulin enrichment. Stickiness was differently influenced by the functional ingredients in the case of green and red lentil cookies, but all the xylitol-containing cookies were less crumbly than the controls. The interactions of the functional ingredients were revealed in terms of all the properties investigated. Sensory analysis showed that the addition of whey protein resulted in less intensive “lentil” and “baked” aromas (mostly for red lentil cookies), and replacement of sugar by xylitol resulted in crumblier and less hard and crunchier products. The application of different functional ingredients in the enrichment of lentil-based gluten-free cookies revealed several interactions. These findings could serve as a starting point for future research and development of functional GF products.

Xanthohumol is a hop-derived flavonoid that has been widely examined for its health-protecting and antitumorigenic properties, but not yet in a natural beer matrix. The aim of the study was to investigate the antitumorigenic potential of a xanthohumol-enriched beer in vivo. Four groups of 4 × 10 nude mice were formed. Following the injection of HeLa tumorigenic cell lines, the treatment groups were administered a xanthohumol supplementation for 100 days, either dissolved in beer or in an ethanolic solution with the same alcohol strength as beer. The control groups received un-supplemented material. The terminal tumor masses, liver weights, and plasma antioxidant capacities (FRAP and ABTS methods) were measured. For the statistical analysis, a two-way ANOVA test was performed (p < 0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in tumor size between the groups. Xanthohumol did not induce higher levels of plasma antioxidant capacity, neither in beer nor in the water–ethanol matrix. The terminal liver weights were significantly higher in the control group receiving the unsupplemented ethanol solution. Xanthohumol dissolved in beer or in the water–alcohol matrix did not have a protective effect on tumor growth, nor did it have a positive effect on plasma antioxidant capacity either. However, beer with added xanthohumol had a less harmful effect on the liver compared to the supplemented water–ethanol solution. Our results indicate the possible negative countereffect of ethanol; however, further investigations are needed.

Honey adulteration is a worldwide problem; however, its detection is a challenge for researchers and authorities. There are numerous ways of honey counterfeiting; amongst them, direct adulteration is one of the most common methods. Correlative techniques, such as near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), are useful tools in the detection of honey adulteration; however, this method has not been applied to Hungarian honeys. The aim of this research was to investigate the performance of NIRS for the detection of sugar syrup addition to Hungarian honeys at lower concentration levels (<10% w/w). Acacia, rape, forest, sunflower, and linden honeys were mixed with high-fructose-content sugar syrup, rice syrup, or self-made glucose fructose syrup in 3%, 5%, and 10% w/w. NIRS analysis was performed in the spectral range of 950–1650 nm. Principal component analysis was coupled with linear discriminant analysis and partial least square regression models were built for the classification and prediction of adulteration levels, respectively. Our results showed that the performance of NIRS highly depends on both type of syrup and honey. PCA-LDA models provided the 100% correct classification of control in the case of all the models, while PLSR results could predict the added sugar syrup content in the case of rice and F40 syrup models, obtaining >2.2 RPDCV value.

The environment and society course is designed as a postgraduate teacher retraining course, mainly for teachers, in the form of distance learning in order to provide a flexible learning in space and time. Training on sustainable development represents an educational‐instructional process that can lead to the rise of a population group being sensitive to environmental problems. The course deals with environmental and sustainable education in their complexity. It provides an introduction to the natural, built and social environment and to the development of social and economic life. This course centres on the education and retraining of sustainable development. Furthermore, both the content (education of environmental and sustainable development) and the form (distance learning and innovative teaching methodologies) of the course will be disseminated as models to the Hungarian higher education community.