Dominika Średnicka-Tober

Warsaw University of Life Sciences - SGGW | SGGW · Department of Functional Food and Commodities

Background: Cardiovascular diseases, including coronary heart disease (CHD), are currently positioned among the leading causes of mortality globally. Risk factors of CHD include, among others, hypercholesterolemia and elevations in systemic inflammation. Functional foods enriched with compounds showing cholesterol-lowering effects are considered on...

Diets, but also overall food environments, comprise a variety of significant factors with direct and indirect impacts on human health. Eco-Regions are geographical areas with a territorial approach to rural development, utilizing organic food and farming practices, and principles and promoting sustainable communities and food systems. However, so f...

Background Morocco is currently undergoing rapid changes in diets and lifestyles, influenced by globalization and urbanization, leading to a shift away from the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) toward Western diets. Objective Describe and explore the food consumption patterns of the population of Kenitra province and their adherence to the MedDiet usi...

Introduction Consumer food waste at the household level results from a complex set of behaviors depending on the local food environment, among other factors. This study mainly aimed at comparing food waste behaviors in the Cilento Bio-District with those recorded at the national level to explore if the organic district model had an impact on food w...

The data from the United Nations Food Waste Index 2021 suggest that food losses and waste represent a pressing challenge, even in developing countries. This study investigates food waste in Morocco, specifically focusing on Kenitra province (northwestern Morocco). It quantifies the food waste types and quantities in Kenitra households and explores...

It has been broadly reported that the production of animal-derived foods significantly contributes to the environmental footprint of the agri-food sector, considering, among others, such indicators as land use, greenhouse gas emissions, and the water footprint. However, the environmental sustainability aspects of whole diets (i.e., more plant-based...

Oat has been known in food technology and human nutrition for a very long time. Its rich chemical composition and high nutritional value make it of interest to scientists in the field of food processing technology as well as nutritionists. Low-processed, whole-grain oat products rich in biologically active substances with well-proven preventive and...

To solve the rising issue of how to feed our planet in the future, we need to enhance our knowledge of peoples' current eating patterns and analyze those in terms of their health and environmental impacts. Current studies about adherence to existing national and global dietary recommendations often lack the ability to cross-compare the results amon...

There are numerous food safety aspects that must be taken into consideration by organic food producers and processors to ensure the safety and quality of their products. The application of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) principles, together with the implementation of good hygiene practices (GHP), ensures that food safety and pro...

Sustainable food systems have the potential to protect humans and planet health. Green public procurement (GPP) is a tool for the sustainable transformation. In Poland, the share of GPP is extremely low. As part of the StratKIT project, a survey-based research study was carried out in the city of Rybnik (Silesia Region). The aim of this paper is to...

Background. The livestock sector is nowadays considered one of those areas of human activity that has a significant impact on the environment, due to, among other things, large water footprint, greenhouse gas emissions, as well as the over-exploitation and changed utilization of natural areas. Reducing the consumption of products of animal origin,...

Diets influence our mental health and social wellbeing (MHSW) in multiple ways. A rising community concept, Eco-Regions, has gained interest. The research project “Indicators for assessment of health effects of consumption of sustainable, organic school meals in Ecoregions” (INSUM) aims to develop future-oriented research approaches to measure the...

For several decades, people have been searching for natural substances of plant origin that, when introduced into the diet, could strengthen immunity, have anticancer properties, and support conventional therapy. The development of agriculture with the implementation of various plant cultivation systems, apart from the economic aspect, results in t...

In the present study, the roots of valerian (Valeriana officinalis L.) and lovage (Levisticum officinale Koch.) from the organic and low-input conventional cultivation systems were subjected to the analysis of selected groups of phenolic compounds (phenolic acids, flavonoids) and antioxidant activity. Plants were grown in two consecutive vegetation...

In recent years, organic food, produced with the use of natural means and production methods, has been gaining more and more popularity among consumers. This is due, inter alia, to their belief that it is more abundant in health-promoting bioactive compounds and safer than conventional food. Consumers are increasingly aware of the harmfulness of pl...

The aim of the present study was to determine the concentrations of polyphenols and carotenoids by means of HPLC/UV-Vis in certified organic and non-organic carrots (Daucus carota L.) of two cultivars (Flacoro and Nantejska). The analyzed carrot root samples contained, on average, 4.29 ± 0.83 mg/100g f.w. of carotenoids (mainly β-carotene) and 9.09...

Background Observational studies have linked pesticide exposure to various diseases, whereas organic food consumption has been associated with positive health outcomes. Organic farming standards prohibit the use of most pesticides, and organic food consumption may therefore reduce pesticide exposure. Objectives To determine the effects of diet (We...

Organic agriculture is considered one of the elements of sustainable food production and consumption, mainly due to its limited impact on the natural environment. At the same time, the quality features of organically produced foods, especially sensory attributes and health promoting values, are important factors determining consumers’ interest, and...

Here we report the results of a three-year replicated field trial on the effects of novel clover- and alfalfa-based fertilizer products (Ekofert® K and Ekofert® L), with the input levels equivalent to 120, 180, or 240 kg N ha−1, on the yield and selected sensory and nutritional quality parameters of onion. The study showed that Ekofert fertilizer a...

Anthocyanins are widely distributed secondary metabolites that play an essential role in skin pigmentation of many plant organs and microorganisms. Anthocyanins have been associated with a wide range of biological and pharmacological properties. They are also effective agents in the prevention and treatment of many chronic diseases. Berries are par...

The excessive consumption of sugar, salt, and fat is associated with an increased risk of non-communicable diseases. Therefore, a study on estimating the added sugar, salt, and fat intake in certain populations is important for establishing specific recommendations aiming at improving diet quality, and thus public health. This study aimed to determ...

Due to the strong antioxidant activity of flavonoids and carotenoids, daily consumption of these bioactive compounds has the potential for reducing the risk of many chronic and degener-ative diseases caused by or contributed to by oxidative stress. Currently, the available research results related to the flavonoid and carotenoid intake in Asian cou...

Recent human cohort studies reported positive associations between organic food consumption and a lower incidence of obesity, cancer, and several other diseases. However, there are very few animal and human dietary intervention studies that provide supporting evidence or a mechanistic understanding of these associations. Here we report results from...

The objective of the work was to investigate and estimate the effects of conventional, organic, and biodynamic farming systems on biological and agrochemical soil properties and mineral composition of potato tubers with different colored flesh. This study compared the same biological and agrochemical soil quality indicators on samples collected at...

In recent decades, organic farming based on natural means and methods of production is gaining more and more popularity. It is due to the growing awareness of the society regarding the harmfulness of chemicals used in intensive agriculture, which influences the growing interest of both producers and consumers in organic food. Searching for plant cu...

Courgette is a popular vegetable belonging to the Cucurbitaceae family. It is known for its good adaptation to different weather conditions, although it performs best in a warm and humid climate. Since the yield and various quality characteristics of vegetables are known to be strongly influenced by a number of weather, agronomic, and genetic (vari...

A growing demand for organic foods is driven by consumers′ perception that they are more nutritious. However, while there is a number of scientific studies showing some superior qualities of organically grown fruit and vegetables, including, i.e., higher content of phenolics, some vitamins and antioxidant activity, scientific research looking into...

Purpose To clarify needs and requests of the young generation to the contemporary and future education on food systems, this paper aims to examine the following issues: students’ background knowledge, students’ behaviour as consumers and food citizenship, most interesting topics of SFS for students and students’ preferences and expectations in deve...

Courgette is considered as a low-calorie vegetable with health-promoting properties. However, scientific publications focused on the profile and content of bioactive compounds in courgette, as well as the potential fruit quality modulating factors, are rare. Due to the high adaptability of courgette to weather and agronomic conditions, it is produc...

The apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) is one of the most widely cultivated temperate fruits globally, gaining scientific interest as a rich source of antioxidants with a demonstrated beneficial human health impact. Since a growing number of consumers are increasingly seeking safe and healthy food options, alternative fruit production systems such as o...

The purpose of this research is to evaluate the effect of conventional, biodynamic, and organic cultivation methods on the contents of polyphenols and carotenoids in tubers of potato cultivars with different colored flesh: “Red Emmalie”, “Salad Blue”, “Violetta”, “Tornado”, and “Laura”. These bioactive compounds were determined by the high-performa...

An organic agricultural system based on natural methods and means of production is an alternative to intensive agriculture. The available research suggests that organic crops, in comparison to the conventional ones, are richer in phenolics and other antioxidants while containing less undesirable pesticide residues and nitrates. The aim of this stud...

The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the content of a number of bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity of fruits of selected local and commercial sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) cultivars. The experiment showed that the selected cultivars of sweet cherries differ significantly in the content of polyphenolic compounds and carotenoi...

In all countries, the organic sector of the agricultural industry is increasing, with Europe traditionally leading this trend. A survey of different stakeholders (employers) was carried out in 2015 in seven European countries to evaluate the employment market for the organic agricultural industry in Europe. Results indicate the willingness to emplo...

Sweet bell pepper is a perfect source of flavonoids and carotenoids. Some experiments indicated that fresh organic vegetables contained more of these bioactive compounds in comparison to the conventional ones. It could be expected that pickled organic vegetables also contain more antioxidant compounds. The aim of this study was therefore to analyse...

PL Przedstawiono charakterystykę najpopularniejszych naturalnych zamienników cukru spożywczego - sacharozy, takich jak: melasa karobowa, melasa z buraka cukrowego i trzciny cukrowej, syrop daktylowy, syrop z agawy, syrop klonowy, syrop i cukier kokosowy. Opisano i porównano ich właściwości. Wykazano, że poszczególne syropy i melasy charakteryzują s...

Demand for organic meat is partially driven by consumer perceptions that organic foods are more nutritious than non-organic foods. However, there have been no systematic reviews comparing specifically the nutrient content of organic and conventionally produced meat. In this study, we report results of a meta-analysis based on sixty-seven published...

Demand for organic milk is partially driven by consumer perceptions that it is more nutritious. However, there is still considerable uncertainty over whether the use of organic production standards affects milk quality. Here we report results of meta-analyses based on 170 published studies comparing the nutrient content of organic and conventional...

Very little is known about the effects of red wine consumption on male reproductive functions. Here we report the effect of regular drinking of different types of red wine on hormonal reproductive parameters and total antioxidant status in young adult male rats. Dry red wine (D-RW) exerted higher antioxidant activity and was characterized by higher...

Demand for organic foods is partially driven by consumers' perceptions that they are more nutritious. However, scientific opinion is divided on whether there are significant nutritional differences between organic and non-organic foods, and two recent reviews have concluded that there are no differences. In the present study, we carried out meta-an...

Meta-analyses are methods to combine outcomes from different studies in order to investigate consistent effects of relatively small magnitude, which are difficult to distinguish from random variation within a single study. Several published meta-analyses addressed whether organic and conventional production methods affect the composition of plant f...

Very little is known about the effects of an organic or conventional diet on animal physiology and health. Here we report the effect of contrasting crop protection (with or without chemosynthetic pesticides) and fertilization (manure or mineral fertilizers) regimes on feed composition and growth and physiological parameters of rats. The use of manu...

The paper gives an overview of recent studies investigating the health value of organic foods and presents a framework for estimating the scientific impact of these studies. Furthermore, the problems connected with the different research approaches are being discussed. A number of comparative studies showed lower nitrate contents and less pesticide...

A dietary intervention study was conducted to analyse the effects of compound feeds based on crops produced in two consecutive growing seasons under four agronomic regimes that differed in crop protection (organic versus conventional) and fertilization (organic versus conventional) practices, on the growth, body chemical composition, haematological...

Organic food is becoming more and more popular nowadays. At the same time there are still very few studies which enable us to assess objectively the real influence of organic food on human health. Aim: The aim of this research was to analyze and to compare some aspects of organic and conventional consumers' lifestyle and to compare the self-assesse...

Aim of the study: The main aim of the research was to evaluate and to compare the ecological awareness of people representing three groups: amateurs, competitors and trainers in the context of their physical activity and lifestyle. Methods: Questionnaire survey concerning the ecological awareness covered 150 respondents living in Warsaw and represe...

During the last decades consumers" trust in food quality and safety has drastically decreased, mainly due to several food scandals and growing ecological awareness. Consumers have started to look for safer foods, produced in environmentally friendly, authentic and local systems. Organically produced foods are believed to satisfy these demands. Orga...