Soňa Škrovánková

• Doctor of Philosophy
• Tomas Bata University in Zlín

A significant increase in interest in new, naturally occurring sources of antioxidants is evident not only in the food industry but also in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. Plant sources such as fruits, both traditional and less common, are often investigated. Goji berries (Lycium barbarum, Lycium chinense, and Lycium ruthenicum) represe...

The review focuses on the evaluation of antioxidant potential and its changes by various factors such as growing conditions, the use of fertilizers, the analyzed part of the plant, the solvent used, the extraction method, purifying procedures, and the determination method for selected medicinal and aromatic plants that are lesser-known as antioxida...

Climate change results in continuous warming of the planet, threatening sustainable crop production around the world. Amaranth is an abiotic stress-tolerant, climate-resilient, C4 leafy orphan vegetable that has grown rapidly with great divergence and potential usage. The C4 photosynthesis allows amaranth to be grown as a sustainable future food cr...

Grape leaves, scientifically known as Vitis vinifera, the primary by-product obtained after the processing of grapes, are gathered in enormous amounts and disposed of as agricultural waste. For more sustainable agriculture and better food systems, it is crucial to investigate these byproducts’ nutritional values. The primary bioactive compounds pre...

Introduction Drought stress unfavorably influences the growth and physiological traits of plants in the arid and semi-arid regions of the world. This study aimed to determine the effects of arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi (AMF; Funneliformis mosseae) inoculation on the physiological and biochemical responses of summer savory (Satureja hortensis L.) und...

Persimmon fruits are often affected by large postharvest losses due to rapid ripening and the early onset of senescence. To reduce such losses in fresh fruits, the application of hydrocolloid-based edible coatings was conducted. Therefore, a plant hydrocolloid-based gum, tragacanth gum (TCG), was applied to persimmon fruits at 0.5%, 1%, and 1.5% TC...

In recent years there has been an extensive search for nature-based products with functional potential. All structural parts of Physalis alkekengi (bladder cherry), including fruits, pulp, and less-explored parts, such as seeds and peel, can be considered sources of functional macro- and micronutrients, bioactive compounds, such as vitamins, minera...

Beneficial plant–microbe interaction for enhancing crop yield and quality is a sustainable way to achieve eco-friendly, desirable agricultural productions. The main objective of this experiment was to evaluate the individual and combined effects of an arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (AMF) strain (Funneliformis mosseae) and a seaweed extract (SWE) der...

Black mulberry (Morus nigra L.) fruits are known due to their delicious, sweet and slightly acid flavor and high anthocyanin content. In the present study, the diversity of phytochemical, sensory, and antioxidant characteristics of the fruits of 20 black mulberry genotypes, from the Artvin region of Turkey, were evaluated. As important phytochemica...

Biofertilizers, such as arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi (AMF) and seaweed extract (SWE), have been effective in environmental and agricultural ecosystems. In this study, the effects of AMF, SWE, and their co-application were assayed on the growth and antioxidant potential of lettuce plants. The experiment was conducted as a factorial based on a complet...

Grapes (Vitis L.), one of the most important and old fruit crops in the world, are grown in a wide range of environments from Australia to North America and from Japan to Chile. All grape growing countries use both international and local cultivars in production to obtain fresh and dried fruits or wine. In Turkey, each region has their own local gr...

Peppers are cultivated in almost all provinces in Turkey, making up approximately 7% of the world’s production. In this study, the effects of pre-harvest cytokinin application on the postharvest physiology of pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) fruits (cv. Akra and Melek F1) grown in ecological conditions in Turkey (Van, eastern Turkey) were investigated....

A healthy lifestyle and gastronomic trends based on traditional and local foods accompanied by waste-free technologies are currently in the primary focus. One of the raw materials with properties in alignment with such requirements is grape pomace. This paper evaluates the antioxidant activity of grape pomace (which is homogenized into a brown powd...

Pseudocereals are important as gluten-free crops that could be utilized as functional foods. They contain proteins with high biological value and also bioactive compounds such as phenolic compounds, flavonoids, vitamins, and minerals that can possess positive health effects on the body. Three types of pseudocereals (amaranth, buckwheat, and quinoa)...

Based on the study of general knowledge of biochemical and all subsequent developmental studies of organic matter, especially products of grapevine and selected fruit products, a comprehensive study of processing technologies is prepared. Use of a combination of vine products and fruit products in the form of natural grapes. Beverages are researche...

This article deals with the comparison of biologically active substances (antioxidant capacity, content of polyphenols and flavonoids) in samples of common and liturgical wines. For determination were chosen these varieties Pinot Noir, Red Traminer and Chardonnay. The total content of polyphenols and flavonoids were found by visible diode array spe...

Honey contains important bioactive compounds (enzymes, phenolic compounds, vitamins, and minerals) with several positive health effects for humans. In the study six types of honey (acacia, rape, floral, multi flower, forest, and honeydew honeys), of Czech and Slovak origin, were evaluated for bioactive compounds by means of color, polyphenols and a...

Lesser known fruits or underutilized fruit species are recently of great research interest due to the presence of phytochemicals that manifest many biological effects. European cranberry, Vaccinium oxycoccos fruit, as an important representative of this group, is a valuable source of antioxidants and other biologically active substances, similar to...

The influence of varieties and the effect of mulching film on antioxidant capacity, polyphenol content, ascorbic acid content, and yield of tomato fruits were investigated. Results of two years (2012 and 2013) investigations were compared. The results proved a statistically significant effect of year, mulching film, and variety on the content of to...

The influence of varieties and the effect of mulching film on antioxidant capacity, polyphenol content, ascorbic acid content, and yield of tomato fruits were investigated. Results of two years (2012 and 2013) investigations were compared. The results proved a statistically significant effect of year, mulching film, and variety on the content of to...

The article deals with the content of selected mineral substances in Czech liturgical wines and compares them with common wines. Sulphur, phosphorus, boron, potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, cadmium and lead were selected as evaluated minerals, and they were all found in all the analyzed varieties - Pinot Noir, Red Traminer and Chardonnay. Miner...

Garlic contains important biologically active compounds such as phytoncides, antioxidants and others. There belong organosulfur compounds, allyl thiosulfinates and phenolic compounds (phenolic acids, flavonoids), vitamins (E and C) and some minerals, that all have several positive effects on human health. In the work five types of raw garlic (Alliu...

Wine is considered to be a significant alcoholic beverage, which is the result of fermentation of grape must or mash. Wine is a must when the substances contained in it play a major role, which are essential inhibiting water, carbohydrates, acids, minerals, nitrates, polyphenols and aromatics. These biochemical components are an important tracking...

The flavonoid aglycone content of ethyl acetate fraction of Saussurea salicifolia (L.) DC was analysed by the HPLC “Agilent” 1100 with Alltech C18 μm column, UV254 detector, flow rate: 1 ml/min, mobile phase: acetonitrile: water:acetic acid (36:65:1). Eleven flavonoid aglycones in the ethyl acetate fraction of Saussurea salicifolia were detected by...

Aerial parts of Saussurea salicifolia (L.) DC were studied for their lignan and flavonoids in solvent chloroform and n -butanol of ethanolic extract. Isolation and identification of phenolic compounds of the chloroform and n-butanol fractions were performed with Dionex HPLC-DAD system with water-methanol gradients in 4 different wave lengths (235 n...

In recent years, growing attention has been focused on the utilization of natural sources of antioxidants in the prevention of chronic diseases. Black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) represents a lesser known fruit species utilized mainly as juices, purees, jams, jellies and wine, as important food colorants or nutritional supplements. The fruit is...

Paprika spices (Capsicium annuum) and black pepper spices (Piper nigrum) are very popular seasonings for culinary and industrial utilization due to the change of sensory quality (taste, aroma, color) of foods and meals with their addition; their health promoting properties; and also, relevant antioxidant activity. Polyphenols are often responsible...

Nowadays, much research attention is focused on underutilized berry crops due to the high antioxidant activity of fruits. Black crowberry (Empetrum nigrum L.) represents an important source of flavonols (quercetin, rutin, myricetin, naringenin, naringin, morin, and kaempferol) and anthocyanins. The fruit components could be utilised as natural colo...

The purpose of the natural drinks production is the preservation of biologically active compounds in maximal amount in prepared drinks. The issue is the loss of these substances due to conventional conservation methods, such as pasteurization. Pascalization, a conservation method using high pressure, performs a new trend in conservation. According...

Quercetin is the great representative of polyphenols, flavonoids subgroup, flavonols. Its main natural sources in foods are vegetables such as onions, the most studied quercetin containing foods, and broccoli; fruits (apples, berry crops, and grapes); some herbs; tea; and wine. Quercetin is known for its antioxidant activity in radical scavenging a...

Berries, especially members of several families, such as Rosaceae (strawberry, raspberry, blackberry), and Ericaceae (blueberry, cranberry), belong to the best dietary sources of bioactive compounds (BAC). They have delicious taste and flavor, have economic importance, and because of the antioxidant properties of BAC, they are of great interest als...

Ascorbic acid (AA) is a water-soluble vitamin essential in the human nutrition, an antioxidant, a scavenger of free radicals in biological systems and a cofactor of several enzymes. For the precise detection of AA concentration in biological samples there is important the option of the determination method. To the most common and exact methods for...

Medicinal plants are traditionally used in folk medicine as natural healing remedies with therapeutic effects such as prevention of cardiovascular diseases, inflammation disorders, or reducing the risk of cancer. In addition, pharmacological industry utilizes medicinal plants due to the presence of active chemical substances as agents for drug synt...

The interest in functional food, both freshwater and marine algal products with their possible promotional health effects, increases also in regions where algae are considered as rather exotic food. Increased attention about algae as an abundant source of many nutrients and dietary fiber from the nutrition point of view, as well as from the scienti...

Seaweeds are a good source of some water- (B(1), B(2), B(12), C) and fat-soluble (β-carotene with vitamin A activity, vitamin E) vitamins. To ensure that the adequate intake of all vitamins is received in the diet, people (especially people on special diet, strict vegetarians, and vegans) can consume foods enriched with vitamins, for example, in th...

Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) is a water-soluble essential vitamin. Nowadays an increased risk for riboflavin deficiency may be seen in people on special diets (diabetes mellitus), smokers or heavy alcohol drinkers. In the Czech diet the main sources of the vitamin intake are milk and dairy products followed by cereals and meat. Cereals are good source o...

The intensity of astringent taste was studied in wine, vermouth and other beverages during ingestion and for up to 100 s after swallowing, and the reproducibilities determined. Better reproducibility was observed of the same assessor on different days than between different assessors on the same day. Preprinted forms and mouse operated or touch-sen...

The astringent taste is important for the sensory quality of beverages. Perception thresholds of two important astringent compounds – tannic acid and (+)-catechin were determined using two procedures. The concentration-intensity dependence was linear at low concentrations and up to medium intensities of the astringent taste if unstructured graphica...

The importance of substitution of wheat flour by amaranth flour (10, 15 and 20% w/w) on fermentative gas (CO2) production and on quality of bread (specific product volume and sensory quality) was determined. Substitution of 10% and 15% (w/w) wheat flour by amaranth flour has a positive effect on dough quality (increased binding of flour, better dou...