Czech Journal of Food Sciences, 2026 (vol. 44), issue 5

Functional soups as food matrices for bioactive compounds: Implications for cognitive healthReview

Dorota Gajowniczek-Ałasa, Ewa Baranowska-Wójcik, Joanna Grzelczyk, Dominik Szwajgier

Czech J. Food Sci., 2026, 44(5):369-383 | DOI: 10.17221/56/2026-CJFS  

Nutritional strategies supporting healthy ageing and cognitive well-being have gained increasing attention as global populations age. Among dietary approaches, foods rich in bioactive compounds are of particular interest due to their potential involvement in biological pathways relevant to cognitive function. Soups represent versatile food matrices for incorporating and delivering a wide range of plant-derived ingredients, including vegetables, legumes, herbs, and mushrooms. These ingredients provide bioactive compounds such as polyphenols, carotenoids, terpenoids, dietary fibre, and other phytochemicals exhibiting antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and...

Preparing and investigating the impact of iron and zinc fortified parboiled puffed rice bars on the nutritional status of school-aged children (9–12 years)Original Paper

Ghazala Kausar, Waqas Tariq, Muhammad Azeem, Khuram Ashfaq, Mian Kamran Sharif, Umair Afzal, Sheraz Ahmed, Doha M. Al-Nouri, Isam A. Mohamed Ahmed, Muhammad Abuzar Ghaffari, Muhammad Tauseef Azam, Rai Muhammad Amir, Saleem Muhammad

Czech J. Food Sci., 2026, 44(5):384-391 | DOI: 10.17221/33/2024-CJFS  

Parboiled rice is produced by steaming, soaking, and drying paddy grains, which helps retain nutrients. The parboiled rice has more nutrients and wholesome grains as compared to white (polished) rice. Parboiled rice has more nutrients than white (polished) rice and can be used as nutritional intervention in communities with nutrient discrepancies. The current project was designed to study the effect of parboiled puffed rice bars fortified with iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) on the nutritional status of school-aged children. The iron and zinc contents of parboiled fortified rice were increased by adding salts to soaking water. Three treatments were tested:...

Artisanal cheesemaking environment as a potential reservoir of antimicrobial-resistant EnterobacteriaceaeOriginal Paper

Zuzana Hanzelová, Eva Dudriková, František Zigo, Viera Lovayová

Czech J. Food Sci., 2026, 44(5):392-401 | DOI: 10.17221/154/2025-CJFS  

The family Enterobacteriaceae is a group of undesirable bacteria in dairy plants. Their presence in cheesemaking could affect the food safety of the final products. The objective of this study was to detect, identify, and characterize representatives of the family Enterobacteriaceae in artisanal cheesemaking dairy plants in Slovakia. The susceptibility to different groups of antibiotics was tested using the disc diffusion method. Genes conferring resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics were detected by PCR with gene-specific primers. Of the 86 isolates, Enterobacter spp. was the most frequently identified genus (72.1%), followed by Klebsiella...

Optimisation of konjac glucomannan extraction conditions using response surface methodologyOriginal Paper

Jiajia Dai, Yuyan Zhou, Yike Han, Banan Wei, Jing Ou, Xinyue Zhou, Yujuan Chen, Shushu Ding, Guodong Wang, Donglin Zhang

Czech J. Food Sci., 2026, 44(5):402-411 | DOI: 10.17221/177/2025-CJFS  

Konjac glucomannan (KGM), derived from konjac tubers, is a novel functional plant polysaccharide that plays a significant role in antioxidant activity, anti-tumour effects and blood glucose regulation. This study aimed to develop an optimal extraction method for KGM. The extraction yield of KGM was surveyed quantitatively analysed using a response surface central composite design (CCD) to maximise the yield. A quadratic regression model was created to illustrate the interactions between the factors influencing KGM extraction yield. The findings indicated that the effects of extraction temperature and the liquid-to-solid ratio had a greater impact on...

Carcass traits and meat quality of the Eurasian collared dove (Streptopelia decaocto)Original Paper

Peter Haščík, Matúš Rajský, Martin Fik, Ondřej Bučko, Adriana Pavelková

Czech J. Food Sci., 2026, 44(5):412-423 | DOI: 10.17221/50/2026-CJFS  

The present study provides a comprehensive evaluation of carcass traits and meat quality characteristics of the Eurasian collared dove (Streptopelia decaocto), with particular emphasis on the effects of sex and muscle type on meat quality. A total of 40 adult birds (20 males and 20 females) were analysed for carcass traits, proximate composition, amino acid profile, fatty acid composition, lipid quality indices and colour characteristics. Carcass yield averaged approximately 67% and did not differ significantly between sexes (P > 0.05). Breast muscle was characterised by a high protein content [male 24.32; female 24.36 g·(100 g)^–1]...

SW-NIR spectroscopy and PLSR for predicting cocoa nibs quality across processing stagesOriginal Paper

Riana Listanti, Rudiati Evi Masithoh, Arifin Dwi Saputro, Hanim Zuhrotul Amanah, Sonny Ilham Wicaksono

Czech J. Food Sci., 2026, 44(5):424-440 | DOI: 10.17221/58/2026-CJFS  

Cocoa beans quality parameters are among other things biochemical properties such as moisture content, reducing sugars, fat, protein and total phenolic content (TPC) changed during postharvest processes. Current analytical approaches to these parameters are usually not only destructive and time-consuming but also laboratory-based analyses. This study aimed at assessing the potential of short-wave near infrared (SW-NIR) spectroscopy (954–1 700 nm) combined with partial least squares regression (PLSR) for the prediction of these quality parameters in both fresh, fermented, dried and roasted Forastero cocoa nibs. In total, a portable Flame-NIR+...

Comparative assessment of Blaufränkisch wines from Central Europe: Antioxidant activity and polyphenolic studyOriginal Paper

Silvia Jakabová, Martina Fikselová, Lucia Zeleňáková, Daniel Bajčan, Natália Szárazová, Andrea Mendelová, Štefan Ailer, Imrich Jakab, Jozef Golian

Czech J. Food Sci., 2026, 44(5):441-451 | DOI: 10.17221/84/2026-CJFS  

This model comparative study evaluated 16 monovarietal Blaufränkisch red wines from the Czech Republic, Hungary, Austria, and Slovakia focused on five parameters related to their antioxidant properties: total polyphenol content (TPC), total anthocyanin content (TAC), antioxidant activity assessed by the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH) radical scavenging assay and the ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays, and wine colour intensity. Multivariate statistics were applied. The FRAP assay showed a very strong positive correlation with TPC (r = 0.968), supporting the central role of polyphenols in wine antioxidant activity....

Impact of fermentation on biological activities and bioactive compounds of coconut milk kefirOriginal Paper

Hai Truong Pham, Thi-Phuong Nguyen, Buu-Chau Thi Nguyen, Khoa Thi Nguyen

Czech J. Food Sci., 2026, 44(5):452-461 | DOI: 10.17221/210/2025-CJFS  

Coconut milk serves as an excellent plant-based substitute for animal milk in fermentation with kefir grains, producing a vegetarian-friendly and allergy-safe fermented beverage. This study examined how fermenting coconut milk with milk kefir grains affects its antioxidant capacity, tyrosinase inhibition, probiotic growth, total phenolic content, and protein profile. Results showed significant improvements in cellular antioxidant and anti-tyrosinase effects, along with enhanced growth of the probiotic Lactobacillus acidophilus during fermentation, especially at 120 h. Conversely, fermentation decreased the overall phenolic content and led to...