ESTIMATION OF THE YIELD OF WILD BERRIES TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE LEVEL OF ILLUMINATION OF THE GROUND COVER BY SIMULATION METHODS

Relevance and purpose. Currently known methods of accounting for berry yields are not applicable for multi-species forests of different ages with the presence of undergrowth and undergrowth, widespread in Russia. Difficulties arise due to a set of input parameters, including type of forest growing conditions, breed, age, completeness, but not describing the illumination at the level of the grass-shrub layer, which is the determining factor in the yield of blueberries, cranberries, raspberries. The purpose of this study is to develop an approach to calculating the yield of wild berries, taking into account the illumination at the ground cover level by simulation methods. Material and methods. For the forecast, the FORRUS-S model of forest plantation dynamics is used. The yield data is taken from an existing reference book, which shows productivity in clean plantations without undergrowth and undergrowth. The use of an additional predictor of berry yield, namely, illumination at the level of ground cover, made it possible to predict yields in forests of a more complex structure: multi-species, of different ages, with undergrowth and undergrowth. Results and conclusion. An original approach to calculating the yield of wild berries has been developed. The above approach allows us to estimate the yield of the most common berries in the European part of Russia: blueberries, raspberries, lingonberries. Universal equations have been obtained that make it possible to predict the productivity of berry bushes based on the taxation characteristics of the stand and the illumination calculated in the model.

Anticancer Effects of Lingonberry and Bilberry on Digestive Tract Cancers

Wild berries are part of traditional Nordic diets and are a rich source of phytochemicals, such as polyphenols. Various berry treatments have shown to interfere with cancer progression in vitro and in vivo. Here, we systematically reviewed the anticancer effects of two Nordic wild berries of the Vaccinium genus, lingonberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea) and bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus), on digestive tract cancers. The review was conducted according to the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Searches included four databases: PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and CAB abstracts. Publications not written in English, case-reports, reviews, and conference abstracts were excluded. Moreover, studies with only indirect markers of cancer risk or studies with single compounds not derived from lingonberry or bilberry were not included. Meta-analysis was not performed. The majority (21/26) of studies investigated bilberry and colorectal cancer. Experimental studies on colorectal cancer indicated that bilberry inhibited intestinal tumor formation and cancer cell growth. One uncontrolled pilot human study supported the inhibitory potential of bilberry on colorectal cancer cell proliferation. Data from all 10 lingonberry studies suggests potent inhibition of cancer cell growth and tumor formation. In conclusion, in vitro and animal models support the antiproliferative and antitumor effects of various bilberry and lingonberry preparations on digestive tract cancers.

ANALYSIS OF RECORDS OF THE EPIDEMIOLOGICAL SCREENING OF CASES OF ECHINOCOCCOSIS IN SOME CONSTITUENT ENTITIES OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION

We analyzed data reflected in the records of the epidemiological screening of cases with echinococcosis in 2019 in some constituent entities of the Russian Federation. It was noted that both rural people and urban residents suffered from the disease equally, while women suffered a little more than men (54.4%). It is found that the most common localization of echinococcal cysts, both in men and women, is the liver (79.5%), and the lesion of the lungs caused by echinococcal cysts (9.1) is in the second place. We presented multiple localization of echinococcal cysts affecting several organs simultaneously to a lesser extent. Two cases of hydatidosis and two cases of multilocular hydatid cyst in the liver were accompanied by a fatal outcome. In some territories, alveococcosis was diagnosed in 14 (8.75%) cases. Contacts with dogs, work on livestock farms, caring for pets, picking wild berries or mushrooms in the forest and eating them without thermal treatment, use of raw river water in housekeeping, eating unwashed vegetables and berries, activities in natural environment, hunting and dressing of wild animals, or failure to observe the rules of personal hygiene have great importance in the spread of this disease among the population, according to epidemiological records.

Red Arils of Taxus baccata L.—A New Source of Valuable Fatty Acids and Nutrients

The aim of this study, focused on the nutritional value of wild berries, was to determine the contents of macronutrients, profiles of fatty (FAs) and amino acids (AAs), and the contents of selected elements in red arils (RA) of Taxus baccata L., grown in diverse locations in Poland. Protein (1.79–3.80 g/100 g) and carbohydrate (18.43–19.30 g/100 g) contents of RAs were higher than in many cultivated berries. RAs proved to be a source of lipids (1.39–3.55 g/100 g). Ten out of 18 AAs detected in RAs, mostly branched-chain AAs, were essential AAs (EAAs). The EAAs/total AAs ratio approximating were found in animal foods. Lipids of RA contained seven PUFAs, including those from n-3 family (19.20–28.20 g/100 g FA). Polymethylene-interrupted FAs (PMI-FAs), pinolenic 18:3Δ5,9,12; sciadonic 20:3Δ5,11,14, and juniperonic 20:4Δ5,11,14,17, known as unique for seeds of gymnosperms, were found in RAs. RAs may represent a novel dietary source of valuable n-3 PUFAs and the unique PMI-FAs. The established composition of RAs suggests it to become a new source of functional foods, dietary supplements, and valuable ingredients. Because of the tendency to accumulate toxic metals, RAs may be regarded as a valuable indicator of environmental contamination. Thus, the levels of toxic trace elements (Al, Ni, Cd) have to be determined before collecting fruits from natural habitats.

Wild edible plants in gourmet offer of ecotourism destinations: Case from biosphere reserve "Golija-Studenica"

Closely related to traditional agriculture consumption of wild plants it significantly contributes to the existence of the human species. The aim of this paper is to determine the value of ethnobotanical parameters (RFC, CI, CV) for the most important species that participate in creating the gastronomic offer of ecotourism destinations. The research was conducted in the area of the Biosphere Reserve (BR) "Golija-Studenica" as one of the attractive ecotourism destinations and sites with a high degree of biodiversity. As part of the site visit and research, during the period 2018-2020, the authors used the ethnobotanical questionnaire to quantify and determine the value of each individual species that plays a role in local traditional gastronomy, and today is part of the tourist offer. The results indicate the existence of a culture of using natural resources and a high degree of use of wild species in traditional recipes. Among the most exploited species, wild berries like blueberries stand out, but some species of mushrooms.

Assessment of quality and food safety of vegetable oils produced on the base of wild berries of Kazakhstan`s forest areas

Many species of forest plants in combination with vegetable oils are the sources of new types of functional products with increased biological efficiency. In respect that the high demand for vegetable oils among the population and industry, the growing anthropogenic pressure on various components of the natural environment, the goal of the research was to create oil mixtures based on sunflower oil and wild berries selected in the forest areas of Kazkhstan`s regions, assess their quality and food safety. The base of the oil mixture was sunflower oil obtained from sunflower seeds by the "cold squeeze" method. Wild berries selected from forest areas of northern (Elaeagnusrhamnoides (L.) A. Nelson) and eastern (Rosa majalisHerrm.,Vacciniummyrtillis L.) of Kazakhstan were used as bio-additives. In the obtained oil mixtures, the basic parameters of their qualitative and quantitative composition were studied. It was found that by density (917-918), refractive index (1,473), acid number (1,4 mg KOH/g), iodine number (130-132 g J2/100), saponification number (188 mg/g) of the tested oil mixtures they correspond to unrefined vegetable oil of higher grade. The content of heavy metals (Pb, As, Cd, Cu, Zn, Mg) and radionuclides (90Sr, 137Cs) does not exceed the maximum permissible concentrations and meets the requirements of regulatory documents and standards. In samples of vegetable oils, the amount of oleic acid (52,21%), linoleic acid (28,97%) is determined, which are within the normal range, although they are adjacent to the levels of the upper limits. NMR spectroscopy confirmed that the optimal ratio of ω-6 and ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in the composition of the studied vegetable oils correspond to their name in the ratio of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids.