1. From bitter toxins to bioactive assets: redefining quinolizidine alkaloids in Lupinus spp.Hajer Ben Ammar, Barbara Pipan, Lovro Sinkovič, 2026, review article Abstract: Lupins (Lupinus spp.) are climate-resistant grain legumes gaining attention as sustainable protein sources. However, their use in the human diet is limited by quinolizidine alkaloids (QAs), a class of nitrogenous secondary metabolites. QAs represent a nutritional paradox: They are central to plant defence mechanisms, yet confer toxicity and bitterness that compromise food safety and consumer acceptance. Recent findings suggest that at sub-toxic concentrations, certain QAs may exert bioactivities that could be important for metabolic regulation. Thus, the sustainable integration of lupins into food systems depends on whether QAs are considered as undesirable contaminants or redefined as bioactive phytochemicals with dose-dependent functional potential. Significant methodological progress has been made over the last five years. Advances in high-resolution techniques and metabolomics have expanded the structural catalogue of QAs, facilitated species- and genotype-specific chemotyping and allowed first conclusions on biosynthesis. At the technological level, novel processing methods have improved the efficiency of QA removal while maintaining protein quality and, in some cases, have enabled the selective extraction of alkaloids for potential valorisation. This review critically synthesises recent advances in QA chemistry, biosynthesis, analytical methodologies, toxicology, processing strategies and emerging bioactivities. Despite this progress, major challenges remain, including the lack of standardised analytical protocols, insufficiently defined sensory thresholds, fragmented regulatory frameworks and the absence of clinical validation. Future research should shift from exclusive alkaloid elimination towards controlled modulation and selective valorisation to establish lupins as safe, multifunctional crops contributing to food security, human health and sustainable agriculture.
Keywords: Lupinus, quinolizidine alkalois, food safety, analytical methods, detoxification, functional bioactivity
Published in DiRROS: 03.03.2026; Views: 144; Downloads: 77
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2. Pesticide contamination in apicultural products : an updated and comprehensive review of analytical methods, occurrence, and safety concernsAdrián Fuente-Ballesteros, Maj Smerkol, Anton Gradišek, Artur Miguel Paiva Sarmento, Iveta Pugajeva, 2026, original scientific article Abstract: Honeybees and their products integrate landscape-level chemical exposure, making apicultural matrices valuable bioindicators for both food safety and environmental monitoring. This review summarizes current knowledge on pesticide residues in honey, pollen, beebread, beeswax, royal jelly, and propolis from 2019 to 2024, with an overview of analytical methodologies used in their determination. Multi-residue methods remain dominated by Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged, and Safe (QuEChERS) extraction combined with liquid and gas chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry, while high-resolution MS enables broader screening. Highly polar pesticides, particularly glyphosate and its metabolites, require specialised single-residue approaches, such as the Quick Polar Pesticides (QuPPe) method and ion chromatography–high-resolution mass spectrometry (IC-HRMS). Co-occurrence patterns frequently involve mixtures of neonicotinoids, acaricides, and fungicides, reflecting combined agricultural and in-hive treatments. Regarding matrices, honey typically shows insecticide and acaricide residues, pollen concentrates fungicides and insecticides as the main exposure route, and beeswax acts as a long-term sink for lipophilic compounds; royal jelly generally exhibits the lowest contamination levels. Although exceedances of Maximum Residue Limits in honey remain uncommon in European monitoring programs, the presence of pesticide mixtures and limited residue data for bee-related products beyond honey raise concern. Future research should prioritize harmonized residue limits for all beekeeping matrices, standardized quality control and reporting practices, targeted mixture-toxicity assessment under realistic co-exposure scenarios, and the broader adoption of green, miniaturized, and matrix-tailored sample preparation strategies to enhance sensitivity, sustainability, and comparability across studies.
Keywords: apicultural products, honey, pesticides residues, analytical methods, mass spectrometry, food safety, environmental monitoring, plant protection products
Published in DiRROS: 24.02.2026; Views: 173; Downloads: 54
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3. Glycoalkaloids in potato : a comprehensive overview of accumulation, detection and mitigation strategiesPeter Dolničar, Lovro Sinkovič, 2025, original scientific article Keywords: potato, α-Chaconine, α-Solanine, analytical methods, detection sensitivity, fod safety
Published in DiRROS: 12.11.2025; Views: 376; Downloads: 155
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4. In-depth comparison of adeno-associated virus containing fractions after CsCl ultracentrifugation gradient separationMojca Janc, Kaja Zevnik, Ana Dolinar Češarek, Tjaša Jakomin, Maja Štalekar, Katarina Bačnik, Denis Kutnjak, Magda Tušek-Žnidarič, Lorena Zentilin, Dmitri G. Fedorov, David Dobnik, 2024, original scientific article Abstract: Recombinant adeno-associated viruses (rAAVs) play a pivotal role in the treatment of genetic diseases. However, current production and purification processes yield AAV-based preparations that often contain unwanted empty, partially filled or damaged viral particles and impurities, including residual host cell DNA and proteins, plasmid DNA, and viral aggregates. To precisely understand the composition of AAV preparations, we systematically compared four different single-stranded AAV (ssAAV) and self-complementary (scAAV) fractions extracted from the CsCl ultracentrifugation gradient using established methods (transduction efficiency, analytical ultracentrifugation (AUC), quantitative and digital droplet PCR (qPCR and ddPCR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)) alongside newer techniques (multiplex ddPCR, multi-angle light-scattering coupled to size-exclusion chromatography (SEC-MALS), multi-angle dynamic light scattering (MADLS), and high-throughput sequencing (HTS)). Suboptimal particle separation within the fractions resulted in unexpectedly similar infectivity levels. No single technique could simultaneously provide comprehensive insights in the presence of both bioactive particles and contaminants. Notably, multiplex ddPCR revealed distinct vector genome fragmentation patterns, differing between ssAAV and scAAV. This highlights the urgent need for innovative analytical and production approaches to optimize AAV vector production and enhance therapeutic outcomes.
Keywords: recombinant adeno-associated viruses (rAAVs), CsCl ultracentrifugation gradient, analytical methods, digital droplet PCR (ddPCR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), analytical ultracentrifugation (AUC), size-exclusion chromatography coupled with multi-angle light scattering (SEC-MALS), Illumina sequencing, virology
Published in DiRROS: 07.08.2024; Views: 1761; Downloads: 938
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5. Photocatalytic, electrocatalytic and photoelectrocatalytic degradation of pharmaceuticals in aqueous media : analytical methods, mechanisms, simulations, catalysts and reactorsBelisa Alcantara Marinho, Luka Suhadolnik, Blaž Likozar, Matej Huš, Živa Marinko, Miran Čeh, 2022, review article Keywords: advanced oxidation process, persistent organic compounds, pharmaceutical by- products, degradation mechanism, reactor design, analytical methods
Published in DiRROS: 10.03.2022; Views: 1918; Downloads: 1369
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