Sugar beet (Beta vulgaris ssp. altissima var. saccharifera Alef.) is an important raw material for sugar production and is widely used in human nutrition. The use of sugar beet in pekmez production is not widely distributed on a global scale and is generally limited to specific geographical and agroecological regions, including Central Bosnia and Herzegovina. In this region, the production of sugar beet pekmez is based on traditional methods, and data regarding its production and quality remain scarce. The objective of this study was to evaluate the technological characteristics of sugar beet as a raw material, determine the nutritional and sensory properties of sugar beet pekmez, and assess the influence of agroecological growing conditions on variations in its quality. The mechanical composition, physicochemical parameters of both the raw material and pekmez, as well as the sensory properties of pekmez produced during two consecutive production seasons (S1 and S2) were investigated. Sugar beet contained 17.63°Brix soluble solids and 15.80% total sugars, while the processing recovery reached 68.76%. The pekmez yield was 4.76%. Pekmez samples produced in season S1 showed significantly higher (p˂0.05) viscosity, total phenolic content, soluble solids, total sugars, and sucrose content, as well as superior sensory quality in terms of color, taste, and consistency, whereas odor was evaluated equally for both samples. No significant differences were observed in titratable acidity and directly reducing sugar content between the two seasons. The obtained data represent the first step toward standardizing sugar beet pekmez production using traditional methods. 

The chemical variability of bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.), wild strawberry (Fragaria vesca L.), cornelian cherry (Cornus mas L.) and rosehip (Rosa canina L.) based on the content of individual and total sugars and organic acids in fruit was investigated. The fruits were picked in fully ripened condition within the period from 2014 to 2015 from different locations. The fresh fruits were analyzed with the high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) technique for the purpose of identifying and quantifying the content of glucose, fructose and sucrose, as well as malic, citric, fumaric and shikimic acids. However, the content of individual sugars and organic acids differed by locations as well as by growing year within the same wild fruit species. The differences between wild fruit species as well as among different locations are presented by principal component analysis (PCA). Based on results obtained, rosehip fruits with higher sugars and organic acids ratio (S/A) are suitable for production of “pekmez” and drying, while genotypes of cornelian cherry, wild strawberry and bilberry with lower S/A are recommended for production of juices and gelatin products. The research results show that specific environmental conditions may influence significantly the content of analyzed parameters, as is the case with cornelian cherry and rosehip. Considering that the food industry is searching for new products, the wild fruit species analyzed represent a promising source of ingredients for the development of beverages and foods with functional properties as well as for supplements and nutraceuticals.

The research on wheat accessions was carried out in order to evaluate their grain characteristics. Experiment was set in the agro-ecological conditions of Banja Luka in two experimental years (2015/16 and 2016/17). Ten obsolete wheat cultivars (Brkulja, Licanka, Partizanka, Vuka, Talijanka, Siđanka, Orasanka, Loznicanka, Dokucajevskaja and Nemcitaevskaja) and two landraces (Podrasnica and Previja) were used. Following grain characteristics were evaluated: grain length (mm), grain width (mm), grain thickness (mm), grain volume (mm³), grain surface area (mm²), thousand grain weight (g) and grain protein content (%). Significant interactions were found for most of these traits. The relationship between traits was established by correlation analysis. In this study genotypes Brkulja and Siđanka showed promising for most of the grain characteristics, while Vuka and Partizanka obtained the highest grain protein content.

Three commercial apple cultivars ('Jonagold', 'Granny Smith' and 'Idared') and the local apple cultivar ('Prijedorska Zelenika') from Bosnia and Herzegovina were analysed by HPLC-MS for the content of phenolic compounds in peel and pulp as well content of individual sugars and organic acids. Catechin, (-)-epicatechin, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, quercetin 3-O-xyloside, quercetin 3-O-arabinoside, quercetin 3-O-rhamnoside, quercetin 3-O-rutinoside, quercetin 3-O-galactoside and quercetin 3-O-glucoside were identified in apple peel and (-)-epicatechin, chlorogenic acid and caffeic acid in apple pulp at all observed cultivars. The total sugars content of analysed apple cultivars ranged between 91.61 and 105.45 g kg-1 FM, while the total organic acids content was from 5.70 to 15.05 g kg-1 FM. The levels of total organic acids and sugars, glucoce/fructose ratio and sugar/acid ratio were affected by cultivars. The mean content of total phenolic compounds was between 427.92 and 1457.95 mg kg-1 FM in peel and from 113.58 to 439.83 mg kg-1 FM in pulp and depending upon the cultivars. The presented data clearly demonstrated that traditional apple cultivar ('Prijedorska Zelenika') had significantly higher individual phenolic compounds in pulp in comparison to the commercial cultivars, i.e., 'Idared', 'Jonagold' and 'Granny Smith' and with respect of that 'Prijedorska Zelenika' is recommended as raw material for cloudy juice processing.

THE CONTENT OF THE BOOK: The book has 290 pages, and the content is divided into 10 chapters. In the introductory chapters written something about the origin of cocoa beans, its basic characteristics, and the impact on human health. In subsequent following chapters describes the technological process of production of chocolate harvesting, fermentation and drying of cocoa beans, through its preparations in terms in the sense of burning and shredding, the production of cocoa powder and chocolate mass from it, and chocolate and chocolate products. In the book are described rheological properties as a very important factor in the quality of chocolate products, and finally an overview of some types of chocolate, as well as the basic quality properties of chocolate. The book has a large number of pictures, diagrams and tables which are complemented content of book. The book will be published on the website and will be accessible to anyone who is interested in its subject matter.