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Scientific research should be one of the key drivers of the knowledge-based economy in the future. The need for effective communication of research and the promotion of science becomes very important. Thus, FINS repository aims to disseminate to a wider audience some of the important scientific work being undertaken in FINS and in other collaborating research institutions.

FINS repository is a digital service that collects, preserves and distributes scientific outputs of the researchers from the Institute of Food Technology in Novi Sad. It has been established to provide open, online access to the community, free of all restrictions on access, granted through the use of Creative Commons licenses.

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Institute of Food Technology
FINS

Recent Submissions

Sustainability in protein extraction: from source to technology – a case study of faba bean protein
(University of Novi Sad Institute of Food Technology in Novi Sad, 2024) Dapčević-Hadnađev, Tamara; Nikola, Maravić; Tomić, Jelena; Marić, Aleksandar; Šalgo, Milica; Vraneš, Milan; Hadnađev, Miroslav
Sustainability in protein extraction can be achieved either by using sustainable protein sources - such as waste materials, abundant or orphan crops, or bio-renewable resources - or through the application of green extraction techniques, process optimization in terms of resource usage and energy consumption and a biorefinery approach. This study explores sustainability in protein extraction by comparing three isolation techniques for extracting protein from faba bean, an orphan crop. The methods examined include alkaline extraction followed by isoelectric precipitation, NaCl extraction (micellization), and the use of deep eutectic solvents (DES), specifically choline chloride/urea and choline chloride/glycerol. The NaCl technique was found to best preserve the protein’s natural state, while the DES method resulted in higher protein solubility, particularly near the isoelectric point, and improved foaming capacity and stability. Isoelectric precipitation yielded high water retention and oil absorption capacities. Despite all techniques producing high-purity proteins, the DES approach showed a lower yield, suggesting the need for optimization in terms of solvent water content and precipitation methods. The study highlights how different extraction techniques influence the functional properties of faba bean protein, offering insights into sustainable protein processing through innovative methods and resource efficiency.
Sočivica kao održiv izvor biljnih proteina: izolacija i funkcionalna svojstva
(National Society of Processing and Energy in Agriculture, Novi Sad, Serbia, 2026) Šalgo, Milica; Hadnađev, Miroslav; Dapčević-Hadnađev, Tamara; Sedlar, Tea; Miljic, Milorad; Pojić, Milica
Sočivica (duckweed) je vodena biljka sa visokim sadržajem nutritivno vrednih jedinjenja, zbog čega se sve više prepoznaje kao perspektivna sirovina u održivim prehrambenim i biotehnološkim sistemima. Zahvaljujući visokom sadržaju proteina, dobroj svarljivosti, prisustvu antioksidanasa i niskom ekološkom otisku, sočivica se smatra obećavajućom sirovinom za obogaćivanje hrane i razvoj funkcionalnih proizvoda. Pored toga, gajenje sočivice zahteva minimalne resurse, energiju i prostor u poređenju sa tradicionalnim izvorima hrane, što je čini posebno atraktivnom iz perspektive održive i ekološki prihvatljive proizvodnje i očuvanja bioresursa. Na osnovu početnog hemijskog sastava, u kojem je utvrđeno da uzorak sadrži 33,14 % proteina, sočivica pokazuje dobar potencijal za izolaciju proteina. Ova studija ispituje dobijanje i karakterizaciju proteinskog izolata iz sočivice primenom alkalne ekstrakcije. Suva biomasa sočivice (Lemna minor) ekstrahovana je u alkalnim uslovima (pH 11,5) na temperaturi od 50 °C, uz kontinualno mešanje tokom 2 h. Jedan sat nakon početka ekstrakcije, uzorak je podvrgnut ultrazvučnoj obradi pomoću sonde ultrazvučnog homogenizatora pri oko 60 % amplitude tokom 15 minuta. Nakon ekstrakcije, centrifugiranja i odvajanja ostatka biomase, proteini u supernatantu su istaloženi podešavanjem pH na izoelektričnu tačku (pH 4,5). Kao deo procene tehnofunkcionalnih svojstava, rastvorljivost izolata proteina sočivice ispitana je u opsegu pH 2 - pH 12. Dobijeni proteinski izolat sadrži približno 60 % proteina, sa pogodnim aminokiselinskim sastavom, u kojem dominiraju asparaginska i glutaminska kiselina, dok ispitivanja rastvorljivosti ukazuju na povoljnu rastvorljivost izolata u uslovima izrazito kisele i umereno do izrazito alkalne sredine. Na osnovu dobijenih rezultata sočivica se može smatrati održivom sirovinom za izolaciju proteina, sa značajnim potencijalom za primenu kao funkcionalni sastojak u prehrambenim proizvodima, uključujući obogaćivanje hrane biljnim proteinima i razvoj nutritivno vrednih namirnica.
Fatty acid composition of grapevine leaves (Vitis vinifera L.) from ‘Grašac’ and ‘Probus’ cultivars
(Serbian Chemical Society, 2026) Šalgo, Milica; Milica Bojić; Jovana Marić; Tomić, Damjana; Dragojlović, Danka; Sedlar, Tea
Grapevine leaves represent an abundant but still underutilized source of biomass generated during routine vineyard management. In addition to dietary fibre, proteins, minerals, and phenolic compounds, grapevine leaves contain lipids rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, which may contribute to their nutritional and functional value (Tomić et al., 2026). However, the fatty acid composition of grapevine leaves can vary depending on cultivar and growing conditions, while information on the fatty acid profiles of ‘Grašac’ and ‘Probus’ leaves remains limited. Therefore, this study aimed to characterise and compare the fatty acid composition of of these two autochthonous cultivars from Vojvodina. Lipids were extracted using chloroform–methanol (2:1), converted to fatty acid methyl esters (FAME), and analyzed by gas chromatography with flame ionization detection (GC-FID). The analysis revealed a slightly higher fat content in ‘Probus’ leaves compared with ‘Grašac’, while both cultivars showed similar fatty acid profiles, characterized by a predominance of polyunsaturated fatty acids, particularly α-linolenic acid (C18:3 n-3), followed by palmitic acid (C16:0). Despite differences in total fat content, the proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids was comparable between the cultivars, with omega-3 fatty acids representing the major fraction of total fatty acids. The n-3/n-6 ratio was also relatively high in both cultivars, indicating a consistent predominance of omega-3 over omega-6 fatty acids. Overall, the study provides additional phytochemical insight into grapevine leaves, revealing cultivar-related differences in lipid content with a broadly conserved fatty acid pattern, and highlights their potential for valorization as a plant-derived lipid source in food applications
Effect of Enzyme-Assisted Extraction on Protein Yield and Purity of Duckweed Proteins
(University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Sciences, Serbia, 2026) Šalgo, Milica; Sedlar, Tea; Dapčević-Hadnađev, Tamara; Hadnađev, Miroslav; Pojić, Milica
Duckweed is an aquatic plant rich in proteins and other valuable nutrients, making it a promising sustainable alternative protein source. Its rapid growth, low environmental footprint, and minimal re source requirements have attracted increasing interest for protein recovery and valorization. However, alkaline extraction of duckweed proteins is often limited by low extraction efficiency and insufficient protein isolate purity. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of ultrasound-assisted enzymatic pretreatment on the yield and purity of protein isolates obtained from duckweed biomass. Dried duckweed biomass, which had been pretreated with ethanol (70%) to reduce phenolic com pounds, was used for protein extraction. The control sample was subjected to the same processing conditions as the enzyme-assisted treatments, including ultrasound pretreatment and incubation at pH 4.5 and 35 °C for 2 h, but without enzyme addition. In the enzyme-assisted treatments, ultrasound pretreatment was combined with Viscozyme® and pectinase from Aspergillus aculeatus at enzyme concentrations of 3% and 5% v/w, calculated based on dry biomass weight. After pretreatment, alkaline extraction was performed at pH 11 for 2 h, followed by protein precipitation at pH 4.5. The control sample showed the highest precipitation yield of 9.3%, but the lowest protein purity of 25%. The addition of 3% enzyme mixture reduced the precipitation yield to 6.4%, while increasing protein purity to 43.3%. Treatment with 5% enzyme mixture resulted in a slightly higher yield of 7.58%, with a protein purity of 40.6%. Although enzyme-assisted extraction did not increase the overall precipitation yield compared with the control, it markedly improved the protein purity of the isolates. These findings indicate that enzymatic pretreatment with Viscozyme® and pectinase from Aspergillus aculeatus can improve the quality of duckweed protein isolates by increasing protein purity, despite a moderate reduction in yield. Among the tested treatments, the 3% enzyme concentration provided the highest protein purity, whereas the 5% treatment offered a slightly better balance between yield and purity.
Effect of Extraction Temperature on Protein Recovery and Molecular Weight Distribution of Lemna minor Protein Concentrates
(University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Sciences, Serbia, 2026) Šalgo, Milica; Sedlar, Tea; Dapčević-Hadnađev, Tamara; Hadnađev, Miroslav; Pojić, Milica
Duckweed (Lemna minor) is attracting attention as a sustainable and fast-growing source of plant proteins, particularly due to the abundance of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBisCO), the major photosynthetic protein in green biomass. Since processing conditions may affect protein recovery and molecular characteristics of obtained concentrates, this study investigated the effect of temperature during ultrasound-assisted alkaline extraction on protein yield, protein content, and molecular weight distribution of Lemna minor protein concentrates. Dried duckweed biomass, previously pretreated with 70% ethanol to reduce phenolic compounds, was subjected to ultrasonic pretreatment to enhance cell disruption and protein accessibility. Alkaline extraction was then performed at pH 11.5 for 2h at different temperatures, followed by isoelectric precipitation at pH 4.5. The concentrates were evaluated for extraction yield and protein content by the Kjeldahl method, while molecular weight distribution was analysed by capillary gel electrophoresis using an Agilent 2100 Bioanalyzer. The temperature treatment during alkaline extraction affected protein recovery and concentrate composition. The control sample showed a protein content of 59.93% and a yield of 0.562 g/100 g biomass. Extraction at 50 °C resulted in 50.88% protein and a yield of 2.533 g/100 g, while treatment at 60 °C yielded 49.80% protein and 2.358 g/100 g. The most favourable result was obtained at 80 °C, where protein content reached 75.34%, with a yield of 4.587 g/100 g biomass, indicating improved protein release and higher extraction selectivity. Capillary electrophoresis revealed changes in molecular weight profile related to temperature treatment. Control, 50 °C and 60 °C protein samples were dominated by low-molecular weight fractions below 50 kDa, accounting for 89.61%, 99.47% and 92.88% of total quantified protein concentration, respectively. These fractions may be associated with RuBisCO subunits commonly reported at 12–15 kDa and 50–60 kDa. In contrast, extraction at 80 °C promoted a broader molecular weight distribution, with higher-molecular weight fractions up to 250 kDa, suggesting protein unfolding, association, and formation of larger complexes or aggregates. Overall, the results indicate that extraction temperature can be used to modulate both recovery efficiency and molecular properties of Lemna minor protein concentrates.