Various amino acids and the yeast extract, in amounts of 0.1%(w/v), were separately tested for their influence on the analytical parameters of lactic acid fermentation of cabbage juice with Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BB-12. Compared with the control, cysteine supplementation led to a decrease of the time to reach pH 5.0 of 6 times and an increase of lactic acid productivity of 1.22 times. After 48 h the ascorbic acid content was by 360.73% higher, the fermented cabbage juices being assigned into a distinct group applying both factor analysis (FA) and cluster analysis (CA). Tryptophan contributed to better values for lactic and acetic acid yield, while lysine and yeast extract especially for acetic acid yield. Valine and leucine were not able to improve the fermentation progress, estimated through the analyzed variables. This work would provide some helpful information for the development of various lacto-fermented vegetable juices using probiotic bacteria.

Plants, animals, bacteria, and food waste are subjects of intensive research, as they are biological sources for the production of biopolymers. The topic links to global challenges related to the extended life cycle of products, and circular economy objectives. A severe and well-known threat to the environment, the non-biodegradability of plastics obliges different stakeholders to find legislative and technical solutions for producing valuable polymers which are biodegradable and also exhibit better characteristics for packaging products. Microorganisms are recognized nowadays as exciting sources for the production of biopolymers with applications in the food industry, package production, and several other fields. Ubiquitous organisms, lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are well studied for the production of exopolysaccharides (EPS), but much less as producers of polylactic acid (PLA) and polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs). Based on their good biodegradability feature, as well as the possibility to be obtained from cheap biomass, PLA and PHAs polymers currently receive increased attention from both research and industry. The present review aims to provide an overview of LAB strains’ characteristics that render them candidates for the biosynthesis of EPS, PLA, and PHAs, respectively. Further, the biopolymers’ features are described in correlation with their application in different food industry fields and for food packaging. Having in view that the production costs of the polymers constitute their major drawback, alternative solutions of biosynthesis in economic terms are discussed.

Ten edible mushroom species collected from four sites of Dambovita County, Romania, were analyzed through ICP-MS technique in order to evaluate their content in Fe, Cu, Zn, Pb and Cd, both in cap and stipe. Wild growing species (Russula vesca, Russula alutacea, Macrolepiota procera, Cantharellus cibarius, Boletus edulis, Agaricus campestris and Pleurotus ostreatus) and cultivated species (Pleurotus ostreatus, Agaricus bisporus white and Agaricus bisporus brown) were taken into account. The data related to the elemental composition of the fruiting bodies of mushrooms are important to be known having in view the nutritional and food safety related aspects. Higher concentrations of copper, iron and zinc have been found in Pleurotus ostreatus (cap), Macrolepiota procera (stipe) and Pleurotus ostreatus cultivated (cap) respectively, as follows: 43.90�0.96 mg/g d.w., 715.15�4.52 mg/g d.w. and 379.33�2.05 mg/g d.w. Although significant Health Risk Index were determined for lead in Agaricus campestris (about 0.1 both in cap and stipe) and for cadmium in Pleurotus ostreatus (0.58 in cap), these values are under the regulated PTWI limits for adult person.

This paper illustrates the results obtained through the analyzing of the teachers' feedback , expressed at the graduation moment of the accredited training program "Modern Approaches in Health Education", organized in the frame of the Erasmus+ project "Let's make it better! Raising the awareness of the triad nutritionhealth-food safety in school education", coordinated by Valahia University Targoviste, Romania. Two Modules and 8 related topics were designed, consisting in 18 hours of courses and 36 hours for practical training, in the format of face-to-face and on-line meetings. 67 trainees-from which 98,5% women-graduated the program dedicated to primary and secondary education. Three concepts were identified as the most important to be learned by students in school-Food Composition and Food Groups, Food Hygiene and Related Risks and Food Labelling-. On the other hand, New Food Products and the Impact of the Food Industry on the Environment were considered less important, despite the efforts and care concerning the environment protection, shown in the last years at the legislative and consumers' level throughout the world. Related to competencies, attitudes and values, the most important topics in order to be developed in school were: Awareness of the Relationship between Food and Health, Changing in the Food Consumption Manner and Personnel Hygiene. The Self-esteem related to the Physical Aspect and the Appetite Control were overwhelmingly considered less important (by more than 90% from respondents). Almost 95% from the interviewed teachers agreed that the presence of trainers (especially teachers)-through which the Education for Health is promoted-is vital. But a higher percent agreed that it is not enough to discuss about a specific topic related to the Education for Health, in order to change the students' behavior.

Nutrition and food education measuresshould be applied starting from early education, in order to encourage and to sustain the adoption of healthy and sustainable diets, which will materialize in the citizens' quality of life and society welfare. These measures should primarily be targeted at students both during the formal and informal activities. Theoretical aspects learned in the framework of the lessons in classrooms can be well integrated in practical educational approaches, based on meaningful experiences, which increases overall effectiveness.Science snacks laboratories and Cooking laboratories were proposed to the primary and secondary level students, in close cooperation with the higher education students, with the aim to: achieve practical skills; better understand what means ''nutrients'' and how they influence the people life; urge them to think every day life on their dietary choices; better understand the messages of the label related to a certain food; sustain the transgenerational education and improve the communication and the networks creation among the young people; give the first information concerning the entrepreneurship in food production as viable solution for the family prosperity in economical and work satisfaction terms; to draw them near to a career in science and technique.The production of food was the response of the Needs Analysis, being a request of the students from all the six countries of the EduforHealth partnership. The young people enthusiasm and the knowledge acquired were to a great extent, encouraging the teachers to sustain the increasing of the number of practical activities in school education.The particular case of implementation in Romania is described below.