The global market of special foods has grown by 75 % in 2003–2008, that indicating a trend towards individualized diets and healthy lifestyles. Gluten-free foods are popular today due to the increase in the number of people with celiac disease and the general idea of healthy lifestyle. Thus, the production of such products increases due to the intensification of marketing activities. Because the only treatment for celiac disease is a lifelong gluten-free diet, people with this problem need to carefully read food labels for wheat, barley and rye, as well as so-called “hidden” gluten – barley-made malt and hydrolyzed vegetable protein (often contains wheat), as well as to exclude from the diet foods containing these cereals and select alternative foods for full life. However, given the number of people with individual gluten intolerance in Ukraine, the difficult economic situation and the high cost of gluten-free products, not every consumer with this problem can afford to buy certified specialized products labeled “gluten-free”. The aim of the research was to evaluate meat and fish products for gluten content. The article presents information of the results of monitoring gluten in meat and fish products (sausages, canned fish) from different regions of Ukraine by molecular genetic method for 2018–2020 using R-Biopharm diagnostic kits. According to the results of research, fish products that were not labeled “gluten-free” and were not certified as “gluten-free” met the requirements of current legislation of Ukraine and EU Regulation № 41/2009 on gluten-free products. Gluten was not detected in 29.4 % of meat products of various producers; 58.8 % of meat products contained gluten in trace amounts – less than 2 mg/kg; and 11.8 % of meat products contained gluten – more than 20 mg/kg. Prospects for further research are to monitor gluten in sweets and dietary products of domestic production and analyze the results of research on compliance with current legislation and safety for people with individual intolerance to gluten.

According to the World Gastroenterology Organization, the prevalence of celiac disease in the world is estimated at 1 in 300 people. According to unofficial statistics of the Celiac Disease Union, about 400,000 Ukrainian citizens have an individual intolerance to gluten. Given the large number of people with individual gluten intolerance and its only treatment – a lifelong diet, there is a need to monitor gluten in food, namely in dairy products. As not all manufacturers adhere to the HACCP system in good faith in their production, there is a risk of gluten entering the finished product. The aim of the study was to evaluate dairy products for gluten content. The article presents information on the results of monitoring gluten in dairy products (butter, margarine, kefir, sour milk cheeses, yogurt, hard and soft cheeses) producers of different regions of Ukraine by molecular genetic method in 2018–2020 using diagnostic R-Biopharm kits. According to research, it was found that 17 % of dairy products do not contain gluten, 83% contain from 2 to 5 mg/kg; 37.5 % of hard and soft cheeses, sweet cream butter, margarine do not contain gluten; 62.5 % contain gluten in the amount of 2 to 5 mg/kg, which is within acceptable limits for people with celiac disease. Studies have shown that a significant percentage of dairy products contain from 2 to 5 mg kg of gluten, which may indicate accidental entry into the final product or technical contamination. However, although these products are not certified as gluten-free and meet the requirements of current legislation. A significant range of products with a gluten content of up to 5 mg/kg encourages the implementation of the Gluten Control (Monitoring) Program in all products to increase the range for people with individual needs. Prospects for further research are to monitor meat products, semi-finished products, dietary products, baby food of domestic production for further analysis of compliance with current legislation and safety for people with individual intolerance to gluten.

Today a topical issue is the adulteration of meat products in Ukraine and in the world. In this regard, to exchange information and combat cases of fraud, world networks, platforms, databases, special units, target groups and the like were created. According to the Consumer Rights Protection Committee, about 80 % of food products in Ukraine are falsified, about 60 % are meat products. For example, mechanically deboned meat, meat and bone meal, emulsions, soya protein, etc. not used for animal feed, but for the replacement (reduction) of raw meat in the manufacture of meat products. The entrepreneur has the opportunity to independently develop and be guided by the technical specifications, which enables him to falsify the products. Consumers buying such products, experiencing economic and moral damage. The aim of the work was to review existing methods for detecting falsification of meat products and select the most optimal. The following methods are used to determine of adulteration: microstructural histological analysis, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Research showed that the histological method can determine the origin, type of components and doesn’t detect the species; immunological suitable for study of raw meat and raw materials. The most accurate and informative is the PCR method, which, due to its high sensitivity, allows you to establish the species of meat products and the quantitative content of raw meat. The PCR method has its drawbacks: the risk of contamination and exposure to inhibitors. Therefore, it is important to choose the best purification method and DNA extraction. An important aspect when conducting PCR studies is the mandatory observance of all the requirements of the study, in particular measures to prevent contamination to obtain the correct result. The prospect of further research is the improvement of existing methods for the study of meat products and the implementation of monitoring research.

African swine fever (ASF) is a viral disease, endemic to Africa, that causes high mortality when introduced into domestic pig populations. Since the emergence of p72-genotype II African swine fever virus (ASFV) in Georgia in 2007, an ASF epidemic has been spreading across Europe and many countries in Asia. The epidemic first reached Ukraine in 2012. To better understand the dynamics of spread of ASF in Ukraine, we analyzed spatial and temporal outbreak data reported in Ukraine between 2012 and mid-2023. The highest numbers of outbreaks were reported in 2017 (N = 163) and 2018 (N = 145), with overall peak numbers of ASF outbreaks reported in August (domestic pigs) and January (wild boars). While cases were reported from most of Ukraine, we found a directional spread from the eastern and northern borders towards the western and southern regions of Ukraine. Many of the early outbreaks (before 2016) were adjacent to the border, which is again true for more recent outbreaks in wild boar, but not for recent outbreaks in domestic pigs. Outbreaks prior to 2016 also occurred predominantly in areas with a below average domestic pig density. This new analysis suggests that wild boars may have played an important role in the introduction and early spread of ASF in Ukraine. However, in later years, the dynamic suggests human activity as the predominant driver of spread and a separation of ASF epizootics between domestic pigs and in wild boars. The decline in outbreaks since 2019 suggests that the implemented mitigation strategies are effective, even though long-term control or eradication remain challenging and will require continued intensive surveillance of ASF outbreak patterns.

Державний науково-дослідний інститут з лабораторної діагностики та ветеринарно-санітарної експертизи НАУКОВІ ПІДХОДИ ПРИ ВИЗНАЧЕННІ ФАЛЬСИФІКАЦІЇ ІКРИ ЗЕРНИСТОЇ ОСЕТРОВИХ ТА ЛОСОСЕВИХ РИБ Наведено результати досліджень ікри зернистої осетрових та лососевих риб за органолептичними та фізико-хімічними показниками якості та встановлено їх пряму залежність. Невідповідність проб ікри горбуші вимогам національного стандарту за органолептичними показниками було підтверджено зміною хімічного складу продукту: зниженням значення показника масової частки білку та підвищенням значення показника масової частки вологи, що може вказувати на фальсифікацію. Аналіз отриманих даних свідчить про доцільність надання комплексної оцінки якості ікри на основі результатів органолептичних, мікроскопічних та фізико-хімічних досліджень.