SummaryConcentrations of seven metals indicated as hazardous to human health (Pb, Cu, Zn, Mn, Ni, V, and Cr) were determined in 24 Hezegovinian white and red wines originating from four viticultural localities (Čitluk, Ljubuški, Stolac, and Trebinje). The concentrations of Pb, Cu, Mn, Ni, V, and Cr were determined by the ET AAS, and Zn concentrations were determined by the FAAS technique. Among seven measured metals, Zn and Mn were found in all analysed wines, while Ni was found in only four, and Cr in only five wines. Some wines contained metals at levels above the regulated maximum acceptable limits (Cu in four, Cr in three, Ni in two, and Pb in one wine). White wines from the Stolac locality were characterized by higher concentrations of Cu, Pb, and Zn. However, it was not possible to establish a firm link between the concentrations of the analysed metals and localities where grapes for wine production were grown for other wines.

The aim of the study was to investigate the microbiological and physico-chemical quality of honey samples, sampled for the event “Honey Days in FB&H 2020”, which tested a total of 33 samples of different honey types from different geographical areas of Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H). The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between physico-chemical properties and microbiological properties of the tested honey to assess quality. The submitted samples originated from both administrative units of B&H, namely from the continental, sub-Mediterranean and Mediterranean part, covering more than 60% of the country’s territory. Of the total number of analysed samples (n=33), nine samples (29.7%) did not meet the requirements of physico-chemical and microbiological parameters of the test. The requirements of one or more quality parameters according to the national Ordinance on methods for the control of honey and other bee products in B&H (Anonymous, 2009) were not met by five samples (16.5%). Four samples (13.2%) did not meet the microbiological quality, as they exceeded the permitted number of yeasts and moulds. In five samples (16.5%), the presence of microorganisms was recorded within the tolerance limits, while Enterobacteriaceae and sulphite-reducing clostridia were not isolated and were below the detection limit in all samples. Honey samples in which the results were found to be unsatisfactory for physico-chemical parameters and microbiological parameters cannot be correlated.

Cheese is a semi-solid or solid milk product, obtained by curdling milk and separating the curds from the whey. The examination included 46 samples of cheese produced on agriculture farms and small mini-dairies in the territory of Herzegovina, with the emphasis that most of the samples originate from the southern sub-Mediterranean and Mediterranean regions of Herzegovina. The goal of the study was to determine the microbiological safety and physicochemical quality parameters of cheeses that are marketed as fresh goat cheese, semi-solid goat cheese, and sheep and goat bellows cheese. Of the total number of analyzed samples, 49.22% did not meet the requirements of the physicochemical and microbiological parameters of the quality, where 36.22% did not meet the physicochemical quality, and 13% did not meet the microbiological quality due to an increased number of β glucuronidase positive Escherichia coli. The presence of β glucuronidase positive Escherichia coli in cheese samples indicates insufficient hygiene during the technological process of cheese production itself. Pathogenic microorganisms Salmonella spp and Listeria monocytogenes were not isolated, and the number of coagulase-positive staphylococci and Staphylococcus aureus was within the permitted limits. This study indicates that it is necessary to standardize the physicochemical parameters in the production of cheese, as well as the use of exclusively autochthonous raw materials in the production of individual small producers and in mini-dairies engaged in this production, as is the case with the industrial production of these products in that area.

Sir je polutvrdi ili tvrdi proizvod mlijeka, dobiven zgrušavanjem mlijeka i odvajanjem gruša od sirutke. Ispitivanje je obuhvatilo 46 uzoraka sira proizvedenih na poljoprivrednim gospodarstvima i malim mini-siranama na području Hercegovine, s naglaskom da najveći dio uzoraka potiče iz južne submediteranske i mediteranske regije Hercegovine. Cilj istraživanja je bio utvrditi mikrobiološku ispravnost i fizikalno-kemijske parametre kvalitete sireva koji se stavljaju na tržište kao kozji svježi sir, kozji polutvrdi sir te ovčiji i kozji sir iz mjeha. Od ukupnog broja analiziranih uzoraka 49,22% nije zadovoljilo zahtjeve fizikalno-kemijskih i mikrobioloških parametara ispitivanja, pri čemu 36,22% nije zadovoljilo fizikalno-kemijsku kvalitetu, a 13% mikrobiološku zbog povećanog broja β glukuronidaza pozitivne Escherichia coli. Prisustvo β glukuronidaza pozitivne Escherichia coli u uzorcima sira ukazuje na nedovoljnu higijenu prilikom samog tehnološkog procesa proizvodnje sira. Patogeni mikroorganizmi Salmonella spp i Listeria monocytogenes nisu izolirani, a broj koagulaza pozitivnih stafilokoka i Staphylococcus aureus bio je u dozvoljenim granicama. Ovo istraživanje ukazuje da je neophodno ujednačiti fizikalno- kemijske parametre u proizvodnji sira, kao i korištenje isključivo autohtone sirovine u proizvodnji kod individualnih malih proizvođača i u mini siranama koje se bave ovom proizvodnjom, kao što je to slučaj s industrijskom proizvodnjom ovih proizvoda u tom području.