Due to its status as one of the most contaminated regions in Slovakia, 45 soil and plant samples were collected in the Middle Spis region. In soil, the exchangeable soil reaction, humus content and heavy metals content (Zn, Cd, Cu, Pb, Hg) were determined. Total content of heavy metals (TC-HMs) and content of mobile forms (MF-HMs) in soil, as well as metal content in plants, were determined by atomic absorption spectrometry. The concentration ranges for total Zn, Cd, Cu, Pb and Hg in soil were 33.1-953, 0.65-6.73, 11.0-913, 26.5-165 and 0.28--415 mg/kg, respectively. The overall concentration ranges of these metals in plants of two types (Athyrium filix-femina L. and Poaceae herbs) were 12.4-158.6, 0.10-1.63, 3.34-85.7, 0.09-29.7 and 0.01-12.8 mg/kg, respectively. Despite the values of Zn, Cd, Cu, Pb and Hg content in the soil exceeding limit values, only the Hg content in plants presented an ecological risk.

Heat treatment can affect the bioactive compounds in sweet potato (SP). In this work, we monitored the influence of heat treatment (boiling, steaming, microwaving, and baking) on the total polyphenols content (TPC), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), total anthocyanins content (TANTC), and phenolics acids (chlorogenic (CGA), neochlorogenic (neo-CGA), and trans-ferulic (tFA)) in two SP varieties grown in Slovakia and Croatia. TPC, TAC, and TANT were determined spectrophotometrically and phenolic acids by HPLC. TPC ranged from 576 (Beauregard, Croatia; Be/HR) to 3828 (414-purple, Slovakia; Pu/SK) mg/kg DW in the raw SP tubers. After heat treatment, TPC increased, most in steamed SP (8438 mg GAE/kg DW; Pu/SK), while only in boiled SP (Be/HR), TPC decreased (353 mg GAE/kg DW). TAC varied from 0.848 (Be/HR) to 8.67 (Pu/HR) (μmol TE/g DW) in raw SP. The TAC increased by heat treatment (max. 14.2 μmol TE/g DW; cooking Be/SK), except for Pu/HR. The TANT ranged from 151 (raw Pu/SK) to 1276 (microwaved Pu/SK) mg CyE/kg FW. Heat treatment had a negative effect on phenolic acid content; the largest reduction was after boiling: CGA by 29% (Pu/SK), neo-CGA by 69% (Pu/HR), and tFA by 29% (Be/HR). The influence of heat treatment on the monitored quantities is not definite.

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Vollmannová A., Margitanová E., Tóth T., Timoracká M., Urminská D., Bojňanská T., Čičová I. (2013): Cultivar influence on total polyphenol and rutin contents and total antioxidant capacity in buckwheat, amaranth, and quinoa seeds. Czech J. Food Sci., 31: 589-590.Five cultivars from each of the three types of pseudocereals, i.e. buckwheat, amaranth, and quinoa, were studied for total polyphenol and rutin contents as well as total antioxidant capacity of seeds. A spectrophotometric method was used for the determination of total polyphenol content (using the Folin-Ciocalteau reagent) and total antioxidant capacity (using DPPH). Rutin content in pseudocereal seeds was determined by HPLC. The determined total polyphenol content in seeds of buckwheat, amaranth, and quinoa cultivars was in the intervals of 15 874-71 359 mg/kg DM, 1381-2870 mg/kg DM, and 459-1839 mg/kg DM, respectively. Rutin content in buckwheat, amaranth, and quinoa seeds was in the intervals of 8722-17 125 mg/kg DM, 310-508 mg/kg DM, and 170-368 mg/kg DM, respectively. The presented results confirmed a statistically significant influence of cultivar on total polyphenol and rutin contents as well as on total antioxidant capacity of pseudocereal seeds.

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