<p>This study explores the use of natural plant extracts as a sustainable method to enhance the quality and safety of long-life sausages by incorporating them into natural edible casings. Ethanol (E) and aqueous (A) extracts of blackthorn (BT) and red cherry (RC), as well as their ethanol and water-based solutions, were prepared and analysed for their antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. The analyses included the quantification of total phenols, non-flavonoids, flavonoids, flavonols, and anthocyanins, along with antioxidant activity assessments using FRAP, DPPH, and ABTS assays. Antimicrobial efficacy was tested against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria (<em>Staphylococcus aureus</em>, <em>Bacillus cereus</em>, <em>Escherichia coli</em>, and <em>Salmonella enterica</em>) and mold <em>Penicillium expansum</em> via agar dilution methods to determine MIC and MBC/MFC.</p> <p>Results showed that ethanol extracts had higher antioxidant activity than aqueous ones (p&lt;0.05), with the ethanol extract of blackthorn (EBT) containing the highest levels of phenolics (54.11 mg GAE/g d.e.) and exhibiting the strongest antioxidant, antimicrobial, and antifungal activities. Casings treated with EBTE (ethanol BT extract dissolved in ethanol) demonstrated significant antibacterial properties, particularly against Gram-negative bacteria. This study confirms that plant-extract-enriched natural casings can protect against oxidation and microbial spoilage, thereby enhancing the overall quality and safety of dry-cured sausages.&nbsp;</p>

The growing need to reduce the negative impact on the environment and human health, as well as to meet the growing demand for eco-friendly textiles, has led to the development of environmentally friendly printing techniques and the use of natural dyes in the textile industry. Grape pomace is important waste material in winemaking, and has been extensively studied for its potential as a source of compounds with biological properties, especially anthocyanins, pigments responsible for the red, purple, and blue colors in grapes. The aim of this paper was to examine the potential use of natural dye extracted from grape pomace of domestic cultivar crna Mirisavka (GPCM) in preparation of printing paste with alginate, citric acid, and tannic acid for printing on cotton fabric. Special focus was placed to achieve process color magenta, by adjusting the pH value of the extract obtained. The natural dye from GPCM was extracted using maceration with 80% methanol, followed by sonication to enhance the yield of bioactive compounds. GPCM extract demonstrated significant antioxidant activity measured by FRAP, DPPH, and ABTS+ tests, and moderate antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. The pH-dependent stability of anthocyanins in GPCM extract was examined, demonstrating a magenta tone at acidic pH (pH 2-4) and color degradation at higher pH values. Cotton fabric printed with two different concentrations of GPCM extract (100 mg/L and 50 mg/L) showed good antioxidant and antibacterial activity. Based on the obtained results, it can be concluded that GPCM extract can be an environmentally friendly solution for the development of antibacterial and antioxidant textiles, with potential application in the production of protective clothing in healthcare institutions, as well as for the production of decorative home textiles, for the production of children's toys and textiles for packaging.

In this study, the influence of the type of extract (leaf and rhizome of R. japonica) and the type of copper-based mordant (copper (I) oxide - Cu2O and copper (II) sulfate - CuSO4) on the spectroscopic and antimicrobial properties of dyed wool knitwear was investigated. The antimicrobial activity of all samples was tested against the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli and the yeast Candida albicans. It was observed that knitted fabrics dyed with R. Japonica leaf extract and Cu2O show a better antimicrobial effect on S. aureus bacteria compared to knitted fabrics dyed with the addition of CuSO4. However, in the case of knitwear dyed with R. Japonica rhizome extract, we have the opposite case; CuSO4 proved to be better as a mordant. Conductance was measured using the dielectric spectroscopy method in the frequency range from 20 Hz to 100 kHz. The highest increase in conductivity was observed in the sample dyed with the rhizome extract of R. Japonica and Cu2O, where the increase at the frequency of 24 kHz was 20 times higher compared to the initial sample. The obtained results of the coloration spectrophotometric analysis of the samples show that the highest colour strength (K/S) was achieved with the sample dyed with R. Japonica leaf extract and CuSO4. The obtained results indicate the possibility of using the tested knitwear for antimicrobial as well as electro protection.

In order to remove harmful microorganisms, textile materials are subjected to various types of antimicrobial treatments. Skin infections represent a permanent diagnostic and therapeutic challenge, and can be caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites. In this paper, the impact of printing insoles with alginate paste, modified bentonites and Picea omorika plant extract on their antimicrobial, dielectric and sorption properties was investigated. It was found that the printed insoles show a certain antimicrobial effect on the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli and the yeast Candida albicans. The obtained values of specific conductivity are in agreement with the tested parameter of the sorption properties of the insoles.

Physical inactivity, unhealthy diet, fast-paced lifestyle, as well as genetic predispositions lead to the appearance of diabetes mellitus, and with it many other complications, of which diabetic foot syndrome is very common. In order to avoid complications with the diabetic foot, one of the forms of prevention is wearing specially designed footwear that protects and reduces the pressure on the foot and thus the risk of ulcers. Insoles also play a big role in preventing complications. The paper will present a conceptual solution of a model of footwear for patients with diabetes mellitus and a prototype of an insole made of knitwear, which was previously printed with medical clay, honey and extracts of the plants Rosmarinus officinalis and Zingiber officinale. Samples of knitwear that were printed with a paste containing Rosmarinus officinalis extract showed exceptional antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. Replaceable insoles for footwear are intended for the prevention of complications from Diabetes mellitus.

Abstract This work presents the advantages of using ultrasound (US) in the procedure of antimicrobial functionalization of cotton knitwear. Ultrasound-assisted extraction of bioactive components from plant material reduced the extraction time by 40% and increased the degree of utilization by 12.5% in comparison with conventional extraction. By optimizing the H2O2 bleaching process, it was found that the application of ultrasound resulted in reducing the temperature from 100 °C to 60 °C, the processing time by 30 min and the H2O2 concentration from 4% to 2%, while retaining the same weight loss, the appropriate degree of whiteness with preserved mechanical properties compared with treatment carried out without using ultrasound. Dyeing with the plant extract of Achillea millefolium L. using the ultrasonic atomization resulted in even coloration and antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, with using minimum quantities of extract and 6.67 times shorter processing time in comparison with the bath exhaustion method.

In this study, the extraction efficiency of natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES) based on choline chloride as a hydrogen bond acceptor (HBA) and five different hydrogen bond donors (HBD; lactic acid, 1,4-butanediol, 1,2-propanediol, fructose and urea) was evaluated for the first time for the isolation of valuable bioactive compounds from Achillea millefolium L. The phytochemical profiles of NADES extracts obtained after ultrasound-assisted extraction were evaluated both spectrophotometrically (total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant assays) and chromatographically (UHPLC-MS and HPLC-UV). The results were compared with those obtained with 80% ethanol, 80% methanol, and water. The highest TPC value was found in the lactic acid-based NADES (ChCl-LA), which correlated with the highest antioxidant activity determined by the FRAP analysis. On the other hand, the highest antiradical potential against ABTS+• was determined for urea-based NADES. Phenolic acids (chlorogenic acid and dicaffeoylquinic acid isomers), flavones (luteolin and apigenin), and their corresponding glucosides were determined as the dominant individual phenolic compounds in all extracts. The antibacterial and antifungal properties of the extracts obtained against four bacterial cultures and two yeasts were evaluated using two methods: the agar dilution method to obtain the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and the minimum bactericidal or fungicidal concentration (MBC or MFC), and the disc diffusion method. ChCl-LA had the lowest MIC and MBC/MFC with respect to all microorganisms, with an MIC ranging from 0.05 mg mL−1 to 0.8 mg mL−1, while the water extract had the weakest inhibitory activity with MIC and MBC/MFC higher than 3.2 mg mL−1.