Browsing by Author "Wesolowski, Marek"
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- A detailed and comparative elemental analysis (Poland vs. Portugal) of espresso coffeePublication . Almeida, Agostinho; Cunha, Ana; Pinto, Edgar; Azevedo, Rui; Seroczynska, Kinga; Konieczynski, Pawel; Wesolowski, MarekCoffee is one of the most popular beverages in the world. There are many different types of coffee, but “espresso” has become the favourite in many countries. In Portugal, 80% of people drink coffee daily and prefer to make it as an espresso. Annual per capita coffee consumption (dry beans) is estimated at 5 kg, being higher in many other Western European countries, namely the Nordic countries. In Poland, also more than 80% of adults consume coffee every day, but instant coffee still takes up the largest share. National per capita consumption (2021) is estimated at between 0.72.5 kg. Espresso coffee is prepared by passing water at high temperature (88-92 ºC) and under high pressure (8-10 bar) through ground coffee (6-8 g) for 20-30 seconds to produce around 25-40 ml of beverage. The extraction of substances existing in coffee powder is very efficient, so their concentration in coffee (beverage) is also very high. In this work, we carried out a comparative study of the elemental composition (n=34 macrominerals and trace elements) of espresso coffee from two different European origins: Northern Poland (n=60, areas of Gdańsk, Gdynia and Elbląg) and Northern Portugal (n=22, Porto Metropolitan Area). Samples (5-10 ml) were taken from the beverage as served in cafes, restaurants and gas stations. In order to better document the contribution of coffee (powder) to the final composition of the beverage, water samples were taken in parallel at the same locations. The analysis was performed by ICP-MS. In both cases, espresso coffee proved to be a concentrated source of many elements (Table 1), with levels much higher than those of water from the same location. Polish waters were globally much more mineralized than Portuguese waters, and generally Polish coffee also showed significantly higher levels of macrominerals and trace elements than the Portuguese ones.
- Trace elements in medicinal plants traditionally used in the treatment of diabetes—do they have a role in the claimed therapeutic effect?Publication . Konieczynski, Pawel; Gappa, Monika; Wesolowski, Marek; Pinto, Edgar; Almeida, AgostinhoMedicinal plants are often used in the treatment of diabetes mellitus, although knowledge about their mode of action and the substances responsible for their antidiabetic potential is limited. It is well known that some trace elements play a role in glucose metabolism and insulin action. Thus, a particular trace elements profile could be associated with the antidiabetic properties observed for some medicinal plants. Methods: Infusions (n = 102) prepared from commercial herbal products (n = 34) containing medicinal plants indicated for the treatment of diabetes (n = 16 different plant species) and infusions (n = 60) prepared from commercial herbal products (n = 20) containing medicinal plants without such an indication (n = 7 different plant species) were analyzed by ICP-MS for their trace elements content. In both groups, results varied significantly between different medicinal plants and also between different origins (brands) of the same medicinal plant. Significant differences (p < 0.05) between the two groups were found for nine elements, including four trace elements related to glucose metabolism (Mn, B, V, and Se), but with lower median contents in the group of medicinal plants for diabetes. Except for some particular species (e.g., Myrtilli folium) in which the trace element Mn may play a role in its antidiabetic effect, globally, a direct association between the claimed antidiabetic properties and a specific trace element profile of the studied medicinal plants was not evident.