Jerusalem artichoke powder (JAP) from Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberous L.) roots is a nutritive valuable product that can be used for a healthy product development. The influence of JAP on the quality and degree of liking of cakes was investigated. Sensory evaluation of cakes was realized in two stages: the first - to define the quality attributes of the cakes with JAP from the point of view of the experts, the second – to find out the consumers' views on the cakes, whose quality has been improved in accordance with the recommendations of the experts. As a control sample, the classic home cake was evaluated. Control sample was compared with the cakes, where the amount of wheat flour prescribed by recipe was partly substituted with JAP at different concentrations. Experts evaluated cakes and defined the highest acceptable concentrations of JAP in cakes. For the consumers it was offered to assess the cakes with JAP at concentration 30% and with different taste and aroma enhancers. Cakes with 30% of JAP additive were the most favoured by the sensory properties: aroma, texture, softness elasticity, porosity and softness, surface crust, appearance, colour, shape, and size. Results of analysis of variance showed that there no significant differences in the degree of liking between the cakes with JAP and the cakes with taste and aroma enhancer additives (p is greater than 0.05). There had been performed hardness analysis and colour measurement for cakes with JAP. The observed results declare high influence of aroma and taste enhancer on cakes structure and colour.

Studies have been conducted to find out the effect of the feeding of calves (Bos Taurus) with Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus) concentrate produced in Latvia containing the prebiotic – inulin. The study was performed on two groups of animals - a control group of 8 animals and test (prebiotic) group of 8 animals in summer (from June to August, 2013), and winter (from December, 2013 to February, 2014) in one of cow farm of Latvia, in the municipality of Bauska. Both groups were fed the whole milk, but the test group received additionally 12 g of Jerusalem artichoke powder (an average of 500 g kgE-1 inulin) per day. The overall health status and physiological parameters (temperature, heartbeat and breathing frequency) of both animal groups before the study were of the normal range. After the experiment, we found out that the calves of the test group during both winter (one case) and summer seasons (seven cases), had fewer cases of diarrhea than the control (winter months four cases and summer months nine cases) group animals, the average daily weight gain (control group 0.53 g, prebiotic group 0.75 g) and the total weight gain (control group 29.42 kg, prebiotic group 42.13 kg) during 56 test days was significantly higher ( p is less than 0.05) than that for the control animals. We concluded that the use of Jerusalem artichoke flour concentrate when fed to the calves generally gives positive impact on the development and growth of the calves, improves the status of the gastrointestinal tract and the morphometric indicators.

One of the causes of cardiovascular diseases and overweight problem is a high consumption of sweets. Sugar is traditional food sweet matter. A change of sugar may therefore both change the perception of texture of products. The aim of the research was to evaluate properties of agar-agar jellies prepared with Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus L.) syrup (JAS). Soluble dry matter of experimental samples was determined by Mettler Toledo Refracto, separated sugars - by liquid chromatography, and acidity of jellies - by titration with 0.1 M NaOH. The measurements of pH were made by pH-meter Jenway 3510. Determination of vitamins B1 and B2 was made by the AOAC Official Method 986.27 and 970.65. Texture of samples was determined by using a Texture Analyser (Model TA.XT Plus; Stable Micro Systems), by cylindrical probe (P/25). Colour of jellies was evaluated by using Colour Tec-PCM. The results showed that soluble dry matter decreased from 64.5˚ Brix to 57.5˚ Brix, sucrose decreased by 6%, the acidity increased from 7.2 to 17.8˚, and pH values ranged between 3.8 and 4.5. The hardness of the samples decreased from 50.66N to 40.05N by increasing of added JAS concentration. Adding JAS in jelly, the content of vitamins B1 and B2 increased. Lightness “L” fluctuated between 24.26 and 14.60 with increase JAS concentration. The research suggests that different percents of Jerusalem artichoke syrup could be used as sugar substitute. The product becomes healthier, but the gels obtain a darker colour. Therefore it is recommended to look for other version to improve the colour of experimental jellies.

Ruminants produce a large amount of methane (CH4 ) and carbon dioxide (CO2 ) in their foregut. These gases cause greenhouse effect. There are a lot of studies about different feed additives which can reduce the production of greenhouse gases in ruminants. Prebiotics can also change the amount of bacteria in animal gastrointestinal tract and reduce the occurrence of diarrhoea. The aim of this study was to test whether the prebiotic inulin affects the production of CH4 and CO2 in calves’ rumen and whether it affects the bacteria count in the rumen fluid and bacterial overgrowth in intestines. We used the flour of Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus L.) containing 50% of inulin. Approximately fifty days old, Holstein Friesian crossbreed calves were used in this study. Eight were in the control group, 8 received 12 g of flour and 8 received 24 g per day. On the 28th and 56th day of the research, we measured the amount of CH4 and CO2 in calves’ rumen took rumen fluid samples for bacterial analysis and urine to measure the level of phenol and indican. We concluded that adding the flour of Jerusalem artichoke at doses 12 g and 24 g did not significantly impact the production of CH4 and CO2 in calves’ rumen, the prebiotic inulin may suppress the growth of anaerobic microorganisms in the rumen at concentration 12 g of inulin reaching 56th day of experiment. The amount of phenol and indican in calves’ morning urine did not correlate with the faecal consistency of calves.

The aim of this study was to determine the influence of Jerusalem artichoke flour feeding on the general health status of calves (Bos Taurus), the animal live weight gain and digestive canal morphological development in the first four months of life, as well as to find out the optimal of three inulin doses. Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus) concentrate produced in Latvia contains the prebiotic – inulin. The study was performed on four groups of animals - a control group of 10 animals and three prebiotic groups, 10 animals in each group. All groups were fed the whole milk, but the PreG6 group animals were fed daily with 6 grams of prebiotic, calves PreG12 group were fed with 12g of prebiotic, but each calf in PreG24 group – 24g of prebiotic per day. CoG control animals did not receive feed supplement. Faecal mass consistence of PreG6, PreG12 groups of animals was more stable within the whole research period than CoG. We found that the control group animal weight gain on the 56th research day is statistically significantly (p is less than 0.05) lower than of those calves that received inulin as a food supplement. The highest growth rates have shown PreG12 and PreG24 group of animals, significantly (p is less than 0.05) being ahead of PreG6 group of calves, the highest average daily live weight gain was observed in PreG24 group (0.95 ± 0.093 kg).

Blood haematology is one of the indicators that shows if a goat (Capra hircus) kid gets a sufficient quantity of liquid, has a good supply of oxygen in the body, as well as an indication of inflammatory processes. Our aim of this research was to find out how feed additives (probiotics (Enterococcus faecium), prebiotics (Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus L.)) and symbiotics (Enterococcus faecium+ Jerusalem artichoke)) influence on haematological parameters of kids. Research was performed in Latvia in 2014. The blood samples were analyzed for leucocytes (WBC), erythrocyte number (RBC), haemoglobin (HGB) concentration, packed cell volume (HCT), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH) and mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentrations (MCHC). Since the blood indicators have not significantly changed in all examination times, we analyzed the results of the age of 4, 8 and 12 weeks. HCT downward trend in blood sample MRG + PRO, MRG + PRE and MRG + SIM group of kids was observed from the fourth week up to the eighth week and then it gradually increased. The results showed that the HCT, HGB, RBC, MCHC and WBC number was comparable (p is greater than 0.05) between groups. Our results prove that the use of Jerusalem artichoke powder as an additive to food not only improves digestion and metabolism of ruminant, but also helps to maintain constant haematological values. In the control group and the kids who received probiotics, prebiotics or symbiotics - significant differences are evident in all haematological parameters (p is less than 0.05) at the age of 12 weeks.