As part of a survey conducted by the Central Agricultural Office of Hungary, 67 food samples including beverages were taken from 57 food industrial and catering companies, 75% of them being small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Moreover, 40% of the SMEs were micro entities. Water used for food processing was simultaneously sampled. The arsenic (As) content of solid food stuff was determined by hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry after dry ashing. Food stuff with high water content and water samples were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The As concentration exceeded 10μg/L in 74% of the water samples taken from SMEs. The As concentrations of samples with high water content and water used were linearly correlated. Estimated As intake from combined exposure to drinking water and food of the population was on average 40% of the daily lower limit of WHO on the benchmark dose for a 0.5% increased incidence of lung cancer (BMDL0.5) for As. Five settlements had higher As intake than the BMDL0.5. Three of these settlements are situated in Csongrád county and the distance between them is less than 55km. The maximum As intake might be 3.8μg/kg body weight.

The soda-water invented by Anyos Jedlik has an important tradition in Hungary. This popular - especially in the county - carbonated water filled in special siphon-bottles is produced by several hundreds of smaller and bigger soda-water works in Hungary. In this beautifully illustrated article the authors outline the history of this "hungaricum".

The aims of the investigations were to estimate the biomass and the production of the macrozoobenthos and to know their season dynamics. Investigations were supported by Fishery's Foundation. Sediment chemical analysis showed that the macrozoobenthos biomass was determined by the quantity of the phosporus. Chironomid larvae formed the 70-90 per cent of benthos biomass in Keszthely basin.

Sustainable nutrition (SN) considers the environmental impact of food production. This study aims to analyse the relationship between nutrient density and water footprint (WF) of the most consumed food items in Hungary and to create a classification of nutrients. Based on a comprehensive analysis of literature and different data sources, the authors analysed the stochastic relationship between WF and nutrient density of different food items by Spearman's rank correlation. The analysis proved significant (P<0.05) relationship between nutrient density and WF of the most relevant food items in Hungary. Based on the classification, there are nutrients that are overconsumed among the Hungarian population and positively correlate with WF (e.g., cholesterol) and there are nutrients that are under-consumed among the Hungarian population and negatively correlate with WF (e.g., dietary fibres). In general, it can be concluded that the re-structuration of food consumption patterns in Hungary is an important and urgent task, which serves both the public health and ecologic goals. These efforts should be based on a complex evaluation of the problem. This study was one initial step to analyse SN focused on Hungary and further studies are definitely needed.

The monkey goby originating from the Ponto-Caspian area, has appeared in increasingly wide-spread areas of Hungary. In the Tisza-to water reservoir in North-Eastern Hungary along the Tisza River, 83 first summer samples of the fish were collected in the vicinity of Tiszafured on October 21st, 2000. The average length of the fish, not including the caudal fins, was 50,4 mm, the average weight was 2.1 g. Their alimentari canals contained mostly gnats (Chironomidae), but also the relative amount of the taxons Copepoda, Ephemeroptera, Ostracoda and Odonata was notable.

Depletion of natural resources needs quantification and efficiency analysis of the use of resources to improve sustainability. This paper evaluates the efficiency of Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) countries in terms of Water-Energy-Land-Food (WELF-Nexus) to ensure sustainability and environmental viability for both present and future generations. An input-output index system is built at a transnational level. Composite and intrinsic indicators are introduced to incorporate the interconnections and tradeoffs between sectors of the nexus and outcomes of the nexus. The nonparametric benchmarking order-α model, resulting from Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) is used to estimate WELF-Nexus efficiency of each country, and to alleviate the intricacies of using composite and intrinsic indicators. To ensure resource generativity, an output target setting model that accommodates predefined input is proposed. Results show variation in performance among OECD members, with an annual average efficiency score of 68%, 69% and 78% in 2007, 2012, and 2016. Sensitivity analysis was performed to measure the effect of drought on WELF efficiency, a decrease of about 13% on average WELF efficiency was observed. Outputs improvement was recommended for each country: Lithuania (14%), Mexico (10%) and 11% for Hungary, Latvia, and Turkey due to their high inefficiency. The study provides a robust framework for policy making and shows that a win-win strategy for the nexus must be implemented to achieve WELF-Nexus efficiency, given the trade-offs within its sectors. Furthermore, it highlights that innovative-driven policies will enhance WELF-Nexus efficiency and sustainability.

Report on the activity of the "Natural Mineral Water Working Committee" of the FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius Hungarian National Committee. The working committee has been functioning since 1972. The European Regional Standard (108-1981) was perpared in 1981. On its 19 Session the Codex Alimentarius Commission adopted a resolution according to which - with regard to the importance of mineral waters - the European Standard had to be redrafted to a world standard and an other standard had to be elaborated for the packaged (bottled) waters other than natural mineral waters as well. The new standard prepared in Thun Switzerland in 1996 and it was adopted on the 22 Session of the C.A.C. The elaboration of the world standard for packaged (bottled) waters other than mineral waters started in Bern, in 1998