Comparative study on natural plant antibiotics - Vegetable and their consumption among college students

Abstract

The research study is aimed at evaluation of natural plant antibiotics utilization among college students (554) with different subject study (Pre-school and elementary education, Biology, Regional Tourism, Horticulture, Physical education) from 3 countries - Slovak Republic, Czech Republic and Hungary. The attention has been focused on natural antibiotics in plants - vegetables (garlic, onion and horse radish) and the frequency of their consumption among college students. From the research results there is evident that majority of students had basic knowledge about natural plant antibiotics (85% of respondents) and they utilize them in everyday life (60.3%). The prevailing number of students utilizes synthetic antibiotics only rarely - once a year (33.4%) or never (37.5%). From achieved results about exact plants (garlic, onion and horse radish) consumption, the majority of respondents consume garlic once a week (42.2%); on the daily base the highest usage was noticed in the group of Slovak students with the subject of Physical education (32.1%) that could be considered as statistically different in comparison with the rest of groups. On the contrary, the lowest garlic consumption was noticed for students of biology (23.5%) and only small amount of students (3.6%) claimed that they have never included garlic into their diet. As for the onion, the majority of respondents (42.10%) also consume this commodity once a week; everyday consumption was noticed again especially between Slovak students with the subject of Physical education (32.1%) and Horticulture (31.1%). The results of these groups significantly differed from results of other groups. Third studied vegetable, horse-radish, it has never been consumed by Slovak students of Pre-school and elementary education in Slovak language (47.9%) that has been significantly distinguishable from another groups. Also Hungarian students of Physical education consume this commodity rarely (30.6%) - only once a year. Major part of students (46%) consumes horse-radish once a month. Czech students of Horticulture prefer consummation of horse-radish only once a month (76.8%). The lowest utilization was noticed in groups MU/ H (76.8%) consumed this commodity only monthly. Similarly, students of UP/ PE (30.6%) consumed horse radish only once a year that was significantly lower value in comparison with the rest of evaluated groups. © 2017 Potravinarstvo Slovak Journal of Food Sciences.