The purpose of this study is a comparative analysis of the factors affecting the differentiation of wage rates in Russia and the United States. The information base for the study was statistical and analytical materials given on the official websites of the Russian Federation and the United States. The article presents an extensive analysis of the wage levels depending on the professional training of employees. Based on statistical data, the authors substantiate why in Russia and the United States the wages of employees with higher professional education are significantly higher than the wages of employees with secondary education, not to mention employees without secondary education. Much attention is paid to the consideration of the differentiation of wage levels with respect to the type of the economic activity. It is shown that in Russia and the United States, despite significant differences in the structure of the economy and economic potentials, the highest earnings prevail in the extractive industries, primarily in the fuel and energy complex. On the other hand, wages in the light and food industries, as well as in agriculture in Russia and the United States are about 20 and 33% of the above-mentioned industries, respectively. The article also examines the differentiation of wages in relation to racial characteristics and gender differences. Citing a number of factual data from Russia and the United States, the authors show that such differentiation in the 21st century should be qualified in terms of labor market imperfections from both scientific and social points of view. The regional aspect of the wage difference in both countries is also analyzed in detail. It is explained why the regional factor has almost no effect on the size of the average wage in the United States contrary to Russia. It is concluded that the most effective mechanism for regulating wage levels is competition in the labor market, which puts the qualifications, skills and experience of employees, as well as working conditions, as the basis for wage differentiation.

A distillate is a basis for the blend of a spirit drink. Distillate ripening is necessary to stabilize the physicochemical composition and achieve certain flavor characteristics. Softened water is the second ingredient of the spirit drink blend in terms of volume. The mineral composition of water influences the consumer properties of a drink. The aim of this work is to reveal factors that influence quality indicators of a spirit drink from a new type of a raw material. The objects of the research were the samples of the distillate from baking waste, commercial batches of softened water and experimental blends of a spirit drink. The authors determined the volume fraction of ethanol, organoleptic characteristics and mass concentration of the main volatile components by the gas chromatography method in the objects of the research. It was established that upon distillate ripening, the most intensive oxidative processes occured in a period of 10 to 20 days. This led to an increase in the acetaldehyde concentration by 6–27% depending of a raw material type. At the same time, an increase in the mass concentration of ethyl acetate by 15 to 30%, as well as the total concentration of ethyl caproate, ethyl caprate, ethyl caprylate by 27–38% was observed. An effect of the strength of the spirit drink on its organoleptic characteristics was revealed. The mineral composition of the soften water samples prepared by the method of ion exchange and reverse osmosis was studied. Based on the analysis of the taste and aroma profiles of spirit drinks, an effect of the concentration and ratio of mineral salts in water on product quality characteristics was shown. The authors recommend the optimal duration of distillate ripening before blending — not more than 20 days, the blend strength 40–42% vol. The necessity to use soften water prepared by the method of ion exchange or reverse osmosis with the controlled content of ions of calcium (not more than 9 mg/dm3), sodium (not more than 60 mg/dm3), sulfates (not more than 65 mg/dm3) and hydrogen carbonates (not more than 80 mg/dm3) for blending was substantiated.

Food allergy, which affects about 8% of children and 5% of adults in the world, is one of the major global health problems, and allergen control is an important aspect of food safety. According to the FALCPA (Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004 FDA), more than 160 foods can cause allergic reactions, with eight of them responsible for 90% of all food allergies in the United States, including milk, eggs, wheat, peanuts, soybeans, tree nuts, crustaceans and fish, also known as the Big 8. Most foods that are sources of obligate allergens are heat treated before consumption, which can trigger the Maillard reaction, which produces glycation end products. Symptoms of food sensitization are known to significantly affect the quality of life, gut microbial diversity and adaptation potential. In particular, in athletes, this can be expressed in a decrease in the effectiveness of the training process, which leads to poor endurance and athletic performance. In this regard, it seems relevant to study the effect of the Maillard reaction and AGEs on the immunogenicity of proteins and the possible relationship between these compounds and food allergy, as well as to develop measures to prevent the adverse effect of allergens on the body of a professional athlete and any other consumer.

A demand for canned vegetables and fruit depend, first of all, on their consumer characteristics. These products should correspond to high requirements regarding their nutritional and biological value, as well as sensory properties. The aim of the work was to study the microstructural changes in the cells of green peas in the products of their processing. Fresh, frozen and canned peas made from fresh and rehydrated raw materials were used as objects of the research. Components such as chlorophyll and starch were characterized in the cells of the hypodermis and parenchyma, respectively, using light microscopy. It was found that plastids with chlorophyll stained in the bright green color were present only in cells of the hypodermis of frozen peas. Moreover, the same color of the pigment was also recorded in the samples of fresh peas. Appearance of brown hues in these cells was observed in the canned product from fresh peas, which was associated with transformation of chlorophylls into pheophytins and pyrophephytins. The hypodermis in the samples of canned peas from rehydrated raw materials was represented by almost colorless cells. When analyzing the preparations of the parenchymal cells of the indicated processed products stained with iodine, it was shown that starch grains in the samples of frozen and canned green peas from fresh raw materials maintained their concentric shape, while swelling of starch grains was observed in the stained preparations of the parenchyma of canned peas from rehydrated raw materials. The comparative microstructural analysis of processed products from green peas showed that maximum quality had the frozen product from fresh raw materials as the studied indicators (chlorophyll and starch grains) showed.