Adherence to food hygiene and personal protection recommendations for prevention of COVID-19

Impact of digital device utilization on public health surveillance to enhance city resilience during the public health emergency response: A case study of SARS-CoV-2 response in Thailand (2020-2023)

Objective

This study aims to examine the impact of digital devices on public health surveillance, the impact of public health surveillance on resilient cities, and the impact of digital devices on resilient cities.

Methods

Questionnaires were issued to residents of Thailand during the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 response (2020-2023). In total, 1025 valid responses were recorded from Thai nationals and expatriates. Exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and structural equation modeling were used to assess the model through IBM SPSS 23 and AMOS 23.

Results

Digital devices have a strong positive direct effect on public health surveillance (β = 0.73, p ≤ .001), public health surveillance has a strong positive direct effect on resilient cities (β = 0.79, p ≤ .001), and digital devices have a low positive direct and a moderate indirect effect on resilient cities (β = 0.13, p ≤ .001, and β = 0.58, p ≤ .001, respectively). The use of digital devices in data collection, analysis, and dissemination, positively impacted public health surveillance, considering five dimensions: medical and vaccine, individual, health care, epidemiological, and disease. Meanwhile, using digital devices in public health surveillance positively impacted the resilience of cities, considering three dimensions: socioeconomic, institutional, and living. The causal relationship model of the digital device utilization on public health surveillance enhancing the resilience of the cities met all the necessary criteria: X 2/df = 2.802, comparative fit index = 0.953, goodness of fit index = 0.901, normed fit index = 0.935, Tucker-Lewis index = 0.935, root mean square of approximation = 0.048, and root of mean square residual = 0.043. This indicates the model fits the empirical data.

Conclusion

Digital devices are vital tools in collecting, analyzing, and disseminating public health surveillance-related data during the public health emergency. This, in turn, can improve medical and vaccine, individual, health care, epidemiological, and disease surveillance, and also enhance cities' socioeconomic, institutional, and living resilience.

Changes in eating habits and lifestyle during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic across metropolitan regions in Brazil and Germany: A survey-based cross-sectional study

COVID-19 caused profound societal changes to cope rapidly with the new circumstances. The food market changed its quantity, quality, form, and frequency dynamics. Consequently, food-eating habits and lifestyles like physical exercise likely experienced changes. An online-based survey was conducted between June 2020 and January 2021 in the metropolitan regions of Rhine Ruhr Metropolis (RRM), Greater São Paulo (GSP), other metropolitan regions in São Paulo state (oMRSP), other Brazilian metropolitan regions (oBRMR), and the remaining urban areas in both countries (oUA), representing different contexts of Brazil and Germany. We assessed self-reported changes in physical activity level, diet quality, self-reported eating habits, and buying groceries during the first year of the pandemic. In Germany, indoor and outdoor activities increased for 34% of the respondents, while in Brazil, there was a decrease in physical activity for 50% of the participants. The Healthy Eating Index (HEI) scored higher among Brazilians (16.8) than Germans (15.2) on a 0-29 HEI scale. Increased awareness of healthy and sustainable eating habits was observed in GSP (0.7), oMRSP (0.63), oBRMR (0.7), and oUA (0.68) on a scale from no change (0) to change (1). In RRM, an increase in convenience foods was noticed (0.86). Participants reported discomfort with food purchasing due to hygiene measures and avoided going to the supermarket (0.7 on average in Brazil and 0.58 for females using the same 0-1 scale). Also, food supply at the grocery shops was reported to be often unavailable and in lower quantities. A real-time assessment of self-reported changes in eating habits and lifestyle during the lockdown in 2020 in different contexts is insightful for rethinking strategies to improve conditions in the post-COVID-19 era and prepare for future pandemics.

A sea urchin-shaped nanozyme mediated dual-mode immunoassay nanoplatform for sensitive point-of-care testing histamine in food samples

Rapid detection of histamine remains a challenge due to the complexity of food matrices. Based on the high peroxidase-like activity of sea urchin-shaped Pt@Au NPs (SU-Pt@Au NPs), a novel dual-mode nanoplatform is developed for the sensitive detection of histamine utilizing an indirect competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. According to the colorimetric-based UV-vis nanoplatform, histamine is sensitively detected with a liner range from 0.5 to 100 ng/mL and a limit of detection (LOD) as low as 0.3 ng/mL. Then, a smartphone-loaded color picker APP can intelligently detect histamine in point-of-care testing (POCT) based on the R/B ratio of the color channels, with a detection range of 0.5 to 1000 ng/mL and a LOD as low as 0.15 ng/mL, significantly expanding the detection range. Such an easy-to-use and sensitive detection system is employed to quantify histamine in Pacific saury, crab, and pork samples, indicating outstanding application potential in protein-rich meat food safety.

Hand Sanitizer Gels: Classification, Challenges, and the Future of Multipurpose Hand Hygiene Products

Hand hygiene is a crucial measure in the prevention and control of infections, and there is a growing awareness among individuals who are making a conscious effort to maintain hand cleanliness. With the advent of the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak, the demand for hand hygiene products has also gradually shifted towards those with antimicrobial properties. Among these products, hand sanitizer gels (HSGs) have gained considerable popularity as an efficient method of hand cleaning, due to their rapid drying and sustained antimicrobial efficacy. Concurrently, there has been a growing interest in novel HSGs that offer additional functions such as skin whitening, moisturizing, and anti-inflammatory effects. These novel HSGs effectively address concerns associated with the ingestion of antimicrobial ingredients and demonstrate reduced skin irritation, thereby alleviating hand dermatological issues. This review provides an extensive overview of the application scenarios, classification, and challenges associated with HSGs while emphasizing the emergence of novel components with biological functions, aiming to contribute to the advancement of hand hygiene practices and offer novel insights for the development of novel HSGs with outstanding antimicrobial properties with other multiple biological functions and desirable biosafety profiles.

Access to Information, and Concerns, Myths and Truths about Food Safety during the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Overview of the Portuguese Population

The COVID-19 pandemic raised questions and concerns about the possibility of the virus being transmitted through food, as the virus was found in sewage, shrimps and packages of frozen food. During the first wave of COVID-19, concerns about the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 through food arose. As the number of cases began to increase rapidly, so did the availability of information regarding the virus and ways to prevent infection. A significant portion of this information was disseminated by the media and the general public. Identifying and understanding the main doubts and concerns about food hygiene and safety raised by the Portuguese population during the first wave of COVID-19 is important in order to understand whether these issues have influenced their practices and what lessons can be learnt for food safety and hygiene education. The aims of this work were (1) to understand the doubts and concerns of the Portuguese population regarding food safety and hygiene during the first wave of COVID-19, and how these issues were clarified, (2) to analyze the population's opinion on food/hygiene myths and truths related to the transmission and prevention of the infection, and (3) to understand how the first wave of COVID-19 may have influenced the population's practices linked to food handling and consumption. The main doubts of the respondents were related to food handling (41.6%) and the possibility of transmission of COVID-19 through food (17%). Television was the main source of information used to clarify these doubts (32.9%), followed by a guideline issued by the Directorate-General of Health (30.7%). However, most respondents (50.9%) said that they had only found answers to some of their questions. Most respondents reported washing and disinfecting hands before (85% and 63.4%, respectively) and after (73.8% and 57.3%, respectively) the handling and organization of food purchases. Most respondents did not believe the myths about COVID-19 and food safety, but this depended on their level of education. Some practices may have changed as a result of the pandemic, particularly with regard to washing and disinfecting hands and food, as well as kitchen hygiene.

Did everyone change their childbirth plans due to the COVID-19 pandemic? A web-based cross-sectional survey of Polish pregnant women

BACKGROUND AND AIM

With the worldwide outbreak of coronavirus, a significant impact has been observed on the functioning of healthcare systems and the process of childbirth. Women probably did not even have a choice to adjust their plans accordingly to the current situation. The aim of the study was to examine how the outbreak of the SARS CoV-2 pandemic state affected the decisions of pregnant women about their childbirth plan.

DESIGN

This cross-sectional study was performed using a web-based survey published on social media in Poland.

METHODS

The cross-sectional study was performed using web-based questionnaires. The study group included Polish women who changed their childbirth plans, compared to a group of women not sure about delivery plan change and those whose plans had not changed. The data were collected from 4 March 2020 to 2 May 2020, when the first rising count of new infections was observed in Poland and worldwide. Statistical analysis was performed using STATISTICA Software, Inc., 13.3 (2020).

RESULTS

Of 969 women who completed the questionnaire and were enrolled into the study, 57.2% had not changed their childbirth plans (group I), 28.4% had changed their plans (group II), and 14.4% of respondents answered "not sure" to this question (group III). The majority of women changed their birth plans during the pandemic because of the potential absence of their partner during labour (56% of women who had changed their plans and 48% of those whose answer was "I am not sure", p < .001). Another reason was the fear of separation from the child after delivery (33% of women who had changed their plans and 30% of those whose answer was "I am not sure", p < .001).

CONCLUSION

Restrictions due to the COVID-19 outbreak have influenced the childbirth plans of pregnant women. The changes were independent of women's vision of birth before the pandemic.

IMPACT

The restriction on births with accompanying person and the risk of separation from their infant after childbirth significantly influenced the decision-making process. As a result, some women were more likely to opt for a home birth with or even without medical assistance.

PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

The study participants were women who were pregnant at the time of completing the questionnaire, were over 18 years old and spoke Polish.

A systematic review of artificial intelligence-based COVID-19 modeling on multimodal genetic information

This study systematically reviews the Artificial Intelligence (AI) methods developed to resolve the critical process of COVID-19 gene data analysis, including diagnosis, prognosis, biomarker discovery, drug responsiveness, and vaccine efficacy. This systematic review follows the guidelines of Preferred Reporting for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). We searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Scopus databases to identify the relevant articles from January 2020 to June 2022. It includes the published studies of AI-based COVID-19 gene modeling extracted through relevant keyword searches in academic databases. This study included 48 articles discussing AI-based genetic studies for several objectives. Ten articles confer about the COVID-19 gene modeling with computational tools, and five articles evaluated ML-based diagnosis with observed accuracy of 97% on SARS-CoV-2 classification. Gene-based prognosis study reviewed three articles and found host biomarkers detecting COVID-19 progression with 90% accuracy. Twelve manuscripts reviewed the prediction models with various genome analysis studies, nine articles examined the gene-based in silico drug discovery, and another nine investigated the AI-based vaccine development models. This study compiled the novel coronavirus gene biomarkers and targeted drugs identified through ML approaches from published clinical studies. This review provided sufficient evidence to delineate the potential of AI in analyzing complex gene information for COVID-19 modeling on multiple aspects like diagnosis, drug discovery, and disease dynamics. AI models entrenched a substantial positive impact by enhancing the efficiency of the healthcare system during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Food Safety Issues Related to Eating In and Eating Out

Because of growing urbanization and lack of time to prepare meals at home, eating out or getting food delivered have become common trends for many people. The consumption of food from unknown sources may impose an increased chance of contamination with microbiological hazards, especially if sanitary conditions are not met. We evaluated data from health surveillance agencies and scientific articles on foodborne diseases (FBD) reported internationally according to the exposure sites. We observed that the data are influenced by cultural, political, and socioeconomic differences. For instance, in New Zealand, Australia, United States, Denmark and India, the occurrence of FBD outbreaks was greater from foods prepared in commercial establishments and street vendors than from households. Conversely, in China, countries of the European Union and Brazil, the results are the opposite. Additionally, the pandemic imposed new eating behavior patterns, increasing delivery services and foods prepared in so-called "Dark Kitchens". The underreporting and heterogeneity of data among countries prevented a precise conclusion to the question of whether homemade foods are inherently safer than foods prepared out. Nevertheless, a lower level of development in a country influences its sanitation conditions, as well as the number of street food vendors, the search for cheaper foods, and insufficient knowledge of the population on good hygiene practices, which can all increase the chances of FBD cases.

Effect of food and key micronutrients on Covid-19: A review

Humanity has faced different pandemics in history. The Covid-19 pandemic has made a new course in the world caused by SARS-CoV-2 that can be transmitted to humans. Finding alternative methods to prevent and control the disease through food and some micronutrients is important. This review summarizes effect of food and key micronutrients on Covid-19. There are currently no reports of the feasibility of transmission through the food sector. However, malnutrition and deficiency of some nutrients can lead to disorders of immune system. Coronavirus may be transferred through raw and uncooked foods; more safety and preventive measures are needed. Furthermore, sufficient intake of omega-3 fatty acids, minerals and vitamins are required for proper immune system function. Therefore, a healthy diet is required for prevent Covid-19. Personal hygiene and employee awareness is the two most important features in the prevention of Covid-19. Further studies are needed to confirm these results.

Cold chain relevance in the food safety of perishable products

The food cold chain is an effective tool that allows food markets to maintain food quality and reduce losses. Poor logistics may result in foodborne disease outbreaks and greenhouse gas emissions caused by organic matter decay. The ongoing pandemic of COVID-19 makes it necessary to study the chances of SARS-CoV-2 transmissions in food products. This study reviews cold chain logistics as a handy tool for avoiding food safety risks, including COVID-19. The cold chain of perishables and its proper management make it possible to maintain quality and safety at any stage of the food supply chain. The technology covers each link of the food chain to prevent microbial spoilage caused by temperature fluctuations and the contamination with SARS-CoV-2 associated with perishable foods. Given the lack of knowledge in this field in Latin America, the region needs new research to determine the impact of the cold chain on perishable foodstuffs. The perishable cold chain is only as strong as its weakest link, and the national and international markets require new traceability protocols to minimize the effect of COVID-19.

Point-of-care CRISPR/Cas biosensing technology: A promising tool for preventing the possible COVID-19 resurgence caused by contaminated cold-chain food and packaging

The ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused great public health concern and has been a global threat due to its high transmissibility and morbidity. Although the SARS-CoV-2 transmission mainly relies on the person-to-person route through the respiratory droplets, the possible transmission through the contaminated cold-chain food and packaging to humans has raised widespread concerns. This review discussed the possibility of SARS-CoV-2 transmission via the contaminated cold-chain food and packaging by tracing the occurrence, the survival of SARS-CoV-2 in the contaminated cold-chain food and packaging, as well as the transmission and outbreaks related to the contaminated cold-chain food and packaging. Rapid, accurate, and reliable diagnostics of SARS-CoV-2 is of great importance for preventing and controlling the COVID-19 resurgence. Therefore, we summarized the recent advances on the emerging clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas system-based biosensing technology that is promising and powerful for preventing the possible COVID-19 resurgence caused by the contaminated cold-chain food and packaging during the COVID-19 pandemic, including CRISPR/Cas system-based biosensors and their integration with portable devices (e.g., smartphone, lateral flow assays, microfluidic chips, and nanopores). Impressively, this review not only provided an insight on the possibility of SARS-CoV-2 transmission through the food supply chain, but also proposed the future opportunities and challenges on the development of CRISPR/Cas system-based detection methods for the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2.

The Multifaceted Relationship between the COVID-19 Pandemic and the Food System

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic is being questioned for its possible food transmission, due to several reports of the virus on food, outbreaks developed in food companies, as well as its origins linked to the wet market of Wuhan, China. The purpose of this review is to analyze the scientific evidence gathered so far on the relationship between food and the pandemic, considering all aspects of the food system that can be involved. The collected data indicate that there is no evidence that foods represent a risk for the transmission of SARS-CoV-2. In fact, even if the virus can persist on food surfaces, there are currently no proven cases of infection from food. Moreover, the pandemic showed to have deeply influenced the eating habits of consumers and their purchasing methods, but also to have enhanced food waste and poverty. Another important finding is the role of meat processing plants as suitable environments for the onset of outbreaks. Lessons learned from the pandemic include the correct management of spaces, food hygiene education for both food workers and common people, the enhancement of alternative commercial channels, the reorganization of food activities, in particular wet markets, and intensive farming, following correct hygiene practices. All these outcomes lead to another crucial lesson, which is the importance of the resilience of the food system. These lessons should be assimilated to deal with the present pandemic and possible future emergencies. Future research directions include further investigation of the factors linked to the food system that can favor the emergence of viruses, and of innovative technologies that can reduce viral transmission.

SARS-CoV-2 remains infectious for at least a month on artificially-contaminated frozen berries

The potential transmission of SARS-CoV-2 via food has been controversial since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. To investigate these concerns, reliable detection methods and data on virus die-off rates in various foods are needed. Here, an FDA-standard method for the detection of enteric viruses’ RNA from soft fruits was modified for the recovery of infectious SARS-CoV-2. Then, the survival of SARS-CoV-2 on berries was investigated as well as the effectiveness of washing virus-contaminated berries with water. The modified method did not significantly reduced log infectivity titers of recovered viruses, but berries did. The detection limit of the method for infectious SARS-CoV-2 was ∼2.97 log TCID50/g of berries. On SARS-CoV-2-inoculated berries that were stored at 4 °C for 7 days, significant reductions in SARS-CoV-2 infectivity were observed over time. In contrast, on frozen berries, infectious SARS-CoV-2 was recovered for 28 days without significant reductions. Washing SARS-CoV-2-inoculated berries with water removed >90% of infectious viruses within 10 min; however, infectious viruses were detected in wash water. Therefore, on fresh berries infectious viruses are markedly inactivated over time and can be largely removed by washing with water. However, the prolonged survival of SARS-CoV-2 on frozen berries suggests that the virus can potentially spread through frozen fruits.

Factors associated with change in adherence to COVID-19 personal protection measures in the Metropolitan Region, Chile

Personal protective measures such use of face masks, hand washing and physical distancing have proven to be effective in controlling the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic. However, adherence to these measures may have been relaxed over time. The objective of this work is to assess the change in adherence to these measures and to find factors that explain the change For this purpose, we conducted a survey in the Metropolitan Region of Chile in which we asked the adherence to these measures in August-September 2021 and retrospectively for 2020. With the answers obtained we fit a logistic regression model in which the response variable is the relaxation of each of the self-care preventive actions. The explanatory variables used are socio-demographic characteristics such as the age, sex, income, and vaccination status of the respondents. The results obtained show that there has been a significant decrease in adherence to the three personal protection measures in the Metropolitan Region of Chile. In addition, it was observed that younger people are more likely to relax these measures. The results show the importance of generating new incentives for maintaining adherence to personal protection measures.

COVID-19 contamination through food: A study with Brazilian consumers of different socioeconomic and demographic characteristics

This study aimed to investigate through free word association the perception of Brazilian consumers regarding the possibility of infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus through food. One thousand individuals answered the questionnaire via an online platform. Most cited terms (hygiene-8%, fear-8%, caution-5%) and categories (negative attitudes and feeling-72% and sanitization-60%) were related to overall COVID-19 infection rather than their specific infection through the food. The perception of the possibility of risk of this type of cross-contamination was greater for male participants, within the food field, with high income (>10 minimum wages), and from the midwest region. Nonetheless, there are still doubts regarding this possibility, especially for participants with low income (≤10 minimum wages), females, higher education (≥secondary school), who exercise professional activity outside the food sector and from most regions of Brazil.

Practical applications

Although the SARS-CoV-2 virus was discovered 2 years ago, the emergence of new variants such as Omicron has increased infection and mortality rates worldwide. A possible way of COVID-19 infection is cross-contamination through food handling and contact surfaces if preventive measures are not applied. In this context, understanding the consumer perception from a continental-size country such as Brazil, with a wide variety of socioeconomic profiles, is crucial to minimize the severe impacts of the pandemic. Our study demonstrates the need to disseminate scientific information in different media to reduce misinformation, especially social media because most Brazilian consumers had doubts and uncertainties about the possibility of COVID-19 infection from cross-contamination through food.

Food Handling Concerns and Practices at Home during the COVID-19 Pandemic by Food Security Status

ABSTRACT

There is limited examination about coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19)-related food handling concerns and practices that cause chemical or microbial contamination and illness, particularly among those with food insecurity. We investigated consumer food handling concerns and practices during the COVID-19 pandemic and whether they differed by food insecurity status. An online survey was distributed among Chicago, IL, residents between 15 July and 21 August 2020 (n = 437). Independent t tests and Fisher's exact tests were used to identify differences in food handling concerns and practices between those with and without food insecurity (alpha = 0.05). Survey items included questions about food handling practices that were considered safe or neutral (i.e., washing hands and produce with water, sanitizing food packaging) and unsafe (i.e., using cleaning agents to wash foods, leaving perishable foods outside) by using 5-point Likert-style scales or categorical responses (i.e., yes, no). Participant responses fell between "slightly" and "somewhat" concerned about contracting COVID-19 from food and food packaging (mean ± standard error [SE]: 2.7 ± 0.1). Although participants reported washing their hands before eating and before preparing foods at least "most of the time" (mean ± SE: 4.4 ± 0.0 and 4.5 ± 0.0, respectively), only one-third engaged in unsafe practices. The majority of participants (68%) indicated that they altered food handling practices due to the COVID-19 pandemic and received information about food safety from social media (61%). When investigating differences in concerns and practices by food insecurity status, food insecure participants were more concerned about COVID-19 foodborne transmission for all food items (all P < 0.001) and more frequently performed unsafe food handling practices than those with food security (all P < 0.001). Results from this study suggest more investigation is needed to understand barriers to safe food handling knowledge and practices, particularly among those with food insecurity.

HIGHLIGHTS

Food services in times of uncertainty: Remodeling operations, changing trends, and looking into perspectives after the COVID-19 pandemic

Background

Social distancing and the economic downturn imposed by COVID-19 have significantly affected the food service segment. Therefore, operation recovery and adapting to a new reality must be achieved as quickly and efficiently as possible. Studies on this topic, which have been conceptualized in various parts of the world, have brought new ideas to light to mitigate the negative effects of COVID-19 on food service.

Scope and approach

This study aimed to discuss the impact of COVID-19 on food service operations, changes in pre-existing trends, and post-pandemic perspectives.

Key findings and conclusions

COVID-19 has changed all business segments. When dining rooms were forced to close, many food services had to resort to innovation to survive, and many added deliveries and/or adopted the dark kitchen models in one of their many forms. It is expected that the demand for delivery, dark kitchens, and the adoption of technological solutions, for example, contactless payment, will remain in the post-pandemic scenario. Food quality control measures have become more strictly enforced, not only to prevent SARS-CoV-2 contamination but also to increase credibility with the customer. These long-established food safety practices have returned to the spotlight, been revised, and should be maintained for well into the post-pandemic period. Restaurants are operating again and restrictions on opening hours and capacity have been relaxed or eliminated. Continued studies on this topic are important for supporting creative and scientifically based solutions for socio-economic recovery.

A study on the processing technology for Rhizoma Coptidis

BACKGROUND

The present study intends to optimize the processing technology for the wine-processing of Rhizoma Coptidis, using alkaloids as indicators.

METHOD

In the present study, the Box-Behnken design method was adopted to optimize the processing technology for Rhizoma Coptidis, using the alkaloid component quantities as the index. 100 g of Rhizoma Coptidis slices and 12.5 g of Rhizoma Coptidis wine were used. After full mixing, box-Behnken design method was used to optimize the processing time, processing temperature and processing time of coptis chinensis by taking alkaloid content as index. After mixing well, these components were fried in a container at 125 °C for 6 min and exhibited good parallelism.

RESULTS

The content of alkaloids in coptis chinensis was the highest after roasting at 125 °C for 6 min. The characteristic components were berberine hydrochloride, and the relative content was about 15.96%. And showed good parallelism. The effective components of Rhizoma Coptidis were primarily alkaloids.

CONCLUSION

The optimized processing technology for Rhizoma Coptidis is good.

Assessment of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids on COVID-19-Associated Risk Reduction

Pooled evidence conveys the association between polyunsaturated fatty acids and infectious disease. SARS-CoV-2, an enveloped mRNA virus, was also reported to interact with polyunsaturated fatty acids. The present review explores the possible mode of action, immunology, and consequences of these polyunsaturated fatty acids during the viral infection. Polyunsaturated fatty acids control protein complex formation in lipid rafts associated with the function of two SARS-CoV-2 entry gateways: angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 and cellular protease transmembrane protease serine-2. Therefore, the viral entry can be mitigated by modulating polyunsaturated fatty acids contents in the body. α-Linolenic acid is the precursor of two clinically important eicosanoids eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid, the members of ω-3 fats. Resolvins, protectins, and maresins derived from docosahexaenoic acid suppress inflammation and augment phagocytosis that lessens microbial loads. Prostaglandins of 3 series, leukotrienes of 5 series, and thromboxane A₃ from eicosapentaenoic acid exhibit anti-inflammatory, vasodilatory, and platelet anti-aggregatory effects that may also contribute to the control of pre-existing pulmonary and cardiac diseases. In contrast, ω-6 linoleic acid-derived arachidonic acid increases the prostaglandin G₂, lipoxins A₄ and B₄, and thromboxane A₂. These cytokines are pro-inflammatory and enhance the immune response but aggravate the COVID-19 severity. Therefore, the rational intake of ω-3-enriched foods or supplements might lessen the complications in COVID-19 and might be a preventive measure.

Graphic Abstract

A review of epidemic investigation on cold-chain food-mediated SARS-CoV-2 transmission and food safety consideration during COVID-19 pandemic

COVID‐19 has brought speculations on potential transmission routes of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2), the causal agent of the pandemic. It is reported that the main route of virus transmission to be person‐to‐person by respiratory droplets; however, people have raised concerns on the possible transmission of SARS‐CoV‐2 to humans via food and packaging and its potential effects on food safety. This review discusses food safety issues in the COVID‐19 pandemic and reveals its possible transmission in cold‐chain food. The first outbreak of COVID‐19 in late 2019 was associated with a seafood market in Wuhan, China, while the second outbreak of COVID‐19 in June 2020 was also related to a seafood market in Beijing, China. As of 2020, several frozen seafood products linked with SARS‐CoV‐2 have been reported in China. According to the current survey and scientific studies, the risk of infection by SARS‐CoV‐2 from cold‐chain food, food products, and food packaging is thought to be very low. However, studies on food cold chain contamination have shown that SARS‐CoV‐2 remained highly stable under refrigerated (4°C) and even in freezing conditions (−10 to −80°C). Since one mode of SARS‐CoV‐2 transmission appears to be touching contaminated surfaces, it is important to clean and sanitize food contact surfaces properly. Understanding food safety hazard risks is essential to avoid potential negative health effects and SARS‐CoV‐2 transmission in the food supply chain during the COVID‐19 pandemic.

Food products placement during COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has entirely changed the patterns of behavior in the market. Physical distance, quarantine measures, safety and security protocols, and shortages along the entire supply chain, have particularly affected the placement of food products. In this regard, the paper aims to define the impact of various indicators on the placement of food products during the COVID-19 pandemic. An empirical study was conducted on a sample of 248 final consumers. The survey was conducted during the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in the territory of the Republic of Serbia (February - April 2021). An online questionnaire was created and forwarded to consumers to e-mail addresses from the collected databases of trade companies covering the domestic market. The analysis was performed specifically for four groups of essential food products in a pandemic: meat and meat products, fruit and vegetables, milk and dairy products, cereals, and cereal products. The method of structural modeling (SEM) or path analysis was applied to test the first group of research hypotheses on the impact of indicators on the placement of food products. Multiple regression analysis was used to examine the correlation between subcategories of food products. The results showed a statistically significant impact of indicators such as safety and security standards, hygiene, product freshness, nutritional composition, and product quality. The impact of these indicators differs significantly depending on the analyzed product group. The obtained results indicate to the supply chain management which negative impacts need to be minimized to ensure timely placement of food products and more efficiently meet the needs of final consumers in a pandemic. Guidelines for future research are listed in the paper.