Persistent chemosensory dysfunction in COVID-19 patients: a deep dive into the psychophysical and genetic characterisation of an Italian cohort

Background/Objectives: Chemosensory dysfunction is a hallmark of SARS-CoV-2 infection;nevertheless, the genetic factors predisposing to long-term smell and taste loss are still unknown. This study aims to identify candidate genes possibly involved in persistent smell/taste loss through Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) analysis of a large cohort of 130 fully characterised Italian individuals, previously diagnosed with COVID-19. Method(s): DNA of all analysed patients was used to perform WGS analysis, and a detailed personal anamnesis was collected. Moreover, orthonasal function was assessed through the extended Sniffin' Sticks test, retronasal function was tested with 20 powdered tasteless aromas, and taste was determined with validated Taste Strips. Self-reported smell and taste alterations were assessed via Visual Analog Scales plus questionnaires. Result(s): The clinical evaluation allowed to classify the patients in two groups: 88 cases affected by persistent smell dysfunction (median age, 49) and 42 controls (median age, 51). Among cases, 26.1% (n = 23) were functionally anosmic and 73.9% (n = 65) were hyposmic. Within cases, 77 underwent the taste strip test: 53.2% (n = 41) presented hypogeusia and 46.8% (n = 36) were normogeusic. Preliminary WGS results on a first subset of 76 samples confirmed the important role of UGT2A1 gene, previously described as involved in smell loss. Interestingly, we identified a nonsense variant (rs111696697, MAF 0.046) significantly associated with anosmia in males (p-value: 0.0183). Conclusion(s): Here, for the first time a large cohort of patients, fully characterised through a comprehensive psychophysical evaluation of smell and taste, have been analysed to better define the genetic bases of COVID-19-related persistent chemosensory dysfunction.

Faba Bean Flavor Effects from Processing to Consumer Acceptability.

Faba beans as an alternative source of protein have received significant attention from consumers and the food industry. Flavor represents a major driving force that hinders the utilization faba beans in various products due to off-flavor. Off-flavors are produced from degradation of amino acids and unsaturated fatty acids during seed development and post-harvest processing stages (storage, dehulling, thermal treatment, and protein extraction). In this review, we discuss the current state of knowledge on the aroma of faba bean ingredients and various aspects, such as cultivar, processing, and product formulation that influence flavour. Germination, fermentation, and pH modulation were identified as promising methods to improve overall flavor and bitter compounds. The probable pathway in controlling off-flavor evolution during processing has also been discussed to provide efficient strategies to limit their impact and to encourage the use of faba bean ingredients in healthy food design.

The influence on the fermentation process of bread with the addition of almond chestnut (Terminalia catappa L.): practical experiment in a domestic environment

This study verified the influence of the addition of castanets almond flour (Terminalia catappa L.) in the fermentation process of bread, analyzing attributes such as volume, weight, color, and flavor. The actions were coordinated remotely, in a domestic environment, in the city of Fortaleza (Ceara, Brazil) due to the restrictions caused by the pandemic of the new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). About 2 kg of castanets were collected and the processing process included washing, pulp extraction, drying, roasting, and endocarp breaking. The ingredients were placed in a bowl and homogenized until completely incorporated, following the process of kneading, resting, kneading, shaping, fermentation and cooking. For the study, the evaluation was carried out in quadruplicate, with four samples of each dough, these being named Basic Bread (PB) and Chestnut Bread (PC). The dough showed growth between minutes 0 to 60, however, there was a regression between minutes 90 to 120. It is possible to observe that the dough reached its peak of fermentation between 30 and 60 minutes. The PB samples showed an external golden color and white crumb caused by the Maillard Reaction, possibly from the added butter, and had small alveoli. The PB sample had a neutral taste but was salty. No interference was observed in the bread fermentation process with the addition of castanets flour.

Improvement of pempek production skills for people of Javanese descendants in Sumber Rahayu Village, South Sumatera

Pempek is a food that contains a lot of protein from fish meat in the form of a homogeneous protein gel, white in color, chewy and elastic texture. Improvement of pempek production skills for people of Javanese descendants in sumber Rahayu Village, south sumatera can to be a provision for the community as a side-home business in the midst of economic difficulties due to the Covid 19 pandemic. The methods in this activity are survey to get 15 person participants, pre-test and post-test of knowledge participant, discussion, demonstration producing of pempek and organoleptic test. Before training, a number of 53.8% of participants had ever made pempek and 38.5% of participants had knowledge about nutritional value of pempek. The average pre-test score is 38 points while the post-test score is 96 points. This shows that there is an increase in the knowledge and abilities of participants before and after being given the training. The average participant's assessment of the color, taste, and aroma of pempek is between 2.54 - 2.67. This shows that the participants like the color, taste, and aroma of pempek.

Role of spices in Phytomedicine - An overview

Phytomedicines are plant derived substances used for medicinal purposes with great potential and abundance. Spices have a traditional history of use as natural products that have been extensively used worldwide in healthrelated problems as well as medicinal purposes such as in enhancing immunity and providing numerous health benefits. The major spices such as small cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum Maton), pepper (Piper nigrum L.), ginger (Zingiber officinale Rosc), turmeric (Curcuma longa L), cumin (Cuminum cyminum L), mustard (Brassica nigra L) and fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) are playing important roles in phytomedicine to cure various human diseases. The active ingredients of spices which includes cardamom (1,8-cineole, alpha-terpinyl acetate, sabinene and beta-linalool), pepper (piperine), ginger (Gingerol, shogaol and zerumbone), turmeric(curcumin) and cumin (cumin aldehyde, eugenol, pinene, phenolic acids). Cardamom is coined as Queen of spices and is used for medicinal purposes both in modern and indigenous systems. Cardamom essential oil has antioxidant, antiseptic, carminative, digestive, diuretic, stimulant, stomachic, tonic, antispasmodic, anti-diabetic, antimicrobial, antiinflammatory, anti-cancer, gastroprotective and insecticidal properties. It is also used as an aphrodisiac. It is helpful in reducing the irritation endured during premenstrual strain. It works well against respiratory trouble thus helping to ease coughs and to warm up the body. The seeds of cardamom are considered to be stimulant, carminative, stomachic, diuretic, cardiotonic and abortifacient. They are useful in treating bronchitis, haemorrhoids, strangury, renal and vesical calculi, anorexia, dyspepsia and gastropathy. They are chewed to prevent bad breath and pyrosis i.e. excessive watering in the mouth. Adding powdered cardamom seeds can impart a very pleasant aroma to the tea, which is also used as medicine for scanty urination, diarrhoea, palpitation of the heart, exhaustion due to overwork and depression among other things. Pepper is often referred to as King of spices' 'and has anticancer, antimicrobial, anti- inflammatory and antiglycan properties. The antioxidant activity of black pepper comes from alkaloid-derived piperine which inhibits free radicals and reactive oxygen species, reduces lipid peroxidation and positively affects antioxidant molecules, antioxidant enzymes and cellular thiol status. Ginger is a rhizomatic spice crop containing various phenolic substances and antioxidant compounds in addition to the antioxidant properties, these compounds have antiglycan activity and other potential antidiabetic effects. In addition to this, Gingerol, shogaol and zerumbone are bioactive compounds of ginger. Gingerol is the most effective compound that has an antidiabetic activity and increases glucose uptake. Ginger is widely used for dyspepsia, flatulence, abdominal discomfort, nausea and as astringent (an agent that causes shrinkage of mucous membranes or exposed tissues and that is often used internally to check discharge of blood serum or mucous secretions) used as an alternative medicine for the inflammation treatment, low back pain and also used to treat acute tonsillitis. Turmeric is also preferred as an anti-inflammatory agent in traditional medicine for the treatment of skin disorders, wounds, digestive and liver problems. Turmeric is especially valuable for curcumin, which is one of the main components of turmeric. Curcumin together with other related pigments, gives the plant a yellow color. Chemically, these pigments are polyphenols, which are called curcuminoids. Curcumin is shown to have potential antihyperglycemic, antioxidant and immunomodulatory effects. As a traditional remedy, turmeric has also been quite extensively used for centuries to treat various disorders such as rheumatism, body ache, skin diseases, intestinal worms, diarrhoea, intermittent fevers, hepatic diseases, urinary discharges, dyspepsia, inflammations, constipation, leukoderma, amenorrhea, dental diseases, digestive problem such as dy pepsia and acidity, indigestion, flatulence, ulcers and colic inflammatory disorders such as arthritis, colitis and hepatitis. The spice crop, mustard has various bio active compounds containing carotenes, phenolic substances such as quercetin and kaempferol. Among these compounds glucosinolates have been recognized as potential anticancer agents. Cumin contains cumin aldehyde, eugenol, pinene and some other small compounds in cumin oil are active antimicrobial agents against pathogens. In addition, cumin seeds are rich in phenols and flavonoids and contain a wide spectrum of phenolic acids such as galial, cinnamic, rosmarinic, cumaric and vanillic acids. Cumin seeds are used for the treatment of dyspepsia and diarrhoea especially because of the active compound called cuminaldehyde. It is also believed that it is also used for the treatment of diabetes. Fenugreek is used as an aphrodisiac, astringent, demulcent action, carminative, stomachic, diuretic, emmenagogue, emollient, expectorant, restorative and tonic. Fenugreek also used for a variety of health situations including digestive disorders, bronchitis, tuberculosis infection, fevers, sore throat, arthritis, abscesses, swollen glands, skin irritations reaction, loss of appetite, ulcers and menopausal symptoms, diabetes as well as in the treatment of cancerous infection. Leaves infusion is used as a gargle for treatment of mouth ulcers. It also overcomes problem related to reduce blood sugar level and to lower blood pressure. In the recent Covid-19 pandemic, the mixed extracts of spices such as pepper, cardamom, clove, turmeric and ginger were found effective in reducing the Covid-19 pandemic due to the antiviral properties of these spices.

Etiology-Specific Olfactory Phenotypes for COVID-19 and Mild Cognitive Impairment

Introduction: Olfactory dysfunction is a common symptom associated with COVID-19 infection. While often transient, nearly 1 in 8 patients experience persistent dysfunction after initial infection resolution. Given the known association between impaired olfaction and mild cognitive impairment (MCI), this persistent COVID-19 olfactory dysfunction may impede early detection of cognitive decline. Method(s): Patients with confirmed COVID-19-associated hyposmia (n=73), MCI (n=58), and normal controls (n=86) were prospectively enrolled. Demographic data were collected alongside formal olfactory testing via AROMA (Affordable Rapid Olfaction Measurement Assay) at time of initial enrollment. MCI was assessed via MoCA (Montreal Cognitive Assessment). Multivariate logistic regressions were utilized to evaluate for associations between variables and etiology of olfactory dysfunction. Result(s): After controlling for age and gender, when compared against normal controls, the inability to smell licorice, cinnamon, and lemon at the lowest 3 concentrations increased odds of COVID-19 hyposmia by 10.8 (95% CI, 4.6-25.6), 5.7 (95% CI, 2.7-11.7), and 5.3 (95% CI, 2.6-10.8), respectively. While the inability to smell coffee (9.9 odds ratio [OR];95% CI, 2.02-48.1), eucalyptus (6.7 OR;95% CI, 2.2-20.0), and rose (4.0 OR;95% CI, 1.7-9.7) were associated with MCI, decreased ability to smell licorice, cinnamon, and lemon were not. When combined into a composite score and compared against controls, decreased detection of licorice, cinnamon, and lemon was associated with a 16.5 OR (95% CI, 6.6-41.3) for COVID-19 hyposmia. This composite score was not significantly associated with MCI (1.2 OR;95% CI, 0.6-2.2) and, as such, performed well at discriminating between COVID-19 and MCI patients (receiver operating characteristic area under the curve=0.76). Conclusion(s): Distinct patterns of impaired olfaction were noted for COVID-19. We show that this etiology-specific phenotype has good discriminative performance when differentiating from MCI-associated hyposmia, which may allow for continued utilization of olfactory screening for MCI even among those with previous COVID-19 infection.

Determination of Methanol in Commercialized Alcohol-based Hand Sanitizing and Other Similar Products using Headspace GC-MS

Background: Demand for alcohol-based products, including gel- and aqueous-type hand sanitizers, room sprays, and mouthwashes, has rapidly increased during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic because of their microbicidal properties. However, toxic methanol can be found from the intentional addition of methanol by manufacturers and invariable production during the manufacturing of alcohol (ethanol). Although the FDA has recommended that such products should contain less than 630 ppm of methanol, it is only a temporary measure established specifically to regulate such products during the current COVID-19 pandemic and hence is not strictly regulated. Objective: This study aims to detect and quantify the level of methanol in alcohol-based products. However, some manufacturers unethically add methanol to their products and promote them as methanol-free. Besides, they do not provide proficiency and toxicity test results. Therefore, these kinds of products need to be analyzed to determine if they are acceptable to use. Methods: This study qualitatively and quantitatively investigates the amount of methanol in commercial alcohol-based products using a newly developed headspace gas chromatography/mass spectrometry method. Moreover, alcoholic beverages which contain methanol are analyzed to be compared with the levels of methanol in alcohol-based products and determine if their methanol levels are acceptable. Results: Methanol concentrations in gel-type hand sanitizers (517 ppm) and mouthwashes (202 ppm) were similar to those in white wine (429 ppm) and beer (256 ppm), respectively, while that of aqueous-type hand sanitizers (1139 ppm) was 1.5 times more than that of red wine (751 ppm). Conclusion: Methanol levels in most of the alcohol-based products did not exceed the FDA-recommended limit.

Spicy and Aromatic Plants for Meat and Meat Analogues Applications.

Aromatic and spicy plants are an important factor that contributes not only to improving the taste of meat, meat products, and meat analogues, but also to increasing the nutritional value of the products to which they are added. The aim of this paper is to present the latest information on the bioactive antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of the most commonly used herbs and spices (parsley, dill, basil, oregano, sage, coriander, rosemary, marjoram, tarragon, bay, thyme, and mint) used in the meat and meat analogues industry, or proposed to be used for meat analogues.

Evaluation of il-6 levels in covid-19 patients whit smell disorders

Smell dysfunction is one of the most frequent symptoms in COVID-19 patients. In the early stages of the disease it allows to identify positive subjects. The odorous substances recognize two different systems in the olfactory epithelium: the olfactory and the trigeminal systems that coexist and interact in the processing of sensory information. In COVID-19 patients there is an inflammatory reaction of the nasal mucosa. Infected supporting cells of the nasal mucosa release molecules that activate the local antiviral innate immune response. In fact, macrophages spread inflammatory mediators, in particular TNF-η , IL-6 and IL-1. In this study we compared IL-6 levels with the degree of olfactory disorders and with the type of unperceived odour.Materials and methodsFrom 15 March to 30 November 2020 have been selected 82 patients (45 men age 62.3 ±14.2 and 37 women age 57.1± 12.8) with only smell dysfunctions were divided into mild and moderate patients. The evaluation of the smell disorder was carried out with a 14 questionnaire relating to the perception of domestic odorous: 6 questions for olfactory sensitivity (own perfume usually sprayed, oregano, olive oil, nutella, coffee aroma, orange juice) and 8 for olfactory-trigeminal sensitivity (alcohol, fish odor, vinegar, mint (gum), toothpaste, shampoo, cheese, ammonia).The IL-6 (v.n. 0 - 7 pg/ml) was measured with chemiluminescence assay using Cobas e801 (Roche Instrumentation). Statistical analyses were performed with Wilcoxon Rank test, and Mann-Whitney test (p <0.05). ResultsThe trigeminal and olfactory sensitivity are more compromised in moderate than mild patients (p <0.05). The statistically significant differences there were in IL6 levels in moderate versus mild patients when there was an impairment of trigeminal sensitivity (p <0.05). Conclusion In this study suggested that the smell disorders in Covid-19 patients couldn't be a deficit of the olfactory central nervous pathways but could be rather than mainly associated with the inflammatory process of the nasal mucosa and that deficit of the type of domestic unperceived odour ('olfactory' or 'trigeminal' sensitivity) could indicate the degree of severity of the disease.

A new perspective of aroma face mask on COVID-19 pandemic.

In times of the COVID-19 pandemic, wearing face masks is strongly recommended as a public health measure to stop the spread of the Sars Coronavirus. However, there are still people who ignore using this effective protective tool due to the lack of comfortable face masks on the market. Therefore, in the current study, we assessed commercially available face masks namely N95 masks, surgical masks, and cloth masks in order to find out their weakness. In addition, the identification needs of people from a face mask were collected by an online questionnaire. According to the information obtained; we achieved key factors required to design a new type of face mask using the Computer-Aided Design (CAD) and the final design was printed. Moreover, the long-term use of herbs in Iranian Traditional Medicine persuaded us to add a humidifier containing aromatic plants essential oils such as Eucalyptus globules Labill. and Rosa damascene Mill. with scientifically proven health benefits such as pain reliever, relaxing properties and antimicrobial activities. We are expected that these aromas would be an effective way to eliminate the problems of individuals suffering from air pollutants, respiratory disorders, and COVID which leads to encouraging more people to use face masks during pandemics or air pollution.