Effects of training and protein/carbohydrate supplementation by food on strength, body composition and bone metabolism in postmenopausal women

Background: Menopause is associated with impairments of health, e.g. cardiovascular disease, changes in body composition, decrease in bone density. Physical activity and nutrition strategies have been demonstrated to counteract some of these disabilities. Aim of the present study was to analyze the impact of 3 months of strength and endurance training combined with protein/carbohydrate supplementation on strength, body composition and bone metabolism in postmenopausal women. Method(s): 62 postmenopausal women were recruited. Measurements: Body composition by BIA. Strength of leg, chest and handgrip. delta44Ca/42Ca in blood and urine as proxies for bone metabolism, samples were analyzed by mass spectrometry. Participants completed 2/week endurance training (walking) for 60 minutes (60-75% km/h of 4mmol threshold) and a whole-body strength training 1/week for 60 minutes (online). In addition, the intervention group (IG) received 100g of sour milk cheese and 76g of white bread (35.3 g carbohydrate, 36.1 g protein, 3.5 g fat, 321 kcal) after each training. Result(s): Training results in an anabolic effect on bone metabolism, here protein/carbohydrate supplementation does not show additive effects. Training resulted in an increase of leg and hand grip strength. For hand grip strength an additive effect could be demonstrated after protein/carbohydrate supplementation. Both groups increased muscle mass and reduced fat mass, although the results were not significant. Discussion(s): Training was effective, showing an increase in strength. Additive effects of the nutritional intervention could be only observed for hand grip strength. This may be due to a weak compliance of the protein/carbohydrate supplementation by a meal while corona pandemic. Also, because of the endurance parts, the training was not specifically designed to increase strength. Nevertheless, even this mild training has a remarkably strong impact on bone metabolism. Conclusion(s): Even if the effects are faint, the data of this study provide evidence that protein/carbohydrate supplementation, also by food, supports the events of training on strength. Training has a strong impact on bone metabolism in postmenopausal women. The subjects respond very individually to training and nutrition interventions. Training consequentially is to be personalized.Copyright © 2023

Greek Semi-Hard and Hard Cheese Consumers' Perception in the New Global Era

The COVID-19 pandemic is almost over but has already left its mark and is changing the world fast and drastically in all social, economic, and cultural aspects of humanity, including consumers' choices and motives for foods. Since cheese is a major dietary food consumed daily worldwide, motives for its purchase and consumption in the new era are an important parameter affecting current and future production and sustainable regional development. The aim of the study was to investigate the impact of COVID-19 on Greek consumers' motives for quality semi-hard and hard cheese, including the "Ladotyri” hard cheese. Consumers' motives were tested using variables of quality semi-hard and hard cheese, such as purchase and consumption, preference of choice, preference, and knowledge of the Ladotyri cheese. A self-response questionnaire survey was carried out in November and December 2022 on a sample of 860 participants, the majority being young people aged 18–25 (83.9%), through the Google platform. Basic statistical tools, combined with cross and chi-square tests, were used to analyze the collected data. The results indicate no significant changes in consumers' motives except a significant decline in consumption, reaching up to 8.4%. Consumers continue to purchase the semi-hard and hard cheese from the supermarket (90%), with preference for the most known kinds, such as kasseri and graviera, consuming it at home (90.9%), daily (31.8%), or two times per week (38.3%), primarily with bread and olives (57.6%), followed by meat (53%). Price remains the most important information for the selection of semi-hard and hard cheese (73.5%), taste (97%) among the organoleptic parameters, texture (70.9%) among the appearance parameters, origin of milk (63.9%) among the sustainable parameters, and value for money (85.8%) among the general characteristics of the cheese. The participants expressed similar motives for the "Ladotyri” Mytilinis hard cheese, appreciating the olive oil combined with the cheese (79.7%) and the possible production as a non-refrigerated cheese (65.2%), even though the majority of them would not buy it today (57.4%). Our findings indicate that the sustainability and growth of the quality semi-hard and hard cheese in the new era should stick to the good practices of production, promotion, and sales developed before the pandemic, exploring, however, new avenues and practices to increase consumption, which is currently declining. © 2023 by the authors.

Promoting dairy products through the web: The case of Pecorino Siciliano PDO during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This study analyses the digital marketing tools that companies producing Pecorino Siciliano with a protected designation of origin (PDO) are implementing on the web through their corporate website and their brand page on Facebook. It aims to verify whether companies are adapting (or not) to new trends in web marketing and e-commerce. The quality of corporate websites was assessed during the COVID-19 pandemic in terms of usability and amount of activity on Facebook brand pages by Pecorino Siciliano PDO-producing companies. Analysed data show that the companies producing Pecorino Siciliano PDO fell short in developing their web-marketing tools, demonstrating their poor adaptation to the new digitalisation trends driven by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Crafting Futures through Cheese-Making in Val Taleggio (Northern Italy)

The politics of scale is the main issue within and around debates on whether geographical indications are the best strategy to support local economies. Two PDO cheeses are made in Val Taleggio. While Taleggio PDO has outscaled the valley and its interests, Strachìtunt PDO was reinvented to be at scale for the valley's producers. I explain the two-step transition in the producers' communicative strategy, from a language of heritage cheese and its "prestige” to a multispecies language that stresses the importance of a "working landscape” as a value in itself, focusing in particular on the producers' post-COVID-19 manifesto as "keepers of molds.” Guardianship emerges from it as a new form of authenticity that does not run in the strictures of terroir-discourse. The article thus spells out which role authenticity plays in the politics of scale and how it contributes to the small-scale producers' dilemma of how to craft a future for themselves and their communities. I contextualize this vis-a-vis secondary sources that also stress the conceptual and political creativity of cheese-makers' strategies to revitalize regional (dairy) economies. Food producers are experimenting with new ways of mobilizing heritage to claim guardianship of their trade, craft, and territory. A transnational producer discourse emerges through a redesign of food heritage, front-staging the ecological meaning of craft.

The determination of fermented food awareness and the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic period on fermented food consumption in Turkiye

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need of creating a strong immune system while dealing with viral illnesses. Nutrition has a crucial role in immune system control. Fermented food products, which are important in nutrition, can also strengthen the immune system. In this study, we investigated the determination of the knowledge level of consumers about fermented foods as well as the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on fermented food consumption. The data obtained from the online surveys was conducted with 600 consumers in Turkiye. The surveys were repeated twice, in the first year and the second year of COVID-19. Binary logit model was used to analyse the data. According to the results, 88% of the consumers had sufficient information about COVID-19. In the first year of COVID-19, it was determined that the state of having knowledge about fermented foods was affected by gender and education, and in the second year, it was affected by gender and age. Consumers who increased their consumption of fermented foods increased their consumption of yogurt, cheese, butter, boza, and sausage in the first year of COVID-19 compared to the second year. In the second year of COVID-19, they increased their consumption of kefir, shalgam, tarhana, and pickles compared to the first year. The results will contribute to the prevention of disease by raising awareness about fermented food consumption in the COVID-19 pandemic and will provide resources for relevant stakeholders.Copyright © Mattioli 1885.

Development of Innovative Vitamin D Enrichment Designs for Two Typical Italian Fresh Cheeses: Burrata and Giuncata.

The aim of this research was to develop innovative cheeses fortified with vitamin D3 (VD3). Formulation studies and analyses of textural properties and chemicals were carried out for these developments. Two traditional Italian varieties of cheese (giuncata and burrata) were studied. For giuncata, the fortification of milk for cheese production provided a VD3 retention level of 43.9 ± 0.6% in the food matrix. For burrata, the VD3 ingredient was incorporated into the creamy inner part after mixing, maintaining the textural quality of the product (adhesiveness 4.3 ± 0.4 J × 10-3; firmness 0.7 ± 0.0 N; and cohesiveness 0.8 ± 0.2). The optimized enrichment designs allowed to obtain homogenous contents of VD3 during the production of giuncata (0.48 ± 0.01 µg/g) and burrata cheeses (0.32 ± 0.02 µg/g). Moreover, analyses revealed the high stability of VD3 during the storage of the two fortified cheese types (2 weeks, 4 °C). These fortification designs could be implemented at an industrial scale to obtain new cheese types enriched in VD3 and thus contribute to the reduction in VD deficiency prevalence.

Classification of Common Food Lipid Sources Regarding Healthiness Using Advanced Lipidomics: A Four-Arm Crossover Study.

Prospective studies have failed to establish a causal relationship between animal fat intake and cardiovascular diseases in humans. Furthermore, the metabolic effects of different dietary sources remain unknown. In this four-arm crossover study, we investigated the impact of consuming cheese, beef, and pork meat on classic and new cardiovascular risk markers (obtained from lipidomics) in the context of a healthy diet. A total of 33 young healthy volunteers (23 women/10 men) were assigned to one out of four test diets in a Latin square design. Each test diet was consumed for 14 days, with a 2-week washout. Participants received a healthy diet plus Gouda- or Goutaler-type cheeses, pork, or beef meats. Before and after each diet, fasting blood samples were withdrawn. A reduction in total cholesterol and an increase in high density lipoprotein particle size were detected after all diets. Only the pork diet upregulated plasma unsaturated fatty acids and downregulated triglycerides species. Improvements in the lipoprotein profile and upregulation of circulating plasmalogen species were also observed after the pork diet. Our study suggests that, within the context of a healthy diet rich in micronutrients and fiber, the consumption of animal products, in particular pork meat, may not induce deleterious effects, and reducing the intake of animal products should not be regarded as a way of reducing cardiovascular risk in young individuals.

Comparison of Extraction Methods for the Detection of Tick-Borne Encephalitis Virus RNA in Goat Raw Milk and Cream Cheese.

Infection with the tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) can cause meningitis, meningoencephalitis and myelitis in humans. TBEV is an enveloped RNA virus of the family Flaviviridae, which is mostly transmitted via tick bites. However, transmission by consumption of virus-contaminated goat raw milk and goat raw milk products has also been described. Only a few methods have been reported for the detection of TBEV in food so far. Here, we compare different virus extraction methods for goat raw milk and goat raw milk cream cheese and subsequent detection of TBEV-RNA by RT-qPCR. Langat virus (LGTV), a naturally attenuated TBEV strain, was used for artificial contamination experiments. Mengovirus and the human coronavirus 229E were compared to assess their suitability to serve as internal process controls. Out of three tested extraction protocols for raw milk, sample centrifugation followed by direct RNA extraction from the aqueous interphase yielded the best results, with a recovery rate (RR) of 31.8 ± 4.9% for LGTV and a detection limit of 6.7 × 103 LGTV genome copies/ml. Out of two methods for cream cheese, treatment of the samples with TRI Reagent® and chloroform prior to RNA extraction showed the best RR of 4.7 ± 1.6% for LGTV and a detection limit of 9.4 × 104 LGTV genome copies/g. RRs of Mengovirus and LGTV were similar for both methods; therefore, Mengovirus is suggested as internal process control virus. The developed methods may be useful for screening or surveillance studies, as well as in outbreak investigations.

Diagnosis of the impact of Covid-19 on artisanal cheese production in the semi-arid region of Brazil

The objective of this study was to present information on the impacts resulting from Covid-19 on the artisanal coalho cheese production chain about: access to information;socioeconomic;income and government support;healthcare. The interviews were conducted using the Google Forms tool, with milk and artisanal coalho cheese producers in Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. The producers obtained a lot of information transmitted on television (66%);the majority to adhere to health protocols. There was instability in the production, with an initial need to reduce production resulting from prohibitive measures to trade. The level of demand with regard to the consumer market increased with the quality of milk and cheeses. An allegation of lack of support from the government to maintain the activity was also verified in 78.7% of the interviewees, but 83% had resorted to emergency aid. Therefore, it can be concluded that the challenges imposed by the pandemic are not just sanitary. The study confirmed the need to restructure public services and policies. These results can provide compelling evidence about the rural context in the country. © 2023, Sociedade Brasileira de Ciencia e Tecnologia de Alimentos, SBCTA. All rights reserved.

From branding to solidarity: The COVID-19 impact on marketing Strachítunt cheese from Val Taleggio, Italy

Branding, labelling and certification are the principal instruments for marketing heritage cheese in the Italian Alps. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has put considerable strain on these tools. In Val Taleggio, where the Protected Designation of Origin cheese Strachítunt is made, the cooperative of pro-ducers suffered a breakdown in access to markets during the lockdown of March–May 2020. Their strategy was to appeal directly to consumers, connecting digitally with solidarity economy networks such as Gruppi di Acquisto Solidale (Solidarity Purchase Groups). Building on long-term ethnography, the article shows how this appeal brought to the surface a shared discourse and understanding of proximity and solidari-ty, which is not usually employed in the language of certification and labelling. © 2022, Zalozba ZRC. All rights reserved.

Dairy trends in 2021: dairy products essential to consumers

This article discussed some of the dairy products that will be out in the market after the Covid-19 pandemic among these products are comfort foods such as cheddar and milk chocolate, dairy products for weight management such as less sugar yoghurt, and low-fat flavoured milk, premium cheeses for at-home entertaining such as gourmet cheese, and lastly the high protein dairy beverage.

Dietary salt monitor - a novel nutrition education intervention for reducing salt intake in Type 2 Diabetes

The risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality increases markedly in type 2 diabetes, owing to the higher prevalence rates of hypertension(1,2). The role of dietary salt intake has been well established in the prevention as well as management of high blood pressure( 3). However, there is paucity of interventions and education programmes aimed at lowering dietary salt intake in population with type 2 diabetes. This research study was aimed at the development, validation, and implementation of a novel dietary salt monitor. A 24h dietary recall using multiple pass recall method was obtained from the participants with type 2 diabetes and concomitant hypertension (n = 50), attending outpatient diabetic foot clinic at NHS hospital in Basildon, Essex. This dietary information was further analysed for development of a short food frequency questionnaire, namely dietary salt monitor. This novel dietary tool was validated against the gold standard - 24h urinary sodium excretion method since dietary assessment methods are subjected to measurement errors related to recall bias, misreporting and lack of updated food composition databases(4). The study design included collection of 24h urine samples for two days from university students. The effectiveness of dietary salt monitor was pilot tested in an online nutrition education intervention, where type 2 diabetes participants (n = 22) were recruited from various online platforms including the Diabetes UK website. The top ten contributors of salt were identified as bread and rolls, processed meats, added salt, ready meals, meat dishes, spreading fats, canned beans, soups, cheese, and sandwiches. A total of 23 food categories were shortlisted for the food frequency questionnaire component of the dietary salt monitor, and these categories were finalised based on the factors as salt density, contribution of salt to the diet, non- achievement of Public Health England's 2017 salt targets, food categories unrecognized as high in salt by consumers, sustainability, change in cooking practices during COVID-19 and overall nutritional composition of the food category. The Bland and Altman method for agreement between dietary salt monitor and urinary sodium excretion method suggested a bias of 1.5g/ d (upper LOA 7.68 and lower LOA -4.72, n = 9). This dietary salt monitor was further integrated in a web form and supported by a short educational video highlighting the salt content of the food categories and key strategies as 4'R's - Reducing portion, Reducing frequent intake, Reduced salt food, Read nutrition label, for lowering salt intake. This short-term intervention study (6 weeks) resulted in a statistically significant reduction in median salt intake for the group, with baseline of 7.9 g/d shifting to 5.2 g/d post the intervention (p = 0.001, effect size = 0.6). This study marked the development of UK's first dietary salt monitor for use in type 2 diabetes and was effective in reducing dietary salt intake.

The global response: How cities and provinces around the globe tackled Covid-19 outbreaks in 2021.

Background: Tackling the spread of COVID-19 remains a crucial part of ending the pandemic. Its highly contagious nature and constant evolution coupled with a relative lack of immunity make the virus difficult to control. For this, various strategies have been proposed and adopted including limiting contact, social isolation, vaccination, contact tracing, etc. However, given the heterogeneity in the enforcement of these strategies and constant fluctuations in the strictness levels of these strategies, it becomes challenging to assess the true impact of these strategies in controlling the spread of COVID-19. Methods: In the present study, we evaluated various transmission control measures that were imposed in 10 global urban cities and provinces in 2021- Bangkok, Gauteng, Ho Chi Minh City, Jakarta, London, Manila City, New Delhi, New York City, Singapore, and Tokyo. Findings: Based on our analysis, we herein propose the population-level Swiss cheese model for the failures and pitfalls in various strategies that each of these cities and provinces had. Furthermore, whilst all the evaluated cities and provinces took a different personalized approach to managing the pandemic, what remained common was dynamic enforcement and monitoring of breaches of each barrier of protection. The measures taken to reinforce the barriers were adjusted continuously based on the evolving epidemiological situation. Interpretation: How an individual city or province handled the pandemic profoundly affected and determined how the entire country handled the pandemic since the chain of transmission needs to be broken at the very grassroot level to achieve nationwide control. Funding: The present study did not receive any external funding.

Effective Use of Plant Proteins for the Development of “New” Foods

Diversity in our diet mirrors modern society. Affluent lifestyles and extended longevity have caused the prevalence of diabetes and sarcopenia, which has led to the increased demand of low-carb, high-protein foods. Expansion of the global population and Westernization of Asian diets have surged the number of meat eaters, which has eventually disrupted the supply–demand balance of meat. In contrast, some people do not eat meat for religious reasons or due to veganism. With these multiple circumstances, our society has begun to resort to obtaining protein from plant sources rather than animal origins. This “protein shift” urges food researchers to develop high-quality foods based on plant proteins. Meanwhile, patients with food allergies, especially gluten-related ones, are reported to be increasing. Additionally, growing popularity of the gluten-free diet demands development of foods without using ingredients of wheat origin. Besides, consumers prefer “clean-label” products in which products are expected to contain fewer artificial compounds. These diversified demands on foods have spurred the development of “new” foods in view of food-processing technologies as well as selection of the primary ingredients. In this short review, examples of foodstuffs that have achieved tremendous recent progress are introduced: effective use of plant protein realized low-carb, high protein, gluten-free bread/pasta. Basic manufacturing principles of plant-based vegan cheese have also been established. We will also discuss on the strategy of effective development of new foods in view of the better communication with consumers as well as efficient use of plant proteins.

Outbreak of Central-Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections (CLABSI) amid the COVID-19 Pandemic Associated with Changes in Central Line Dressing Care Accompanying Changes in Nursing Education, Nursing Documentation, and Dressing Supply Kits

Background. National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) data have revealed an increase in CLABSI associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, but data on factors mediating the increase are limited. Our hospital had been free of CLABSI for 18 months, but we encountered an outbreak of 7 CLABSI over a 5-month period beginning in November 2020. This led to an investigation that revealed that some underlying issues were related to COVID-19. Methods. Infection prevention staff at Omaha's Veterans Affairs Medical Center interviewed hospital staff and performed a retrospective chart review of patients with CLABSI (based on the NHSN definition) amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Results. The first case of CLABSI in the outbreak was detected in November 2020. Prior to that, there was no case of CLABSI since April 2019, as shown in the graph. Each case of CLABSI was associated with a different microorganism. Further investigation revealed deviations from our usual practices in central line dressing care. Our response to COVID-19 had included alterations in periodic competency training (including dressing care) for nursing staff as well as the rapid introduction of streamlined inpatient nursing documentation. Previously, dressing kits included chlorhexidine-impregnated dressings;in November, a kit without these dressings was introduced. A weekly audit of dressing care was begun in March 2021. No CLABSI was identified in April 2021. Conclusion. We encountered a CLABSI outbreak associated with deviations from usual central line dressing care. Using the concept of the Swiss cheese model of error prevention, we recognized alterations in three barriers: competency training;thorough documentation;and complete supply kits. The first two of these factors were directly related to our COVID-19 response. Our findings illustrate the relevance of the Swiss cheese model for maintaining a safe healthcare environment.

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.

Impact of Freezing on the Microbiological Quality and Physical Characteristics of Buffalo Mozzarella Cheese.

Buffalo Mozzarella cheese from Campania is one of the most worldwide appreciated Italian dairy products. The increased demand for buffalo dairy products and the limited availability of the finest buffalo milk has prompted the diffusion of illicit practices, such as the use of milk, curd, or other products that are frozen or bought at low cost. The aim of this research was to provide preliminary results about the trend of the microbial communities of buffalo milk, curd and Buffalo Mozzarella cheese, during freezing storage of eleven months. At the same time, the alterations of physical properties and the presence of the molecular marker "γ4-casein", have been investigated. The results showed that freezing reduced the concentrations of the total bacterial count, Enterobacteriaceae, coliforms, Escherichia coli and yeasts in fresh milk and, the concentrations of the total bacterial count, coliforms, lactic acid bacteria and yeasts in mature curd. In the finished product, no notable decreases were observed, except for lactic acid bacteria. About the γ4-casein, no increase was observed in all matrices. These preliminary results allow us to conclude that the freezing process if properly carried out, does not compromise the microbiological quality and the physical properties of the Buffalo Mozzarella cheese.

Vegan Alternatives to Processed Cheese and Yogurt Launched in the European Market during 2020: A Nutritional Challenge?

Vegan alternatives to cheese (VAC) and yogurt (VAY) are fast-growing markets in Europe due to the increasing interest in plant-based alternatives to dairy products. This study aimed to take a closer look at the year 2020 and accordingly retrieved the nutritional information of dairy cheese and yogurt and their vegan counterparts for comparison. It was found that VAY (n = 182) provide more energy, total fats, and carbohydrates than dairy yogurt (n = 86), while saturated fatty acids (SFAs), sugars, and salt were not different between the two categories. Compared to dairy products (25.6%), 72.9% of the alternative products were declared low/no/reduced allergen, hence providing a larger spectrum of products to respond to consumers' requirements. VAC (n = 114) showed high versatility of form compared to dairy (n = 115). Nutritionally, VAC have higher total fats, SFAs, and carbohydrates, but lower protein, salt, and sugar than dairy cheese. Food developers will continue to look for clean label solutions to improve the nutritional values of vegan products through the incorporation of natural ingredients, besides enhancing their taste and texture to appeal to flexitarians.

Occurrence of Ochratoxin A in Different Types of Cheese Offered for Sale in Italy.

The detection of Ochratoxin A (OTA) in the milk of ruminants occurs infrequently and at low levels, but its occurrence may be higher in dairy products such as cheese. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of OTA in cheeses purchased in the metropolitan city of Bologna (Italy) and the surrounding area. For the analysis, a LC-MS/MS method with a limit of quantification (LOQ) of 1 µg/kg was used. OTA was detected in seven out of 51 samples of grated hard cheese (concentration range 1.3-22.4 µg/kg), while it was not found in the 33 cheeses of other types which were also analysed. These data show a low risk of OTA contamination for almost all types of cheese analysed. To improve the safety of cheese marketed in grated form, more regulations on cheese rind, which is the part most susceptible to OTA-producing moulds, should be implemented or, alternatively, producers should consider not using the rind as row material for grated cheese. It would be interesting to continue these investigations particularly on grated hard cheeses to have more data to update the risk assessment of OTA in cheese, as also suggested by EFSA in its 2020 scientific opinion on OTA.

A Potential Peptide From Soy Cheese Produced Using Lactobacillus delbrueckii WS4 for Effective Inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease and S1 Glycoprotein.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused by novel SARS-CoV-2 has resulted in an unprecedented loss of lives and economy around the world. In this study, search for potential inhibitors against two of the best characterized SARS-CoV-2 drug targets: S1 glycoprotein receptor-binding domain (RBD) and main protease (3CLPro), was carried out using the soy cheese peptides. A total of 1,420 peptides identified from the cheese peptidome produced using Lactobacillus delbrueckii WS4 were screened for antiviral activity by employing the web tools, AVPpred, and meta-iAVP. Molecular docking studies of the selected peptides revealed one potential peptide "KFVPKQPNMIL" that demonstrated strong affinity toward significant amino acid residues responsible for the host cell entry (RBD) and multiplication (3CLpro) of SARS-CoV-2. The peptide was also assessed for its ability to interact with the critical residues of S1 RBD and 3CLpro of other ß-coronaviruses. High binding affinity was observed toward critical amino acids of both the targeted proteins in SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, and HCoV-HKU1. The binding energy of KFVPKQPNMIL against RBD and 3CLpro of the four viruses ranged from -8.45 to -26.8 kcal/mol and -15.22 to -22.85 kcal/mol, respectively. The findings conclude that cheese, produced by using Lb. delbrueckii WS4, could be explored as a prophylactic food for SARS-CoV-2 and related viruses. In addition, the multi-target inhibitor peptide, which effectively inhibited both the viral proteins, could further be used as a terminus a quo for the in vitro and in vivo function against SARS-CoV-2.