Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Possible Transmission Routes and Alleviation Strategies

Coronavirus disease is a contagious respiratory ailment that has spread significantly around the world. Most cases of COVID-19 are spread from person to person by coming into contact with respiratory droplets that are released when an infected person coughs or sneezes. In this manuscript, we have highlighted the possible transmission of COVID-19 through food, water, air and paper. In the case of food, we have extensively covered the transmission of COVID-19 through meat, frozen foods, food packaging and food market along with the incidences worldwide. In the nextsection, we have highlighted the different components of air which are responsible for the transmission and also covered its relation with PM 2.5 incidence. The SARS-CoV-2 was isolated from sewage water/wastewater of various countries namely the United States, India, Australia, Netherlands and France signifying that wastewater can be a mode of virus transmission. The paper circulation by the infected COVID-19 patients can also be a virus conveyance route. It can be concluded that SARS-CoV-2 can therefore be transmitted indirectly through food via the workers involved in food packing or food marts.By following general safety precautions (wearing masks, using hand sanitisers, cleaning and disinfecting contact surfaces, and avoiding close contact), heating and using chemicals like ethanol (67-71%), sodium hypochlorite (0.1%) and hydrogen peroxide (0.5%) on environmental surfaces, along with vaccination, it is possible to reduce the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.Copyright © 2023 The International Journal of Pharmaceutical Research and Allied Sciences (IJPRAS).

An introduction to protein-based biopolymers

Protein-based biopolymers (PBB) are available in ample amounts with rewarding biocompatibility, biodegradability, processability, and combination possibilities. The pollution-free approach made it a leading material in many fields including food packaging. PBB can be obtained from plants and animals, and also derived from microorganisms. The starting materials used to produce PBB are benign, easily available, cost-effective, and mostly from Agri industrial waste. This introductory chapter of PBB summerized the research on the origin and type of PBB and their applications in food packaging, soil strengthening, protein purification, tissue engineering, surface engineering, recombinant protein polymers, drug delivery, healthcare biomedical, bio-nanocomposites, and coating industries. Films and coatings of PBB have excellent gas barrier properties and satisfactory mechanical properties. Currently, PBB or PBB nanoparticles are used for the production of vaccines which can be used to protect from COVID-19, a global crisis. Also, outline some challenges which can be achieved shortly. © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

AS FOOD DELIVERY BUSINESS IS SKYROCKETING, SO IS OUR ENVIRONMENTAL DISASTER

This chapter discusses the high adoption of plastic bags/packages by food providers in Malaysia during pandemic that resulted in a long-time lockdown. Under the federal government act of ‘Movement Order Control' (MCO), people had no choice but to order food or purchase food ingredients via online food delivery services. Such situation made the food delivery business instantly one of the top and essential economic contributors. However, this also severely impacted our environment specifically the growing usage of plastic bag, plastic food container, and parcel packaging. While the food delivery company introduces a campaign to reduce and replace the plastic bag/packages, the awareness level is still very low. This chapter highlights the introduction of food delivery business striving in the COVID-19 pandemic, the severity of plastic usage and challenges of sustainability marketing campaign in Malaysia. © 2023 by Emerald Publishing Limited.

The Effect of Using Augmented Reality Technology in Takeaway Food Packaging to Improve Young Consumers' Negative Evaluations

This paper examines the use of augmented reality technology in the design of packaging for takeaway food to assist in marketing. The research is divided into three studies for progressive investigation and analysis. Study 1 collected 375,859 negative evaluations of food delivery from the Internet and explored the main reasons that may have impacted the user's evaluation by Latent Dirichlet Allocation topic modeling. Study 2 evaluated the effectiveness of augmented reality packaging by surveying 165 subjects and comparing it with traditional packaging. We conducted a survey of 1603 subjects in Study 3 and used the technology incentive model (TIM) to analyze how augmented reality technology positively impacts food delivery marketing. It has been established that packaging will influence the negative perception of consumers about buying and eating takeout food. Specifically, augmented reality technology can improve negative evaluations by providing a more conducive user experience than traditional packaging. According to our findings, augmented reality technology has improved the consumers' perception of interaction, perceived vividness, and novelty experience, and achieved the aim of promoting takeaway food retail by improving negative evaluations posted by users.

Reflections on food security and smart packaging.

Estimating the number of COVID-19 cases in 2020 exacerbated the food contamination and food supply issues. These problems make consumers more concerned about food and the need to access accurate information on food quality. One of the main methods for preserving the quality of food commodities for export, storage, and finished products is food packaging itself. In the food industry, food packaging has a significant role in the food supply which acts as a barrier against unwanted substances and preserves the quality of the food. Meanwhile, packaging waste can also harm the environment; namely, it can become waste in waterways or become garbage that accumulates because it is nonrenewable and nonbiodegradable. The problem of contaminated food caused by product packaging is also severe. Therefore, to overcome these challenges of safety, environmental impact, and sustainability, the role of food packaging becomes very important and urgent. In this review, the authors will discuss in more detail about new technologies applied in the food industry related to packaging issues to advance the utilization of Smart Packaging and Active Packaging.

SARS-CoV-2 persistence on common food covering materials: plastic wrap, fruit wax, and cardboard takeout containers.

AIMS: Assess the persistence of infectious SARS-CoV-2 virus and virus genomic material on three common food coverings. METHODS AND RESULTS: The stability of infectious virus and genomic material on plastic wrap, fruit wax, and cardboard takeout containers was measured. SARS-CoV-2 in simulated saliva was applied to the surface of these materials and allowed to dry. Samples were stored at 4°C or 20°C and a relative humidity of 30%, 50%, 65%, or 70% for up to 7 days. Viability was measured by TCID50 and the half-life for infectious virus was determined to be ~24 hours and ~8 hours at 4°C and 20°C, respectively, on all surfaces and RH tested. There was no loss of virus genomic material as measured by qRT-PCR at all conditions evaluated. CONCLUSIONS: SARS-CoV-2 virus remains infectious on food coverings for hours to days. It is estimated that a 99.9% reduction in titer requires 10 days at 4°C and 3 days at 20°C for all RH tested. SARS-CoV-2 genomic material showed no loss when assayed by qRT-PCR. Significance and Impact of Study: SARS-CoV-2 virus on food coverings loses infectivity over a certain period, but PCR assays can still detect virus genomic material throughout the same time. Thus, testing and controls may need to consider the fact that virus genomic material may still be detected when no infectious virus is present.

Food safety knowledge and changes in practices and concerns of Indian families during the COVID-19 pandemic

Purpose>Unsafe food can lead to various foodborne diseases and even death, especially among children. This paper aims to assess food safety knowledge and changes in practices and concerns among adults ≥ 18 years during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.Design/methodology/approach>A cross-sectional, web-based survey was conducted among 325 adults living in Northern India. Demographic data and information regarding their knowledge, practices and concerns about various food safety issues were collected to see if there were any changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic.Findings>The results showed that the participants had slightly higher than average knowledge and good food safety practices with mean scores of 9.75 ± 2.23 and 24.87 ± 2.28, respectively. Contracting COVID-19 from food and food packaging materials was of high concern for more than 70% of the participants. Majority (> 80%) of them reported an increase in the frequency of handwashing. About 16% of the participants used chemical disinfectants for washing fruits and vegetables. An increase (57.5%) in the frequency of food label reading was also noted during the pandemic. Freshness and the general quality of food items (49.5%), safety of food (30.8%) and cost (18.2%) were the top drivers that influenced the purchase decision.Originality/value>This study highlighted the need to send out clear messages on safe food handling practices and keeping the tempo up for sustaining good hygienic practices. This will help in reducing the risk of foodborne diseases.

Food delivery before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil

Purpose>This study aims to understand consumer behavior related to the purchase of meals by delivery services before and during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in Brazil.Design/methodology/approach>An online survey was conducted between September and October 2020. The total number of valid responses was 971.Findings>About 55% of the participants reported a decrease in consumption or not having consumed food delivery during the pandemic. Of the total, 48.3% feared contracting COVID-19 from food delivery. A significant association was observed between fear of contracting COVID-19 from food delivery and variables such as education level (p = 0.001), observance of social distancing (p = 0.03) and food delivery consumption frequency (p < 0.001). More people were careful about cleaning food packaging (from 12.4% before to 66.1% during the pandemic, p < 0.001) and disposal (from 47.6% before to 66.4% during the pandemic, p < 0.001) and heating the food before consumption (from 7.6% before to 13.7% during the pandemic, p < 0.001) and used payment methods without approximation (from 29.8% before to 43.2% during the pandemic, p < 0.001) compared with the pre-pandemic period. More people also reported that application of security protocols during delivery (from 29.8% before to 43.2% during the pandemic, p < 0.001) and in restaurants (from 7.2% before to 25% during the pandemic, p < 0.001) and possessing knowledge about the financial difficulty of the establishment (from 4.6% before to 17% during the pandemic, p < 0.001) were the most important factors for choosing a food service.Originality/value>To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first study to explore consumers' fear of contracting COVID-19 from food delivery and consumer behavior related to food delivery services during the pandemic in Brazil – that is, way to order and payment methods, as well as concern and care related to the purchase of these foods.

A comprehensive review of nanocellulose modification and applications in papermaking and packaging: Challenges, technical solutions, and perspectives

The increasing usage of petroleum-based compounds has prompted numerous environmental concerns. Consequently, there has been a steady rise in research on the synthesis of useful materials from natural sources. Paper technologists are seeking environmentally acceptable dry end and wet end additives. Among the bio-based resources available, nanocellulose is a popular sustainable nanomaterial additive in the paper industry because of its high strength, high oxygen barrier performance, low density, great mechanical properties, and biocompatibility. NC's extensive hydroxyl groups provide a unique possibility to dramatically modify the hydrophilicity and charge of the surface in order to improve their potential applications in the paper industry. The current paper reviews two series of surface modifications, each with various subcategories, depending on why modified nanocellulose is added in the paper production: to improve barrier properties or to improve mechanical properties of packaging materials. The methods presented in this study use the minimum amount of chemically hazardous solvents to have the least impact on the environment. This review focuses on modifications of nanocellulose and their subsequent application in the papermaking. The knowledge and the discussion presented in this review will form a literature source for future use by various stakeholders and the sustainable paper manufacturers.

Utilization of polymeric wastes in steel refining process: Carbon dissolution into liquid steel at high temperature.

High amount of polymeric food packaging wastes had been increasing during the Covid-19 epidemic, especially polystyrene (PS) and polypropylene (PP) packaging. This paper investigates the utilization of polymeric wastes as a liquid steel recarburizer in ladle refining process. PP was blended with PS into the ratios of up to 60 wt%, namely Blend#1 - Blend#6. The blends were pyrolyzed at 1550 °C for 15 min under argon atmosphere. The chars had high carbon content ranges between 86 and 91.47 wt%, and the crystallite size ranges between 0.27 and 2.45 nm. The chars were brought into contact with an electrolytic pure iron at 1550 °C under argon atmosphere for carbon dissolution experiment. It was found that overall carbon dissolution rates (K) for the chars were 1.46 × 10-3 - 8.4 × 10-3 s-1, which occurred within the first 4-10 min and then keep pace with the maximum carbon content of 4.08-4.97 wt%. Sulphur transfer into liquid steel was slow for all cases with the content was in between 0.01 and 0.025 wt%. The rate controlling mechanism for carbon dissolution from polymeric chars was the dissociation of carbon atom from its host lattice. CaH2O2 is a filler in the PS, was found to retard the carbon dissolution, however it can be decomposed at steelmaking temperature. The chars produced from PS and PP can be replaced a commercial recarburizer without negative effect on steel quality.

Celiac Disease and Food Banks in Colorado during the Covid-19 Pandemic

Background: In Colorado, food insecurity affects about 10% of patients with celiac disease and is associated with decreased adherence to gluten-free diet. With the COVID-19 pandemic, demand for gluten-free foods from food banks increased. We sought to assess the availability of gluten-free foods at food banks in Colorado during the pandemic. Method(s): Food banks in Colorado were asked to complete a survey about general understanding of celiac disease and identifying perceived barriers to providing gluten-free foods to people with celiac disease and food insecurity. In-person visits with additional predefined questions for the director were planned. Result(s): Of the 63 food banks contacted, 27 (43%) responded and 15 (24%) completed questionnaires (Table). Some in the Denver Metro area reported no barriers as they felt well equipped with resources and information related to celiac disease. The most common barrier reported was access to gluten-free foods from both donors and from mass suppliers. The next most common barriers were volunteer training and lack of celiac community advocacy about need. Of 16 providing written responses, 8 requested written resources and 3 indicated a separate area for those with food restrictions and adequate supply of gluten-free foods. Only one food bank was visited. The others were inaccessible due to lack of resources or capacity due to the pandemic or lack of communication. The food bank visited was Integrated Family Community Services, a social service whose mission is to alleviate hunger and empower people to make health adjustments. This food bank works with hospitals and the community to support low-income families in Englewood CO, an area with population at high risk of food insecurity. The director at this food bank reported knowing what celiac disease and gluten-free are, as well as trying to provide food for those with specific food restrictions. Prior to COVID, recipients could select the food items they wanted, and gluten-free pastas, flours, breads were separated, as were low glycemic foods for those with diabetes and low sodium foods for those with hypertension. However, due to COVID restrictions, this was no longer possible;volunteers put together pre-made boxes, but not gluten-free boxes. Conclusion(s): During the COVID-19 pandemic, demand for gluten-free food items increased;however, not only was there diminished supply of gluten-free foods to food banks by large and small donors, food banks also were reduced in their capacity to sort and deliver the gluten-free foods to those in need. In addition, there was little awareness of the need for gluten-free donations and the need for volunteers at the food banks. Food insecurity is a contributing factor in adverse health outcomes for celiac disease. Discussion(s): Food insecurity is common, impacting 10%-20% of families with celiac disease and is associated with rural communities, reduced adherence to the gluten-free diet, and the burden of the higher cost of gluten-free foods on low income families. Recognizing the impact on social determinants of health, the US Preventive Services Task Force is developing a research agenda for food insecurity. Strategies celiac centers could adapt to improve access include 1) focused advocacy to increase donations to food banks by gluten-free food producers, 2) creation of areas within food pantries for special dietary needs, 3) provide expert dietitian support to food banks, 4) develop written resources about gluten-free foods, labelling and recipes for food banks, and 5) improve staffing by promoting volunteering. Limitations of this study include low participation rate by food pantries, inability to visit more than one pantry during this study, and extrapolation of findings to other areas outside Colorado. Future directions could include studies to increase health care systems awareness of and screening for food insecurity (demand side), as well as partnering with food banks and gluten free food manufacturers and suppliers to enhance the availability of these foods (supply side) and then assess any impact on health outcomes. (Table Presented).

Impact of demographic profile on nutritional labelling usage by working women population of Varanasi, India

Nutritional labelling is the nutritional description of the food on the label to help the consumer in food selection. The present study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude and practices adopted by the subjects and correlate them to have a better understanding of their nutritional background. Nutrition labels are a prominent first-glance article that needs to be very catchy and easy to interpret. The organizations responsible for formulating the rules and regulations must keep them updated and devise new formats of the display to enhance the usage of food labels up to the maximum possible level. A cross-sectional research study on 100 working women of Varanasi, aged between 20-50 years was conducted through a self-structured questionnaire to evaluate their KAP level. In view of the COVID-19 pandemic, the questionnaire was administered to the respondents through the online medium using Google forms. It can be inferred from the study that 58 % of the total respondents surveyed were aware of the labels, 61% of them had a positive attitude towards its usage but only 52% practised healthy shopping more often. About 70% of the participants preferred back-of-pack labelling rather than front-of-pack because the former provides elaborative information. The factors like qualification and occupation of women participants had negative associations with the satisfaction of the display format. The women having knowledge regarding traffic light labelling showed a positive association with the usefulness of the same. The average practice percentage adopted by the consumers had a negative association with factors like qualification, income, and occupation. The need for simplifying the display format and providing basic nutrition information to the population is highlighted in this study.

Antibacterial, Antifungal and Antiviral Polymeric Food Packaging in Post-COVID-19 Era.

Consumers are now more concerned about food safety and hygiene following the COVID-19 pandemic. Antimicrobial packaging has attracted increased interest by reducing contamination of food surfaces to deliver quality and safe food while maintaining shelf life. Active packaging materials to reduce contamination or inhibit viral activity in packaged foods and on packaging surfaces are mostly prepared using solvent casting, but very few materials demonstrate antiviral activity on foods of animal origin, which are important in the human diet. Incorporation of silver nanoparticles, essential oils and natural plant extracts as antimicrobial agents in/on polymeric matrices provides improved antifungal, antibacterial and antiviral properties. This paper reviews recent developments in antifungal, antibacterial and antiviral packaging incorporating natural or synthetic compounds using preparation methods including extrusion, solvent casting and surface modification treatment for surface coating and their applications in several foods (i.e., bakery products, fruits and vegetables, meat and meat products, fish and seafood and milk and dairy foods). Findings showed that antimicrobial material as films, coated films, coating and pouches exhibited efficient antimicrobial activity in vitro but lower activity in real food systems. Antimicrobial activity depends on (i) polar or non-polar food components, (ii) interactions between antimicrobial compounds and the polymer materials and (iii) interactions between environmental conditions and active films (i.e., relative humidity, oxygen and water vapor permeability and temperature) that impact the migration or diffusion of active compounds in foods. Knowledge gained from the plethora of existing studies on antimicrobial polymers can be effectively utilized to develop multifunctional antimicrobial materials that can protect food products and packaging surfaces from SARS-CoV-2 contamination.

COVID-19 and Food Safety

Concerns over whether people can be infected with SARS-CoV-2 from food and packaging have caused significant disruption to global food trade. SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, can remain infectious and detectable on packaging or some foods under certain cold-chain conditions. However, there is minimal evidence that people have been infected with SARS-CoV-2 from packaging or from foodborne transmission. Cooking of food will inactivate the virus. Any infectious SARS-CoV-2 present in consumed food would likely be inactivated by stomach acid. Nonetheless, good food hygiene practices are sensible precautions to minimize any possibility of food or packaging acting as a vector for SARS-CoV-2.

The Effect of Heat Source on Cost of Preparation of Household Food Packaging Waste for Recycling

The study concerns the preparation of post-consumer food packaging for selective collection that takes place in households. The previously reported results suggested that the economic cost of washing the packaging exceeded the value of recyclable materials. A shortage of up-to-date papers on the economic balance of packaging washing, taking into account current trends in the increase of prices of materials and energy carriers, has been identified. The main objective of this study was to determine the effect of the application of particular heat sources on the total cost of preparing the glass and plastic packaging for selective collection, as well as to compare the cost with the economic value of recyclables. Over the last ten years, a drop in the purchase price of glass cullet and post-consumer plastic, as well as an increase in the cost of cold and hot water, have been reported. Accordingly, the profit of packaging cleaning, defined as the difference between the value of recyclable materials and the cost of washing them, has decreased. The energy consumed for water heating was identified as the most relevant factor affecting the entire economic balance. Even assuming the most efficient water heating solutions, the pre-treatment of the post-consumer food packaging turned out to be unprofitable. The conclusion reached in the previously published study has been confirmed.

Contamination assessment of Listeria monocytogenes in fresh pork in the post-epidemic era

[Background] The epidemic of novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) at the end of 2019 brought challenges to food safety. 【Objective】To evaluate the contamination of Listeria monocytogenes in fresh pork sold in the post-epidemic era. [Methods] During the epidemic period from 2020 to 2021, fresh pork from different locations, different packaging methods and different seasons were selected to analyze the contamination rate and contamination level of Listeria monocytogenes, and the epidemiological characteristics of the isolated strains were analyzed. [Results] The contamination rate of Listeria monocytogenes in fresh pork was 15.28% (77/504), and the contamination rate in pork direct-sale stores and farmers' markets was higher than that in supermarkets. Among different packaging methods, the contamination rates of pre-packaging and simple packaging were higher than those of bulk samples, and there were significant differences in the contamination rates in different quarters, with the highest contamination rate in the third quarter, which was 27.78%. Quantitative results found that 40.26% exceeded 10 MPN/g (MPN: most probable number), and 3 samples had contamination levels over 100 MPN/g. The results of serotype analysis showed that 1/2a-3a (48.05%) and 1/2c-3c (44.16%) were the main serotypes. The results of drug resistance test showed that 19.50% of the isolates were multi-drug resistant, 2 (2.60%) were sensitive to all antibiotics, 68 (88.30%) were resistant to oxacillin, and 46 (59.70%) were resistant to oxacillin. Ampicillin-resistant, 45 strains (58.40%) were resistant to cefotaxime. 【Conclusion】In the post-epidemic era, there are different degrees of Listeria monocytogenes contamination in the marketed fresh pork in different locations, different packaging methods and different seasons. The contamination level of individual products is high, and the serum distribution and drug resistance characteristics are diverse. It is necessary to strengthen food safety supervision to reduce the occurrence of foodborne diseases.

The mechanism of metal-based antibacterial materials and the progress of food packaging applications: A review.

Food packages have been detected carrying novel coronavirus in multi-locations since the outbreak of COVID-19, causing major concern in the field of food safety. Metal-based supported materials are widely used for sterilization due to their excellent antibacterial properties as well as low biological resistance. As the principal part of antibacterial materials, the active component, commonly referred to Ag, Cu, Zn, etc., plays the main role in inhibiting and killing pathogenic microorganisms by destroying the structure of cells. As another composition of metal-based antibacterial materials, the carrier could support and disperse the active component, which on one hand, could effectively decrease the usage amount of active component, on the other hand, could be processed into various forms to broaden the application range of antibacterial materials. Different from other metal-based antibacterial reviews, in order to highlight the detailed function of various carriers, we divided the carriers into biocompatible and adsorptable types and discussed their different antibacterial effects. Moreover, a novel substitution antibacterial mechanism was proposed. The coating and shaping techniques of metal-based antibacterial materials as well as their applications in food storage at ambient and low temperatures are also comprehensively summarized. This review aims to provide a theoretical basis and reference for researchers in this field to develop new metal-based antibacterial materials.