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OBJECTIVE: Omicron, a severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variant, is responsible for numerous infections in China. This study investigates the association between the use of Seven-Flavor Herb Tea (SFHT) and the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection to develop precise and differentiated strategies for control of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). METHODS: This case-control study was conducted at shelter hospitals and quarantine hotels in China. A total of 5348 laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 patients were enrolled between April 1 and May 31, 2022, while 2190 uninfected individuals served as healthy controls. Structured questionnaires were used to collect data on demographics, underlying diseases, vaccination status, and use of SFHT. Patients were propensity-score-matched using 1:1 nearest-neighbor matching of the logit of the propensity score. Subsequently, a conditional logistic regression model was used for data analysis. RESULTS: Overall, 7538 eligible subjects were recruited, with an average age of [45.54 ± 16.94] years. The age of COVID-19 patients was significantly higher than that of uninfected individuals ([48.25 ± 17.48] years vs [38.92 ± 13.41] years; t = 22.437, P < 0.001). A total of 2190 COVID-19 cases were matched with uninfected individuals at a 1:1 ratio. The use of SFHT (odds ratio = 0.753, 95% confidence interval: 0.692, 0.820) was associated with a lower risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection compared to untreated individuals. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that taking SFHT reduces the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection. This is a useful study in the larger picture of COVID-19 management, but data from large-sample multi-center, randomized clinical trial are warranted to confirm the finding. Please cite this article as: Zhang SX, Chen XX, Zheng Y, Cai BH, Shi W, Ru M, Li H, Zhang DD, Tian Y, Chen YL. Reduced SARS-CoV-2 infection risk is associated with the use of Seven-Flavor Herb Tea: A multi-center observational study in Shanghai, China. J Integr Med. 2023; 21(4):369-376.
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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.
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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.
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Objective: To construct the database of Tibetan medicine prescriptions for "Gnyan-rims" disease,and to explore the invisible medication law of Tibetan medicine in the treatment of "Gnyan-rims" disease,such as prescription compatibility and combination of drug properties. Method: The prescriptions for treating "Gnyan-rims" were retrieved from four Tibetan medical literatures such as The Four Medical Tantras,Kong-sprul-zin-tig, Phyag-rdor-gso-rig-phyogs-bsgrigs and Sman-sbyor-lag-len-phyogs-bsgrigs, and the database was constructed under Python code,and the Apriori algorithm and the vector structure model of taste property flavor transformation were used for analysis. Result:According to the characteristics of Tibetan medicine prescription data,with six fields of prescription name,formula,dosage,efficacy,source and original text as the core,a Tibetan medicine treatment "Gnyan-rims" prescription database with functions of cleaning, searching and exporting was established. A total of 7 602 prescriptions were included in the database,among which 598 prescriptions had therapeutic effects of "Gnyan" and "Rims". The results of compatibility analysis showed that Shexiang,Hezi,Honghua,Mukuer Moyao,Tiebangchui,Tianzhuhuang and Bangga were the most frequently used drugs,while the correlation degrees of Shexiang-Mukuer Moyao,Honghua-Tianzhuhuang,Shexiang-Hezi and Shexiang-Tiebangchui were the strongest,and all the drug composition of Wuwei Shexiang pills appeared in the top ten correlations. According to the property analysis of 40 prescriptions containing high-frequency drugs,19 prescriptions were found to have excessive bitter taste,followed by 9 prescriptions such as Sanchen powders with excessive sweetish taste,and the ratios of sweetish and bitter tastes in six tastes were >35%. The total of sweetish and bitter prescriptions accounted for 70% of the total prescriptions. Among the three flavors,the bitter flavor was the most abundant. The cool effect,dull effect and heavy effect were prominent among the seventeen effects. Conclusion: The prescription database of Tibetan medicine for "Gnyan-rims" can promote the high-quality development of research on prevention and treatment of plague with ethnic medicine. Tibetan medicine treatment of "Gnyan-rims" focuses on the composition of Wuwei Shexiang pills,with the property combination of "cool-bitter and sweet-bitter flavor-cool,dull and heavy", which mainly treats diseases such as "heat sharp light-mkhris pa-heat". These studies can provide data basis and theoretical reference for the selection of Tibetan medicine prescription and its composition for treating plague.Copyright © 2021, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences Institute of Chinese Materia Medica. All rights reserved.
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Millions of people will now suffer from long-term smell loss as a result of infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Smell is an integral component of the flavor of foods, which is one of the primary drivers of ingestive behavior. When individuals lose their sense of smell, they find food to be less flavorful and less enjoyable, which negatively impacts their quality of life. To compensate, many individuals alter their diet by focusing on tastes, chemesthesis (e.g., chili pepper heat, menthol cooling), and the texture of foods to make it more palatable. Some diet alterations, such as increasing salt use, can result in a lower diet quality, and an increased risk for chronic disease. Sensory nutrition is an area of research that focuses on how the chemical senses (e.g. taste, smell, chemesthesis) and oral somatosensation) affect dietary choices and health. Sensory nutrition strategies designed for individuals with smell loss may help improve the flavor and liking of foods while improving diet quality, and are a necessary area of future research to help improve health and quality of life in the growing population with smell loss.Copyright © 2022 The Author(s)
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Olfactory dysfunction (impaired sense of smell) impacts flavour perception and subsequent appetite, potentially leading to malnutrition and affective changes. This tends to develop during the early stages of SARS-CoV-2 infection and may progress into long-term olfactory loss. Therefore, specialised food designs are needed to encourage a healthy, yet pleasurable eating experience for this population. This review aims to discuss food design strategies for satisfying the sensorial and nutritional needs that could be applicable to SARS-CoV-2 patients with mild olfactory dysfunction. Key literature on food design studies suitable for individuals suffering from olfactory and gustatory dysfunction was reviewed, including strategies for flavour enhancement, colour enhancement, texture enhancement including through trigeminal stimulation, fortification of macronutrients, micronutrients and fibre. Potential gaps and application of strategies to offer appealing and nutritious food designs to long SARS-CoV-2 patients to improve their quality of life were explored. © 2023 The Authors. International Journal of Food Science & Technology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Institute of Food, Science and Technology (IFSTTF).
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Tea is the second-most drank and refreshing beverage after water since the time immemorial. Tea harbours more than 4000 bioactive compounds viz, different classes of polyphenols, unique amino acid L-Theanine, alkaloids (Caffeine, Theobromine), and Volatile Flavor Compounds (VFC). Tea's polyphenols make its inherent therapeutic potential unlimited. Tea's significance in managing cancer, diabetes, stomach ulcer, influenza, neurological diseases, etc. is well-documented. However, advantageous biochemical capabilities of tea have yet to be fully utilised. Hence, this review aims at to examine tea's variety, drinking habits, biochemistry, and therapeutic qualities. A number of significant online resources, including Google Scholar, PubMed, Science Direct, and others, were searched for various research works on tea and its health-promoting qualities by using keywords like tea, health benefits, bioactive components against diseases, etc. Current review highlighted that drinking a cup or more green tea is recommended for improving antioxidant status and to manage diabetes and obesity related problem. However after detailed review work on tea it become clear that not only green tea but also other varies of tea like black, white tea are also harbour lots of bioactive molecules since they are processed from same plant. Tea improves antioxidant status and manages diabetes and obesity. It also helps prevent and cure, heart disease, malignancy, digestive dysfunction, and metabolic disorders including obesity and diabetes. Epigallocatechin Gallate (EGCG), found in tea, has been shown to reduce complications from Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-COV 2) infection. When taken in its traditional form to manage ailments, tea is sometimes controversial due to a lack of confirming evidence of its benefits. The paper covers the numerous health advantages of tea, focusing on the specific components contributing to such benefits, and stresses the value of diverse brewing processes.
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Due to the growing demand for instant food and lifestyle change after the COVID-19, aquatic pre-made products become popular. The unique nutritional and functional characteristics and processing suitability of aquatic products make them suitable for the development of ready-to-eat, instant heat, instant cooked and ready-to-use pre-made products. However, due to their unique fishy taste, texture and perishable characteristics, appropriate pretreatment technology, flavor and quality improvement and maintenance technology as well as storage technology in the processing and storage process need to be adopted so as to improve the quality of pre-made products. The main factors affecting the quality and safety of aquatic product pre-made products include biological hazards, chemical hazards and physical hazards. Therefore, quality control technologies of aquatic pre-made products including the raw material collection, processing process and the cold chain transportation process are necessary. In the future, aquatic pre-made products should be more nutritious, high-quality and diversified because of the improvement of nutrition and quality control technology.
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BACKGROUND: Smell and taste dysfunctions (STDs) are symptoms associated with COVID-19 syndrome, even if their incidence is still uncertain and variable. AIMS: In this study, the effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection on chemosensory function have been investigated using both a self-reporting questionnaire on smell and flavor perception, and a simplified flavor test. METHODS: A total of 111 subjects (19 hospitalized [HOS] and 37 home-isolated [HI] COVID-19 patients, and 55 healthy controls [CTRL]) were enrolled in the study. They received a self-evaluation questionnaire and a self-administered flavor test kit. The flavor test used consists in the self-administration of four solutions with a pure olfactory stimulus (coffee), a mixed olfactory-trigeminal stimulus (peppermint), and a complex chemical mixture (banana). RESULTS: After SARS-CoV-2 infection, HOS and HI patients reported similar prevalence of STDs, with a significant reduction of both smell and flavor self-estimated perception. The aromas of the flavor test were recognized by HI and HOS COVID-19 patients similarly to CTRL; however, the intensity of the perceived aromas was significantly lower in patients compared to controls. CONCLUSION: Data reported here suggests that a chemosensory impairment is present after SARS-CoV-2 infection, and the modified "flavor test" could be a novel self-administering objective screening test to assess STDs in COVID-19 patients. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NO: NCT04840966; April 12, 2021, retrospectively registered.
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COVID-19 , Olfaction Disorders , Case-Control Studies , Humans , Olfaction Disorders/diagnosis , Olfaction Disorders/etiology , SARS-CoV-2 , Smell , Taste Disorders/complicationsABSTRACT
To clarify the most suitable fish paste for preparing lion's head meatballs, this study investigated the effect of adding 6 different silver carp fish pastes: fresh unwashed (group 1-1), fresh washed (group 1-2), frozen unwashed without antifreeze agent (group 2-1), frozen washed without antifreeze agent (group 2-2), frozen unwashed with antifreeze agent (group 3-1), and frozen washed with antifreeze agent (group 3-2) on the basic nutrients, color, texture properties, waterholding capacity, sensory and flavor properties, thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARs) value, and total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) content of pork/fish composite meatballs. The results showed that the contents of protein and fat in meatballs from groups 2-1 and 2-2 were lower than those in groups 3-1 and 3-2, and the contents of water, protein and fat were 61.68%, 11.32% and 19.41% for group 2-1, and 62.45%, 11.09% and 19.33% for group 2-2, respectively. The gel properties, hardness, elasticity, cohesion, and sensory quality of groups 3-1 and 3-2 were significantly higher than those of groups 2-1 and 2-2 (P < 0.05), but there was no significant difference compared with groups 1-1 and 1-2. The odor response value of groups 3 was lower than that of groups 1, and groups 3 had the highest sweetness value (3 039.66) and lowest bitterness value (534.59). The TBARs value and TVB-N content in groups 1-2, 2-2, and 3-2 (with washed fish paste) were significantly lower than those in groups 1-1, 2-1 and 3-1 (with unwashed fish paste) (P < 0.05). Since fresh fish paste is not easy to store and subject to spoilage, frozen washed fish paste with antifreeze agent can be used to produce composite meatballs.
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Consuming foods and liquids for nutrition requires the coordination of several muscles. Swallowing is triggered and modified by sensory inputs from the aerodigestive tract. Taste has recently received attention as a potential modulator of swallowing physiology, function, and neural activation; additionally, taste impairment is a sequela of COVID-19. This review presents factors impacting taste and swallowing, systematically summarizes the existing literature, and assesses the quality of included studies. A search was conducted for original research including taste stimulation, deglutition-related measure(s), and human participants. Study design, independent and dependent variables, and participant characteristics were coded; included studies were assessed for quality and risk of bias. Forty-eight articles were included after abstract and full-text review. Synthesis was complicated by variable sensory components of stimuli (taste category and intensity, pure taste vs. flavor, chemesthesis, volume/amount, consistency, temperature), participant characteristics, confounding variables such as genetic taster status, and methods of measurement. Most studies had a high risk of at least one type of bias and were of fair or poor quality. Interpretation is limited by wide variability in methods, taste stimulation, confounding factors, and lower-quality evidence. Existing studies suggest that taste can modulate swallowing, but more rigorous and standardized research is needed.
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Microgreens became evident specialty food product that attains quality and higher attention these days. Young foliaged greens are relished as a delicacy for its color, crunchiness and flavor. Microgreens are a novel category of wholesome vegetables which can be harvested after the emergence of primary leaves. Microgreens have fresh aroma and used as freshly made ingredients. By and large, they are used as salads and garnishing for wide variety of dishes. These microgreens have high nutritional value as it contains ample amount of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and nourishes the human health. Generally, cultivated microgreens are peas, kale, beets, radish, sunflower and arugula. However, they ordinarily enclose a quick fundamental measure because of speedy product deterioration. On examination, microgreens and mature greens, microgreens were the richest sources of water-soluble vitamin and zinc, which are suggested to spice up the immunity of the body throughout the current state of affairs of COVID-19 threat. Hence, these could also be observed as natural supplements. This paper aims to furnish an outline of the organic process facts, their comparison with sprouts, potential bioactive compounds, and cultivation, harvesting, and promoting of microgreens at the side of their future perspective.
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Objective The objective of this study was to determine if patients with Neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF1) have an impaired sense of smell or taste. Neurofibromin, the NF1gene protein product is ubiquitous in the body and is especially associated with the development of neurogenetic structures. Lately enlarged olfactory bulbs have been described in patients with NF1. Until now, there is no study to evaluate the sense of smell and taste in patients with NF1. Method This study has been approved by the Hamburg Ethics committee. An evaluation of the sense of smell and taste was undertaken in 26 patients with NF1 using the Burghart Sniffin' Sticks. Three patients were excluded due to a prior infection with the Corona virus. As a control group the same examination was performed in healthy individuals (same sex/ same age as the NF1 patients) by the same examiner. Results Preliminary results show a normal sense of smell in patients with NF1. The morphologic finding of enlarged olfactory bulbs seem to have no functional equivalent. However, 8 out of 23 patients with NF1 had difficulties identifying at least one taste flavor. The data collection of the control group is still ongoing, thus far none of the study participants misidentified a taste flavor. A statistical significance is aimed at by increasing the case numbers.
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Purpose: Nearly 4 million U.S. adolescents use e-cigarettes, despite known health harms and laws prohibiting sales to people below 21 years. National surveys show that adolescents self-report buying e-cigarettes from retail stores and online. Although studies show that e-cigarette marketing is associated with adolescent e-cigarette use, these studies have not directly asked adolescents their perception of whether e-cigarette marketing in retail, online and social media influences their browsing, purchasing and use-related behavior. Methods: 90-minute, online focus groups with 14-19 year olds (May-Aug 2021). Photographs were used to help participants recall e-cigarette marketing. Participants were recruited through an Instagram post targeting 30 major U.S. cities (n=27 recruited in 3 focus groups from 10 cities thus far;recruitment ongoing). Thematic analysis was used to identify themes related to appealing marketing characteristics. Results: In addition to bright colors of e-cigarette advertising and names of flavors, participants described appealing e-cigarette marketing characteristics. Appealing characteristics in retails stores: pricing coupons, free smelling samples, individual brands displayed in separate containers, displays at the checkout counter (e.g., “there's a big difference between being at the counter, where you can pick it up yourself, and being behind the counter because I don't want to have to ask the person at the Walgreens –‘can you hand me that?’”). On social media: AYAs were attracted by youth/influencers explaining product safety (e.g., “A lot of influencers market like ‘Oh yeah, they don't have any cancer-causing chemicals”);and inability to trace messages (e.g., Snapchat). Participants also listed ways to purchase e-cigarettes using gift cards, debit cards and using fake or other people’s IDs. Conclusions: Our data show that specific appealing e-cigarette marketing characteristics in retail stores and online can and should inform FDA, state, and local regulation. Notifications on social media, similar to those created to combat misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines, may be developed and tested to prevent AYAs from accessing e-cigarette-related misinformation. Sources of Support: The research reported in this was supported by the Taube Research Faculty Scholar Endowment and the ASPiRE D&I Pilot Award.
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Driven by targeted marketing, high nicotine content, and the availability of flavors appealing to youths,1 past 30-day use surged among high school students from 1.5% in 2011 to 27.5% in 2019.2 To curb youth access and use, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an enforcement policy against any flavored, cartridge-based e-cigarettes with tobacco and menthol flavor exemptions in February 2020. Because of the concern of the comparability of the August 2020 data collected during the pandemic, Hammond etal. did not assess the potential impact of the policy on the accessibility of vaping devices or e-cigarette use prevalence. Studies that exploited the variation in the comprehensiveness of flavor restrictions between state and local jurisdictions indicated a reduction in flavored and total e-cigarette sales associated with more stringent flavor restrictions.9 However, other studies have raised an important concern that reducing youth access to flavored e-cigarettes may motivate substitution of e-cigarettes with traditional cigarettes.10 Moreover, flavor is also a primary driver of e-cigarette initiation among adult cigarette smokers and may be critical for adult smokers who are otherwise unable to quit cigarette smoking to switch to a potentially safer alternative.
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First-generation e-cigarettes were visually more like traditional tobacco cigarettes but lacked choice in flavors, whereas newer versions have evolved, looking less like their predecessors and gaining flavor alternatives. Equally, however, choice of flavors plays an important role in potentially supporting adults who use e-cigarettes as a smoking cessation aid.4 It has therefore been a challenge for policymakers in different jurisdictions to balance actions that reduce pathways of harm for young people's health and actions that minimize disruption of smoking cessation efforts among adults, a choice often made within a limited supply of evidence. [...]comparing findings from different countries can present challenges given the international divergence in e-cigarette use, which likely reflects differences in the regulatory landscape over the past decade.7 For example, Hammond et al. highlighted that, unlike in the United States and Canada, cartridge and pod e-cigarettes remain less prevalent than refillable tank devices among youth and adult vapers in the United Kingdom. Since 2016, there has been a plateauing of e-cigarette use in the United Kingdom, in contrast to the large growth seen in the United States during this period.8 European Union legislation such as the Tobacco Products Directive likely delayed the entry of products such asJUUL into UK markets as a result of the restrictions on e-liquids with a nicotine strength of more than 20 milligrams per milliliter. [...]our later research showed that the proliferation of e-cigarette use in the United Kingdom likely contributed to hardening attitudes toward smoking amongyoung people.10 In contrast to the United States, the majority of users of nicotine-based vaping products in the United Kingdom are adults.11 After implementation of the Tobacco Products Directive, e-cigarette flavor remained an important reason for e-cigarette experimentation among young people in the United Kingdom.3 Attraction to flavors continues to be a strong reason in more recent Englandbased surveys.11 Efforts to address vaping flavor enticement among young people may thus take different forms moving forward, with North America highlighting the role of nicotine-based products and England focusing more attention on the role of non-nicotine products.
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90% of all e-cigarette users use tobacco cigarettes instead of quitting smoking and, due to sweet-flavored liquids and advertising as a lifestyle product, young never-smokers are increasingly using these new products. Even though e-cigarettes may also contain lower levels of harmful substances, no e-cigarette was free from potentially toxic and carcinogenic substances, and there is also evidence that e-cigarettes contain new toxic substances;in 2019, they led to EVALI in the USA with 68 deaths. In the steam from tobacco heaters, 295% increased amounts of carcinogenic acenaphthene compared to tobacco cigarettes were found. The use of nicotine-containing e-cigarettes and tobacco heaters did not reduce tobacco-related diseases. Shisha lead to a similar nicotine addiction potential, a considerably higher pollution, and carbon monoxide exposure. Shiazzo steam stones have a significantly lower health risk than shishas with the same risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. The consumption of e-cigarettes by adolescents and young adults led to a 5-fold increased risk of contracting COVID-19, in combination with tobacco cigarettes even to a 7-fold increased risk. The new tobacco or nicotine-releasing substances are neither harmless to health nor suitable for smoking cessation.
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Several cities, but only two U.S states, have passed a law banning the sales of flavored tobacco products. It has been suggested that framing tobacco control policy solely in terms of the youth could send the erroneous message that tobacco use is an acceptable behavior for adults. This study was intended to compare the framing of policy between California's Senate Bill (SB) 38 and 793. Seven audio files of hearings on SB-38 (N = 2) and SB-793 (N = 5), held between March 2019 and August 2020, were transcribed and coded for youth issues and the unprecedented events of 2020 that shaped society's views of health and racial/social justice. The Framework Method was used for organizing and analyzing content of the legislative hearings. Many of the same arguments pertaining to youth were presented in hearings on the two bills. The one notable difference was legislators' sense of obligation to younger constituents, which was expressed in hearings on SB-793, but not SB-38. The hearings on SB-793 also differed with respect to greater discussion about the relevance of a tobacco flavor ban to society as a whole. These discussions revolved around the COVID-19 pandemic and potential impact of a ban on communities of color. Discussions on SB-793 about the larger societal impact of flavored tobacco may be a more effective strategy than focusing exclusively on the youth. Thus, legislators from other U.S. states who are contemplating a statewide ban should consider reframing the issue according to California's SB-793.
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Background: Food waste occurs in all stages of the food supply chain, namely in the food service sector. Understanding how much and why food is wasted and whether consumers are aware of it is essential to design effective interventions in this setting. This case study aims to compare the food waste perception by consumers and measure plate waste in a Portuguese workplace canteen in order to recognize if trained consumers can estimate his/her food waste. Methods: Data were collected from 160 users randomly selected attending a workplace canteen during one month. Plate waste was evaluated by the weighing method. Visual estimation was performed by each participant to evaluate food waste perception at the end of the meal. Consumers were also asked about reasons for wasting food. Results: Plate waste was 8.4% for soup, 9.0% for the main course, and 4.0% for dessert. These values follow the same trend of waste perceived by consumers for soup (R = 0.722;p ˂ 0.001), main course (R = 0.674;p ˂ 0.001), and dessert (R = 0.639;p ˂ 0.001), showing a high relation between self-assessment and measured plate waste. Excessive portions (46.1%), dislike of meal flavor (18.6%), cooking method (8.8%), and texture (3.9%) were identified as the main causes for plate waste. Conclusions: Canteen users showed an accurate perception of their plate waste for all meal components. Excessive portions were identified by consumers as the main reason for plate waste.
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Objective: Previous studies provided the first evidence that the importance of olfaction decreases with the duration of smell loss. It is currently unknown whether the olfactoryrelated quality of life (QoL) also differs between patients with new-onset and persistent smell loss (longer than four weeks) during the coronavirus-19 (COVID-19) pandemic and patients with persistent postinfectious smell loss (PIOD) that were recruited before the pandemic. Methods: This was a retrospective study that included 149 patients with self-reported olfactory dysfunction (OD). The olfactory-related QoL was measured using the Questionnaire of Olfactory Dysfunction (QOD). The QOD measures the degree to which patients (i) adjust and cope with smell loss (QOD-PS) and (ii) suffer from OD in general (QOD-NS). Self-perceived chemosensory function, demographics, olfactory function, and duration of smell loss were evaluated. Analyses of variance were used to depict differences in QoLoutcomes between different OD groups. Results: All patients included during the COVID-19 pandemic reported an extensive loss of chemosensory functions smell, taste, and flavor perception. Retronasal testing revealed olfactory impairments in more than half of these patients. One-way analysis of variance and posthoc tests revealed that the QOD-NS was significantly higher in the new-onset OD group than the PIOD group. At the same time, the QOD-PS score was significantly higher in the PIOD and the persistent COVID-19 OD group compared to the new-onset OD group. Conclusions: We showed that patients with persistent OD experienced better olfactory-related adjustment and lower QoL-impairment than those with recent-onset OD, suggesting that the olfactory-related QoL might change as a function of time after symptom onset.