Characterizing food systems to better understand their vulnerabilities: a case study in Québec and São Paulo

Characterizing food systems, i.e., describing their organizational features, can help to generate a better understanding of the structural vulnerabilities that constrain transitions towards sustainable food security. However, their characterization across different economic contexts remains challenging. In this paper, by linking key concepts from research on food regimes, food system vulnerabilities and responsible innovation, we aim to characterize food systems in a developing and a developed economy to identify their shared vulnerabilities. We applied a case study design to characterize food production, processing and distribution in the province of Québec (Canada) and in the state of São Paulo (Brazil). In both cases, the processing and distribution stages have higher economic predominance when compared to the agricultural production stage. Furthermore, we observed concentration in a few activities in both food systems, with a shared focus on export-oriented supply chains. Vulnerabilities in both food systems include: (1) increased interdependence because some supply chains are export-oriented or depend on foreign labor and are, therefore, exposed to external risks;(2) concentration in a few activities, which threatens present and future local food diversity and (3) unequal power relations, making small and medium players vulnerable to decisions made by big players. The characterization developed in this study shows that the two food systems are mainly pursuing economic goals, following the institutional logics of the neoliberal food regime, which are not necessarily aligned with food security goals. It also exposes the presence of characteristics of ‘responsibility' that may eventually help overcome food systems' vulnerabilities and support transitions toward sustainability.

The reference and experience of food hygiene security in a major field activity

To summarize thepractice and experience of targeted food hygiene security measures in a major field activity of the army in order to provide references for diverse tasks. Considering the characteristics of heavy activity, field operations and the influence of COVID-19, a series of support measures related to food hygiene surveillance were strengthened. The first measure was review of recipes, health management and training of employees, procurement and storage of raw materials, warehouse management, processing and manufacturing management, disinfection of tableware, as well as food sample retention. Secondly, the control points that probably cause spread of COVID-19 in the phase of food service industry were analyzed, then relevant supervision and guidance were carried out from the aspects of employees and diners, foods of cold chain logistics, environment and emergency response plan. Finally, in order to assure the safety of food processing and crowd-gathered diet in the field, the following measures were guided to adopted including selecting the site of cooking and dining properly, cleaning the environment, making dishes using pure water and semi-manufactured foodstuff, keeping food sanitation in the course of transport and dinning, as well as supervising the robot machines for cooking automatically. The main experiences were listed as follows: promoting food safety awareness of the principal and the employees of the canteen, enhancing legal enforcement capacity and technical capacity of health supervisors, focusing on new risks related to food safety as well as reinforcing the management of health supervisors and employees in the field.

High-efficiency preparation technology of sulforaphane: an overview

Sulforaphane is an isothiocyanate metabolite of cruciferous plants, which obtain antioxidant, anticancer and anti-COVID-19 functions. However, due to its unstable structure, it is easy to de-composite, thus the utilization of sulforaphane is difficult. With the advancement of the preparation of sulforaphane, the purpose of inhibiting sulforaphane inactivation and improving its utilization is expected to be realized. The existing preparation technologies are mainly myrosinase enzymatic hydrolysis, microbial transformation and chemical synthesis. Myrosinase enzymatic hydrolysis mainly utilizes endogenous myrosinase, exogenous myrosinase and heterologously expressed myrosinase. Myrosinase enzymatic hydrolysis technology not only obtain the advantage of high preparation efficiency, but also obtain the disadvantage that the activity of myrosinase cannot be stabilized. Microbial transformation mainly utilizes the function of microorganisms to convert glucosinolates to sulforaphane, and obtain the advantages of easy control of reaction conditions and low cost. Chemical synthesis mainly includes de novo synthesis and semi-synthesis, and semi-synthesis is the most widely used method at present. Chemical synthesis obtains the advantages of easy control of reaction conditions, but chemical synthesis techniques have the problems of high risk and low yield. This research reviews the preparation technology of sulforaphane, aiming to provide a reference for the efficient utilization of sulforaphane and its product development.

PARE MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDERS IN THE ERA OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

BackgroundIn Tunisia, during the last decade, the number of MSDs declared as compensable occupational diseases has been increasing. So, what is the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the MSD reporting rate.ObjectivesTo describe the socio-professional characteristics of workers with musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and to determine the reporting rate of MSDs as occupational diseases.MethodsA descriptive cross-sectional study among workers with work-related MSDs who consulted the occupational medicine department of the Charles Nicolle Hospital for medical advice between January 2021 and September 2022.ResultsA total of 109 workers with MSDs were included in this study. The workers were 64.2% female. The average age was 46 ± [21-61 years]. The sectors most prone to MSDs were the health sector (27.5%), food processing (16.5%) and textiles (15.6%). The workers reported MSDs of the upper limb in 31.2%, MSDs of the lower limb in 33.9% and of the spine in 69.7%. These MSDs reported included 5/13 cases of rotator cuff tendinopathy, 6/13 cases of carpal tunnel syndrome, one case of achilles tendonitis and one case of Dequervain's tenosynovitis.ConclusionDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, the reporting of MSDs as occupational diseases has declined considerably. This decline can be explained by the difficult access to hospital facilities.References[1]https://www.emro.who.int/emhj-volume-23-2017/volume-23-issue-11/prevalence-et-determinants-des-troubles-musculo-squelettiques-des-membres-superieurs-chez-les-artisans-tunisiens.html.[2]http://medecinetravail.canalblog.com/archives/2011/10/04/22196851.htmlAcknowledgements:NIL.Disclosure of InterestsNone Declared.

From panic to business as usual: What coronavirus has revealed about migrant labour, agri‐food systems and industrial relations in the Nordic countries

This article focuses on migrant labour in Nordic agriculture, wild berry picking and food processing. The starting point is the fear of a food crisis at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic (2020) because of the absence of migrant workers. The question was raised early in the pandemic if food systems in the Global North are vulnerable due to dependence on precarious migrant workers. In the light of this question, we assess the reactions of farmers and different actors in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden to what looked like an unfolding food crisis. In many ways, the reactions in the Nordic countries were similar to each other, and to broader reactions in the Global North, and we follow these reactions as they relate to migrant workers from an initial panic to a return to business as usual despite the continuation of the pandemic. In the end, 2020 proved to be an excellent year for Nordic food production in part because migrant workers were able to come. We discuss reasons why the Nordic countries did not face disruptions during the pandemic, map out patterns of labour precarity and segmentation for migrant labour in agriculture and food production in the Nordic countries and propose questions for further research. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Sociologia Ruralis is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)

Face masks as sources of cross-contamination during food preparation

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, mask-wearing has become a common practice in the foodservice industry to prevent the spread of respiratory diseases. Like kitchen utensils, a mask may serve as a vehicle for cross-contamination of pathogens during food handling. The objective of this study was to quantify cross-contamination between tasks of handling contaminated chicken and chopping lettuce. Chicken breasts were inoculated with a high or a low level of nonpathogenic Escherichia coli surrogates (ca. 6 or 4 log CFU/ml) and sliced for 1, 5, or 10 min. During slicing, duplicate, single-use medical masks were touched each minute. One mask was immediately sampled, but the second mask was used to contaminate lettuce by touching the mask each minute while chopping the lettuce for 5 min. E. coli were enumerated from the second mask and lettuce. Masks touched while slicing both high- and low-inoculated chicken showed significant contamination (0.8-4.9 log CFU/cm2) after each slicing scenario of 1, 5, or 10 min (P > 0.05). Lettuce was significantly contaminated regardless of inoculation level (1.0-3.2 log CFU/g). Slicing time was a significant factor in some cases (P < 0.05), whereas inoculation level was not (P > 0.05). Data indicate masks can be a source of cross-contamination if not replaced appropriately.

Guest editorial: the relationship between nutrition and COVID-19

[...]the journal Nutrition and Food Science has published this special issue exploring the intersection of nutrition and COVID-19 [1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6], [7], [8]. [...]a study explored the factors related to sedentary lifestyle in a Brazilian sample during the COVID-19 initial quarantine [8]. [...]the papers published in the special issue "The relationship between nutrition and COVID-19” underlined the importance of nutrition in mitigating the mental and health-related impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Guest Editors' Preface

In moments of crisis that test the stability of US nationalism—the civil war, the expansion of American empire, World Wars I & II, the civil rights era, the post-industrial era, 9/11, COVID—a pattern of violence against Asian Americans seems to make an appearance. Nearly a third of the nurses who have died of coronavirus in the United States are Filipino, even though Filipino nurses make up just 4% of the nursing population nationwide.2 Over 1.2 million Asian Americans labor in food-related industries nationwide—at farms, food processing factories, grocery stores, and restaurants—and are placed at higher risk of infection and mortality.3 In the spring of 2021, in the span of two months, lone white gunmen murdered Asian Americans in Atlanta, Indianapolis, and San Jose (all of the victims were essential service workers). In presenting the data, Wong and Liu invite us to consider how anti-Black tropes and invocations of a persistent "Black-Asian conflict" diverted attention away from the role of white supremacy in fomenting an anti-Asian climate. The new White House immediately promised to "Build Back Better" with a sweeping plan to restore domestic stability and the nation's reputation abroad;implied was the beating back of Trumpian revanchism.

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

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

Healthy for Life: A Shift to Virtual Nutrition Education to Improve Confidence and Dietary Behaviors

Introduction: Less than 10% of U.S. adults meet the guidelines for whole grains, fruits, and vegetables each day. The Healthy for Life community-based program aims to change confidence and health behaviors, by equipping individuals with new skills for healthy living. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021, the program pivoted from in-person to a virtual implementation model. This required more advanced planning due to additional logistics to ensure a skills-based learning environment. Objective(s): To examine the effectiveness of the Healthy for Life program over time, specifically: o Changes in participant confidence in the preparation of healthy foods at home o Changes in participant consumption of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains o Changes in participant frequency of healthy shopping habitsMethods: A community engagement program was implemented and evaluated in 17 community centers in 2020-2021 to measure changes in participant confidence to prepare healthy meals at home, consumption of fruits, vegetables and whole grains, and frequency of healthy shopping habits. Community center facilitators administered the same pre/post survey to participants at the first educational experience, and then again at the final experience. Facilitators entered the participant data into an online survey portal. Analysis was conducted with 235 participants who completed both pre and post surveys. Two-way repeated ordinal regression was used to assess changes in key metrics over time. Result(s): Participants were predominately female (90.6%), about two-thirds (65.2%) were between 25-55 years old, and most identified as non-Hispanic White/Caucasian (42.6%) or Black/African American (35.7%). Close to half (45.9%) of participants had a college degree or higher, over a quarter (28.1%) received benefits from SNAP and/or WIC, and more than two-thirds (63.8%) indicated they are the only person in their household preparing meals. Almost half (49.3%) of respondents attended the suggested minimum of 4 educational experiences. On average, respondents statistically significantly increased their daily fruit & vegetable consumption by 1.21 serving(s). In addition, over one-third (34%) of respondents increased their level of confidence to prepare healthy meals at home and (37%) respondents increased their level of confidence to substitute healthier cooking and food preparation methods. Close to half (47.2%) respondents reported increased frequency of reading food labels and checking the nutritional values when purchasing food. Conclusion(s): Despite the shift to virtual implementation, the Healthy for Life community education program, was still effective in improving participant confidence and dietary behaviors over time. However, additional research studies are required to further assess whether virtual implementation of this type of intervention will continue to be effective.

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

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

The 5th International Conference on Food and Agriculture (ICoFA)

Introduction of ICoFA 2022Dear colleagues,We are glad to announce the release of the 5th International conference of Food and Agriculture (ICOFA-2022). The ICOFA is annual conference organized primary by Politeknik Negeri Jember. In this year the theme of our conference is "Recover Together, Recover Stronger: Strengthening Food and Agriculture Technology”Surely, we plan to conduct this conference physically and virtually (hybrid). However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the situation has not subsided, the 5th ICOFA 2022 was carried out physically and virtually by zoom meeting platform. We took this option because this conference was already designated and funded. Keynote and invited speakers were also scheduled for this event. Many delegations and authors requested for this conference to be performed, since they need it to cover their publication and sharing knowledge requirements.The key directions of the conference covered the discussion of advanced achievements and touch upon the main aspects of the agriculture engineering and biotechnology, organic agriculture, animal science related to food, food science and technology, food safety, food security and sovereignty, IT for agriculture, renewable and novel energy sources, and socioeconomics related to food and agriculture.The conference was run as planned on 5th - 6th November 2022 and supported by hybrid event organizer started from 9.00 am to 17.00 pm. Conference model are Plenary session with keynotes (40 minutes for each keynote speech) and participants' presentations (20 minutes for each presentation). A total of 151 submissions and selected 134 participants from Universities, Research Institutes and also Government Departments joined the conference in over six countries Australia, Bangladesh, France, Indonesia, South Korea, and Thailand.Our honorable speakers were Dr. Ir. Dadik Pantaya, M.Si, IPU from Politeknik Negeri Jember, Indonesia;Prof. Sae-Byuk Lee, Ph.D from Kyungpook National University, School of Food Science and Biotechnology, South Korea;and Asoc. Prof. Dr. Fakir Sharif Hossain from Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology, Dhaka, Bangladesh.More than 134 full papers were submitted to 5th ICOFA 2022. After a pre-review on originality and language, peer review process was arranged by Editorial Committee and 94 manuscripts were selected for publication in IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science (EES).We also wish to thank to keynote speaker, invite speakers, presenters and participants, and all authors for contributions to the 5th ICOFA 2022 and to colleague members of the organizing committee, please accept my deep appreciation for your hard working in ensuring the success of the conference.Editor-in-Chief, ICOFA 2022Dr. Ir. Budi Hariono, M.Si.List of Scientific Committee ICOFA 2022, Technical Committee ICOFA 2022, Conference Photograph ICOFA 2022 are available in this pdf.

FOOD WASTE IN ROMANIA - STATISTICS AND FACTS

Food waste is a global concern today. Increasing the level of food security requires a better use of food systems, including reducing food waste and losses. Food crisis and the increase in the price of food, in the context of the climate changes, the Covid pandemic or the war in Ukraine, have sharpened the approach to food waste, including in Romania. National legislation on reducing food waste was adopted relatively late, and data on food waste in Romania are limited. According to international statistics, Romania wastes 2.5 million tons of food annually, with an average of about 70 kilograms/inhabitant, placing it in the middle of the European ranking of food waste. Research has shown that almost half of waste comes from households and a third from industrial food processing. The large commercial food chains in Romania already have programs to combat food waste. Educating the population, starting from primary education, adopting national strategies and applying good practices in reducing food waste from other European countries can represent potential solutions for Romania.

Evaluation of a nutrition education and cooking programme (NEST) in vulnerable adults who are at high risk of food insecurity

Within Australia, the prevalence of food insecure individuals increased from 2.6 million in 2014-2016 (10.8%) to 3.1 million in 2018- 2020 (12.3%) due to the COVID-19 pandemic.(1) OzHarvest is a not-for-profit organisation that prioritises food salvaging, food waste prevention and nutrition education.(2) OzHarvest's education sector facilitates a programme known as Nutrition Education Skills Training (NEST). NEST is a 6-week programme providing weekly workshops of 2.5-hour duration offering skills training on cooking simple, healthy, and affordable meals to adults at risk of food insecurity. This study aimed to determine the immediate and longerterm impacts of participation in NEST. A quasi-experimental study with pre-post surveys (n = 258) and follow-up surveys (n = 20) was conducted from June 2019 to July 2022. Survey results were obtained from NEST program participants (18 years) from Adelaide Canberra, Melbourne, Newcastle, Queensland, and Sydney. Baseline (pre-) and post-surveys (at program completion) were administered to participants, with an option for a 6-month follow-up survey. Participants were required to complete both surveys to be eligible for this study. Questionnaires included 23 core questions adapted from previous studies,(3) allowing evaluation of nutrition knowledge confidence and self-efficacy, shopping, and food preparation behaviours, and eating behaviours. Food security was assessed using the standard 6-item indicator set for classifying households by food security status level. Using paired t-tests, Shapiro Wilks, and Wilcoxon sign-ranked tests for pre and post survey data, participants demonstrated overall improvement in nutrition knowledge (p < 0.001), confidence and self-efficacy (n = 222;p < 0.001) and food preparation behaviours (p < 0.001). The intake of discretionary foods overall decreased (p < 0.001) while fruit, vegetable and water intake increased (p < 0.001). Food security improved from 57% to 68% immediately within the population (p < 0.001). Using RMANOVA and Shapiro Wilks tests, the 6-month survey results were compared to the pre surveys suggested longer lasting improvements in nutrition knowledge (p < 0.001), cooking confidence (n = 8;p = 0.033), food preparation behaviours (p = 0.003), and increased vegetable intake (p = 0.032) and fruit intake (p = 0.012) Participation in OzHarvest's NEST programme results in short-term improvements in food security levels and dietary behaviours Over the longer term, these changes were sustained but to a lesser degree, indicating that systemic changes are required to address underlying socioeconomic disadvantage.

Nasal photodisinfection in an industrial workplace for COVID-19 suppression

Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) [1] has been deployed in tens of thousands of patients in Canada for preoperative intranasal bacterial suppression to reduce the prevalence rate of surgical site infections [2]. This treatment has proven safe and effective, with infection rate reductions of 40-80% in tertiary care systems despite only requiring 4 minutes of therapy [2]. We previously demonstrated that aPDT eliminates the RNA signature of wild-type SARS-CoV-2 in vitro, with reduction of RT-qPCR threshold counts (DELTACt = 22) in a light-dose dependent manner (C = 320 muM, lambda = 664 nm, F = 36 J/cm2) [3]. Photodynamic targets were found to include the receptor binding domain, spike protein and nucleocapsid domain, consistent with a broad spectrum peroxidative effect on anionic moieties throughout the virion [3]. This work describes the benefits of using regular aPDT treatments in the industrial workplace for the purpose of employee COVID-19 prevention. From July 2020 to August 2021, aPDT was deployed at a large Canadian food processing plant. Meat processing facilities face distinctive challenges in control of infectious diseases, including SARS-CoV-2. Factors that increase processing workers' risk for exposure to SARS-CoV-2 include close contact for 8-12 hour shifts, shared transportation, and congregate housing [4,5]. The presence of a slaughtering plant in a community is associated with a 51 to 75% increase in COVID-19 cases per thousand over the baseline community rate, and a 37 to 50% increase in death rate over the baseline community rate [5]. Methylene blue-mediated aPDT (SteriwaveTM Nasal Photodisinfection System, Ondine Biomedical Inc., Vancouver, BC) was added to the standard infection control bundle at the plant, along with employee education. Treatments were administered free of charge to approximately 1,500 employees on a voluntary basis during paid work hours. Compliance levels of employees requesting aPDT were 85%. To determine intervention efficacy, the rate of qPCR-positive COVID-19 tests over the treatment time period was compared to the same rate in the surrounding province. Results demonstrated a reduction of COVID-19 rate of over 3 times (p<.0001, Fisher's Exact Test) in the treated population compared to the untreated population, with the largest adverse event being mild (self-limiting) rhinorrhea in < 1% of cases. The plant continued production and distribution of products without disruption. Important outcomes from this quality improvement initiative included (a) aPDT proved to be a rapid, lightweight intervention that could be deployed at high compliance levels in a commercial high-throughput food processing operation, (b) significant impact (>3X reduction) on the COVID-19 rates was observed and (c) COVID-19-related comorbidities including acute and long-term illness, disability, and death were proportionately avoided.Copyright © 2023

Tolerance Increase in Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus USA300 Exposed to Low-Power Continuous Ultraviolet Radiation from Narrow-Wavelength Sources

Escherichia coli O157:H7 is a major cause of foodborne disease outbreaks throughout the world, while methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is responsible for many difficult-to-treat infections in humans. Ultraviolet (UV) irradiation is commonly used for disinfection in food processing, medical facilities, and water treatment to prevent the transmission of these pathogen. With increased use of UV disinfection technologies over the last few years because of COVID-19 and concerns about other communicable disease, it has become a concern that microbial species could develop tolerance to UV irradiation, especially when it is applied continuously. To elucidate the effect of continuous UV exposure at different wavelengths and power levels on the tolerance development of bacteria, Escherichia coli O157:H7 and MRSA)USA300 growths were investigated by continuously exposing inoculated agar plates to six different commercially available UV sources at wavelengths of 222 nm, 254 nm, 275 nm, and 405 nm. The agar plates in these experiments were partially covered by a thin acrylic sheet, which provided either complete protection from the UV to the cells directly under the sheet, no protection if significantly away from the sheet, or partial protection near the edges of the sheet due to shading or small amounts of UV reflection under the sheet at the edges. In these experiments, tolerant cells of E. coli and S. aureus were found from the 222 nm, the 405 nm, and one of the 254 nm sources. Upon examination of the power of each UV source, it was shown that the 275 nm and 254 nm sources that resulted in no tolerant cells had surface power densities [at 25 cm (10 in.)] that were more than 10-200 times greater than those that had tolerant cells. These results suggests that bacterial cells have a higher chance to develop UV tolerance under lower power UV sources (under the experimental conditions in our laboratory). Genome investigation of the tolerant colonies revealed that there are no significant differences between the cells that developed tolerance and the original organism, hinting at the need to explore the role of epigenetics mechanisms in the development of UV tolerance in these bacteria. © 2023 American Society of Civil Engineers.

Development of nutritional biscuits for children, rich in Fe and Zn, by incorporation of pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima) seeds powder, a healthy pharma food in current post COVID 19 period

During preparatory operations of pumpkin, for cooking and processing, usually peel and seeds are discarded as waste but pumpkin seeds are rich in macro and micro nutrients, a potential source of pharma foods. In present study biscuits were developed from pumpkin seeds powder, rich in Fe and Zn, for children to strengthen innate and adaptive immune system to combat current COVID 19 outbreak scenarios. Chemical analyses of pumpkin seeds powder, white flour and developed biscuits, with 0, 5, 10 and 15% replacement level of pumpkin seeds powder, were performed. Ash, fat, fiber, Fe and Zn contents were significantly higher in pumpkin seeds powder as compared to white flour. By increasing the replacement level of pumpkin seeds powder with white flour, a significant increase in ash, fat, fiber, Fe and Zn, in biscuits was observed. In control (T0) the contents were, ash (0.57%), fat (30.36%), fiber (0.37%), Fe (2.44 mg/100 g) and Zn (1.45 mg/100 g) but when supplementation level was increased to 15% (T3) these contents were increased as, ash (1.65%), fat (32.46%), fiber (1.24%), Fe (4.23 mg/100 g) and Zn (4.37 mg/100 g). In current post COVID 19 scenario adequate supply of healthy diet, balanced with pharma foods could play a basic role in boosting immune system of the children. Concerns of the food processors has raised the choice of new food products enriched with immunity booster nutrients. These nutritious biscuits can be developed, marketed and consumed at mass levels to provide the basic nutrients to the developing communities.

Bruneian SMEs amid the COVID-19 pandemic: challenges for the Halal food processing industry

Purpose: Despite the world's effort in grappling with the coronavirus disease that has affected many sectors globally, knowledge and research on the COVID-19 pandemic as well as on the halal food and beverage industry remain limited, particularly in Brunei Darussalam. Hence, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the challenges that small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the halal food processing industry face amid the COVID-19 pandemic in the sultanate. Design/methodology/approach: A qualitative approach based on four semi-structured interviews was employed using a purposive sampling of managers and business owners of the manufacturing SMEs. Several government agencies were also interviewed to further supplement the findings. This paper also uses the support from a review of relevant academic journal articles, and other secondary data including newspapers and websites, to uncover the hindering factors surrounding the phenomenon. Findings: Four themes emerged, covering four overarching and inter-related challenges including limited production;closure of retail stores;delay in exporting;and less sales to cover overheads. Research limitations/implications: This study positively contributes to the understanding of the challenges that the COVID-19 pandemic has brought into the country as well as adds and enriches the halal research sphere. Several implications for the SMEs, policymakers, as well as academic scholars, and limitations are also discussed. Originality/value: To the best of the authors' knowledge, this study is among the first to investigate the halal food processing industry in Brunei Darussalam especially, during the time of uncertainties such as the COVID-19 era. The paper's value also lies in addressing the gap that there is a need to study on the impact of this outbreak on SMEs in the developing countries, inclusive of Brunei Darussalam. © 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited.

Enhancing food supply chain in green logistics with multi-level processing strategy under disruptions

Food supply chains (FSCs) have long been exposed to environmental variability and shock events caused by various economic, political, and infrastructural factors. The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has further exposed and identified the vulnerability of FSCs, and promoted integrated optimization approaches for building resilience. However, existing works focusing on general supply chains (SCs) and FSCs have not been fully aware of the distinct characteristics of FSCs in green logistics, i.e., the expiration of fresh products. In reality, perishable food materials can be processed into products of different processing levels (i.e., multi-level processing) for longer shelf lives, which can serve as a timely and economic strategy to increase safety stocks for mitigating disruption risks. Motivated by this fact, we study the problem of enhancing FSC with a multi-level processing strategy. An integrated location, inventory, and distribution planning model for a multi-echelon FSC under COVID-19-related disruptions is formulated to maximize the total profit over a finite planning horizon. Specifically, a two-stage stochastic programming model is presented to hedge against disruption risks, where scenarios are generated to characterize geographical impact induced by source-region disruptions. For small-scale problems, the model can be solved with commercial solvers. To exactly and efficiently solve the large-scale instances, we design an integer L-shaped method. Numerical experiments are conducted on a case study and randomly generated instances to show the efficiency of our model and solution method. Based on the case study, managerial insights are drawn.

Practical exploration of online teaching of animal product processing

Online teaching has become an important part of higher education due to the continuous effects of the global COVID-19. In this paper, the online teaching of Animal Product Processing was designed and implemented from three aspects of optimization of online teaching content, organization of teaching process and implementation of online assessment. According to the analysis of the questionnaire survey and the final evaluation results, the online teaching of Animal Product Processing is well received by the students and has achieved good teaching results, providing a useful reference for colleges and universities to carry out in-depth online teaching of Animal Product Processing.