Coronavirus pandemic has drastically upended the daily life routines of human beings and has wide wide-ranging effects on entire sectors of society. The food sector is also susceptible and substantially harmed by the influence of intensive effects of coronavirus. To ensure food safety and limit the spread of coronavirus at food services and retail sector has become a challenge where delicate and fresh food items are served and delivered to the customers, which have passed through a series of operational steps from order taking, food receiving, preparation of food, packing, delivery to customers. At each step, there is a possibility of food handlers to touch the food surface or food directly and if food handler is not following appropriate precautionary measures e.g. hand hygiene, sanitization and disinfection, social distances, and is touching, then it can be a possible source of coronavirus spread. Since there is no evidence that food is a coronavirus transmission route but during the food operations, improper sanitization and disinfection of key touchpoints, food contact, nonfood contact, equipment and cleaning tools surfaces and close contact of food handlers with staff and customers not only can put themselves on risk but can also be a risk for customers. Food services and the retail sector should make sure proper hand hygiene, approved sanitizers and disinfectants in use, follow social distances at workstations and while interacting with the customers. Finally, the business should be vigilant to monitor the temperature of staff and incoming guests to identify if there may any sick person to avoid from further spread of coronavirus and shall report to concerned health authorities if anyone symptoms matching with COVID-19.

Coronavirus pandemic (Covid-19) leaves wide-ranging and catastrophic effects at normal ways of living, has disturbed the global food supply chain, and have a damaging impact on food security as well. Food industry and the government should come together to ensure that the food sector should remain open for consistent and unhindered production of food, so consumers have continued access to safe, healthy, and nutritious food during this pandemic. As the countries combat coronavirus pandemic, the food sector must keep gears of food processing and manufacturing moving on to avoid food shortage in the market. To continue the production and supply of safe food at the sites, the food processing and manufacturing facilities have the same level of health challenges which may pose hurdles to consistently of food production. To prevent such issues and critical situation, the food industry needs to take on specific precautions for site and employees to keep them safe and healthy. By appropriately maintaining the food safety systems and with special consideration to combat coronavirus transmission at premises and among employees can help food facilities to not disrupt the flow of manufactured food products and ingredients including food packaging material. Food facilities should strictly monitor staff health, personnel hygiene, and appropriate use of personnel protective equipment at the site entrance and during working and should adopt restrictive visitor policies including suppliers and contractors. Cleaning and disinfection of frequent and high touch points with approved chemicals and sanitizers with defined frequencies and practicing social distances and employee optimization during shifts can be helpful to prevent the spread of coronavirus. The management should limit their visits to the site and monitor the activities by CCTV cameras and food safety audits can be conducted with the use of remote auditing tools. Finally, the facilities should be vigilant to monitor the temperature of staff, employees and visitors, supplier, or contractor to identify if there may any sick person to avoid further spread of coronavirus and shall report to concerned health authorities if anyone symptoms matching with COVID-19.

Recently, demand for fermented foods has increased due to their improved nutritional value, taste, and health-promoting properties. Worldwide consumption of these products is increasing. Fermented foods are generally safe for human consumption. However, some toxins, primarily biogenic amines (putrescine, phenylethylamine, histamine, tyramine, and cadaverine), mycotoxins (fumonisins, aflatoxins, ochratoxin A, zearalenone, and trichothecenes), and bacterial toxins (endotoxins, enterotoxins, and emetic toxins) can be produced as a result of using an inappropriate starter culture, processing conditions, and improper storage. These toxins can cause a multitude of foodborne illnesses and can lead to cardiovascular aberration and adverse gastrointestinal symptoms. Analytical techniques are in use for the detection of toxins in fermented foods for monitoring and control purposes. These include culture, chromatographic, immunoassays, and nano sensor-based techniques. These detection techniques can be used during the production process and along the food chain. On an industrial scale, HPLC is widely used for sensitive quantification of toxins in fermented foods. Recently, biosensor and nano sensor-based techniques have gained popularity due to accuracy, time efficiency, and simultaneous detection of multiple toxins. Other strategic methods being investigated for the removal of toxins from fermented foods include the use of specific starter cultures for bio-preservation, aflatoxin-binding, and biogenic amine-degradation agents that may help to appropriately manage the food safety concerns associated with fermented foods.

The effect of pulsed electric field (PEF) treatment on the cell membrane permeabilization of potato tissue and the quality of French fries was investigated. Pulses with an electric field strength of 0.5, 1.5, and 2.5 kV/cm and a width of 20 μs were applied to the potato. PEF treatment permeabilized the membrane of potato cells. The magnitude of cell-membrane permeabilization was estimated by ion leaching and biological impedance tests and verified by microscopic observation. As the PEF field strength increased, the accumulation of neutral red dye decreased due to increased cell rupture. The index Z-values (relative cell membrane breakdown values) for 0.5-, 1.5-, and 2.5-kV/cm PEF-treated samples were 0.01, 0.28, and 0.52, respectively. PEF treatment at 2.5 kV/cm reduced the cutting force of potatoes by 33%; it also increased the degree of the crispness of French fries by 64% and decreased crude fat content by 28%. The total reducing sugar content was decreased by PEF treatment, which could be attributed to increased lightness and yellowness after frying. Therefore, PEF treatment improved the quality of French fries by increasing crispness, improving color, and reducing crude fat content.

Background Foodborne diseases are among the most serious public health problems and young adults are an important target group as they often engage in risky food handling practices. The purpose of this study was to assess the level of food safety knowledge and its determinants among Pakistani university students. Method A cross-sectional study was conducted among university students during the academic year 2018-2019. A convenient sample of 1417 students completed a structured questionnaire containing forty-four questions on food safety and hygiene. Results Overall, participants showed a moderate level of food safety knowledge with a mean percentage score of 62.5±8.4. Students had a good level of knowledge about causes of foodborne diseases (66.3±16.9). However, the lowest level of knowledge was identified in foodborne diseases' symptoms (55.2±14.3). In general, females and participants from health-related degree program scored significantly higher (p<0.01) in all knowledge sections than their counterparts. A significant association was found between the causes of foodborne diseases and postgraduate students being more knowledgeable (p<0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that age, gender, academic degree program, level of education, and father's education were significant predictors of overall food safety knowledge. Conclusion The results of this study showed that university students have a moderate knowledge in food safety. Educational interventions and awareness programs are needed to strengthen the existing knowledge.