Foodborne viruses, particularly human norovirus, are a concern for public health, especially in fresh vegetables and other minimally processed foods that may not undergo sufficient decontamination. It is necessary to explore novel nonthermal techniques for preventing foodborne viral contamination. In this study, aqueous extracts of six raw food materials (flower buds of clove, fenugreek seeds, garlic and onion bulbs, ginger rhizomes, and jalapeño peppers) were tested for antiviral activity against feline calicivirus (FCV) as a surrogate for human norovirus. The antiviral assay was performed using dilutions of the extracts below the maximum nontoxic concentrations of the extracts to the host cells of FCV, Crandell-Reese feline kidney (CRFK) cells. No antiviral effect was seen when the host cells were pretreated with any of the extracts. However, pretreatment of FCV with nondiluted clove and ginger extracts inactivated 6.0 and 2.7 log of the initial titer of the virus, respectively. Also, significant dosedependent inactivation of FCV was seen when host cells were treated with clove and ginger extracts at the time of infection or postinfection at concentrations equal to or lower than the maximum nontoxic concentrations. By comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis, eugenol (29.5%) and R-(-)-1,2-propanediol (10.7%) were identified as the major components of clove and ginger extracts, respectively. The antiviral effect of the pure eugenol itself was tested; it showed antiviral activity similar to that of clove extract, albeit at a lower level, which indicates that some other clove extract constituents, along with eugenol, are responsible for inactivation of FCV. These results showed that the aqueous extracts of clove and ginger hold promise for prevention of foodborne viral contamination.

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PurposeDue to wider acceptance of information technology (IT) and e-commerce among the consumers, firms belonging to agri businesses are rapidly redefining IT-driven stakeholders' centric completive strategy for their supply chain. This has forced the firms to understand the stakeholders' information needs and quality they expect from the electronic supply chains. Thus, the present study focusses on developing an information quality framework that ensures the success of stakeholders' centric e-agri supply chain. The study also attempts to investigate the interrelationship between formative endogenous latent variables, i.e. value of information (VoI), e-platform responsiveness (RESP), e-platform aesthetics (SAE), e-platform ease of use (EoU) and fulfillment of expectation (FoE) used in the developing the proposed framework.Design/methodology/approachSurvey based data are obtained from 280 respondents using semistructured questionnaire to validate the proposed theoretical framework. The structural equation modeling is performed using IBM Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS) 16.0 and Analysis of Moment Structures (AMOS) 24.0 package to establish structural model by accommodating determinants of information quality framework identified from extent literature. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) is employed to examine the robustness of manifesting variables that define the latent constructs. The robustness measuring items of constructs are also ensured through specified criteria of reliability, convergent validity and discriminant validity. At last the one-way ANOVA and post-hoc analysis are employed to investigate the stakeholders’ group difference on each study construct.FindingsThe results infer the impact RESP, VoI, SAE and EoU on the fulfillment of expectation (FoE). After applying the bootstrapping technique, it was observed that all causal relationships as proposed in hypotheses H1, H1a, H1b, H2, H3 and H4 have gained significant empirical support, thus verify the framework applicable to e-agri supply chain as the study outcome. Addition to this, SAE mediates relationship of RESP and VoI. The RESP and SAE have an indirect positive effect on “EoU.” Findings also suggest that the intermediaries expect better e-platform responsiveness and value of information from e-agri supply chain as compared to farmers and end consumers.Practical implicationsThe findings of the study emphasized on the importance of five exogenous variables for e-agri supply chain in order to achieve stakeholders' expectation fulfillment on the information delivered through e-agri supply chain. The study is of great significance to the practitioners and management professionals by aiding strategic worth of market expansion by maximizing users' base by developing, deploying and facilitating a responsive and resilient stakeholders' centric e-agri supply chains. The study provides insights to the cross-domain researchers, firms, managers and policymakers to capture detailed and deeper understanding on the system design, stakeholders' behavior and in policy formulation so as to suggest remedial measures to strengthen the stakeholders' belief on relying e-agri supply chain.Originality/valueThe study considers the empirical model that shows the determinants and their relationship in the “information quality framework” as unique and novel contribution in the context of e-agri supply chain. The framework determines the quality and efficacious use of information that regulates the effectiveness of e-platform from stakeholders' perspective. The investigated constructs and their relationship depict their importance in creating systematic value chain of information across the supply chain.