Postbiotics as the new frontier in food and pharmaceutical research.

Food is the essential need of human life and has nutrients that support growth and health. Gastrointestinal tract microbiota involves valuable microorganisms that develop therapeutic effects and are characterized as probiotics. The investigations on appropriate probiotic strains have led to the characterization of specific metabolic byproducts of probiotics named postbiotics. The probiotics must maintain their survival against inappropriate lethal conditions of the processing, storage, distribution, preparation, and digestion system so that they can exhibit their most health effects. Conversely, probiotic metabolites (postbiotics) have successfully overcome these unfavorable conditions and may be an appropriate alternative to probiotics. Due to their specific chemical structure, safe profile, long shelf-life, and the fact that they contain various signaling molecules, postbiotics may have anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, antihypertensive properties, inhibiting abnormal cell proliferation and antioxidative activities. Consequently, present scientific literature approves that postbiotics can mimic the fundamental and clinical role of probiotics, and due to their unique characteristics, they can be applied in an oral delivery system (pharmaceutical/functional foods), as a preharvest food safety hurdle, to promote the shelf-life of food products and develop novel functional foods or/and for developing health benefits, and therapeutic aims. This review addresses the latest postbiotic applications with regard to pharmaceutical formulations and commercial food-based products. Potential postbiotic applications in the promotion of host health status, prevention of disease, and complementary treatment are also reviewed.

Can food matrices be considered as a potential carrier for COVID-19?

Humanity is currently facing a life-threatening challenge from the infectious and epidemic disease SARS-CoV-2. To date, the various modes of transmission of the virus have not been fully elucidated. In this regard, there is a possibility of transmission of the virus through food products. The COVID-19 pandemic disease, like those associated with SARS and MERS, is transmitted mainly through the respiratory tract and airborne aerosol particles, but the presence of fragments of the genetic virus (RNA) in the feces of numerous patients proposes that their fecal-oral pathway may be expanded. In addition, people with gastrointestinal disorders such as atrophic gastritis and metaplasia may be susceptible to COVID-19 infection. Accordingly, food may act as a potential carrier of COVID-19 due to environmental or cross-contamination. According to the available evidence, the spread and possibility of transmission of COVID-19 contamination from humans to food products are possible. Beyond that, there is some evidence that some food sources of animal origin, such as pigs and rabbits, can be contaminated by COVID-19. Therefore, the transmission of the virus through some meat products may be conceivable. Due to the rapid release rate of COVID-19 and its stability in various milieus, especially food manufacturing circumstances, it may enter the matrix during different stages of traditional or industrial food processing. Therefore, preventive measures are recommended to be utilized in the food manufacturing sector. The present study explored the risk of different food matrices, including dairy products, bread, meat and meat products, vegetables, fruits, and processed foods, as potential carriers for the transmission of COVID-19.