Review of novel human β‐coronavirus (2019‐nCoV or SARS‐CoV‐2) from the food industry perspective—Appropriate approaches to food production technology

Goli, Mohammad

Coronaviruses, enveloped nonsegmented positive‐sense RNA viruses, can affect the respiratory and digestive systems of humans and a variety of birds and mammals. The primary target cells of coronaviruses compromise the respiratory and gastrointestinal region epithelial cells due to their cell features and delivery through fomites, airborne, or fecal–oral routes. Some functional food sources due to having crucial chemical compounds may help individuals to overcome this infection by modulating the body's immune system, generating antiviral activity against the infection, and reducing other respiratory problems. The purpose of this study was to review these coronaviruses, especially SARS (because of its very similar gene sequence to the 2019‐nCoV or SARS‐CoV‐2), from the perspective of appropriate approaches to food production technology, including following good food safety practices in food production lines; avoidance of underheating in the processing of swine and the other meat products; uncertainty about the safety of frozen or refrigerated meat products; providing unfavorable environmental conditions for coronavirus survival (minimum heat treatment, e.g., low‐temperature long time and greater for liquid food products, pH ≤ 3, minimum storage relative humidity); production of industrial foods fortified and enriched with vitamin D, C, B3, K, amino acid L‐tryptophan, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD(+)), and tannins; and preventing the production of industrial foods fortified or enriched with mineral supplements that participate in the Fenton reaction in the human body. Considering these aspects during times and places of coronavirus, prevalence will be essential for preventing further outbreaks at the community level.