The present article considers the functioning of food supply chains and their major component — a continuous cold chain of perishable food products, including meat products, under the conditions of COVID‑19 pandemic. The issues of the impact of the pandemic on production, processing and commercial supply of meat and meat products in Russia and worldwide are being considered. The traceability of temperature fluctuations in meat processing plants is relevant; it becomes an increasingly important factor for efficient logistics to provide the best supply and to keep the food safe in the current conditions. Research data is presented here. The results of the research show that frozen foods serve as carriers and distributors of SARS-CoV‑2 infection without any contact between people. This conclusion highlights additional challenges in controlling the spread of COVID‑19 worldwide, and reveals the mechanism of the disease transmission, taking into account the peculiarities of temperature modes during storage and transportation of perishable meat products. The risks of food cold chains functioning under the conditions of pandemic, the adaptive strategies for their mitigation and logistical systems of tracking are considered, in particular, the application of various data technologies.

Food quality monitoring is increasingly important. This paper aims to propose the developed wireless pressure sensor system (WPSS) for fish quality monitoring. WPSS consists of a sensor acquisition module, power supply module, and Bluetooth module. The sensor acquisition module includes a temperature sensor, pressure sensor, and microcontroller unit (MCU). When Bluetooth receives the data collection command from the smartphone, the data of storage temperature and pressure in the food package can be collected by the sensor and transmitted wirelessly to the smartphone through Bluetooth. All data obtained by the system is monitored, stored, processed, and eventually displayed in a smartphone app in real-time to improve temperature, air pressure, and freshness transparency within the food package, ultimately ensuring food quality and safety. The proposed WPSS has potential application in many kinds of food monitoring. It can realize simple and intuitive food quality indications.

Changes in the muscle tissue microstructure lead to changes in meat quality. One of the causes of the myopathy development is animal stress. Pigs experience the strongest stress during pre-slaughter holding. The study of the postmortem meat structure depending on fasting time is a topical task. The objects of the research were samples of m. L. dorsi obtained after slaughter from pigs that differed in fasting time: 4 (group 1), 8 (group 2), 10 (group 3), 16 (group 4) and 18 (group 5) hours (N = 20, n = 4). Investigation of the microstructure and morphometric measurements were carried out on preparations stained with hematoxylin and eosin. Myopathic changes in muscle tissue were assessed using a semi-quantitative method developed earlier. All studied samples were characterized by the uniform condition of muscle tissue. Statistically significant differences between individual groups were observed regarding the number and area of giant fibers, sarcomere length, diameter of muscle fibers and proportion of muscle fibers, which diameter was lower or higher by 1/3 than the mean fiber diameter. An increase in the pre-slaughter holding time reduced the number and area of giant fibers (r = –0.8437 and –0.5796, respectively), as well as the diameter of “normal” fibers (r = –0.5337), which positively influenced pork quality. Groups 1, 2 and 3 were characterized by the presence of signs of moderate and pronounced myopathy. Only one carcass with pronounced myopathic signs was revealed in each of groups 4 and 5. In group 4, one carcass did not have signs of myopathy. Pre-slaughter holding during 4, 8 and 10 hours led to deterioration of pork quality. The recommended fasting time is 16 hours.

The article presents a hierarchy of requirements necessary for the successful design of food products with given composition and properties considering age restrictions and various diseases. The need for generalization and systematization of scientifically based principles, specific medical and biological requirements for food products, diets for the most common nutritional diseases in the knowledge base is shown. Using the k-means cluster analysis method, 1) meat raw materials were analyzed for inclusion in functional food for gerodietetic nutrition according to the most significant descriptors (protein, methionine + cystine amino acids, tryptophan), 2) spicy herbs and spices were analyzed for inclusion in the Muhammara recipe as natural antioxidant sources according to the descriptor of antioxidant properties. Using the example of the Muhammara recipe change, all stages of a systemic approach in the development of functional foods are shown. The first stage is related to obtaining information from the knowledge base about scientifically based nutritional principles and specific biomedical requirements for the given age group. At the second stage, the clustering of raw materials of animal and vegetable origin is carried out in order to reasonably include in the recipe of food product being developed. At the third stage, a system of balance linear algebraic equations for the chemical composition of the food product being developed (mass fraction of fat, protein, water, carbohydrates, vitamins, macro- and microelements, amino acids, etc.) is formed. The fourth stage is associated with the establishment of the target function (optimization criterion), and restrictions for recipe and balance. At the fifth stage, the problem is solved using a high-level language in a modern programming environment. At the final (sixth) stage, the nutritional value of the optimal balanced recipe is analyzed considering the target function and the given restrictions. As a result, we receive a modified Muhammara recipe with optimized protein: fat ratio. Mathematical simulation was carried out using the R Studio software with open-source lpSolve and lpSolveAPI libraries.

Atmospheric cold plasma is an innovative, non-thermal technology. It has shown promising results for a broad range of food processing applications. On the basis of those facts, it has prompted growing attention in the scientific community. This paper reviews the literature generation trends surrounding the atmospheric cold plasma technology. A bibliometric analysis was carried out to objectively and analytically uncover the knowledge development in the atmospheric cold plasma technology within the context of meat processing. The research began with querying the Dimensions database for scientific articles published over the past two decades. A total of 105 papers were published during this period. The articles were examined according to several bibliometric metrics such as the year of publication, countries, institutions, sources, authors, and keywords frequency. The results of the bibliometric analysis revealed that researchers are very interested in studying the interface of the atmospheric cold plasma technology and meat processing. In the last couple of years, the number of publications on the topic has been growing. This is the first bibliometric investigation of the atmospheric cold plasma technology in the context of meat processing. To the authors’ best knowledge, no similar analysis has been performed before. This paper provides researchers with a better understanding of topic developments. A better understanding can aid future research by closing present knowledge gaps. Hence, the paper provides the continuation of up-to-date technological discussions among researchers.

This article presents a trophological approach to the development of nutrition. The evolution of human views on nutrition from antiquity to the present time, including issues of perfect nutrition, is considered. The main concepts of nutrition theories are formulated. The systematized reasoning is useful for new rationale for solutions of challenges related to optimization of nutrition. Within the scope of the development of nutrition theories, the problem of perfect food plays a special role. The article presents a modern vision of perfect nutrition. The designing of trophological nutrition algorithm is based on scientific approaches that both to justify the correct consumption of food products, and also define the most reasonable way of their production, storage, distribution and disposal of food waste. The implementation of the trophological approach in theories of nutrition is also reflected in the concept of the state policy of the Russian Federation in the field of healthy nutrition among the population. This topic is also relevant in light of the sharp increase of food allergies among the various groups of population, because people who suffer from food allergies must follow a special diet to prevent the risk of allergic reactions, which can be managed using a nutritional approach.

The role and responsibility of natural resistance factors, protein and lipid metabolism in the formation of piglets post-vaccination immunity against circovirus is researched. Blood was taken for tests before and on the 15th, 40th and 70th day after the vaccination. The sampled blood was analyzed to determine immunological and biochemical parameters. It was revealed that before vaccination, 31.46% of the studied samples have a positive reaction in ELISA; their number increases to 67.80–71.16% on the 40th and 70th days after vaccination.In the blood of piglets, especially on the 40th and 70th day after the vaccination, the total count of leukocytes, monocytes and lymphocytes increases by 1.21; 2.28 times and 1.48 times, but neutrophils reduced by 1.74 times along with the phagocytic properties activation. The anabolic directivity of protein metabolism is defined by the synthesis of globulin proteins. At the same time albumin-synthesizing activity in a liver decreased and “cytolysis reaction” of hepatocytes was detected. In the lipid profile of piglets’ blood, the content of LDL‑cholesterol increased by 1.44 times, while that of triglycerides decreased by 2.64 times. X‑ray spectral analysis revealed the correlation between the formation of post-vaccination immunity and two factors: the factor of the principal component (PC) 1, which is predominantly associated with indicators of natural resistance, and PC2, which is associated with metabolism indicators. The research results show that in order to increase the efficiency of formation of post-vaccination immunity in piglets, it is necessary to combine vaccination with hepatoprotective drugs.

While choosing one or another product from a wide variety on the market, we intuitively focus on the quality of the food product, we pay attention to its source, raw material and how this food is made. At the same time, the same questions are being asked by food manufacturers as they want to be sure of the quality and safety of purchased raw materials and ingredients. In both cases, decisions should be based on the consequences they could entail. It must be acknowledged that any failure in the field-to-shelf chain system may harm the consumers’ health, as well as may lead to disruptions and losses in the food industry. Producers and consumers are increasingly concerned in the terms of life cycles. The life cycle is the most expressive and comprehensive approach to achieve the highest usefulness of the made decisions. The fact is that life cycle problems can be solved, and product life cycles can be managed, controlled and regulated. This is widely applied, for example, by the use of life cycle methodology in solving environmental problems highlighted in this article. However, in the meat processing industry the standards of the ISO 9000 series are not supported by this methodology. It was necessary to find and define the problem-exposed stages from the full life cycle of production of meat and meat-containing canned food within the system “from the field to the shop shelf”. Those problem-exposed stages are responsible for safety and quality of canned food and responsible for maintaining the safety and quality of ready-to-eat food products, as the most relevant stages in the meat processing industry. Here the author proposes for consideration three stages of the life cycle of canned meat and meat-containing food, including its pre-production, production process and post-production. It is assumed that the impacts at certain limited stages of the canned food production cycle will be representative in terms of consequences of applied decisions.