The food cold chain is an effective tool that allows food markets to maintain food quality and reduce losses. Poor logistics may result in foodborne disease outbreaks and greenhouse gas emissions caused by organic matter decay. The ongoing pandemic of COVID-19 makes it necessary to study the chances of SARS-CoV-2 transmissions in food products. This study reviews cold chain logistics as a handy tool for avoiding food safety risks, including COVID-19. The cold chain of perishables and its proper management make it possible to maintain quality and safety at any stage of the food supply chain. The technology covers each link of the food chain to prevent microbial spoilage caused by temperature fluctuations and the contamination with SARS-CoV-2 associated with perishable foods. Given the lack of knowledge in this field in Latin America, the region needs new research to determine the impact of the cold chain on perishable foodstuffs. The perishable cold chain is only as strong as its weakest link, and the national and international markets require new traceability protocols to minimize the effect of COVID-19.

Cerebral palsy (CP) in children constitutes a set of movement and body posture disorders caused by brain injury, which in turn is associated with a series of intestinal, respiratory, and malnutrition conditions. Twenty-four children were selected and included for the present study and subdivided into two groups: (1) children who included modern kefir (containing 12 probiotic species) in their diet; and (2) control group (not including kefir in their diet). The group supplemented with modern kefir received a beverage with multi probiotic species and the control group received commercial yogurt (which included the 2 typical lactic acid bacteria) for 7 weeks. Anthropometric variables, resting energy expenditure, presence, and diagnosis of functional digestive disorders (FDD), frequency of respiratory problems, presence of elevated C-reactive protein, differential count of leukocytes were evaluated. A significant increase in weight and height was found in the kefir group at the final time point. In addition, kefir intake promoted a significant reduction in functional constipation and stool hardness and increased the absolute value of blood lymphocytes. Since the fermented milk beverage modern kefir improves constipation, which is the most important FDD in children with CP and the nutritional and immune status, it could be considered an important strategy to improve health in these children.

The development of a tortilla‐type product based on corn flour and the partial substitution of Opuntia flour (OF) and soy flour (SF) emerged from the need and demand of the snack sector for a product of better nutritional quality. This study evaluated the effect of substitution of OF and SF in the tortilla–chip process and the effect of infrared dehydration on the process. Nixtamalized corn flour (NFC) was replaced by 5% and 10% of OF, 4%, 5%, and 6% of defatted SF, and a mix of 5% and 4% of OF and defatted SF, respectively. High protein content is observed in raw SF (52%) and fiber content in raw OF (43%). Pasting properties and the water solubility index (WSI) were diminished by the substitutions. Infrared dehydration considerably affects water and moisture content and reduces the oil absorption rate. The color analysis revealed that increasing OF substitution decreased luminosity ( L ∗) and intensified greenish tones, while defatted SF maintained color stability. The highest total color difference ( Δ E ) was observed in formulations with 10% OF, especially after frying, indicating significant pigment interactions and thermal effects. Plasticity, elasticity, and the fracture force of the material were influenced by OF and SF. In texture properties, significant differences were observed; for OF, the greater the substitution, the less force the piece required for fracture; on the other hand, the soybean demonstrated a considerable increase in strength for the level of 1% ( p < 0.001). In conclusion, it was found that SF and OF are viable for replacing NCF in combined percentages of no more than 10%, in that it can be processed at an industrial level without modifying the representative characteristics of the product and improving nutritional quality by increasing the fiber and protein content.

The cold chain represents an important opportunity for the food industry to offer food safety and quality of perishable foodstuffs, mainly by maximizing shelf life through limiting bacterial growth. Especially meat products have a short shelf life due to their cold chain requirements. Refrigeration equipment must always be appropriately calibrated and monitored to provide the right temperature and ensure its correct performance. This study aimed to evaluate the cold chain at the retail link in supermarkets of the major commercial chains in Mexico during 2021 and 2022 by recording the surface temperature of pork, poultry, and beef cuts in open coolers. A general linear model was used for the statistical analysis in a completely randomized design. The study considered several factors, such as supermarket, season of the year, position inside the refrigerator, type of meat and environmental temperature. Cold chain breaks were detected in certain seasons of the year, in supermarkets, and even within the refrigerator; there were differences between positions where products were placed. The persistence of these variations in the cold chain represents a public health risk caused by the consumption of foods because a temperature increase can lead to a rise in the microbial load of meat products. Thus, meat cold chain requires integrated logistics management in order to maintain high quality of foods.