Strategic food reserves storage, safety and risk minimization: Problems and perspectives | Functional Foods in Health and Disease - Online ISSN: 2160-3855; Print ISSN: 2378-7007 Skip to main content Skip to main navigation menu Skip to site footer Open Menu Functional Foods in Health and Disease - Online ISSN: 2160-3855; Print ISSN: 2378-7007 Home Food Science Publisher Functional Food Center Current Archives About About the Journal Aims and Scope Contact Editing Services Editorial Team Express Peer Review Graphical Abstract Journal Insights Privacy Statement Submissions Announcements Search Search Register Login Home / Archives / Vol. 14 No. 8 (2024): August 2024 / Research Articles Strategic food reserves storage, safety and risk minimization: Problems and perspectives Authors Samvel M. Shahinyan Ani Badasyan Bella G. Babayan Marina A. Melkumyan Tigran A. Yesayan Alexander H. Yesayan DOI: https://doi.org/10.31989/ffhd.v14i8.1410 Abstract Background: The hunger problem is a significant issue arising from global challenges in the 21st century. It is a consequence of inadequate food safety and poor strategic food storage. This makes innovations and improvements in these areas particularly crucial, especially for developing countries and regions affected by military conflicts and natural disasters.  Objectives: We aimed to study carbonate limestone caves as potentially safe locations for constructing strategic food storage facilities. Results: The preliminary results from Magellan Cave (Magill Cave) in the Areni region of the Republic of Armenia indicate that the cave has suitable conditions for use as a potential site for strategic food storage, particularly for cereal grains. Biological studies have proved the absence of mesophilic microbes in rock minerals and in soil samples from its inner space. Additionally, psychrophilic microbes, thermophilic algae, and representatives of Cyanobionta were found in waters that meet underground hot springs. Chemical analyses revealed no toxic compounds in the rock minerals, poisonous gases, or radon accumulation. The radiation levels were also found to be safe. Conclusions: Physical, chemical, and biological research have demonstrated the absence of risk factors for health and food safety in Magellan Cave. No spoilage microbes or human pathogenic bacteria were found. Additionally, no fungi were detected. The results suggest that this cave could be a promising location for constructing underground food storage for strategic reserves. Keywords: Magellan Cave (Magill cave), underground constructions, food strategic reserve storage, biological safety, spoilage, psychrophilic microbes Downloads [Abstract] [Full Article] Published 2024-08-30 Issue Vol. 14 No. 8 (2024): August 2024 Section Research Articles License Copyright (c) 2024 Functional Foods in Health and Disease This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Authors retain the copyright of their articles and grant the Functional Food Center (FFC) and its journals the right of first publication under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. This license permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, including commercial use, provided the original author(s) and source are properly credited. Authors may post and share their published work freely, provided that the original publication in this journal is acknowledged. By submitting to this journal, authors confirm that their manuscripts are original, not under consideration elsewhere, and that they hold the necessary rights to grant this license. The Functional Food Center encourages open scientific exchange and allows derivative and extended works, provided attribution to the original publication is maintained. About the Journal      Editing Services      Graphical Abstract      Journal Insights        Submissions        Editorial Team       Privacy Statement        Contact        Current        Archives   Open Journal Systems Hosting and Support by: OpenJournalSystems.com