Food Microbiology

COVID-19 and Food Security Challenges

Food Security means that all citizens have physical, social and economic access at all times to adequate, secure and nutritious food that meets their food preferences and dietary needs in order to live an active and healthy life.

The COVID-19 outbreak poses huge challenges for the global community. While at the beginning the focus has mainly been on health issues, it has become clear that this crisis will have big impacts on all areas of society. the resiliency and inefficiencies of global, regional and local food systems have the potential to become another major consequence of the pandemic.

Food security exists when all people have access to sufficient, safe, nutritious food at all times, physically and economically, to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active life. Several factors make it particularly complex: climate change, which exacerbates food insecurity; food price volatility; land grabbing; biofuel 'competition'; lack of investment in subsistence farming; and, finally, social factors such as conflict, poverty, education and women's status.

Examples: include soup kitchens, food banks, school lunch programs, and other programs that give food to people in need without requiring any type of commitment in return.

Covid-19 Food Security Challenge:

1. Keep your hands, kitchen and utensils clean

2. Separate raw and cooked food, especially raw meat and fresh produce

3. Cook your food thoroughly

4. Keep your food at safe temperatures, either below 5 °C or above 60 °C; and

5. Use safe water and raw material.