The Multifaceted Relationship between the COVID-19 Pandemic and the Food System

Abstract

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic is being questioned for its possible food transmission, due to several reports of the virus on food, outbreaks developed in food companies, as well as its origins linked to the wet market of Wuhan, China. The purpose of this review is to analyze the scientific evidence gathered so far on the relationship between food and the pandemic, considering all aspects of the food system that can be involved. The collected data indicate that there is no evidence that foods represent a risk for the transmission of SARS-CoV-2. In fact, even if the virus can persist on food surfaces, there are currently no proven cases of infection from food. Moreover, the pandemic showed to have deeply influenced the eating habits of consumers and their purchasing methods, but also to have enhanced food waste and poverty. Another important finding is the role of meat processing plants as suitable environments for the onset of outbreaks. Lessons learned from the pandemic include the correct management of spaces, food hygiene education for both food workers and common people, the enhancement of alternative commercial channels, the reorganization of food activities, in particular wet markets, and intensive farming, following correct hygiene practices. All these outcomes lead to another crucial lesson, which is the importance of the resilience of the food system. These lessons should be assimilated to deal with the present pandemic and possible future emergencies. Future research directions include further investigation of the factors linked to the food system that can favor the emergence of viruses, and of innovative technologies that can reduce viral transmission.

Modeling green roofs in tropical housing to support micro-scale food security

“…This has the potential to be an innovation that leads to an independent micro-scale food security system. Independent food security is currently indispensable for the health and food needs of the community, agrees with Qiumeng Zhong [4], Yujia Lu [5], and Antonello Paparella [6]. Several events such as pandemics, wars and crises may provide recommendations for preparing food selfsufficiency both collectively in settlements or individually in their respective homes.…”

“…Research by Antonello Paparella related to the transmission of covid through food concluded that lessons learned from this pandemic include proper space management, food hygiene education for food workers and the general public, improvement of alternative commercial channels, reorganization of food activities, particularly wet markets, and intensive farming, following proper hygiene practices. A recommendation points to the importance of food system resilience at a professional household scale and could meet food needs under certain conditions [6].…”

Promoting agri-food systems resilience through ICT in developing countries amid COVID-19

“…In fact, AFS have been under growing pressure in recent decades due to complex interactions of many stresses and disturbances, making it challenging to sustain high-quality and inexpensive food production while simultaneously providing a living wage for field workers (Priyadarshini and Abhilash, 2021). On top of these alreadyexisting problems, the COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc on a wide range of agri-food actors, posing a new challenge (Paparella et al, 2022). Lockdowns imposed to mitigate COVID-19 had a wide-ranging impact on society globally (Sarker et al, 2021).…”