Every crisis has heroes: here’s ours
Thanks to Dr. Leon Axel for his cartoons, especially this one.
Thanks to Dr. Leon Axel for his cartoons, especially this one.
They still have to be fed. Dogs still have to be walked.
As I reported earlier, a dog in Hong Kong was found with a case of Coronavirus. It looks like the dog caught it from it owner, not the other way around.
The Animal Wellness Foundation urges restraint and care in dealing with Coronavirus in pets. Although there is as yet no evidence that people can get the virus fro pets, the Foundation advises against “letting your pets lick you on the nose, mouth, and mucous membranes.”
As always, there are business implications. Here’s a report on the effect of Coronavirus on the Mexican pet food economy.
What to do?
Love and feed your pet but wash hands and practice social distance. For now, for sure.
Not many restaurants will be able to survive Coronavirus, and this is a personal, social, and national tragedy.
I’m worried about farmers’ markets too.
Researchers say that the cost of Coronavirus to farm-to-consumer programs could go well into the billions. I believe it.
Now is the time to support your local farmers.
California has ruled farmers’ markets essential to local economies.
Now is the time to do what you can to keep them open and viable, even with the need for social distancing. Use home delivery or curbside pick up if you have to.
Even more, join the Farmers Market Coalition campaign for congressional support.
Is farmers’ market produce safe to eat? Yes (with some caveats), as I discussed on Monday.
From the New York Times
Does food transmit Coronavirus?
Keeping up Coronoavirus
How to survive working at home (watch out for junk food)
How to take action
Advice for the food industry
What’s happening with supermarkets and supply chains?
What to avoid: dubious schemes for immune boosting
Who profits from this?
What else?
I’ve been getting many requests from friends to weigh in on what’s safe to eat.
To answer these questions, I did a lot of reading and also consulted my guru for such matters and longstanding colleague, Dr. Bobby Baron, Professor of Medicine and Associate Dean Graduate and Continuing Medical Education at UCSF.
Basically, the answer to all these questions is yes. To date, there is no evidence of Cornonavirus transmission through food.
Transmission risk is greatest from infected people. Hence: social distance and hand washing when dealing with food and deliveries of packages.
Coronavirus is a respiratory virus, mostly. Contamination through food is theoretically possible, but hasn’t happened yet far as we know.
To be 100 percent safe while eating fresh produce
Do what you would do in countries without safe water supplies—follow the P rules and only eat foods that are:
As always, wash hands.
If you have fresh produce, wash it. When in doubt, cook it.
Food safety resources for Coronavirus
Data on Coronavirus survival on surfaces
This week’s blog is devoted to Coronavirus: There’s no point in my talking about anything else
My mantra: Stay safe, stay healthy, stay sane. Courage!
In this strange era of social distancing, I am catching up on items of interest, this one on USDA’s Selected Charts from Ag and Food Statistics, published in February this year.
These cover the ag and food sectors, the rural economy, land and natural resources, farm income, production, food spending and prices, food consumption, trade, and food security.
I love charts. These are especially informative (and date from when USDA’s Economic Research Service was still functional).
Examples:
This is one reason why China is so important to our food economy.
And here’s why the current Coronavirus crisis will be so tough on the restaurant industry:
At a glance, we can see what dietary recommendations ought to be saying, although the grouping together of meat, eggs, and nuts is not particularly helpful in understanding what’s going on here.
The other charts—there are lots of them—are worth a look and have much to teach. They make me even sadder about the loss of two-thirds of ERS staff when USDA moved the agency to Kansas City.
Here’s what I’ve collected lately on the hot topic of plant-based foods and drinks.
Cargill is now doing plant-based: Cargill Inc will launch plant-based hamburger patties and ground “fake meat” products in April, challenging Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods for sales in grocery stores, cafeterias and restaurants. [Comment: Cargill? Really? There must be really money in this space].
Milkadamia taking on dairy and palm: ‘Mighty dairy is being brought to its knees’: Jindilli Beverages produces a palm and dairy-free alternative to milk, creamers and butter under its Milkadamia brand. The company’s CEO shares his views on the need to challenge the prevalence of products containing dairy and palm oil for the health of people and the planet… Read
Beyond Meat to go on the offensive in wake of attacks on ‘ultra-processed’ plant-based meat: ‘We’re proud of our ingredients and process’: While its CEO says engaging in an increasingly heated debate over the merits of plant- vs animal-based meat can be a “zero sum” game, Beyond Meat plans to go on the offensive this year with digital and media campaigns that celebrate its ingredients and processes…. Read more
Can wineries leverage plant-based messaging to attract young drinkers? An oversupply of wine in the US has producers rethinking their branding and marketing strategies to reach millennials and Gen Z drinkers. The Silicon Valley Bank’s Wine Division (SVB) advises wineries to tap into the ‘better-for-you’ trend and health-forward messaging…. Read more [Comment: Ah, the selling of alcohol. It never ceases to amaze].
Pea protein trend sparks allergy warning: The increased use of concentrated pea protein in products could be a factor in increased reports of allergy to peas, according to the Anaphylaxis Campaign…. Read more [Comment: Pea protein is the leading ingredient in Beyond Burgers].
Here’s something useful to do while waiting out the Coronavirus crisis: help preserve school nutrition standards.Dea
The Center for Science in the Public Interest has organized a call for action.
The USDA recently proposed changes that would weaken school nutrition. The latest proposal would allow students to choose pizza, French fries, and cookies regularly in place of a healthier school lunch. It would allow more French fries in place of carrots in school lunch, more fried hash browns in breakfast, and less fruit in some school breakfasts. These changes are on top of the 2018 school meal rollbacks that locked in unsafe levels of sodium and reduced whole grains.
Deadline for comments extended until April 22.
Here is what you can do to help: