Industrial applications of selected JFS articles

摘要

The world is still undergoing a global pandemic. COVID-19 is a disease caused by a virus strain that began spreading in people in December 2019 or earlier. The COVID-19 virus is different compared to the coronaviruses that commonly circulate among humans and cause mild illness, like the common cold. As 1 write this morning, May 24, 2020, there are 5,311,089 confirmed cases worldwide and 1,657,212 in the U.S. with 97,426 fatal cases. Most U.S. states have now moved to at least partial "reopening" orders in which social distancing is still in place and large indoor gatherings of people are prohibited. However, the virus is putting stress on farmers, food processors, and distributors worldwide. But to add to this stress in the food supply chain, there are many countries in the world that are also facing famine because of desert locust, drought, currency devaluation, and missed planting seasons. The UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is seeking $350 million to scale up hunger-fighting and livelihoods-boosting activities in food crisis contexts where COVID-19 s impact could be devastating. According to the FAO, even before the pandemic, some 135 million were experiencing crisis or worse levels of acute food insecurity, out of which 27 million people in "emergency" levels of acute food insecurity - on the brink of famine.