Increasing resilience to the SARS-CoV-2 virus and other health threats in food-insecure communities
Abstract
The health of the majority of South Africa’s population is seriously threatened by hunger and micronutrient deficiency, with
impaired immune response a real threat, which the current SARSCoV-2 virus pandemic has highlighted. Traditional
household food-processing techniques can, amongst other advantages, increase nutrient bioavailability in affordable staple
foods and hence provide a way, in part, to alleviate malnutrition for food-insecure communities. In this way, immune
defence and pathogen resilience of the food insecure could be enhanced so that they can better survive both COVID-19
and future threats.