Corona Virus and Food Safety in India– Is the Panic in Customers and Hospitality Industry Warrantable?

Abstract

Coronaviruses are a virus that are often responsible for causing colds and seasonal flu. In the past have seen Severe Acute Respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), affecting humans. COVID-19 or SARS-COV2 also belongs to these strains of viruses, having first detected in Wuhan China. First discovered in Wuhan seafood market, the virus is said to have been transmitted from Bats to human being. According to WHO food contamination can occur through hands, sneezing and coughing of workers responsible for the preparation and packaging of foods. Similarly, consumption of contaminated or unclean food can cause COVID-19. The origin theory of COVID-19 relating it to food service industry has led to severe mistrust amongst the consumers, and, in turn has caused the hospitality industry to panic. While most of the industry stalwarts are brainstorming the future of the Hospitality industry post COVID-19. Is the panic justified? Agreed as of now, there is a widespread mistrust regarding eating out, or trusting restaurant food, but is there a solution? In this paper we will have a look at how unsafe, eating out is right now? Do the current food preparation norms, fulfil the standards? Is there an overreaction to the COVID-19 Situation? The author has taken liberty to take India as point in case where wider dynamics are at play.