Michaela van den Honert
Published: 2022-07-18
Total Pages: 152
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The tragic coronavirus pandemic of 2020-2022 opened the world’s eyes anew to the urgent need for a better understanding of microorganisms, whether viruses or bacteria, in order to develop best practices for reducing the risk of dangerous infections. Ideally, every household should have sufficient knowledge of how viruses and other kinds of microorganisms can damage human and animal health. Now, with exquisite timing, Prof Pieter Gouws at the Centre for Food Safety (CFS), in the Department of Food Science at Stellenbosch University, and food scientist Dr Michaela van den Honert, have collaborated on a scientific household guide for “living with little monsters”, introducing the reader to an array of potentially harmful microorganisms. Nor have the authors neglected the bacteria which play a positive role, for example, in the human gut. They have gathered the latest scientific evidence for an extensive set of descriptions of specific microbes to watch out for and how best to minimise the risk of being infected by them. By so doing, they can empower ordinary consumers, along with their families, to live healthier, less risky, daily lives.