Global warming, fungal infections and deadly parasites could endanger our foods. Before we even notice, some of these foods could become extinct and vanish from supermarket shelves. The list of foods facing extinction comes from the British newspaper the Sun.
We often hear about climate change, global warming, chemical pesticides and their terrible impact on our planet. But we often fail to grasp the true scale of a problem until its consequences begin to affect our everyday lives.
One day, not too far off, we may be forced to change even our most basic and established eating habits, because some of the most common foods could soon disappear from the face of the Earth. For instance, the morning coffee could become a distant memory within the next few years. And then there is chocolate, honey, bananas — at least ten foods we are used to consuming regularly that will suffer tremendously as a result of climate change and the widespread use of pesticides, as highlighted by an investigation carried out by the British newspaper the Sun.
Your morning coffee could soon be a thing of the past.
Experts have recently estimated that coffee could be extinct as early as 2080 if drastic action is not taken. Rising ground temperatures in the areas currently used to grow coffee beans mean that fungi and parasites are having a severe impact on plantations.
Next is honey, which beyond being a precious food is also an extremely valuable ally in defending us against various types of illness. In this case the cause lies in the fact that pesticides and parasites are literally decimating the world's bee population. Honey bees are of vital importance to human survival and to the ecosystem. Yet for years the bee population has been in decline. As bee numbers fall, so does honey production, which means it will become increasingly difficult to find.
If the disease continues to progress as it has over recent decades, bananas could disappear entirely. From Jordan to Mozambique, plantations have for years been swept by Panama disease, which is causing the death of thousands of plants. We still do not know how to stop the fungus that is wiping out the banana variety that accounts for 99 per cent of the global market. The new fungus appeared in Asia in the 1990s and last year began attacking some plantations in Africa. A year ago it seemed the epidemic was spreading slowly and could be contained, but it has now become clear that there is no knowledge of how to stop it and that farmers have no idea how to contain it. Bananas are grown in some other areas — but the disease remains a serious concern.
Avocado consumption has skyrocketed in recent years, after being labelled a superfood for fitness and beauty by bloggers. Unfortunately, the ongoing droughts in California risk irreparably damaging the health of plantations. Climate change is not helping the agricultural sector. This shortage means that fruit prices are set to rise.
Brace yourselves to say goodbye to chocolate too. Cocoa stocks are being eaten away — literally. Along with coffee, chocolate is the food at risk of extinction that surprises consumers most of all. According to Swiss chocolatier Barry Callebaut, cocoa stocks could run out by 2020. With more and more people eating chocolate regularly, in the past year alone 70,000 tonnes more chocolate were consumed than were produced.
Italian wine has become too popular. Demand for prosecco has grown so much in recent years that producers are struggling to keep up. The delightful sparkling drink is a valid, more affordable alternative to champagne — so much so that last year the British alone drank around 40 million litres of it. Unfortunately, some winemakers are warning of a possible global prosecco shortage, so it is best to stock up while you can.
And alongside honey, peanut butter could also disappear — the undisputed star of breakfasts across the Atlantic. Peanuts struggle to grow in drought conditions, and drought periods continue to increase worldwide. Plantations, which require at least 20 to 40 inches of rain to survive, are at a high risk of becoming extinct.
Pig farming too will be hit by drought. Those who love bacon, sausages and ham should be alarmed by news of droughts from America to Russia. British experts say a shortage of pork is inevitable, and predict that prices will double.
Salmon relies on cool temperatures to survive. It is not only fruit and vegetables that are being hit by global warming. Salmon too are struggling to adapt to the new, warmer water temperatures.
Without cold water in which to reproduce, they will find it hard to survive — both wild and farmed — and could become an endangered species.
Maple syrup is another product falling victim to global warming. If the temperature in Canada rises by more than six degrees, maple trees may no longer be able to produce sap, spelling the end of the hugely popular waffle and pancake topping.
In short, according to the investigation drawing on the views of British experts, the extinction of foods would be linked to several factors. From climate change driven by global warming to chemical pesticides, which have a terrible impact on the environment, through to the constant rise in consumption. The result is that, starting in twenty years' time, our diet will no longer be the same.