“Nearly 60,000 meatpacking and farm workers have gotten sick so far - that's a lot.” “The average wage of people in meatpacking plants is under $30,000 a year and they are working under really dangerous, crowded conditions. But they also often aren’t paid well and aren’t offered sick leave or health care benefits, Nestle says. Suddenly, meat-packing workers became essential. For example, plants owned by JBS, the world’s biggest meatpacker, became epicenters of COVID-19 outbreaks in the U.S. Through President Trump invoking the Defense Production Act, meat-packing plant employees were forced to work even though they were getting sick with the coronavirus at high rates. In her book, the New York University professor says food is political - and says the coronavirus pandemic proves to be a prime example. Her new book, 'Let's Ask Marion,' boils some of the most profound food issues, such as whether food can be addictive, how to prevent food waste and whether to eat fake meat, into a simple question-and-answer format that can fit into a coat pocket.

In that time, she's produced some of the country's most authoritative books on how food ends up on the grocery shelf and the table.

Marion Nestle has been thinking about the intersection between food, science, public health and politics for the last 20 years. (Jesse Costa/WBUR) This article is more than 2 years old. A customer peruses the produce at Roche Bros.

Marion nestle books