4. Soil: a central habitat for pathogen transfer

In food systems, the soil of cultivated plots can be considered a hub of pathogen transmission routes from the environment to the agricultural raw materials being produced (figure 5 ). Although simplified, this figure shows the complexity of micro-organism transfer mechanisms from one compartment to another. Soil, water, plants and animals (soil micro- and macrofauna, wildlife, livestock) interact with each other. Under certain conditions, these transfers can lead to the contamination of agricultural raw materials used to manufacture food. Consumption of contaminated food can cause illness in consumers.