Can you catch Covid-19 through food or food packaging?

When the pandemic began, little was known about all the ways it could be transmitted. Consequently, it became common for people and food businesses to wash their food packages and groceries before storage. While it is known that Covid-19 can survive on some surfaces, how concerned should you be about food or food packaging? Do food businesses be extra vigilant?

Coronavirus and food safety

There is no evidence that the coronavirus can be spread through food, and there have been no documented cases of it happening. Furthermore, even if Covid-19 is present on a food item and ingested, studies have shown that stomach acids make the virus inactive. 

With meat, although it is suspected COVID-19 may have originated in animals, FSANZ advises that it is not likely transmission to humans occurs through consumption of meat. Just ensure it is cooked thoroughly as usual, and maintain standard safety procedures when handling raw meat to avoid cross-contamination. When it comes to fresh fruit and vegetables, it is advised to wash hands with soap first, then clean produce with just water – soap and disinfectants can be harmful if ingested, so don’t use them with food.

Transmission through packaging

As with food, there are no known cases of someone catching Covid-19 through packaging. However, there is some evidence that the virus can survive on non-porous surfaces such as vinyl, glass, and plastic.

Studies have shown that the coronavirus doesn’t last long at warmer temperatures. But on surfaces like plastic, and at temperatures below 20°C, it can survive up to 28 days. While this sounds alarming, the same research also found it is highly unlikely that enough of the virus would survive to remain infectious. 

To further ease concerns, a separate study found that coronaviruses don’t move well between surfaces. It also found that contaminated hands did not transfer the virus to plastic or other non-porous materials without extra organic matter like faecal material. For a food business with proper cleaning protocols, this should not be a concern.

Just follow standard food hygiene procedures 

After living with Covid-19 for almost two years, a lot more has been learned, and many initial fears can be dispelled. The coronavirus is now known to be a respiratory disease that travels from person to person. Based on multiple studies, the WHO and other major institutions have concluded there’s no evidence of transmission through food or packaging. 

For businesses and individuals alike, maintaining standard food hygiene procedures is all that is needed.

Article by: Food Safety Select