The discovery of traces of COVID-19 on imported food packaging in China has sparked global concern about the safety of food and the risk of virus transmission through consumables. In recent weeks, the Chinese mainland reported detecting the virus on the packaging of shrimp imported from Ecuador and frozen chicken wings from Brazil. Since July, at least eight regions have reported similar findings, primarily involving seafood products.
These incidents have raised questions among consumers and businesses alike: Should we be worried about contracting COVID-19 from the food we eat?
According to Martin Wiedmann, Gellert Family Professor of Food Safety at Cornell University in New York, there is little cause for alarm. “It’s important to understand what these tests detect,” he explains. “Most likely, they are identifying traces of the virus’s genetic material, not live, infectious virus particles.”
The tests conducted on food products often detect RNA fragments of the virus, which can persist on surfaces even after the virus is no longer viable. “Finding genetic material does not mean that the virus is capable of causing infection,” Wiedmann emphasizes.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) supports this view, stating that there is no evidence of COVID-19 being transmitted through food or food packaging. The primary mode of transmission remains person-to-person contact through respiratory droplets.
As countries continue to navigate the challenges of the pandemic, experts advise maintaining standard food safety practices. “Consumers should handle food safely—wash their hands, cook meat thoroughly, and wash fruits and vegetables,” says Wiedmann. “But there is no need for additional precautions specific to COVID-19.”
Global health authorities continue to monitor the situation, but the consensus remains that the risk of contracting COVID-19 from food is extremely low. The focus, they suggest, should remain on proven preventive measures like mask-wearing, social distancing, and hand hygiene.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
