Is It Safe to Order Food Delivery and Takeout in the COVID-19 Outbreak? I asked a Food Safety Expert

Описание: Sigma Xi has partnered with science communicator Brian Malow (  / sciencecomedian  ) to connect your COVID-19 questions with scientists. This time: How safe is food delivery during the coronavirus outbreak? Malow took this question to Benjamin Chapman (  / benjaminchapman  , a professor of food safety and food safety extension specialist at North Carolina State University. Chapman also hosts the Food Safety Talk podcast.

More Information:
--Updated List of COVID-19 Food Safety Resources--
https://foodsafety.ces.ncsu.edu/covid...

--U.S. Food & Drug Administration Offers Assurance About Food Safety and Supply--
https://www.fda.gov/news-events/fda-v...

Key points from this article:
"So, let me assure you first that the U.S. food supply remains safe for both people and animals. There is no evidence of human or animal food or food packaging being associated with transmission of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19.

Unlike foodborne gastrointestinal viruses like norovirus and hepatitis A that make people ill through contaminated food, SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19, is a virus that causes respiratory illness. This virus is thought to spread mainly from person to person. Foodborne exposure to this virus is not known to be a route of transmission.

For these reasons, we do not anticipate that food products would need to be recalled or withdrawn from the market for reasons related to the outbreak, even if a person who works in a human or animal food facility (e.g. a food packager) is confirmed to be positive for the COVID-19 virus.”

--Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Frequently Asked Questions--
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-...

Key points from this article:
"Coronaviruses are generally thought to be spread from person-to-person through respiratory droplets. Currently there is no evidence to support transmission of COVID-19 associated with food. Before preparing or eating food it is important to always wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds for general food safety. Throughout the day wash your hands after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing, or going to the bathroom.

It may be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes, but this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads.

In general, because of poor survivability of these coronaviruses on surfaces, there is likely very low risk of spread from food products or packaging that are shipped over a period of days or weeks at ambient, refrigerated, or frozen temperatures.”

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