Subscribe on iTunes | SoundCloud
Episode Transcription
From Washington State University Extension, this is Food Safety in a Minute.
It’s been more than a year since the first case of COVID-19 in Washington State. Recently, the U.S. Department of Agriculture released a statement indicating there is no credible evidence of COVID-19 transmission through food or food packaging in the US or internationally. That’s good news.
Unlike norovirus, often called stomach flu and spread through food and poor hand hygiene, COVID-19 is spread through the respiratory system by inhalation of viral particles. There may be COVID-19 viral particles on a food package, however the number picked up by touching the food package would be very small, not enough for a COVID-19 infection from an oral inhalation. The risk of infection from touching food packaging, or eating food is considered extremely low.
For Food Safety in a Minute, this is Susie Craig.
Resources
COVID-19 Update: USDA, FDA Underscore Current Epidemiologic and Scientific Information Indicating
No Transmission of COVID-19 Through Food or Food Packaging. USDA Press. Release No. 0029.21. 2-
18-2021.