
The US Food and Drug Administration wants to remind the public that there is no evidence of the coronavirus pandemic posing a threat to food safety.
"The food supply remains safe for both people and animals. There is no — and I emphasize no — evidence of food or food packaging being associated with the transmission of Covid-19," Frank Yiannas, FDA deputy commissioner for food policy and response, said during a call with reporters today.
Yiannas said it's "much more likely that an infected person will spread the virus through person-to-person transmission than from contaminated food or food packaging."
He added that if a person who works in a food facility tests positive for Covid-19, the FDA does not anticipate that there would need to be a massive recall or withdrawal of food products from the market.
"Specifically for consumers, we advise you that you follow many of the same guidelines that you heard before the spread of the disease," Yiannas said.
He urged people who go grocery shopping to "adhere to good hygiene practices such as disinfecting grocery cart handles with the wipes often provided by retailers."
"Avoid touching your face, eyes, nose or mouth. After shopping, wash or sanitize your hands," he said.
When asked if consumers should wipe down food packaging when they bring it home, Yiannas said, “Again, we don’t believe that food packaging is a common route of transmission.”
“I personally do not sanitize the exterior of food packages when I bring them into my home,” Yiannas added, “If you feel so inclined you can always wipe the surface of the packages when you get home with a disinfectant wipe and then air drying them.”