Recommendations for

the Food Industry

Please feel free to use this image for posters or signs to be posted in your business (print in landscape mode). If needed, please email us for the original.

COVID-19 Non-survivability in Food

​

Due to misinformation, there has been worry and discussion around the transmissibility of COVID-19 in food (especially in frozen foods or take-out). Additionally, food facilities have begun wondering if they should close or enact a recall should an employee have COVID-19. As stated by both CDC and FDA, there is currently no evidence of food or food packaging-associated COVID-19 transmission.  

​

As noted by FDA, unlike foodborne gastrointestinal viruses like norovirus and hepatitis A that can make people ill through contaminated food, foodborne exposure to SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19, is not known to be a route of transmission. However, CDC warns that it is important for food-handlers and consumers to continue to practice general food safety. Food handlers should thoroughly wash hands before preparing food, and everyone should wash hands before eating food of any kind.

​

Additionally, while it may be possible to get COVID-19 by touching a contaminated surface/object, then touching mouth, nose, or possibly eyes, these actions are still not thought to be the primary method of viral spread. Due to its limited survivability on surfaces (and outside a host), SARS-CoV-2 is unlikely to spread from food products or packaging that shipped over days or weeks at ambient, refrigerated, or frozen temperatures.

​

Survivability questions have also led food facilities to ask if they must close or recall food if an employee is sick. With the food supply industry having been declared a critical infrastructure, it is vital for food facilities to maintain regular work schedules as much as possible – while following:

​

• Standard industry requirements to maintain clean and sanitized facilities and food contact surfaces

• Standing industry requirements for controlling any risks that might be associated with workers who are ill regardless of the type of virus or bacteria.

• Any protocols set by local and state health departments. Protocols and requirements may vary based on the public health risk of person-to-person transmission (not on food safety).

• The six-foot social distancing standard.

Thus, the FDA states that it does not anticipate that food products be recalled or be withdrawn from the market because of COVID-19 as there is no evidence that it is transmitted by food or food packaging. 

​

Please contact TAG (email) with any specific COVID-19 questions you may have for your facility, and subscribe TAG’s COVID-19 Resources for daily updates.