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| University of Nebraska Extension - John Porter's Article |
<<First off, we have to remember that SARS-CoV-2, which is the virus that causes COVID-19, is not a food borne illness. This means that it is not spread through the consumption of contaminated food like E. coli and Salmonella. I’ve seen many instances of people spreading fear about food online, with many suggesting using soap or bleach on food to minimize risk. Those steps are both unnecessary and actually pose a poisoning risk. There is currently no evidence to suggest that COVID-19 is transmittable by food or food packaging.
The risk from food (which is considered minimal by experts) is from cross-contamination from food or packaging onto hands or onto surfaces that are then touched by hands. The virus would then have to go from a person’s hand to mucous membranes in the respiratory system by something like touching your face or nose. The best defense against this isn’t necessarily sanitizing all the food you buy, but washing your hands after you handle it and sanitizing any surfaces that packaging or shopping bags touch.
Factsheet: Is Coronavirus a concern on Fresh Produce?
Whether you grow it in your own garden, buy it at a local farmers market, or purchase it at the grocery store, produce has a minimal risk when it comes to COVID-19.
To minimize the very small risk of cross-contamination even further and (probably more importantly) to also reduce any risk from common food borne illnesses, proper washing of the produce should be practiced. Here are some steps to help out.
~Wash your hands. The most common pathway of contamination for produce is from human touch.
~You should use clean water that you would use for drinking (like out of the tap) and not use any bleach or soap. Providing gentle friction with your hands or a produce brush or by rubbing the produce together is sufficient.
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| John Porter's Article |
~If you’re washing a lot of produce at once, say from a large harvest, and you’re using a tub full or sink full of water to wash multiple “loads” of produce, keep an eye on how dirty the water gets and refresh it when it gets discolored. Remember that washing produce in a tub or sink of water can also present a cross-contamination issue where contaminated produce contaminates the water.
~When in doubt, discard produce you may think is contaminated or wash it separately.
~To reduce risk of cross-contamination, consider a “single pass” washing technique where you spray the produce with water and it doesn’t sit in water with other produce.>>
Best practices for minimizing COVID-19 risks at Community Gardens and Farmers Markets:
COVID-19 FAQ for Community Gardens
COVID-19 FAQ for Farmers Markets
Reposted from The Garden Professors – 5/15/2020, author John Porter. This was an excerpt – to read complete article.
