Chance of COVID infection via food very low: Official

Chances of novel coronavirus infection via contact with food, including imported cold-chain food, in China is very low, according to Li Ning, deputy director of the China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment.

Samples of food or food packages may test positive for the novel coronavirus, but it only suggests they have been contaminated by the virus, and does not necessarily mean they can spread the virus, Li said.

Monitoring has shown that chances of food or food packages contaminated by the novel coronavirus are lower than 1 in 10,000 samples in China, she said at a news conference on Sunday. There has been no report in China of consumers getting infected with the virus due to contact with food, she said.

Despite the low risks of novel coronavirus infection via contact with food, consumers should still take precautionary measures when handling certain kinds of food, including imported cold-chain food, Li said.

For example, people should avoid direct contact with frozen food when buying it in markets, and should cook raw food thoroughly. They also can sterilize outer packaging of imported food delivered to them with 75 percent alcohol if they think it is necessary, Li said.