The FDA said on Thursday that there are no indications that the coronavirus spreads through food or food packaging.
The FDA said that as a respiratory illness, COVID-19 is spread from person to person, unlike foodborne or gastrointestinal viruses.
According to a study from the International Commission on Microbiological Specifications for Food (ICMSF), there are few instances of the COVID-19 being found on food products. The ICMSF said that the coronavirus generally spreads through person to person contact through aerosols or droplets.
“Consumers should be reassured that we continue to believe, based on our understanding of currently available reliable scientific information, and supported by overwhelming international scientific consensus, that the foods they eat and food packaging they touch are highly unlikely to spread SARS-CoV-2,” the FDA said.
“Given that the number of virus particles that could be theoretically picked up by touching a surface would be very small and the amount needed for infection via oral inhalation would be very high, the chances of infection by touching the surface of food packaging or eating food is considered to be extremely low,” the FDA added.