03-18-2020, 12:52 PM
If we recognize that anyone in the food harvesting, food shipping, food selling, food delivery chain may be infected, how do we deal with that?
The edible parts of some food may not be affected. Food picked or created that is packaged by machine may be considered sterile (even if its external packaging isn't). Watermelon is a food whose edible part is sealed from contamination. Peanut butter is one that I'd put here.
Some food may be stored long enough that any virus would die off. Sugar cane, potatoes, ..
Some food may be washable - Potatoes, Tomatoes, (possibly) lettuce, ... Probably this needs to be split into perishable (requires < 4 days storage) & semi-perishable (4+ days storage)
Some food may need to be cooked: Steak, hamburger, fish, and lots more.
Some food may be microwaved (that heats the food, but I expect it breaks down structure in a way more than just heating).
Regarding cooking:
I haven't yet seen studies that measured susceptibility of SARS-COV-2 to temperature. One report indicates its survival on surfaces is similar to SARS-COV-1. For SARS-COV-1 (2003 SARS outbreak), I see two studies indicating how long it survives at different temperatures (with different numbers). One study tested temperatures & durations at which the virus is no longer infectious.
75 C (167 F) 30 min (viable at 15 min)
67 C (153 F) 60 min (viable at 30 min)
56 C (133 F) 90 min (viable at 60 min)
Compare that to the temperature to which you cook steak or hamburger, and it concerns me.
The edible parts of some food may not be affected. Food picked or created that is packaged by machine may be considered sterile (even if its external packaging isn't). Watermelon is a food whose edible part is sealed from contamination. Peanut butter is one that I'd put here.
Some food may be stored long enough that any virus would die off. Sugar cane, potatoes, ..
Some food may be washable - Potatoes, Tomatoes, (possibly) lettuce, ... Probably this needs to be split into perishable (requires < 4 days storage) & semi-perishable (4+ days storage)
Some food may need to be cooked: Steak, hamburger, fish, and lots more.
Some food may be microwaved (that heats the food, but I expect it breaks down structure in a way more than just heating).
Regarding cooking:
I haven't yet seen studies that measured susceptibility of SARS-COV-2 to temperature. One report indicates its survival on surfaces is similar to SARS-COV-1. For SARS-COV-1 (2003 SARS outbreak), I see two studies indicating how long it survives at different temperatures (with different numbers). One study tested temperatures & durations at which the virus is no longer infectious.
75 C (167 F) 30 min (viable at 15 min)
67 C (153 F) 60 min (viable at 30 min)
56 C (133 F) 90 min (viable at 60 min)
Compare that to the temperature to which you cook steak or hamburger, and it concerns me.