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    Home > Food News > Nutrition News > China Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: The new coronavirus has been found in the outer packaging of cold chain food!

    China Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: The new coronavirus has been found in the outer packaging of cold chain food!

    • Last Update: 2021-06-28
    • Source: Internet
    • Author: User
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    Picture from: freepik.
    com
     
    In recent years, more and more people like to eat imported fresh food.
    Boston lobster, Chilean king crab, Argentine red shrimp, New Zealand mussels.
    .
    .
    These are all people's favorites
    .

     
    Yesterday, the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention announced that in the process of tracing the source of Qingdao's new crown pneumonia epidemic, live viruses were detected and isolated from positive samples of imported frozen cod carried by workers
    .
    This is the first time that the live new coronavirus has been isolated on the outer packaging of cold-chain food, and it has been confirmed that contact with the outer packaging contaminated by the new coronavirus can cause human infection
    .

    What is the difference between this and the new crown found in imported frozen seafood before? what should we do? Can I eat frozen food with confidence?
     
    1.
    What's new in this discovery?
     
    This time, it was discovered that a "live virus" was detected and isolated from a positive sample of the outer packaging of imported frozen cod carried by the workers
    .
    What needs to be particularly emphasized here is that this time it is a "live virus
    .
    "
     
    Previously, only the "nucleic acid positive" of the new coronavirus was detected on the outer packaging of food, but no "live virus" was found
    .
    For example, a sample of the surface of frozen chicken wings imported from Brazil was found in Shenzhen City.

     
    The nucleic acid test result was positive; Xi'an City was also tested for the new coronavirus on the outer packaging of a frozen shrimp imported from Ecuador
    .
    Since July, there have been at least 10 cases of food packaging that have tested positive for the new coronavirus in China, all of which are related to imported frozen fresh food
    .

     
    This is the first time that a "live virus" has been discovered, and it has been confirmed to be infectious, which means that if someone comes into contact with the outer packaging contaminated by the virus and does not pay attention to cleaning and disinfection, there is a risk of infection
    .
     
    Infected workers may bring the virus into frozen food packaging.
    Picture from: freepik.
    com
     
    In fact, the newly discovered virus was detected on the salmon cutting board before.
    I said that I was more worried that imported salmon "carried" the virus, because this would subvert our understanding of the new coronavirus and may affect the lives of all mankind for a long time.
    Way
    .
     
    Why do you say this way? Because according to our previous understanding of the new coronavirus, this virus will only be transmitted between mammals, and will not spread in aquatic seafood; frozen seafood has a long transportation time and low temperature, and there has been no case of infection in humans.

    .
    Moreover, authoritative organizations including the World Health Organization, the United States, the European Union, Australia and New Zealand also believe that there is currently no evidence that the new coronavirus will be spread through food
    .

     
    This time it is confirmed that the new coronavirus can survive and be infectious in the outer packaging of frozen food, which has subverted our original understanding of it
    .
    The new crown prevention and control of frozen food will definitely become the norm in the future
    .

     
    2.
    Do we need to be nervous?
     
    I know that it is impossible for everyone not to be nervous after seeing such news
    .
    However, I still want to tell everyone: don't be too nervous
    .
    Pay attention to it tactically, but despise it strategically
    .
     
    Picture from: freepik.
    com
     
    In the case of infection, the risk of infection among Chinese consumers is extremely low
    .
    In general, ordinary people, the risk of infection from contact with or eating cold chain foods is very low, so we don't need to worry too much
    .
    Moreover, for cold chain practitioners, as long as they pay attention to daily protection, the risk of infection is actually very low
    .
    Now the World Health Organization WHO also has detailed tips on the daily protection of food industry workers
    .
    For example, wear disposable gloves, avoid direct skin contact with cold-chain food that may be contaminated, wash your hands frequently, and do not touch your mouth and nose casually, and so on
    .
     
    This discovery is to show that under certain environmental conditions, the virus that survives on the surface of the article may cause infections in susceptible contacts who have no effective protection
    .
    Who are they? Mainly the employees involved in the cold chain, such as those engaged in the handling, processing, and sales of cold chain products
    .

     
    The Center for Disease Control and Prevention also clearly pointed out that the virus that survives under certain conditions on virus-contaminated items may cause infection of susceptible contacts without effective protection, mainly employees in related industries
    .
    So far, there is no evidence that consumers have been exposed to contaminated cold chain seafood

     
    Picture from: freepik.
    com
     
    3.
    Can I still eat frozen food?
     
    Frozen food and frozen seafood are still edible
    .
    This time it was discovered that live viruses were only found in imported cold chain foods, and the risk of domestic frozen seafood is very low
    .
    The reason is self-evident
    .
    Our country’s current epidemic situation is well controlled, and the country’s
     
     
    Foods also have very strict new coronavirus nucleic acid sampling tests
    .
    Judging from our country's sampling data, there is currently no live virus isolated from domestic cold chain foods
    .
    As of September 15, 24 provinces across the country had submitted 2.
    98 million test results, including 670,000 samples of cold chain food and packaging, 1.
    24 million samples of employees, and 1.
    07 million environmental samples.
    The new coronavirus nucleic acid was positive in the virus
    .
     
      
    Where does the new coronavirus on imported frozen food packaging come from? In fact, it is from an infected person
    .
    The greatest possibility comes from the direct contact of the outer packaging of the product after the production, storage, cold chain transportation, and sales of people infected with the new crown, or the new crown virus floating in the air during the whole process
    .
    There are so many new crown infections abroad, and there is no trend of decreasing
    .
    It is not surprising that there are viruses on frozen food packaging .
     
    Moreover, the new coronavirus is actually still infected through contact or droplets, and does not infect people through "eating
    .
    " New coronary pneumonia is not a food-borne disease, and no cases of infection caused by eating have been found
    .
    Although viruses have been found on frozen food packaging to be infectious, there have been no cases of infection caused by contact with contaminated cold chain seafood
    .
     
    In general, it was discovered this time that the risk lies more in frozen food imported from abroad.
    I believe that China will definitely increase supervision over imported cold chain food in the future
    .
     
     
    4.
    What can be done to reduce the risk?
    I suggest you start with these points:
     
    (1) Try to go to regular supermarkets and markets to buy frozen food
    .
    Regular supermarkets generally have stricter requirements for the control of raw materials, such as requiring importers to provide a nucleic acid negative certificate, etc.
    , and more comprehensive disinfection of its sales places will be carried out on a daily basis, and the management of staff will be stricter, which can be more effective.
    Ensure food safety well
    .

     
    (2) In addition, you can also spray and disinfect the outer packaging with alcohol after you buy it home
    .
    When buying frozen food, pay attention to personal protection, such as wearing a mask and disposable gloves
    .

     
    (3) Wash hands frequently and pay attention to personal hygiene
    .
    Always wash your hands before, during and after handling food
    .
    For example, after touching cold chain foods, you should also wash your hands with soap and avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth without washing your hands; wash your hands before handling cooked and raw food; wash your hands before using the toilet and before eating
    .
     
    (4) Do not wash raw frozen food with water
    .
    When buying frozen seafood and frozen meat, try not to wash it with water, because washing can easily cause splashes and increase the risk of cross-contamination
    .

     
    (5) Cutting boards, knives, containers, etc.
    for food handling must be separated from raw and cooked food
    .
    It is best to prepare 2-3 cutting boards at home, one for cutting raw food and the other for cutting raw food directly.
    Don't mix them
    .
    The knife for cutting frozen food and cooked food should also be kept separate
    .
     
    (6) When storing frozen food, it is best to use sealed and independent packaging
    .
    Frozen and frozen foods bought home should be handled separately and stored in a sealed bag, fresh-keeping box, etc.
    in advance to prevent contact with other foods and cause cross-contamination
    .
    Try to eat cooked food instead of raw food
    .
    The new coronavirus is afraid of heat, so heating the food thoroughly before eating it can effectively prevent infection
    .
    The new type of coronavirus is not heat-resistant, and the new type of coronavirus can be inactivated at 56°C for 30 minutes or 60°C for 10 minutes
    .
    When the temperature is higher, the time required will be shorter
    .
     
     
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