Can I Get COVID-19 From Fresh Fruits and Vegetables?
COVID-19 Greens in a Grocery Store Lifelong Nutrition and Fitness
I had someone ask me this question last week:
“Can I get sick from the fresh fruits and vegetables I bought at the grocery store?”
According to the CDC, currently there is no evidence of food or food packaging being associated with the transmission of COVID-19. While it may be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes, this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads.
Can someone spread the virus without being sick?
People are thought to be the most contagious when they are sick and have the most symptoms. Therefore it is unlikely you will see this person in the store shopping for groceries and sneezing, coughing or touching fresh fruits and vegetables.
While there have been some reports of people spreading the virus before they showed any symptoms, this has not been thought to be the main way the virus spreads. The virus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person when they are within 6 feet of each other and the infected person coughs or sneezes. The droplets produced from coughing or sneezing can land in the other person’s mouth or nose or could possibly be inhaled into the lungs of the other person.
Practice Good Hygiene
The best ways to not get sick from COVID-19 or any other viruses (for example, the flu) is to practice good ol basic hygiene:
Wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds after touching any frequently used item or surface such as handles. Click here to watch the CDC’s video on how to wash your hands.
Avoid touching your face especially after touching something and before you have had a chance to wash your hands.
Sneeze or cough into a tissue or the inside of your elbow NOT your hands.
Disinfect highly touched items and surfaces such as doorknobs, light switches, countertops, phones and faucets. Make your own disinfectant by mixing ¼ cup of bleach with 1 quart of water or by using an alcohol based solution with at least 70% isopropyl alcohol. In your well intentioned effort to clean and disinfect your home, do not mix bleach with chlorine as, when combined, the two form chloramine gas which can be deadly.
If you are concerned about contamination of food you have purchased from the grocery store, wash your hands after handling food and food packages when you return from the grocery store and after removing packaging from food.
How to Wash Fresh Fruits and Vegetables
Do not wash your fresh food with soap and water or with bleach. The best way to wash fresh fruits and vegetables is with clean, cold tap water or distilled water Soak produce in distilled water for one to two minutes to reduce the risk of any food-borne illness. Why distilled water? Because distilled water has been filtered and purified to remove contaminants. If you still don’t feel comfortable you can use over-the-counter produce washes but they can be costly.
For more tips you may find useful, check out this one of my blogs where I share 12 Helpful Tips.
References:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/how-covid-spreads.html
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/cleaning-disinfection.html