Now, wretched Covid-19 has been found on ice cream!3 min read
Reading Time: 2 minutesWe’ve got some bad news for all the ice cream lovers out there – coronavirus was found in some samples of ice cream in China. Authorities have now had to recall and seize the contaminated products.
Nearly 29,000 cartons in that particular bath of ice cream weren’t purchased yet, and 390 cartons that were sold are now being tracked down.
A total of 1,662 employees of Daqiaodao Food Co Ltd, where the ice cream was manufactured, have been placed under quarantine too. Daqiaodao has since been sealed, and fortunately, there was no indication of anyone contracting the virus from the ice cream, said local authorities.
The Chinese government said, “Authorities believe the virus reached the ice cream through an infected person. The ingredients included New Zealand milk powder and whey powder from Ukraine.”
Meanwhile, the Chinese Ministry for Primary Industries said it was not aware of any evidence that the milk powder from New Zealand was the source of Covid-19. “In many instances, reports of SARS-CoV-2 detected on food or food packaging are not specific as to how the virus was identified, what amount of virus was found, and whether the virus was viable and infectious,” the ministry said.
How did coronavirus survive on ice cream?
Experts say the cold temperature, combined with the fat content of the ice cream, could be blamed for the virus’ survival in the samples. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the US, coronavirus and other viruses in the same family, “survive poorly” on food products and packaging. However, CDC experts say we should still be cautious while handling food packaging that may be contaminated.
According to the Food and Drug Adminstration (FDA), there are currently no reports that food or food packaging is linked to Covid-19 transmission. However, they also say that proper food safety practices need to be practised.
Owliver’s Guide to Eating Clean
It’s always a good idea to wash fresh fruits and vegetables thoroughly with clean water, especially if you plan on consuming them raw. To avoid contamination, you can use disinfecting wipes on food packaging items that you’ve purchased.
The most important rule, however, is to ALWAYS wash your hands before handling food. This includes:
- After handling and storing groceries
- Before and after preparing food
- Before eating
Sources: Healthline, Indian Express, DNA
Photos and GIFs: Wikipedia, Giphy
