To date, there is no evidence linking COVID-19 transmission to food or food packages, says U of G Prof. Jeffrey Farber, Food Science. Farber is director of the Canadian Research Institute for Food Safety.

He is featured in an April 7 National Post story on washing foods during the COVID-19 pandemic.  

Farber says the practices we normally follow during non-pandemic times – using cold running water to wash fruits and vegetables before eating – will suffice during the pandemic.   

The article describes how some are taking extreme measures to cleanse their food — using the kitchen sink, warm water and dish soap.  But that is unwarranted and potentially harmful, said Farber.  

By putting food in the sink, you may cause cross-contamination with bacterial pathogens, especially if something like raw chicken was previously in the sink.  And washing fruit and vegetables with dish soap can cause stomach upset.