How Cold and Frozen Foods Can Harbor the Omicron Variant
Discover how chilled and frozen foods may serve as carriers for the Omicron variant, and learn effective ways to protect yourself from infection through contaminated products.
Virus particles often settle on food items and can enter the human body through the digestive system.
The Omicron variant quickly became a major concern for the global scientific community and remains a mystery in many ways. Scientists still do not know how to guarantee full protection against it or when its spread will end. However, it is known that Omicron can evade antibodies, infect young people, and even reinfect those who have previously recovered.
One of the most troubling facts is that virus particles can be found almost everywhere — including on food products. Fortunately, this mainly applies to chilled and frozen foods. This risk is not unique to Omicron; earlier coronavirus strains also showed potential transmission through imported contaminated food during the initial outbreak in Wuhan.
Chilled meals and beverages are the most common carriers of the coronavirus. Immediate disinfection of these items is crucial because it’s impossible to know if someone nearby sneezed or coughed on them.
"If someone sneezed or coughed near a dish and another person consumes it, the virus can enter the body. This concern is specific to cold foods, as heating effectively destroys the virus. Infectious droplets may settle more on utensils or glass rims than on the food itself. This mode of transmission is called contact-household transmission. However, if an adult swallows the virus with food, they are less likely to get sick because stomach acid neutralizes it. Infection occurs if the virus adheres to the mucous membranes of the mouth from contaminated cutlery," warns allergist-immunologist Dr. Vladimir Bolibok.
Gastrointestinal symptoms such as digestive disturbances, fever, and nausea are often among the first signs of Omicron infection. This can happen if virus particles enter the patient’s body through the stomach.
"Children produce less stomach acid, sometimes mixed with lactic acid. This physiological factor might allow the coronavirus to pass more easily through their digestive tract. However, definitive data on this is still lacking," explains the doctor.
The official health authorities recommend several measures to protect against virus transmission through food.
Here they are ranked by their effectiveness:
- Always wash your hands with soap before and after visiting the store;
- Avoid touching your face during shopping or food preparation;
- Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly before cooking;
- Refrain from cooking if you are feeling unwell;
- Ensure dishwasher water temperature is at least 60°C (140°F);
- Order only the freshest products since bacteria multiply rapidly at room temperature;
- Limit physical contact with delivery personnel by avoiding hand-to-hand product exchange.
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Photo credit: Getty Images
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