The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is offering some unusual holiday cooking tips during the COVID-19 pandemic. They state that, "Currently, there is no evidence to suggest that handling food or eating is associated with directly spreading COVID-19. It is possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object, including food, food packaging, or utensils that have the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes. However, this is not thought to be the main way that the virus is spread." If you are hosting a small holiday gathering, think about these tips, and as always, follow basic food safety rules. You don't want to add food poisoning to the list of things we're already stressing over. First, encourage guests to … [Read more...]
FDA Stops Sales of Nano Silver as False COVID-19 Treatment
The FDA stops sales of Nano Silver as false COVID-19 treatment through a civil complaint for permanent injunction. The complaint was filed on November 13, 2020 in U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey. The U.S. is alleging that Natural Solutions Foundation sold and distributed a nano silver product that the defendants claim will "cure, mitigate, treat, or prevent COVID-19." Acting Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey Bossert Clark of the Justice Department’s Civil Division said in a statement,“The Department of Justice will not allow individuals to take advantage of the ongoing public health emergency by peddling unproven, unapproved drugs. We will continue to work closely with the Food and Drug Administration to halt the illegal sale of such products during this … [Read more...]
Planning Holiday Gatherings During the Pandemic? The CDC Has Tips
If you are planning holiday gatherings during the pandemic, the CDC has some timely tips. Right now, the coronavirus is spreading uncontrolled through most of the United States. Scientists were afraid this would happen as people got tired of social distancing and started to spend more time indoors. First of all, celebrating virtually is the safest way to spend the holidays. Only socialize with people in your household - that is, anyone who currently lives and shares common spaces in your home. Anyone who doesn't currently live with ou, including college students who are coming home for the holidays, are considered from other households. Second, if you are having and in-person holiday event, there are some things to this about. If the community levels of COVID-19 in your location, … [Read more...]
ICMSF Opinion on Coronavirus and Food Safety: Not a Hazard
The International Commission on Microbiological Specifications for Foods (ICMSF) has released an opinion paper on the relationship of the novel coronavirus to food safety. In brief, the ICMSF opinion on coronavirus and food safety is: "SARS-CoV-2 should not be considered a food safety hazard since a true food safety hazard enters the human body with food via the gastro-intestinal (GI) tract, where it can infect organs/tissues elsewhere in the human body." SARS-CoV-2 is the technical term for the novel virus. COVID-19 is the name of the illness it cases. The "19" is used as an identifier since the virus was first discovered in 2019. The virus is spread through respiratory droplets and infects humans through the respiratory system. Many billions of meals have been consumed, and … [Read more...]
Shop at Farmers Markets This Year With COVID-19 Precautions
The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) is telling consumers that they will be able to shop at farmers markets this year as long as some precautions for the COVID-19 pandemic are taken. Because the markets are typically held outside, the risk for virus transmission is reduced. Minnesota Farmers Markets are an essential business so they can remain open through any quarantine closures. MDA has published a guide called Shopping the Farmers' Market During COVID-19 to help consumers stay safe. The advice is sensible and includes information we have been told before. First, stay home if you are sick. That's always important, but especially so now during the pandemic. Wash your hands before and after visiting the market. The farmers' market you visit may provide handwashing … [Read more...]
Temporary Injunction Issued Against Genesis II Church of Health and Healing
The FDA has asked a judge to enter a temporary injunction against Genesis II Church of Health and Healing, preventing the sale of Chlorine Dioxide products that are the equivalent to industrial bleach to treat coronavirus. The FDA issued a warning letter against the company on April 8, 2020 about this issue, but "The court also found that there is a danger that the defendants will continue violating the law without the temporary restraining order." The company makes "Miracle Mineral Solution" (MMS) which is an "unproven and potentially harmful treatment offered for sale to treat Coronavirus." The courtt found that the FDA has demonstrated that Genesis is violating the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act by unlawful distributing MMS, which is an unapproved new drug and misbranded … [Read more...]
Fecal-Oral Transmission of COVID-19 Is Possible, But Not Likely
A new study has found that fecal-oral transmission of COVID-19 is possible, but not likely. The research was conducted in China. It must be stressed: this type of transmission is theoretically possible, since viruses can enter the GI tract and survive in feces, but no cases of infection via this route have been identified. All cases diagnosed so far have been through inhaling droplets containing the virus. This is not a likely vehicle for transmission, but people should know about it. This new information is concerning because it brings food into the COVID-19 pandemic. The fecal-oral route of transmission means that when a person who is infected with a bacteria or virus goes to the bathroom, gets a tiny amount of feces on their fingers, and doesn't wash their hands, then touches … [Read more...]
New Information About COVID-19 Viability on Surfaces
The news is changing rapidly about COVID-19 viability on surfaces. At the beginning of this pandemic scientists thought that that coronavirus wouldn't retain viability on surfaces for very long, and also that it couldn't survive in the air. That information is probably incorrect, according to a paper published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Because we have never seen a virus like this before, scientists could only compare it to other coronaviruses such as SARS and H1N1. Now that researchers have been able to study it, and have conducted tests, they know more about it. In this paper, COVID-19 is called SARS-CoV-2. The virus was tested in ten experimental situations involving the two strains of the virus in aerosols, plastic, stainless steel, copper, and cardboard. The … [Read more...]
