The Corona Virus (COVID-19) Challenge and Consumer Food Safety

By Prof. Olugbenga Ben Ogunmoyela/

After several weeks of the country being “seemingly in control” with normal daily activities continuing while other countries especially China, Italy, Spain, Germany, United Kingdom and now The United States of America, gradually attained different stages of lockdown, there is now escalating concern about the possible spread of the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) in Nigeria. According to media reports including The Punch of Thursday, 19^th March 2020, the number of confirmed cases in Lagos and Ekiti States has reportedly now increased from three to eight, fueling the fears of an epidemic of the disease here. This is not far-fetched as only one infected person initially started what has now become a major threat to the global economy. Now, Lagos and Ogun State governments have reacted by banning large gatherings of over 50 people. Other enlightenment measures and restrictions are also still being considered, as assured by the Hon Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire. Now, the critical question many are bound to ask is whether COVID-19 (coronavirus) can be passed on through food?

It is now known that this outbreak is due to a new type of Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). Previous experience with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), suggests that people are not infected with the virus through food. However, it is well known that there are more informal or public markets than formal markets with controlled conditions in the country which in itself presents a real challenge because of the very low level of hygiene in these places. Thus, with the known prevalence of unhygienic practices in food handling and preparation in Nigeria, especially in areas where there is no potable water, there is a need to examine our proneness to risk from foods. Our redeeming feature, in the absence of direct contact with infected persons, is the way we generally cook our foods at such high heat that the viruses will not survive.

However, what happens in the case of uncooked foods? For example, many unsuspecting consumers, both in urban and rural centres, patronize street-vended fruits and vegetables which are consumed without cooking. We, therefore, need to examine consumer safety in this context as indeed, questions are now being asked whether the virus can be passed on through food and water.

 It is known that Coronaviruses need a host human or animal for them to grow in and can be passed from person to person, but generally cannot grow in food. The virus is commonly passed on either directly through contact with an infected person’s body fluids (for example, droplets from coughing or sneezing, or indirectly, through contact with surfaces that an infected person has coughed or sneezed on. While current information suggests that the virus may survive a few hours on contact surfaces, it is also known that simple household disinfectants can kill it. As already stated, thorough cooking at about 60 degrees for at least 30 minutes is expected to kill the virus as has been established with SARS. Nevertheless, investigations into how the virus spreads, and likely sources of food cross-contamination within the food production and distribution chain, will be of great help in our environment if the spread is to be quickly controlled. 

The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued precautionary recommendations including advice on good hygiene practices during food handling and preparation. It is clear that more than at any other time in the present circumstances, everyone needs to ensure good hygiene practice when preparing and handling food. This includes avoiding close contact with anyone showing symptoms of respiratory illness, such as coughing and sneezing; washing hands between handling raw and cooked foods; thorough cooking and proper handling of meat from our abattoirs, as well as meat products; apart from covering your mouth and nose whenever coughing and sneezing!

The greatest challenge we must pay attention to in this environment is the need for good hygiene and sanitation to avoid cross-contamination between raw or undercooked foods, and cooked and ready-to-eat foods whether in the kitchen or on the streets!

Post-processing contamination with the virus from an infected person or persons with suspected symptoms of any respiratory illness can be avoided if such person(s) seek timely medical attention and/or self-isolate, rather than handling or preparing food for other people during the time of distress. Many families also need to be on the lookout for help or nannies in contact with children, who may out of ignorance want to hide their respiratory illness for fear of losing their jobs, and in the process handling and preparing foods within the household with the attendant risks. 

It is also advised that food manufacturing facilities, whether large, small or micro which traditionally do not pay sufficient attention to wearing of personal protective equipment must now step up these precautionary measures. In meeting the required food safety standards, it is important that all food contact surfaces are properly cleaned and sanitized, with thorough and frequent handwashing to minimize the risks of such infection.

According to the European Food Safety Authority, although Food is not involved in the transmission of COVID-19, there is still a risk to consumers from ‘open foods’. Open food generally appears vulnerable due mainly to unhygienic practices, but the risk has not increased because of the prevalence of COVID-19. Nevertheless, consumers and customers alike, are expected to behave in a hygienic manner, while food businesses are also obliged to monitor such open displays for compliance with Food Safety Standards. The main risk of transmission is from close contact with infected people. Hence the advice to the public and staff alike is to wash your hands and maintain a social distance.

It is also important to note that since it is possible for infected food workers to introduce the virus to the food they are working on, or onto surfaces within the food business, by coughing and sneezing, or through hand contact, it is everyone’s responsibility to strictly follow good personal hygiene practices.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) advises that standard recommendations to reduce exposure to and transmission of a range of illnesses are maintained. These include:

• proper hand hygiene
• cough/cold hygiene practices
• safe food practices
• avoiding close contact, when possible, with anyone showing symptoms of respiratory illness such as coughing and sneezing

Food workers must wash hands:

• before starting work
• before handling cooked or ready-to-eat food
• after handling or preparing raw food
• after handling waste
• after cleaning duties
• after using the toilet
• after blowing nose, sneezing or coughing
• after eating drinking or smoking
• after handling money

Many owners and managers of large office blocks, eateries and local restaurants as well as supermarkets, have already started taking precautions by temperature monitoring of all employees and customers. It is clear that there is no need for employees without symptoms of infection with COVID-19 to stay off work or to remain separate from other people. However, it is the responsibility of business owners to ensure that staff are aware of the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) situation and the advice being given by the Health, Safety and Environment Officers in such facilities, apart from strict enforcement of the regulations and particular responsibilities under food law, especially with maintaining proper hygiene practices at all times.

They are expected to, in general:

• ensure that staff are trained appropriately in food hygiene
• ensure effective supervision of staff to reinforce hygienic practices
• provide the correct facilities e.g. hand washing, toilets, to enable staff to practice good hygiene
• ensure staff and contractors report any physical signs/symptoms, before commencing work or while in the workplace.
• keep vigilant and ensure that staff are not ill and are fit to work

Infections of staff with COVID-19 (coronavirus) in food businesses around the world may gradually lead to disruption of the food supply chain where certain ingredients and packaging may be in short supply. Food businesses may also, therefore, need to consider some of the following to maintain supplies:

• leaving out or substituting ingredients in a product, and/or
• changing their packaging, and/or
• changing their process

In these situations, it is important that food businesses always remember that it is their legal obligation to ensure that only safe foods are released to the markets. Any change to product, packaging or processing requires a full review of the food safety management system (Good Hygiene Practice (GHP) and Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) for the business. This will allow them to:

• risk assess any food safety issues that could result from the proposed changes
• put in place controls to manage any risks identified
• document the changes

Examples of issues to consider will include the introduction of allergens when changing ingredients and/or ingredient suppliers; safe shelf-life if packaging changes and/or the product is formulated differently, and the introduction of new microbiological, physical, chemical hazards with new ingredients. Of course, this will vary from business to business but business owners and managers must take all necessary precautions to be prepared ready for the challenges of this epidemic.

The attention of Consumer Advocacy for Food Safety and Nutrition (CAFSANI) had been drawn to the fact that there are still many areas of the country, even in urban centres like Kano and Lagos, where human faeces is still being used, mixed raw with sand, for fertilizing various home garden products, especially fruits and vegetables. It is therefore pertinent in this release to advocate strongly that this must be one season when there will be a public outcry against such practices in our communities to avoid spreading the virus, although the effects of spreading the infection through such faecal matter collected from persons with the respiratory illness have neither been reported or investigated.   

Prof. Olugbenga Ben Ogunmoyela

Executive Director

Consumer Advocacy for Food Safety and Nutrition (CAFSANI)

19/03/2020

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