Discussions

Message: Does it seem ok to buy butchered meat on store shelves like pork chops, hamburger? These are being handled by several people like cooked chickens?  
Does cooking these meats kill the virus?  
Same question for fresh fruit and veg.  
I have not heard this question asked or answered.  
I would prefer an answer from a physician or public health instead of people just guessing like I do.

Cooked chickens are handling grocery store produce?! That's wild.  
 
The answer is you're fine. The virus doesn't live or spread on food. I know you want an answer from a physician, which I am not but you that is your answer. Continue to cook your food but make sure you keep washing it and preparing it as you normally would.

They said months ago in the media that cooking makes food safe. Heat kills pretty much all viruses.  
 
As for produce, I try to buy as much pre-bagged produce as I can to reduce the amount it's handled. By the time it arrives, any viruses on the food itself is likely died, and you can wash it (which you should be doing anyway).

Although you should not wash any chicken in the kitchen sink!

I correct my previous statement! No fresh meat should ever be washed in the kitchen sink!

https://healthycanadians.gc.ca/recall-alert-rappel-avis/hc-sc/2016/57088a-eng.php

https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/meat-poultry-fish-seafood-safety/poultry-safety.html

Oh my...and now this is going to get out of hand and all that fresh meat and produce that people decided they needed to hoard will just go to waste because of some new ridiculous fear.  
 
People....I have a large family, we actually can use these products, and not waste them, but there is none left on the shelves for us because of these fears. We have not gone and bought any more amount of food or supplies than we normally do because it’s ridiculous and wasteful.  
 
Eat the stuff you bought, don’t get sucked in to all of this fear. Cook and wash your food as normal. You will be fine. And if you are too afraid to do so, then please find a good home for that food so it does not go to waste.  
 
Edited by Jellybean, 2020-03-17 13:17:08