Study shows COVID-19 can stay on food packaging for weeks
06 Dec 2022 --- A study conducted by the Food Standards Agency with researchers from the University of Southampton, UK, reveals that food packaging can hold the COVID-19 virus for alternative time periods based on the packaging material, temperature and humidity.
The study measured how the quantity of the infectious virus present on food packaging surfaces declined over time, revealing that it could stay between a range of hours to weeks.
This research contradicts previous statements by the World Health Organization (WHO) that there is no evidence linking COVID-19 transmission between people through food packaging.
According to the study, the amount of Sars-Cov-2 present on relative food packaging is influenced by the material it is made from. The results could impact packaging manufacturers looking to create antimicrobial packaging, instead of solely focusing on additives to products to make them resistant to viruses, the study demonstrates that materials should be considered and play a factor in performance.
The COVID-19 food packaging study could influence how industry manufacturers choose product material to reduce viral load. Food material and COVID-19
The packaging tested included drink bottles, cartons and cans. These were chosen due to their frequent nature of coming into contact with consumers’ mouths, and therefore spread a virus more efficiently.
The study found that COVID-19 can survive for up to a week on plastic surfaces, several days on cartons and only hours on aluminum cans, say the researchers. Therefore, if a company is aiming to lower the viral load on its products, aluminum could stand as a viable option.
The scientists studied the contaminated food packages at various temperatures and humidity levels over periods that reflect their typical storage conditions. The virus was added to the food packaging at a volume representing respiratory droplets landing on their surfaces.
However, the researchers disclose that the “packaging considered as part of this study were artificially inoculated with Sars-Cov-2 and therefore are not a reflection of contamination levels found on these foods at retail, and lower levels of contamination will require less time to decline to undetectable levels.”
While the study does not assert a direct link to the spread of the disease through food packaging, as that would require further research, it is implicated that the virus can remain on food packaging that comes into contact with the human body, which could lead to infection.
Distinct results
The food packaging materials were tested at different incubation temperatures and humidity levels, which led to variable virus survival.
The virus survives better at chill temperatures on foods and packaging materials compared to ambient temperatures.
There was a significant decrease in PET bottle virus levels greater than 90% after 24 hours at 21-degrees Celsius. Whereas at 6-degrees Celsiu
The Food Standards Agency contradicts the WHO with a new study on virus survival on food packaging.s the virus was still detectable five days after artificial contamination in some conditions.
The virus survival was similar for PET trays, with a significant decrease in virus levels of more than 90% after 24 hours. Still, levels did not reach the limit of detection (LOD) until day six at 6-degrees Celcius, 20% relative humidity (RH).
When aluminum cans were tested, there was a significant decrease in virus levels of more than 90% after 24 hours on cans stored in ambient 23-degrees Celcius conditions. In chilled conditions, the virus survived longer. At 6-degrees Celcius and 80% RH, levels did not reach the LOD until day four.
For composite drinks cartons, a significant decrease in virus levels of higher than 90% was observed after 24 hours stored in 23-degrees Celcius conditions. However, for cartons stored in some chilled conditions, 6-degrees Celcius and 80% RH, the virus did not reach the LOD until day four.
Past results
Earlier this year, Chinese researchers linked almost 700 cases of COVID-19 to contaminated frozen food packaging, supporting speculation that cold-chain foods act as a pathway for SARS-CoV-2 and might present a risk of virus transmission between regions.
It was found that seven outbreaks and 689 cases were linked to imported frozen foods. The first index case among the seven outbreaks was exposed to SARS-CoV-2-contaminated outer packaging of frozen food, relating to this study as colder temperatures were once again proven to contain the virus better.
However, the WHO cites that “coronaviruses need a live animal or human host to multiply and survive and cannot multiply on the surface of food packages.”
By Sabine Waldeck
