The Food Standards Agency in the UK has released research on how long Covid virus residue can reside on grocery items. Specifically for products that customers might not wash before consuming. The overall analysis found that consumer risks remain low, with most virus levels dropping significantly after 24 hours.
To decrease the risk of infection, hands must be washed before preparing or eating food, and all fresh produce should be rinsed. The main transmission of the disease remains to be the inhalation of droplets.
Baked goods such as pastries had little virus residue after a few hours, which could be credited to the fine layer of egg wash. Eggs naturally contain an acid that may have an antiviral effect. It lasted slightly longer on brown bread crusts compared to white bread crusts, possibly due to higher levels of fibre.
The virus lasted the longest on fruit and vegetable with uneven surfaces, such as broccoli and raspberries. The skin of some apples contains natural chemicals that break down the virus relatively quickly.
The virus lasted up to a week on plastic drinks and ready-meal containers. But on aluminium cans, it was only a few hours.
On chilled deli items, with a high protein and fat content, the virus survived for up to a few days - as long as a week. On olives, the virus was inactive in as little as one minute, but in salted brine, it could last up to four days.
