For consumers: How to ensure food safety amid COVID-19?

The World Health Organization has recommended five key steps to ensure food safety amid the COVID-19 pandemic: keeping food clean, separating raw from cooked food, cooking thoroughly, keeping food at safe temperatures, and using safe water and raw materials.

Particular attention should be paid to the following:

First, carefully clean food before cooking it, and avoid splashing water.

Second, cook food thoroughly, which is critical to food safety. Normal home cooking temperatures can kill the novel coronavirus and other pathogenic microorganisms.

Third, separate raw from cooked food. Use separate equipment and utensils, such as knives and cutting boards. Especially when handling raw meat and aquatic products, consumers should be careful to avoid cross-contamination.

Fourth, clean and disinfect the table, equipment and utensils after food preparation and cooking.

Lastly, maintain good hygienic habits. Consumers should wash their hands before and after handling food, including packaging, and avoid touching the mouth, eyes or nose during food preparation.

Note: The transcript is from the press conference held by the Joint Prevention and Control Mechanism of the State Council on July 10. In case of any dispute over a discrepancy, the Chinese version is deemed to prevail.