FDA on Heat Lethality of COVID-19 Virus

The Consumer Brands Association (formerly GMA) posed question to FDA on heat lethality of CORVID-19.  While there are no specific studies, the virus is expected to be easily destroyed by heat and no special resistance to pH.  Processes used to destroy other organisms should be easily take care of COVID-19, and again, it is a respiratory virus, not foodborne.

“When manufacturing a food or beverage, what is the time/temperature lethality for COVID-19 and is there a specific pH that impacts the survivability of COVID-19 in general and in food?”

In response, FDA FCIC staff said the following: “Currently there is no evidence of food or food packaging being associated with transmission of COVID-19. Unlike foodborne gastrointestinal (GI) viruses like norovirus and hepatitis A that often make people ill through contaminated food, SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19, is a virus that causes respiratory illness. Foodborne exposure to this virus is not known to be a route of transmission. Because of this, there are no specific studies to determine the impact of heat or pH on SARS-CoV-2 in food. However, there is no reason to believe SARS-CoV-2 would have greater resistance to heat or pH than foodborne viruses. Some studies show that coronaviruses (which are enveloped viruses) are less resistant to treatments including heat, alcohol, and others, as compared to foodborne viruses such as hepatitis A virus (HAV). For example, heating at 145°F (63°C) for 4 min has been shown to result in a 4 log reduction of coronaviruses, but the same temperature only inactivates 3 logs of HAV on green onions after 20 hours of heating/dehydration. Following measures intended to inactivate foodborne viruses should work for inactivation of coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2. However, to reiterated, foodborne exposure to this virus is not known to be a route of transmission.”