In these uncertain times, many of us in the U.S. are advised to stay home when they can and practice social distancing. Among other things, this means more time at home, which can lead to more time to experiment in the kitchen. It is always important to be sure your food is safe to eat, and especially so now given the coronavirus outbreak. Many people are curious about whether cooking foods at a certain temperature can kill the coronavirus and minimize risk of contracting COVID-19, so we took a deep dive into the evidence to find an answer.
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Your Food and Coronavirus Questions Answered
Though heat from cooking kills the coronavirus, there are several myths circulating about heat and the virus.Firstly,hand dryers cannot kill the coronavirus, contrary to popular belief, though washing hands frequently is highly important. Also, theWHO directly statesthat “taking a hot bath does not prevent the new coronavirus disease” and that attempting to take a bath hot enough to kill the virus would cause burns and do more harm than good. Similar to hot baths, hot liquids like tea will not stave off the coronavirus (and foods cannot fight mucus build up). Additionally, the CDC was clear in stating that it is unclear whether warming weather will have any impact on the rate at which the virus spreads.
There is so much information coming out daily regarding the coronavirus and it’s important to stay well-informed. Rest assured that safe food handling and cooking food to recommended temperatures will help prevent the spread of the virus (as well as foodborne illnesses) through food. So, use this extra time at home to get in the kitchen for a fun, safe and nourishing time.
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