Chen Z, Li X, Zhou J, Zhou T, Lin T, Xu C, Yu J, Li K, Zhang Z, Zhao W. Cold-Chain-Food-Related COVID-19 Surveillance in Guangzhou between July 2020 and December 2022.
Foods 2023;
12:2701. [PMID:
37509793 PMCID:
PMC10379576 DOI:
10.3390/foods12142701]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE
To monitor severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA contamination in samples linked to imported cold-chain food and assess the situation from the implementation of a centralized supervision warehouse system in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China.
METHODS
Swabs of workers and frozen-food-related samples were collected between July 2020 and December 2023 in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was extracted and analyzed by a real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction using the commercially available SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid test kit. The risk level and food source were monitored simultaneously.
RESULTS
A total of 283 positive cold-chain events were found in Guangzhou since the first cold-chain-related event of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic was identified in July 2020. Most positive samples were a low-to-medium risk, and the cycle threshold value was >30. No live virus was detected, and no staff came into direct contact with a live virus. In total, 87.63% of positive events were identified through sampling and testing at the centralized food warehouse.
CONCLUSION
Cold-chain food has a relatively low risk of transmitting SARS-CoV-2. Centralized food storage can be used as an effective method to control this risk, and this measure can also be used for other food-related, contact-transmitted diseases.
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