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What precautions should I take after going shopping? Does food need to be cooked to destroy the virus? Can I eat fruits and vegetables raw without any further preparation? ANSES examined the possibilities of the COVID-19 disease being transmitted via food, on the basis of the available scientific data. Here are our answers to the most frequently asked questions.

When asked about potential transmission of the COVID-19 disease via contaminated domestic animals or food, ANSES urgently convened an expert group to answer this question. On the basis of their report, the Agency concluded that in light of the scientific knowledge available, there is no evidence that pets and livestock play a role in the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus causing this disease. Any transmission through food would therefore necessarily imply contamination of that food by a patient or person infected with the virus, during handling or meal preparation. This could concern all types of foods (animal or plant products). Furthermore, while there is no evidence to suggest that consumption of contaminated food can lead to infection of the digestive tract, the possibility of the respiratory tract becoming infected during chewing cannot be completely ruled out. The Agency reiterates that cooking food and observing good hygiene practices when handling and preparing food are effective at preventing contamination with the SARS-CoV-2 virus.