China’s Covid-19 outbreak sparks renewed scrutiny of frozen food

(Aug 4): The latest Covid-19 resurgence in China is putting imports of frozen food back under intense scrutiny as authorities act on a controversial claim that it’s possible to contract the virus from food packaging. Cities including Zhengzhou and Haikou will tighten inspection of imported frozen food to prevent virus transmission, according to local media reports. Frozen pork bone and beef ribs originating from the U.K., Brazil and Canada were seized from a hot pot restaurant in Nantong city as the operators couldn’t provide disinfection certificates or nucleic acid test reports. China has claimed that the virus can persist in conditions found in frozen food and packaging, linking some infections in people to imported goods, and has taken drastic steps to curb the risk. International health authorities have downplayed the likelihood of such transmission, with the World Health Organization and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention saying the chance of getting ...