Environmental monitoring shows SARS-CoV-2 contamination of surfaces in food plants

Abstract

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has presented new challenges to food manufacturers. In addition to preventing the spread of microbial contamination of food, with SARS-CoV-2, there is an additional focus on preventing SARS-CoV-2 infections in food plant personnel. During the early phase of the pandemic, several large outbreaks of Covid-19 occurred in food manufacturing plants resulting in deaths and economic loss. In March of 2020, we assisted in implementation of environmental monitoring programs for SARS-CoV-2 in 116 food production facilities. All participating facilities had already implemented measures to prevent symptomatic personnel from coming to work. During the study period, from March 17, 2020 to September 3, 2020, 1.23% of the 22,643 environmental samples tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, suggesting that infected individuals are actively shedding virus. Virus contamination was commonly found on frequently touched surfaces. Most plants managed to control their environmental contamination when they became aware of the positive findings. Comparisons of the personnel test results to environmental contamination in one plant showed a good correlation between the two. Our work illustrates that environmental monitoring for SARS-CoV-2 can be used as a surrogate for identifying the presence of asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic personnel in workplaces and may aid in controlling infection spread.HighlightsEnvironmental contamination by SARS-CoV-2 virus was detected in food plantsOut of 22,643 environmental swabs, 278 (1.23%) were positive for SARS-CoV-2Frequently touched surfaces had the most contaminationSurface testing for SARS-CoV-2 may indicate presence of asymptomatic carriers

Comprehensive Risk Pathway of the Qualitative Likelihood of Human Exposure to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 from the Food Chain

“…SARS-CoV-2 persists a few hours/days on certain surfaces under different conditions (9,24,38,41,47) and frequently touched surfaces could be contaminated with SARS-CoV-2 in food establishments (33).…”

“…Monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 on environmental surfaces could predict the presence of asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic personnel at the workplace (32,33). This could allow for response and control measures to be implemented for these personnel.…”

“…Frequently touched surfaces could be contaminated with SARS-CoV-2 in food and healthcare establishments (33,59).…”