Food safety, hygiene, and awareness during combating of COVID-19

Novel coronavirus is a family of viruses that usually leads to respiratory illness. This coronavirus pandemic has affected human life drastically, and there is a chance that this virus persists on raw foods of animal origin. Also, food that is served to the customers by retail sectors passes through different operational steps, which involves multiple touchpoints by the food handlers on the surface of the food or to the food directly. This may lead to the spreading of the coronavirus through the food sector if proper hygiene, sanitization, and disinfection, social distancing, and other preventive measures are not followed. This chapter will give an overview of the type of foodborne viruses and their effects on human health. It will also provide an understanding of the possibilities of transmitting coronavirus disease (COVID-19) through food and food packaging. The review will also focus on the preventive measures, hygiene practices, and safety precautions that should be adopted by the food handlers or food business owners to mitigate the risk of transmitting COVID-19 in the food service and retail sector. Essential aspects of the food safety management system with respect to COVID-19 will be discussed, which should be followed by all the food companies. Finally, the role of different dietary supplements and bioactive ingredients of foods and herbs will be discussed that are known to improve the human immune system, which will fight against the virus.