Imported bananas test positive, the end of the year is approaching, can imported fruits still be eaten?

On January 15, a batch of imported bananas in the Tongliao Economic and Technological Development Zone of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region tested positive for nucleic acid on the new crown virus.

The headquarters of the Tongliao Economic Development Zone received a notice from the CDC that the outer packaging of Cambodian imported bananas sold in the Yunda Fruit and Vegetable Market in the Development Zone tested positive for nucleic acid in Khoringol City, and the goods were sold in the 629 houses of free-range pork shops in the courtyard of the Development Zone Yunda Market and the Jiajia Garden Night Market in the Development Zone.

According to the command, if members of the public have purchased or directly contacted imported bananas at the above locations between December 26, 2021 and January 15, 2022, they should report to their communities in a timely manner. If you still have this batch of imported bananas left in your home, please wear a mask and latex gloves for personal protection, soak in 1000mg/L84 disinfectant for 30 minutes, or spray 75% alcohol until wet.

Supermarket purchasing. Profile photo. Photo by Cao Zihao

Previously, Jinhua, Lishui, Shaoxing and other places issued notices found that a batch of Vietnamese red heart dragon fruit outer packaging nucleic acid test was weak positive, Ningxia Yinchuan detected longan peel and its outer packaging of new coronavirus nucleic acid positive. In the past half a month, imported fruits such as dragon fruit, longan, and bananas have frequently "hit the trick". The year is approaching, is imported food still safe? What should I do after buying it home?

In January this year, when the surface nucleic acid test of cherries imported from Wuxi was positive, Feng Zijian, deputy director of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said that the imported goods tested positive for new crown nucleic acid, which only means that it has been contaminated, does not mean that it is necessarily contagious.

"For the new crown virus to be contagious, it needs to have two characteristics: first, it must be a live virus; second, the viral load must be high enough. Imported cold chain fruits are positive, and a part of the virus on its surface may have turned into a dead virus during long-distance transportation, or just a nucleic acid fragment of the virus. This does not mean that it has a complete live virus on its surface and may not be contagious. ”

In January 2021, Wu Zunyou, chief expert of epidemiology at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, also said that China tested positive for nucleic acid from food or food packaging, the vast majority of which were mild pollution, and a very small number were heavy pollution. Only those who are exposed to these pollutions for a long time can cause infections, such as logistics workers, stevedores, etc.

Under the current epidemic situation, how to deal with eating fruits? Wu Zunyou reminded that when eating fruits, we must pay attention to the hygiene of the hands, repeatedly scrub with flowing water before eating fruits, apples, pears, peaches, etc. are best peeled and eaten, and cut off or reduce the source of pollution at the 1st pass. You can also soak it in light salt water, baking soda or fruit and vegetable cleaner for about 15 minutes to reduce the occurrence of pollution sources.

"For some high-temperature-resistant fruits, they can be soaked in hot water, and if they are soaked for more than 70 ° C for three minutes, they can effectively kill the virus." Conditional can also be steamed, after cooking can effectively kill the virus, can be safe to eat. ”