How to eat restaurant, homemade food and stay safe in season of coronavirus

To stay alive, one cannot be enemies with food. In fact, the food business has been declared an essential service sector, even as speculations remain rife that heated food could help protect against coronavirus infection. In this report, FAVOUR BOLUWADE looks at the safety measures that are necessary to be taken with food consumption at this period.

Man’s instinct is to survive and food is very paramount to that survival. Sale of foodstuff was listed among the essential businesses even when players in other sectors of the Nigerian economy were told to work from home at the inception of the lockdown of some parts of the country by the authorities.

Saturday Tribune moved around and observed the operation of some high-profile restaurants and the local ones popularly preferred to as canteens or ‘mama put’. It was discovered that the continued lockdown of cities and towns may have caused a reduction in sales and profit but the food business still thrives.

A respondent, Gbenga Abodunrin, pointed out that even with the risk posed by the rampaging coronavirus, he still couldn’t help but walk into his preferred restaurant to buy food. Asked if he wasn’t scared of contracting the virus via public food consumption, he said the food remained safe to him “because cooking kills bacteria” and in his estimation, that should kill viruses, too.

“I have been buying food since the outbreak of this pandemic. Coronavirus can’t stand heat. Most foods are processed under heat and I don’t eat whatever isn’t hot so it is safe to say that I am safe,” Abodunrin added.

Strict hygiene as a safety measure

According to a report by Paula Cannon, a professor of molecular microbiology and immunology at Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, in Los Angeles, restaurant kitchens can be one safe place because of the strict hygiene practised there.

She stated that “restaurant kitchens can be one of the safest places in this coronavirus outbreak because they already practise strict hygiene protocols to avoid food-borne illnesses.”

Other expert reports have also pointed out that it is easy to kill the coronavirus with heat, which could mean that cooking or rewarming just to make sure food is hot could help immunity.

But Dunni Abodunrin was not a subscriber to the idea that coronavirus would not spread even if the restaurant food were hot, as long as the food is not homemade.

She said, “actually, I am picky when it comes to eating out and with this COVID-19 palaver, it is just better to hold on at home where you can trust yourself and reduce the risk. “

Sanitising is still important

The doubts over the cleanliness of restaurants’ chefs were put to rest in the report by Professor Cannon: “If foodstuff is kept clean, the risk is lower.” She suggested in the report that “if one is concerned that the virus may be lingering on the outside of delivery containers, then transfer your food to a clean container of your own — and be sure to wash your hands before eating.”

The concern has indeed grown as the rate of infected persons increased over the days and some finally decided to close their restaurants.

Omowumi Ikuerowo, a nutritionist and food service provider, said the assertion that the chef would not transmit the virus is wrong. “There is currently no evidence that COVID-19 is transmitted through eating food, but the assertion that says eating is safe even if the cook/chef is infected is wrong,” she said.

Daniel Achibong, a restaurant owner in Ibadan, Oyo State, stated that he locked up his restaurant because of that discovery, just a few days ago.

He said: “We made sure our customers washed their hands with soap when they came in and we also made sure our food was always very hot because research has shown that the virus can’t stand heat. Food is a life-saving product. But the general lockdown has made people stay indoors and cook for themselves.

“But for us as a company, we locked up because we just want everyone to feel safe and do their best at keeping safe. Even if the food made is hot, and they wash and sanitise their hands before eating, what is the assurance that the virus is not in the system before they come here to eat? The food itself is safe, it is the people who move the virus, not the food. So, locking up is our company’s quota to staying safe. We make deliveries.”

Femi Abioye, a medical practitioner, also said it is not true that restaurants are totally safe. “They are still researching on the virus. No hundred per cent fact has been found. Hot food will save a bit. But I doubt if the virus has any effect when ingested into the bowels passage. But it’s not all confirmed. That’s it,” he said.

A nutritionist’s view

Ikuerowo said, “There is currently no convincing proof that any food or nutrition pattern can ‘boost’ our immune system and prevent or treat COVID-19. But, of course, there are several nutrients – iron, zinc and vitamins A, B6, B12, C and D e.t.c – that play important role in our immune system. It is, therefore, advised to eat healthy balanced meals rich in fruits and vegetables, which supply us with enough nutrients through our daily consumption.

“There is a remote risk of getting infected from touching a surface or object that has been contaminated by the virus and then touching your mouth, nose, or eyes. This includes food packaging because, food cooking is a process, from the food preparation to the cooking, to the packaging and eventually serving (plating) or delivery.

“It is also a known fact that the virus spreads via contacts and it is also discovered that the virus can exist on cardboard food packaging for a day, and plastic for several days (this form of spread hasn’t being reported so far, but there’s a very high chance).”

What to focus on

“While the food in itself is safe to eat because of the cooking heat, the plates, cutleries, food package are not safe because the infected cook/chef touches kitchen surfaces, touches kitchen utensils, the plate for serving, which in turn makes the food unsafe to eat.

“There’s no way one won’t touch the food package that the infected person has had contact with. This is why good hygiene practice, social distancing is advisable.

“When handling or preparing food, make sure to: wash your hands for 20 seconds with soap before and after preparing or eating food but how many chefs adhere to this?

“In general, to try and minimise risk of infection, the following measures, when buying and preparing food, should be taken: make sure to cook and reheat foods to adequate temperatures for two minutes before consumption. This helps to kill whatever germs, microbes that may exist in the food,” Ikuerowo emphasised.

COVID-19: FG Expresses Worries Over Mass Transportation Of People Out Of Lagos In Trucks
The Presidential Task Force on the coronavirus pandemic has alerted on what it called ‘mass transportation’ of people out of Lagos State in trucks, thereby worsening the spread of the disease… Read full story

Health Workers That Demand Fee For COVID-19 Test Will Be Sanctioned ― LASG
LAGOS State government (LASG) has said tests for COVID-19 are free of charge in all designated screening centres across the state… Read full story

We Want Our Tailors To Start Using Ankara, Others To Make Face Masks, Says Boss Mustapha
The Presidential Task Force on the coronavirus pandemic has asked the Nigerian garment factories especially tailors all over the country to start producing face masks using local fabrics such as Ankara and others… Read full story

(UPDATE): Faces Of Four Suspected Killers Of Afenifere Leader’s Daughter
The Inspector General of Police, Muhammed Adamu, on Thursday confirmed the arrest of four men suspected to have murdered Mrs Funke Olakunrin, the daughter of the leader of Afenifere, a pan-Yoruba sociocultural group, Pa Reuben Fasoranti… Read full story

COVID-19: FG Threatens To Close Down Private Hospitals Engaging In Unauthorised Treatment
THE Federal Government (FG) threatened on Thursday that it would close down private hospitals that engage in unauthorised treatment of COVID-19, warning that the country cannot afford avoidable morbidity… Read full story

Covid-19 Lockdown: When Lagos Residents Rose Against Gangs
Except for the sight of few commercial bus drivers and motorcyclists engaging in brisk business operations to make ends meet and in that way circumventing the presidential stay-at-home order, major roads across Lagos State are deserted as handful of commuters are stranded at various bus stations… Read full story

Ramadan 2020: UAE Charities To Shun Mosques, Tents, Deliver Iftar Meals To Homes
IFTAR meals will be directly delivered to those in need in the United Arab Emirates this year, rather than being served at Ramadan tents or at mosques… Read full story

What Islam Tells Us About Responding To Deadly Pandemics —Experts
EXPERTS have said that Islamic guidelines on epidemics, going back to the time of the Prophet Muhammad, can help people cope with COVID-19. They said Islamic rules over epidemics to protect people from death and sickness go back to the very early stages of the emergence of the monothesitic religion. According to them… Read full story

The Power Of Amotekun
Security is not just the most sacred value, it is the ultimate value. That is why it is philosophised that survival is the first law in nature. It is true that coronavirus issues now tend to override many other issues, but we must not lose our guard. This is because the history of warfare shows that adversaries always prefer to attack their… Read full story

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE