On March 23, 2020, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released new guidance for the food and beverage industry in light of COVID-19. The most important advice is to continue to maintain the food safety and handling protocols which food companies already have in place, especially if employees are unable to follow social distancing measures or maintain a distance of approximately 6-feet from one another.

The FDA advises that workers in the food and agriculture sector continue to follow stringent hygiene practices. Food facilities should be diligent in frequent and proper hand-washing and routine sanitization of all surfaces.

FDA guidance also discusses use of a policy for temporary compounding of certain alcohol-based hand sanitizer products and states that the FDA does not intend to take action against compounders that prepare alcohol-based hand sanitizers. The guidance further notes that the CDC does not recommend that people who are well wear a facemask to protect themselves. Facemasks should only be used by health workers and people who have COVID-19 and are showing symptoms.

• It is important for clients in this sector to remember that the FDA and CDC have previously advised that there is no evidence that COVID-19 is transferred through food.

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