Food Safety

Updated March 31, 2020:Food Safety & COVID-19 Resources

COVID-19 Resources

The following resources provide best practices for preparing for COVID-19 and managing risk for individuals at home and for food environments such as restaurants, grocery stores, food banks, gardens and farms. These resources are based on guidance and best practices as outlined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), World Health Organization (WHO) and the best available science. All items are peer reviewed by an expert panel, and many are translated into Spanish. Check back frequently for updates to the guidance.

National up-to-date webpages:

• CDC Coronavirus (COVID-19) 

• FDA What's new

State up-to-date webpages:

• Maryland Department of Health (MDH)-COVID-19 

• Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA)-MDA COVID-19 Updates

• Univ. of Maryland Extension Resources (e.g. federal, state, county, financial...)

Home and Community

• Is COVID-19 a Food Safety Issue? (3.17.20)

Hand Hygiene

• Hand Hygiene (3.16.20)

• Homemade Hand Sanitizer (3.30.20) 

•  Small scale recipe from World Health Organization formulation

Cleaning and Disinfecting

• Cleaning and Disinfection (3.16.20)

• Video: Cleaning and disinfecting

 Infosheets

• Preparing for an Outbreak in Your Community (3.16.20)

• What to Do if You are Sick (3.16.20)

Grocery Shopping

• Is Coronavirus a Concern at the Grocery Store? (3.20.20)

• Grocery Store Cleaning and Disinfecting Reusable Bags (3.26.20)

• Shopping and Handling Groceries (3.28.20)

Dining Out 

• Is Coronavirus a Concern with Takeout? (3.23.20)

Social Media Images

• Hand Hygiene (3.16.20)

• Homemade Hand Sanitizer – Small scale recipe from World Health Organization formulation (3.16.20)

• Preparing for an Outbreak in Your Community (3.16.20)

• What to Do if You are Sick (3.16.20)

• Cleaning and Disinfection (3.20.20)

• Coronavirus Defense (3.20.20)

• Is Coronavirus a Concern with Takeout? (3.20.20)

• Is Coronavirus a Concern at the Grocery Store? (3.20.20)

Infosheets: Spanish

• Lavese Las Manos Frecuentemente (Clean Your Hands Often, 3.18.20) 

• Desinfectante de Manos Hecho en Casa (Homemade Hand Sanitizer, 3.18.20)

• Como Preparease Contra un Brote en su Comunidad (Preparing for an Outbreak in Your Community, 3.18.20)

• ¿Que Hacer si Esta a Enfermo? (What to Do if You are Sick, 3.18.20)

• Limpiando y Disinfectando (Cleaning and Disinfection, 3.18.20)

Inocuidad de los Alimentos, Salir a Cenar y Hacer Compras

• ¿Me Debo Preocupar del Coronavirus y la Comida Para Llevar? (Is Coronavirus a Concern with Takeout?, 3.26.20)

• ¿Me Debo Preocupar del Coronavirus Cuando Yoy al Supermercado? (is Coronavirus a Concern at the Grocery Store?, 3.26.20)

Social Media Images: Spanish

• Lavese Las Manos Frecuentemente (Clean Your Hands Often, 3.18.20)

• Desinfectante de Manos Hecho en Casa (Homemade Hand Sanitizer 3.18.20)

• Como Preparease Contra un Brote en su Comunidad (Preparing for an Outbreak in Your Community, 3.18.20)

• ¿Que Hacer si Esta a Enfermo? (What to Do if You are Sick, 3.18.20)

• Limpiando y Disinfectando (Cleaning and Disinfection, 3.18.20)

Infosheet: Chinese

• Simplified Chinese version

• Traditional Chinese version

Follow the Division of Extension - University of Wisconsin-Madison Blog

• https://fyi.extension.wisc.edu/safepreserving/blog/ 

Infosheets: Food Bank

• Best Practices and Communication (3.16.20)

• Receiving Food and Cleaning (3.16.20)

• Open Letter to Food Donation and Recovery Networks (3.17.20)

Retail Food Environments

• FDA Food supply chain information -For Industry (3.20.20)

• Businesses are encouraged to visit businessexpress.maryland.gov for more information. This portal is updated multiple times each day and is the best source for any questions related to business operations. Any other questions can be sent to secretary.commerce@maryland.gov.

Retail Signs-These signs can be downloaded and filled with business specific information

• Please Don't Shop While Sick (3.30.20) Red, Blue, Green, and Gray 

Infosheets: Foodservice

• General FAQs and Employee Health (3.16.20)

• Cleaning and Disinfection (3.16.20)

• Receiving and Food Packaging (3.18.20)

• Is COVID-19 a Food Safety Issue? (3.17.20)

Infosheets: Grocery Store

• General FAQs and Employee Health (3.16.20)

• Cleaning and Disinfection (3.16.20)

• Receiving and Food Packaging (3.18.20)

• Cleaning and Disinfecting Reusable Bags (3.26.20)

Farms, Gardens, and Produce

3.19.2020-MDA Food Supply Chain

As the State of Maryland continues its unprecedented response to COVID-19, the Maryland Department of Agriculture is emphasizing the need for businesses involved in the state’s food supply chain to continue production. For more information visit: Maryland Dept. of Agriculture

Farming and Direct to Consumer Sales

• Handling COVID-19 at Farmers’ Markets (3.16.20)

• Handling COVID-19 at U-Pick Farms (3.16.20)

• Guidance for Farm Stands (3.26.20)

• Guidance for Produce Farms and Packinghouses (3.30.20)

Gardening and Produce

• Handling COVID-19 at Community Gardens (3.26.20)

• Is Coronavirus a Concern with Fresh Produce? (3.24.20)

• Is Coronavirus an Issue in Produce Production? (3.26.20)

Follow our Grower Newsletter

• UMD-Food Safety Group

Online Resources: Farm

• Considerations for Produce Growers Related to COVID-19

 Online Resources: EPA

• List N: Disinfectants for Use Against SARS-CoV-2

• Drinking Water and Waste Water

Contributing partners

• University of Maryland Extension
• University of Maryland, College Park 
• NC State Extension (References-COVID-19 Food Safety Resources)
• Purdue University
• Louisiana State University
• Division of Extension - University of Wisconsin-Madison 

2020 GAP

Baltimore County- 3/17/20 Cockeysville, MD Register (postponed)

EMAIL Shauna Henley & Angela Ferelli for more information regarding the workshop. shenley@umd.edu & angfer@umd.edu

Attending a Basic GAP course may be right for you if...

• You are thinking about pursuing GAP certification for some or all parts of your operation

• You are interested in developing a good safety plan to increase operational efficiency and build a food safety culture

• You are looking to learn more about how microbes live and interact with farm environments, or

• You have a potential buyer that requires GAP certification

What you’ll get from this training

•  Tips on how to implement practices to minimize your food safety risk during growing, harvesting, holding, and packing your product

•  Practice conducting risk assessments

•  Practice writing Standard Operating Procedures

•  Assistance on writing your food safety plan

•  A Maryland Department of Agriculture GAP training certificate

Register: Basic GAP

Cost: $15-20 (lunch and certificate)

USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline: 1-888-MPHotline

**Our website is currently being updated.  As we slowly build our website, we will have trusted (peer reviewed) fact sheets and advice to reduce your family’s chances of experiencing a foodborne illness.  Thank you for your patience.**