Food Safety & COVID-19 Resources

• CDC: Coronavirus (COVID-19) 

• FDA: What's new

• EPA:

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

  • Drinking Water and Waste Water

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

• MDH-Local Health Resources

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

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

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

• Foodservice: General FAQs and Employee Health (4.16.20)

• Grocery Stores: General FAQs and Employee Health (4.16.20)

• SARS-CoV-2 Virus Transmission (8.4.20)

• La transmisión del Coronavirus 2 del Síndrome Respiratorio Agudo Severo siglas en inglés: SARS-CoV-2  (8.4.20)

• Hand Hygiene (4.16.20)

• Homemade Hand Sanitizer (3.30.20) 

•  Small scale recipe from World Health Organization formulation

• Facemasks and Cloth Face Coverings (4.09.20)

• Do-It-Yourself Cloth Face Coverings (4.09.20)

• Bandanas as Cloth Face Coverings (4.09.20)

• Cloth Face Coverings for Food Employees (4.09.20)

• How to Use Cloth Face Coverings (half sheet designed to be given with cloth face coverings, can be printed color or greyscale, 4.24.20)

• What is the difference between cleaning, sanitizing, disinfecting & sterlizing? (4.17.20)

• Cleaning and Disinfection (3.16.20)

• Video: Cleaning and disinfecting

• Disinfectants, UV Light and Heat for Virus Inactivation (4.24.20)

• Bleach as a Disinfectant (5.14.20)

• Cleaning, Sanitizing and Disinfecting (5.14.20)https://foodsafety.ces.ncsu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/8.png

• How to Clean and Disinfect a Home (5.14.20)

• How to Clean and Disinfect Hard Surfaces (5.14.20)

• How to Clean and Disinfect Soft Surfaces (5.14.20)

• How to Clean and Disinfect Electronics (5.14.20)

• How to Clean and Disinfect Laundry (5.14.20) 

• Clean Up After an Individual (5.14.20)

• Cleaning and Disinfecting Top Tips (5.14.20)

• Preparing for an Outbreak in Your Community (3.16.20)

• What to Do if You are Sick (4.04.20)

• Coronavirus Defense (3.20.20)

• Planning a Mass Food Distribution (8.4.20)

• Preparing and Packing for a Mass Food Distribution (8.4.20)

• Delivering for Mass Food Distribution (8.4.20)

• Mass Food Distribution Checklist (8.4.20)

• Mass Food Distribution Checklist (Black and white printable version, 8.4.20)

• Is Coronavirus a Concern at the Grocery Store? (4.16.20)

• Shopping and Handling Groceries (4.16.20)

• Could Eating Fresh Produce Cause COVID-19? (4.06.20)

• Fresh Produce Top Tips (4.06.20)

• Cleaning and Disinfecting Reusable Bags (3.26.20)

• Grocery Shopping – Top Tips (3.31.20)

• Grocery Shopping – Minimizing Risk (3.31.20)

• Grocery Shopping – Handling Groceries (3.31.20)

• Grocery Shopping – Delivery (4.01.20)

• Washing Produce (4.06.20)

• Is Coronavirus a Concern with Takeout? (3.23.20)

• Hand Hygiene (4.16.20)

• Cleaning, sanitizing, & disinfecting (4.17.20) 

• 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 (4.02.20)

• Cleaning and Disinfection (3.20.20)

• Coronavirus Defense (3.20.20) 

• Disinfectants, UV Light and Heat for Virus Inactivation (4.24.20)

• Basic Food Safety (5.14.20)

• Delivering Food to Others (5.14.20)

• Receiving Food from Others (5.14.20)

• Sharing Food with Others (5.14.20)

• Best Practices and Communication (4.16.20)

• Receiving Food and Cleaning (3.16.20)

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

5/27/2020-FDA: Voluntary Reporting of Temporary Closures or Requesting Assistance for FDA-Regulated Food Establishments During COVID-19 Pandemic 

5/22/2020- FDA: FDA Announces Temporary Flexibility Policy Regarding Certain Labeling Requirements for Foods for Humans During COVID-19 Pandemic

• 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 

• TAG Acheson Group-COVID-19 resources for the food industry (multiple languages)

• 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)

• Cloth Face Coverings for Food Employees (4.09.20)

• FDA: Best Practices for Re-Opening Retail Food Establishments-checklist (5.2020)

• 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)

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

May 2020- FDA: Temporary Policy During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Regarding the Qualified Exemption from the Standards for the Growing, Harvesting, Packing, and Holding of Produce for Human Consumption

• Cloth Face Coverings for Food Employees (4.09.20)

• Bandanas as Cloth Face Coverings (4.09.20)

• Preventiong the Spread (5.14.20)

• Guidance for Farm Stands (4.16.20)

• Guidance for Produce Farms and Packinghouses (4.16.20)

• Guidance for Agribusiness (4.16.20)

• MDA-Maryland Farmers Markets Operations During COVID-19 State of Emergency FAQs (4.16.20)

• MDA-**COVID-19 Update (3/19/20)** Farmers Markets Should Continue Operations During State of Emergency (more info)

• Handling COVID-19 at Farmers’ Markets (4.16.20)

• Social Distancing at the Farmers’ Market (4.06.20)

  During the COVID-19 pandemic, farmers markets across the country face questions about creating and enforcing mask policies. Market operators have a duty to protect the health and safety of vendors and customers, while also respecting the rights of individuals who are not able to wear a mask due to disability. 

   A new factsheet, available here, outlines how markets can create a mask policy in the context of state and local mask mandates, as well as the Americans with Disabilities Act. 

   The factsheet is part of our Farmers Market Legal Toolkit website, an open-access legal resource that helps markets become more resilient and accessible.  

• MDA-Maryland Pick-Your-Own Operations During COVID-19 State of Emergency (4.22.20)

• Handling COVID-19 at U-Pick Farms (4.16.20)

• Handling COVID-19 at Community Gardens (5.16.20)

• Is Coronavirus a Concern with Fresh Produce? (4.16.20)

• Is Coronavirus an Issue in Produce Production? (4.16.20)

• Washing Produce (4.06.20)

• Could Eating Fresh Produce Cause COVID-19? (4.06.20)

• Fresh Produce Top Tips (4.06.20)

• Food Safety & Bulk Poultry Sales (4.17.20)

• Food Safety & Bulk Beef Sales (4.17.20)

• Food Safety & Bulk Pork Sales (4.17.20)

• Considerations for Produce Growers Related to COVID-19

• UMD-Dept. of Plant Science & Landscape Architecture

• Lavese Las Manos Frecuentemente (Clean Your Hands Often, 5.14.20) 

• Desinfectante de Manos Hecho en Casa (Homemade Hand Sanitizer, 3.31.20)

• 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)

• ¿Es el Coronavirus un Problema de Seguridad en los Alimentos? (Is COVID-19 a Food Safety Issue?, 4.01.20)

• ¿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 Voy al Supermercado? (is Coronavirus a Concern at the Grocery Store?, 5.14.20)

• Lavando y Desinfectando Bolsas Reutilizables (Cleaning and Disinfecting Reusable Bags, 4.09.20)

• Lavese Las Manos Frecuentemente (Clean Your Hands Often, 5.14.20)

• Desinfectante de Manos Hecho en Casa (Homemade Hand Sanitizer 3.31.20)

• 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)

• Preguntas Generales y Salud de Los Empleados (General FAQs and Employee Health, 5.14.20)

• Limpiando y Deinfectando (Cleaning and Disinfection, 3.31.20)

• Recepcion de Alimentos y Sus Empaques (Receiving and Food Packaging, 3.31.20)

• ¿Es el Coronavirus un Problema de Seguridad en los Alimentos? (Is COVID-19 a Food Safety Issue?, 4.01.20)

• Preguntas Generales y Salud de Los Empleados (General FAQs and Employee Health, 5.14.20)

• Limpiando y Desinfectando (Cleaning and Disinfection, 3.31.20)

• Recepcion de Alimentos y Sus Empaques (Receiving and Food Packaging, 3.31.20)

• Mejores Practicas y Comunicacion (Best Practices and Communication, 5.14.20)

• Recepcion de Alimentos y Limpieza (Receiving Food and Cleaning, 3.31.20)

• COVID-19: Preguntas Frecuentes Para Mercados Locales Agricolas (Handling COVID-19 at Farmers’ Markets, 5.14.20)

• COVID-19: Preguntas Frecuentes en Granjas de Recoleccion Directa de Producto (Handling COVID-19 at U-Pick Farms, 5.14.20)

• COVID-19: Preguntas Frecuentes Para Huertas Comunitarias (Handling COVID-19 at Community Gardens, (5.14.20)

• ¿Me Debo Preocupar Coronavirus en las Frutas y Verduas? (Is Coronavirus a Concern with Fresh Produce?, 5.14.20)   

• ¿Puede ser el Coronavirus un Problema en la Produccion de Frutas o Verduas? (Is Coronavirus an Issue in Produce Production?, 5.14.20)

• Haciendo Tapabocas de Tela (Do-It-Yourself Cloth Face Coverings, 4.24.20)

• Pañuelos para Protegerse la Cara (Bandanas as Cloth Face Coverings, 4.24.20)

MAS AN TWAL POU ANPLWAYE KI NAN SEKTÈ ALIMANTÈ (Cloth Face Coverings with Food Employees, 4.21.2020) 

PI BON PRATIK POU AGRIBIZNIS (Guidance on Agribusiness, 4.21.2020)

• Simplified Chinese version

• Traditional Chinese version

• 冠状病毒是⻝品安全问题吗 (Is Coronavirus a Food Safety Issue?, 5.14.20)

• ⾃⼰动⼿做布⼝罩 (Do-It-Yourself Cloth Face Coverings, 5.14.20)

• 冠状病毒会在超市会成为担⼼吗？(Is Coronavirus a Concern at the Grocery Store?, 5.14.20)

• 处理⽣鲜⻝物时，是否应该担⼼冠状病毒？(Is Coronavirus a Concern with Fresh Produce?,5.14.20)

• 冠状病毒是否会为外带⻝品造成问题？(Is Coronavirus a Concern with Takeout?,5.14.20)

• ⽣病了该怎么办 (What to Do If Sick,5.14.20)