Coronavirus Infected Ice Cream! Contaminated Cartons Recalled In China After Samples Test Positive

In a first, samples of ice cream tested positive for coronavirus in China's in Tianjin, adjacent to Beijing. Here's what has been reported so far about the strange development.

New Delhi: In eastern China, some samples of ice cream were tested positive for the coronavirus infection leading to the cartons from the same batch to be recalled. 

According to a report by Associated Press citing a city government statement, The Daqiaodao Food Co., Ltd. in Tianjin, adjacent to Beijing, was sealed and all its employees were being tested for the coronavirus infection.

The government informed that most of the 29,000 cartons in the batch were not yet sold. However, the 390 packs that had been purchased were being tracked down and authorities elsewhere had been notified about the sales in their areas.

The Independent reported that the products were sealed and contained after the three samples sent by the company to the municipal centre for disease control earlier in the week tested positive for the infection.

It further informed that out of the employees tested, 700 have already tested negative for Covid while results for the remaining 962 are yet to be confirmed.   

Sharing the response of virologist Dr. Stephen Griffin over the development, it stated that there is probably nothing to panic about as it can be considered a one-off incident. This could be the result of factors like hygiene practices at the factory.

The cold temperature and the fat content can explain why the virus had survived on the ice cream samples taken, Dr. Griffin added.

According to the government statement, the ingredients included milk powder from New Zealand and whey powder from Ukraine.

While people who came in contact were being traced, authorities ensured that the factory was disinfected. How the matter develops remains to be seen.