Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) Resources – Food Innovation Center

Updated June 15, 2020, 2:30 p.m

For current and up-to-date resources, see this page.

For Assistance or Questions

If you have specific questions around the response of food processing or food safety to COVID-19, please reach out to our experts:

Donald Schaffner, PhD
Extension Specialist in Food Science
Rutgers University – Food Science Department

Donna Schaffner
Associate Director: Food Safety, Quality Assurance & Training
Rutgers University – Food Innovation Center

Of Interest to Individuals

7/13/2020 Ways to fight Social Distancing Fatigue

7/7/2020 Implementing a COVID-19 Culture in the “New Normal”

7/6/2020 7-6-20 Beware Methanol contaminated hand sanitizers!

6/24/2020 Protect Yourself When Using Transportation: Public transit, rideshares and taxis, micro-mobility devices, and personal vehicles

6/22/2020 Food and Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)

6/11/2020 Rutgers Experts Discuss What a “Good Death” Means During COVID-19 Pandemic

6/10/2020 WHO – Advice on the use of masks in the context of COVID-19

6/10/2020 Depression, anxiety up 3-fold since start of COVID-19 pandemic

6/9/2020 Senators, Administrators Make Plans for College Students Return despite COVID-19

5/27/2020 When You Can be Around Others After You Had or Likely Had COVID-19

5/22/2020 Restaurants and Bars Decision Tool: Public Health Considerations for Reopening Restaurants and Bars During the COVID-19 Pandemic

5/21/2020 CDC Self-Checker: a guide to help you make decisions and seek appropriate healthcare

5/14/2020 CDC recommendation – When to wear gloves during COVID-19 pandemic

5/12/2020 F.D.A. Clears First Home Saliva Test for Coronavirus

5/6/2020 Parks and Recreational Facilities – Protect Yourself and Others from Covid-19

5/5/2020 What to Do if Your Pet Tests Positive for the Virus

5/4/2020 US FDA Shopping for Food During the COVID-19 Pandemic – Information for Consumers
View in PDF
Watch the Youtube video

4/2/2020 Is It Safe to Order Food Delivery or Takeout?

3/23/2020 Americans Unfit to Fight a Pandemic – Epidemics of obesity, sedentary habits, and chronic stress leave nation with poor baseline health

3/19/2020 Treating COVID-19 in New Jersey’s Outbreak Epicenter

3/19/2020 I Thought COVID-19 Was Overblown. I Was Wrong.

3/16/2020 Tips for those new to working from home

3/13/2020 Resources for working remotely (Rutgers)

Of Interest to Food Processors

7-13-2020 Updated list of FDA-recalled hand sanitizers

7-10-20 CDC Update: COVID-19 Among Workers in Meat and Poultry Processing Facilities — United States, April–May 2020

7/8/2020 Contact tracing 101: How it works, who could get hired, and why it’s so critical in fighting coronavirus now

7/7/2020 Implementing a COVID-19 Culture in the “New Normal”

6/23/2020 COVID-19 and Animals

6/19/2020 Cleaning and Disinfection for Non-emergency Transport Vehicles

6/17/2020 CDC Overview of Testing for SARS-CoV-2

6/16/2020 Testing Strategy for Coronavirus (COVID-19) in High-Density Critical Infrastructure Workplaces after a COVID-19 Case Is Identified

6/15/2020 Public Attitudes, Behaviors, and Beliefs Related to COVID-19, Stay-at-Home Orders, Nonessential Business Closures, and Public Health Guidance — United States, New York City, and Los Angeles, May 5–12, 2020

6/12/2020 After all tested negative for the virus prior to start of the voyage, 75% of crew later tests positive for coronavirus on seafood processing ship.

6/9/2020 Hain Celestial CEO expects home-cooking trend to continue through 2021

6/9/2020 Small producers benefit as meat giants face scrutiny | COVID-19 accelerates plant-based demand

6/8/2020 First Reported Cases of SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Companion Animals — New York, March–April 2020

6/3/2020 Employee fear of coronavirus tops food industry leaders’ challenges, survey says

5/29/2020 Reporting a Temporary Closure or Significantly Reduced Production by a Human Food Establishment and Requesting FDA Assistance During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency

5/20/2020 Enforcement Guidance for Recording Cases of Coronavirus Disease 2019

5/18/2020 Meat and Poultry Processing Workers and Employers: Interim Guidance from CDC and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

5-14-2020 Interim Guidance from CDC and Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA): Manufacturing Workers & Employers

5/13/2020 Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19

5/10/2020 CORONAVIRUS: USDA approves over $400 million in section 32 food purchases

5/7/2020 Why Trump’s executive order to keep meat plants open is seen as ‘risky’

4/30/2020 U.S. fresh produce, milk disruptions & N.J. farm outlook

4/28/2020 Practical steps for food businesses to check your readiness in this COVID

4/24/2020 How the Coronavirus is Affecting Food Processing

4/24/2020 What Food and Grocery Pick-up and Delivery Drivers Need to Know about COVID-19

4/23/2020 FDA Issues Temporary Policy for Certain Requirements under the Accredited Third-Party Certification Program During COVID-19 Public Health Emergency

4/22/2020 COVID-19 and Wholesale Grower Questions

4/21/2020 What Mail and Parcel Delivery Drivers Need to Know about COVID-19

4/20/2020 CDC: What Airport Retail or Food Service Workers Need to Know about COVID-19

4/17/2020 USDA Allows Larger Container Sizes in School Meals for Milk, Other Foods & Beverages

4/17/2020 CDC New Guidelines on Exposed Workers in Critical Infrastructure

4/15/2020 Large Meat Processor Closes Down Due to COVID-19

4/14/2020 NJBiz: Rutgers Food Innovation Center offers virtual food safety training

4/14/2020 CDC – COVID-19 in animals (non-human)

4/13/2020 Fighting COVID-19: Flattening the curve in your food facility

3/31/2020 What’s Closed, Open?

3/30/2020 CARES Act May Offer Some Relief to Specialty Food Industry

3/30/2020 Managing Coronavirus in the Food Industry

3/30/2020 FDA Safely Distributing Unused Human Food for Animal Use

3/27/2020 EAS Consulting Group COVID-19 Recommendations and Policy Changes

3/27/2020 FDA Postpones Foreign and Routine Inspections

3/24/2020 Most Manufacturers Expect Disruption

3/23/2020 John Hopkins Medicine & Texas Tech: COVID-19 Survival on Surfaces

3/23/2020 Take A Deep Breath: Making Risk-Based Decisions In The Coronavirus Era

3/23/2020 Lost Sense of Smell May Be Peculiar Clue to Coronavirus Infection

3/21/2020 Food Industry Q & A (from FIC Food Safety SME) regarding COVID-19

3/20/2020 FDA Publishes Temporary COVID-19 Policy for FSMA Supplier Verification Onsite Audit Requirements (pdf)

3/19/2020 News for Food Processors sent out by NJDOH (pdf)

3/19/2020 List released by Pennsylvania – Life Sustaining Businesses (pdf)

3/17/2020 FDA Publishes Temporary COVID-19 Policy for FSMA Supplier Verification Onsite Audit Requirements