Impact of COVID-19 restrictions on incidence of foodborne diseases in South Korea, Mini-review

COVID-19 is a respiratory disease caused by a novel coronavirus that emerged in late 2019 and affected many aspects of human life, including food safety. The impact of COVID-19 restrictions on the incidence of foodborne diseases was evaluated in this mini-review. The incidence of foodborne illnesses tended to decrease after COVID-19 restrictions were implemented. This may be because of improved hygiene practices (hand washing, mask wearing, and social distancing) which prevented the transmission of foodborne pathogens. Moreover, changes in food consumption patterns due to lockdowns and school closures reduced the risk of foodborne outbreaks in mass feeding. In this mini-review, studies related to the impact of COVID-19 on food safety in the United States, England, Germany, Japan, China, and other countries were compared to reveal how COVID-19 influenced foodborne illnesses.