Misinformation about the impact the coronavirus is having on the safety of food in the Asia-Pacific region has led to confusion and concern among consumers, and it’s time to set the record straight, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) announced today.

The spread of COVID-19 has affected supply chains and international trade across the region. But concerns among food safety stakeholders and consumers that COVID-19 might be transmitted through food – messages largely driven by inaccurate and incomplete information – has further fueled the misunderstandings.

In response, FAO and its partners are convening a four-day Regional Food Safety Conference in Asia and the Pacific. The virtual Bangkok-based forum is re-examining many of the claims of alleged COVID-19 tainted food imports to restore confidence and good hygiene in food handling, processing and consumption.