Does cooking or freezing food that was prepared by someone with a cold kill the virus?

Cooking and freezing can inactivate viruses to varying extents, depending on factors such as temperature, duration, and the specific virus. Here's a breakdown of the effects of these processes: 1. **Cooking**: - Viruses are sensitive to heat, and cooking food to proper temperatures can kill viruses. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends cooking meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs to safe internal temperatures to kill harmful viruses and bacteria. - For instance, cooking temperatures of 160°F (71°C) or higher for 15 minutes or longer can kill most viruses, including norovirus and hepatitis A virus. 2. **Freezing**: - Freezing can slow down the degradation of viruses but may not completely inactivate them, especially if there are cycles of thawing and refreezing. - Viruses can survive in ice patches for at least certain periods and retain their infectivity, depending on the type of virus and the conditions. - A study found that certain viruses, like caliciviruses, can survive in frozen environments and may recycle through ice, suggesting that freezing might not always inactivate viruses completely. In summary, cooking food to high temperatures can effectively kill viruses, while freezing may not completely inactivate them, especially under certain conditions. However, further research is needed to fully understand the survival of specific viruses under different freezing conditions.