Can SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus be caught by eating?

No COVID-19 contamination through ingestion of food has been reported. If food is cooked at high temperatures or boiled, the virus is inactivated and there is no risk. The coronavirus is also inactivated by the acidity of the digestive tract (unlike rotaviruses that cause gastroenteritis). 

For fresh vegetables to be stored in the refrigerator, the general hygiene recommendation, even outside of the pandemic, is to wash them thoroughly with water before drying and storing them. Avoid bleach, which is highly toxic if swallowed, and if you use soap or dishwashing liquid, rinse well.

In China, frozen products from abroad are tested for the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus and several packages have tested positive. However, the presence of the virus' RNA does not mean that the virus is infectious or in sufficient quantity to infect a person. 

Wash your hands and all surfaces and utensils used for cooking thoroughly. If someone has COVID-19 or has symptoms, it is preferable that he/she does not do the cooking. If you are cooking or handling food for people who do not live with you (e.g., at work), put on a mask and clean gloves - only use them to touch the food!

Note We modified our answer to this question (written before the summer of 2020) in October 2020 and again in December 2020 to reflect the absence of contamination through ingestion. We are well aware that "absence of evidence is not proof of absence". However, this coronavirus and its transmission are being studied by thousands of doctors and scientists around the world. Since no publications show any transmission through food, this means that this route of contamination is rare or non-existent. However, meals are often contaminated by vectors other than food (sprays, aerosols).