Foodborne viruses: a focus on challenges associated with detection methods
Gail E Greening
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
Environmental and Food Virology, Food Group,
Institute of Environmental Science and Research
Kenepuru Science Centre
PO Box 50-348
Porirua, New Zealand
Tel: +64 4 9140 700/+61 7 3410 8794
Email: Gail.greening@esr.cri.nz
Microbiology Australia 34(2) 63-66 https://doi.org/10.1071/MA13022
Published: 13 May 2013
Abstract
Human enteric viruses are now recognised as one of the commonest causes of foodborne disease with norovirus and hepatitis A virus (HAV) the main viruses implicated in foodborne outbreaks. Norovirus is the main cause of acute nonbacterial gastroenteritis worldwide. Foods at risk of virus contamination are bivalve shellfish, fresh produce, manually prepared ready to eat (RTE) foods and bakery products. Analysis of foods for virus presence is challenging for many reasons. Complex food matrices present processing problems for efficient recovery and detection of viruses, current molecular methods do not allow for determination of virus infectivity and low virus copy number in foods means that exquisitely sensitive methods and multiple controls are required for virus detection. There are still no international standard methods for viral analysis of foods. However significant progress towards a standard method for detection of norovirus and HAV in foodstuffs has been made by a European Committee for Standardisation (CEN) technical working group. This method is due for publication in 2013 as a two-part joint ISO/CEN Technical Specification. In later years it will be replaced by a fully validated standard.
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