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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania » Eastern Regional Research Center » Food Safety and Intervention Technologies Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #233600

Title: Evaluation of High Pressure Effects on Food-borne Viruses

Author
item Kingsley, David

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/10/2008
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: High pressure processing (HPP) has emerged as a niche technology for certain specialty foods. It offers the advantage of retaining much of the raw taste and qualities of certain foods while potentially inactivating pathogens. This manuscript describes efforts by ARS to utilize this technology to address the problem of food-borne viruses. HPP is effective against hepatitis A virus (HAV) and human norovirus surrogate viruses within bivalve shellfish and produce products. We characterized the influence of pressure processing conditions and potential food matrix compositions on pressure inactivation of theses viruses. Results indicate that increasing treatment time results in a diminishing increase in inactivation characterized as a log-logistic or Weibull inactivation curve. Cooler temperatures greatly enhance the inactivation of norovirus surrogates, while HAV inactivation is reduced. Solutes, such as salt and sugar, are observed to inhibit high pressure inactivation. Acidic pH enhances inactivation of HAV. In total, this research indicates high pressure processing can be used as an intervention strategy for foods prone to virus contamination.