Round-robin comparison of methods for the detection of human enteric viruses in lettuce.
Five methods that detect human enteric virus contamination in lettuce were compared. To mimic multiple contaminations as observed after sewage contamination, artificial contamination was with human calicivirus and poliovirus and animal calicivirus strains at different concentrations. Nucleic acid extractions were done at the same time in the same laboratory to reduce assay-to-assay variability. Results showed that the two critical steps are the washing step and removal of inhibitors. The more reliable methods (sensitivity, simplicity, low cost) included an elution/concentration step and a commercial kit. Such development of sensitive methods for viral detection in foods other than shellfish is important to improve food safety.
Le Guyader
Françoise S
FS
IFREMER, Laboratoire de Microbiologie, BP 21105, 44311 Nantes cedex 03, France. sleguyad@ifremer.fr
Schultz
Anna-Charlotte
AC
Haugarreau
Larissa
L
Croci
Luciana
L
Maunula
Leena
L
Duizer
Erwin
E
Lodder-Verschoor
Froukje
F
von Bonsdorff
Carl-Henrik
CH
Suffredini
Elizabetha
E
van der Poel
Wim M M
WM
Reymundo
Rosanna
R
Koopmans
Marion
M
D002139:Caliciviridae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D003257:Consumer Product Safety; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D005516:Food Microbiology; D006801:Humans; D018545:Lactuca / Q000821:virology*; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D017955:Poliovirus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D012367:RNA, Viral; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols