title: Detection of noroviruses in shellfish and semiprocessed fishery products from a Belgian seafood company.
abstract: Shellfish have been implicated in norovirus (NoV) infection outbreaks worldwide. This study presents data obtained from various batches of shellfish and fishery products from a Belgian seafood company over a 6-month period. For the intact shellfish (oysters, mussels, and clams), 21 of 65 samples from 12 of 34 batches were positive for NoVs; 9 samples contained quantitative NoV levels at 3,300 to 14,300 genomic copies per g. For the semiprocessed fishery products (scallops and common sole rolls with scallop fragments), 29 of 36 samples from all eight batches were positive for NoVs; 17 samples contained quantitative NoV levels at 200 to 1,800 copies per g. This convenience study demonstrated the performance and robustness of the reverse transcription quantitative PCR detection and interpretation method and the added value of NoV testing in the framework of periodic control of seafood products bought internationally and distributed by a Belgian seafood processing company to Belgian food markets.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Food Microbiology and Food Preservation, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium. dan.li@ugent.be.
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Food Microbiology and Food Preservation, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Ambroos
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stals
authors.affiliation: College of Food Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, No. 5, Yushan Road, Qingdao, Shandong Province 266003, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Qing-Juan
authors.initials: QJ
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Food Microbiology and Food Preservation, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Mieke
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Uyttendaele
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001530:Belgium; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005396:Fish Products / Q000191:economics / Q000821:virology*; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D005511:Food Handling / Q000191:economics; D029322:Norovirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012758:Shellfish / Q000191:economics / Q000821:virology*