Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
5.8
5.2
Journals
Foods
Special Issues
Viruses in Food
share announcement

Viruses in Food

A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Quality and Safety".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 November 2021) | Viewed by 22142

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Vicente M. Gómez-López

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Green and Innovative Technologies for Food, Environment and Bioengineering Research Group (FEnBeT), Faculty of Pharmacy and Nutrition, UCAM-Universidad Católica San Antonio de Murcia, Campus de los Jerónimos 135, Guadalupe, 30107 Murcia, Spain
Interests: food science; bioactive molecules; active packaging; water decontamination
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Julie Jean

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
University Laval, Department of Food Sciences, Bldg Comtois, Quebec (Quebec), Canada
Interests: virus; food; food-contact surfaces; detection; inactivation

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The COVID-19 pandemic has aroused the interest of researchers and the general public in viruses, including food researchers, even though this illness has not been linked to foods. This is an excellent opportunity to increase our knowledge about viruses and the ways of avoiding foodborne viral diseases. This Special Issue aims to compile the most recent advances in the virus–food binomial, including topics such as:

  • The occurrence of viruses in foods, food-contact surfaces, and irrigation water.
  • The persistence of viruses in foods, food-contact surfaces, and irrigation water.
  • The epidemiology of foodborne viral infections and the associated economic burden.
  • Strategies to reduce the viral contamination of foods.
  • Characterization of food-related viruses.
  • Methods for the detection of viruses in food, food-contact surfaces, and irrigation water.
  • Inactivation by physical (UV-C light, high pressure, heat, etc.) or chemical (hypochlorite, chlorine dioxide, electrolyzed water, peracetic acid, etc.) means.
  • Depuration.
  • Antiviral properties of essential oils and other compounds.
  • Impact of food processing methods on virus survival.
  • Virus surrogates.
  • Use of bacteriophages in foods and food-contact surfaces.
  • Legislation of viruses in foods.
  • Changes in food supply in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Prof. Vicente M. Gómez-López
Prof. Julie Jean
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Foods is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • virus
  • food
  • food-contact surfaces
  • irrigation water
  • inactivation
  • occurrence
  • persistence
  • epidemiology
  • characterization
  • detection
  • depuration
  • essential oils
  • bacteriophages
  • legislation
  • food supply

Published Papers (6 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review

9 pages, 910 KiB  
Article
Detection of Enteric Viruses on Strawberries and Raspberries Using Capture by Apolipoprotein H
by Anthony Lévesque, Eric Jubinville, Fabienne Hamon and Julie Jean
Foods 2021, 10(12), 3139; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10123139 - 18 Dec 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2855
Abstract
Human noroviruses (HuNoVs) and the hepatitis A virus (HAV) are the main viral causes of foodborne illness worldwide. These viruses are frequently transmitted via fresh and frozen berries, such as strawberries and raspberries. ISO 15216:1 (2017), currently the preferred method for their detection, [...] Read more.
Human noroviruses (HuNoVs) and the hepatitis A virus (HAV) are the main viral causes of foodborne illness worldwide. These viruses are frequently transmitted via fresh and frozen berries, such as strawberries and raspberries. ISO 15216:1 (2017), currently the preferred method for their detection, involves several steps and is time-consuming. Apolipoprotein H (ApoH) has been shown to have a strong affinity for several microorganisms, including HuNoVs. In this article, we report an ApoH-based method of capturing the HAV and HuNoVs adherent to berries and concentrating them for assay. The limit of detection of both viruses suspended in a buffer was low. On strawberries, the HAV was detected down to 104 genome copies/25 g in 100% of cases and down to 103 genome copies/25 g on raspberries in 50% of cases. This sensitivity was not significantly different from that of the ISO method 15216:1 (2017). HuNoV GII.4 was more difficult to detect using the ApoH method. The ApoH CaptoVIR kit does, nevertheless, appear to be usable in the near future as a single-test, multiple-detection method for viruses on fresh and frozen berries. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Viruses in Food)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

9 pages, 5117 KiB  
Communication
Low-Temperature Virus vB_EcoM_VR26 Shows Potential in Biocontrol of STEC O26:H11
by Aurelija Zajančkauskaitė, Algirdas Noreika, Rasa Rutkienė, Rolandas Meškys and Laura Kaliniene
Foods 2021, 10(7), 1500; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10071500 - 28 Jun 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1641
Abstract
Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O26:H11 is an emerging foodborne pathogen of growing concern. Since current strategies to control microbial contamination in foodstuffs do not guarantee the elimination of O26:H11, novel approaches are needed. Bacteriophages present an alternative to traditional biocontrol methods used [...] Read more.
Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O26:H11 is an emerging foodborne pathogen of growing concern. Since current strategies to control microbial contamination in foodstuffs do not guarantee the elimination of O26:H11, novel approaches are needed. Bacteriophages present an alternative to traditional biocontrol methods used in the food industry. Here, a previously isolated bacteriophage vB_EcoM_VR26 (VR26), adapted to grow at common refrigeration temperatures (4 and 8 °C), has been evaluated for its potential as a biocontrol agent against O26:H11. After 2 h of treatment in broth, VR26 reduced O26:H11 numbers (p < 0.01) by > 2 log10 at 22 °C, and ~3 log10 at 4 °C. No bacterial regrowth was observed after 24 h of treatment at both temperatures. When VR26 was introduced to O26:H11-inoculated lettuce, ~2.0 log10 CFU/piece reduction was observed at 4, 8, and 22 °C. No survivors were detected after 4 and 6 h at 8 and 4 °C, respectively. Although at 22 °C, bacterial regrowth was observed after 6 h of treatment, O26:H11 counts on non-treated samples were >2 log10 CFU/piece higher than on phage-treated ones (p < 0.02). This, and the ability of VR26 to survive over a pH range of 3–11, indicates that VR26 could be used to control STEC O26:H11 in the food industry. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Viruses in Food)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

13 pages, 822 KiB  
Article
Virucidal Effects of Dielectric Barrier Discharge Plasma on Human Norovirus Infectivity in Fresh Oysters (Crassostrea gigas)
by Man-Seok Choi, Eun Bi Jeon, Ji Yoon Kim, Eun Ha Choi, Jun Sup Lim, Jinsung Choi, Kwang Soo Ha, Ji Young Kwon, Sang Hyeon Jeong and Shin Young Park
Foods 2020, 9(12), 1731; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods9121731 - 25 Nov 2020
Cited by 24 | Viewed by 2733
Abstract
This study investigates the effects of dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma treatment (1.1 kV, 43 kHz, N2 1.5 L/min, 10~60 min) on human norovirus (HuNoV) GII.4 infectivity in fresh oysters. HuNoV viability in oysters was assessed by using propidium monoazide (PMA) as [...] Read more.
This study investigates the effects of dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma treatment (1.1 kV, 43 kHz, N2 1.5 L/min, 10~60 min) on human norovirus (HuNoV) GII.4 infectivity in fresh oysters. HuNoV viability in oysters was assessed by using propidium monoazide (PMA) as a nucleic acid intercalating dye before performing a real-time reverse transcription–quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Additionally, the impact of the DBD plasma treatment on pH and Hunter colors was assessed. When DBD plasma was treated for 60 min, the HuNoV genomic titer reduction without PMA pretreatment was negligible (<1 log copy number/µL), whereas when PMA treatment was used, HuNoV titer was reduced to >1 log copy number/µL in just 30 min. D1 and D2-value of HuNoV infectivity were calculated as 36.5 and 73.0 min of the DBD plasma treatment, respectively, using the first-order kinetics model (R2 = 0.98). The pH and Hunter colors were not significantly different (p > 0.05) between the untreated and DBD-plasma-treated oysters. The results suggest that PMA/RT-qPCR could help distinguish HuNoV infectivity without negatively affecting oyster quality following >30 min treatment with DBD plasma. Moreover, the inactivation kinetics of nonthermal DBD plasma against HuNoV in fresh oysters might provide basic information for oyster processing and distribution. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Viruses in Food)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research

13 pages, 682 KiB  
Review
The New Face of Berries: A Review of Their Antiviral Proprieties
by Charlie Bernier, Coralie Goetz, Eric Jubinville and Julie Jean
Foods 2022, 11(1), 102; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11010102 - 31 Dec 2021
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 4414
Abstract
Due to rising consumer preference for natural remedies, the search for natural antiviral agents has accelerated considerably in recent years. Among the natural sources of compounds with potential antiviral proprieties, berries are interesting candidates, due to their association with health-promoting properties, including antioxidant, [...] Read more.
Due to rising consumer preference for natural remedies, the search for natural antiviral agents has accelerated considerably in recent years. Among the natural sources of compounds with potential antiviral proprieties, berries are interesting candidates, due to their association with health-promoting properties, including antioxidant, antimutagenic, anticancer, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective properties. The past two decades have witnessed a flurry of new findings. Studies suggest promising antiviral proprieties against enveloped and non-enveloped viruses, particularly of cranberries, blueberries, blackcurrants, black raspberries, and pomegranates. The aim of this review is to assemble these findings, to list the implied mechanisms of action, and thereby point out promising subjects for research in this field, in the hope that compounds obtainable from natural sources such as berries may be used someday to treat, or even prevent, viral infections. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Viruses in Food)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

18 pages, 400 KiB  
Review
Inactivation of Foodborne Viruses by UV Light: A Review
by Vicente M. Gómez-López, Eric Jubinville, María Isabel Rodríguez-López, Mathilde Trudel-Ferland, Simon Bouchard and Julie Jean
Foods 2021, 10(12), 3141; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10123141 - 18 Dec 2021
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 4120
Abstract
Viruses on some foods can be inactivated by exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light. This green technology has little impact on product quality and, thus, could be used to increase food safety. While its bactericidal effect has been studied extensively, little is known about [...] Read more.
Viruses on some foods can be inactivated by exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light. This green technology has little impact on product quality and, thus, could be used to increase food safety. While its bactericidal effect has been studied extensively, little is known about the viricidal effect of UV on foods. The mechanism of viral inactivation by UV results mainly from an alteration of the genetic material (DNA or RNA) within the viral capsid and, to a lesser extent, by modifying major and minor viral proteins of the capsid. In this review, we examine the potential of UV treatment as a means of inactivating viruses on food processing surfaces and different foods. The most common foodborne viruses and their laboratory surrogates; further explanation on the inactivation mechanism and its efficacy in water, liquid foods, meat products, fruits, and vegetables; and the prospects for the commercial application of this technology are discussed. Lastly, we describe UV’s limitations and legislation surrounding its use. Based on our review of the literature, viral inactivation in water seems to be particularly effective. While consistent inactivation through turbid liquid food or the entire surface of irregular food matrices is more challenging, some treatments on different food matrices seem promising. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Viruses in Food)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

16 pages, 347 KiB  
Review
A Critical Review of Disinfection Processes to Control SARS-CoV-2 Transmission in the Food Industry
by Adrián Pedreira, Yeşim Taşkın and Míriam R. García
Foods 2021, 10(2), 283; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10020283 - 31 Jan 2021
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 5181
Abstract
Industries of the food sector have made a great effort to control SARS-CoV-2 indirect transmission, through objects or surfaces, by updating cleaning and disinfection protocols previously focused on inactivating other pathogens, as well as food spoilage microorganisms. The information, although scarce at the [...] Read more.
Industries of the food sector have made a great effort to control SARS-CoV-2 indirect transmission, through objects or surfaces, by updating cleaning and disinfection protocols previously focused on inactivating other pathogens, as well as food spoilage microorganisms. The information, although scarce at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, has started to be sufficiently reliable to avoid over-conservative disinfection procedures. This work reviews the literature to propose a holistic view of the disinfection process where the decision variables, such as type and concentration of active substances, are optimised to guarantee the inactivation of SARS-CoV-2 and other usual pathogens and spoilage microorganisms while minimising possible side-effects on the environment and animal and human health. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Viruses in Food)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-6
Back to TopTop