Comparison of pressure inactivation of caliciviruses and picornaviruses in a model food system

• Differences in pressure inactivation observed were virus dependent.
• In salsa, FCV and AiV were the most sensitive and resistant to pressure, respectively.
• Heat-assisted pressure stabilization was observed at 400 MPa and 60 °C for AiV.
• Aichi virus RNA remained infectious in Vero cells after 400 MPa treatment.

Human enteric viruses are a major cause of foodborne illnesses. The objective of this study was to determine the high pressure processing parameters necessary to inactivate hepatitis A virus (HAV), Aichi virus (AiV), and the human norovirus surrogates, feline calicivirus (FCV) and murine norovirus (MNV) in fresh salsa. Samples were treated at 250, 400 and 500 MPa for 1, 5, and 10 min at 9 °C. AiV was additionally HPP-treated at temperatures of 50, 60, 70, and 80 °C. In salsa, HAV and FCV were inactivated beyond the limit of detection after 1 min at 400 and 250 MPa, respectively. MNV was more pressure resistant than FCV, whereby 400 MPa for 1 min was needed to achieve the same degree of inactivation. AiV titers were not reduced after a 500 MPa treatment. When heat was combined with high pressure unique pressure-assisted heat stabilization was observed associated with AiV only.Industrial relevanceThe manuscript Comparison of Pressure Inactivation of Caliciviruses and Picornaviruses in a Model Food System is focused on the nonthermal processing technology high pressure processing (HPP), which is a highly used technology and one that is readily accepted by consumers. This manuscript discusses the use of HPP for the inactivation of foodborne viruses from two different families on a fresh produce item that may be widely contaminated during preharvest or post-harvest. Viruses are difficult to detect and therefore technologies that can be used to inactivate them without organoleptic changes to the product are advantageous. This manuscript includes consumer acceptance of the treated product. This manuscript will be useful to industry to show the continued important of HPP in ready-to-eat food products, like salsa.