Binding of virus-like particles of Norwalk virus to romaine lettuce veins

Impact of water reuse on agricultural practices and human health

Climate change is altering the habits of the population. Extensive drought periods and overuse of potable water led to significant water shortages in many different places. Therefore, new water sources are necessary for usage in applications where the microbiological and chemical water quality demands are less stringent, as for agriculture. In this study, we planted, germinated, and grew vegetables/fruits (cherry tomato, lettuce, and carrot) using three types of potential waters for irrigation: secondary-treated wastewater, chlorine-treated wastewater, and green wall-treated greywater, to observe potential health risks of foodstuff consumption. In this study the waters and crops were analyzed for three taxonomic groups: bacteria, enteric viruses, and protozoa. Enteric viruses, human Norovirus I (hNoVGI) and Enterovirus (EntV), were detected in tomato and carrots irrigated with secondary-treated and chlorine-treated wastewater, in concentrations as high as 2.63 log genome units (GU)/g. On the other hand, Aichi viruses were detected in lettuce. Bacteria and protozoa remained undetected in all fresh produce although being detected in both types of wastewaters. Fresh produce irrigated with green wall-treated greywater were free from the chosen pathogens. This suggests that green wall-treated greywater may be a valuable option for crop irrigation, directly impacting the cities of the future vision, and the circular and green economy concepts. On the other hand, this work demonstrates that further advancement is still necessary to improve reclaimed water to the point where it no longer constitutes risk of foodborne diseases and to human health.

Impact of irrigation water quality on human norovirus surrogate survival during leafy green production

Introduction

The impact of water quality on the survival of human norovirus (NoV) was determined in irrigation water field run-off (tail water) and well water from a representative Central Coast vegetable production site in the Salinas Valley, California.

Methods

Tail water, well water, and ultrapure water samples were inoculated separately with two surrogate viruses for human NoV-Tulane virus (TV) and murine norovirus (MNV)-to achieve a titer of 1×105 plaque forming units (PFU)/ml. Samples were stored at 11, 19, and 24°C for 28 days. Additionally, inoculated water was applied to soil collected from a vegetable production site in the Salinas Valley or to the surface of growing romaine lettuce leaves, and virus infectivity was evaluated for 28 days in a growth chamber.

Results

Virus survival was similar for water stored at 11, 19, and 24°C and there was no difference in infectivity based on water quality. After 28 days, a maximum 1.5 log reduction was observed for both TV and MNV. TV decreased by 1.97-2.26 log and MNV decreased by 1.28- 1.48 logs after 28 days in soil; infectivity was not influenced by water type. Infectious TV and MNV were recovered from lettuce surfaces for up to 7 and 10 days after inoculation, respectively. Across the experiments there was no significant impact of water quality on the stability of the human NoV surrogates.

Discussion

Overall, the human NoV surrogates were highly stable in water with a less than 1.5 log reduction over 28 days and no difference observed based on the water quality. In soil, the titer of TV declined by approximately 2 logs over 28 days, while MNV declined by 1 log during the same time interval, suggesting surrogate-specific inactivation dynamics in the soil tested in this study. A 5-log reduction in MNV (day 10 post inoculation) and TV (day 14 post inoculation) was observed on lettuce leaves, and the inactivation kinetics were not significantly impacted by the quality of water used. These results suggest that human NoV would be highly stable in water, and the quality of the water (e.g., nutrient content, salinity, and turbidity) does not significantly impact viral infectivity.

Reduction of Norovirus in Foods by Nonthermal Treatments: A Review

ABSTRACT

Human noroviruses are enteric pathogens that cause a substantial proportion of acute gastroenteritis cases worldwide regardless of background variables such as age, ethnicity, and gender. Although person-to-person contact is the general route of transmission, foodborne infections are also common. Thorough cooking eliminates noroviruses, but several food products such as berries, leafy vegetables, and mollusks undergo only limited heat treatment, if any, before consumption. Novel applications of nonthermal processing technologies are currently being vigorously researched because they can be used to inactivate pathogens and extend product shelf life with limited effects on nutrient content and perceived quality. These technologies, adopted from several industrial fields, include some methods already approved for food processing that have been applied in the food industry for years. However, a majority of the research has been conducted with bacteria and simple matrixes or surfaces. This review focuses on elimination of norovirus in food matrixes by use of nonthermal technologies in four categories: high hydrostatic pressure, light, irradiation, and cold atmospheric plasma. We discuss the properties of noroviruses, principles and inactivation mechanisms of select technologies, and main findings of relevant studies. We also provide an overview of the current status of the research and propose future directions for related work.

HIGHLIGHTS

Effect of Bacteria and Bacterial Constituents on Recovery and Resistance of Tulane Virus

Noroviruses encounter numerous and diverse bacterial populations in the host and environment, but the impact of bacteria on norovirus transmission, infection, detection, and inactivation are not well understood. Tulane virus (TV), a human norovirus surrogate, was exposed to viable bacteria, bacterial metabolic products, and bacterial cell constituents and was evaluated for impact on viral recovery, propagation, and inactivation resistance, respectively. TV was incubated with common soil, intestinal, skin, and phyllosphere bacteria, and unbound viruses were recovered by centrifugation and filtration. TV recovery from various bacterial suspensions was not impeded, which suggests a lack of direct, stable binding between viruses and bacteria. The cell-free supernatant (CFS) of Bifidobacterium bifidum 35914, a bacterium that produces glycan-modifying enzymes, was evaluated for effect on the propagation of TV in LLC-MK2 cells. CFS did not limit TV propagation relative to TV absent of CFS. The impact of Escherichia coli O111:B4 lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and Bacillus subtilis peptidoglycan (PEP) on TV thermal and chlorine inactivation resistance was evaluated. PEP increased TV thermal and chlorine inactivation resistance compared with control TV in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS). TV suspended in PBS and LPS was reduced by more than 3.7 log at 60°C, whereas in PEP, TV reduction was approximately 2 log. Chlorine treatment (200 ppm) rendered TV undetectable (>3-log reduction) in PBS and LPS; however, TV was still detected in PEP, reduced by 2.9 log. Virus inactivation studies and food processing practices should account for potential impact of bacteria on viral resistance.

Culturable bacteria resident on lettuce might contribute to accumulation of human noroviruses

Human noroviruses (HuNoVs) are the primary non-bacterial pathogens causing acute gastroenteritis worldwide. Attachment and invasion of HuNoVs are thought to involve histo-blood group antigens (HBGAs). Romaine lettuce, which is usually consumed raw, is a common food-related vehicle for HuNoVs transmission. This study investigated the possibility that bacteria resident on the surface of lettuce leaves contribute to norovirus adherence to this food. To test this hypothesis, bacteria were isolated from romaine lettuce and screened to evaluate whether they produced any polysaccharides with structures resembling HBGAs. Twenty-seven bacterial isolates were screened and 18, belonging to 13 different genera, were found to produce HBGAs-like polysaccharides that were recognized by monoclonal antibodies specific to type A, B, H and Lewis a, b, x and y. One bacterial isolate, belonging to the genus Pseudomonas was further investigated because it produced polysaccharides with the widest range of HBGA types, including type B, H and Lewis a, b and x. The Pseudomonas HBGAs-like polysaccharides were found to be extracellular and their production was enhanced when the bacteria were cultured in oligotrophic medium. HuNoVs capture assays revealed that GI.1, GI.8, and GII.2, GII.3, GII.4, GII.6, GII.12, GII.17 genotypes can be bind to Pseudomonas HBGAs-like polysaccharides. The direct evidence of bacterial production HBGAs-like polysaccharides demonstrates one possible mechanism driving accumulation of HuNoVs on lettuce.

Characterization of a Histo-Blood Group Antigen-like Substance in Romaine Lettuce That Contributes to Human Norovirus Attachment

Human noroviruses (HuNoVs) are among the main pathogens causing acute nonbacterial gastroenteritis. Histo-blood group antigens (HBGAs) are widely accepted receptors for HuNoV specific binding. HBGA-like substances in produce are also considered as the critical ligands for capture of HuNoVs. However, the composition of viral ligands from food substrates remains unknown. In this study, an oligosaccharide (H2N2F2) was captured and isolated from romaine lettuce extract by a bacterial surface display system. Using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry and tandem mass spectrometry, it was shown that H2N2F2 was most likely to be a chimera of type A, H, and Lewis a HBGAs. The composition was consistent with our ELISA results using a panel of monoclonal antibodies against HBGAs. Our results revealed a possible interaction mechanism between HuNoVs and romaine lettuce. Better understanding of the interaction of HuNoVs with easily contaminated produce will ultimately aid in the control of and reduction in disease outbreaks.

Next-generation sequencing as a screening tool for foodborne pathogens in fresh produce

Next generation sequencing (NGS) approaches are increasingly applied to tracing microbial contaminants entering the food chain due to NGS' untargeted nature and ability to investigate non-culturable (and/or difficult to culture) organisms while yielding genomic information about the microbiota. So far, a plethora of microbes has been shown to be associated with fresh produce, but few studies have utilised NGS to identify contamination with human pathogens. This study aims to establish the limit of detection (LoD) for Salmonella and phage MS2 (a Norovirus surrogate) contamination of fresh produce employing NGS approaches on the Illumina MiSeq: 16S amplicon-sequencing, and RNA-seq, using ScriptSeq (Illumina) and NEBNext (New England BioLabs) kits. ScriptSeq proved the most sensitive approach; delivering an LoD of 10⁴ CFU reaction^-1 (Colony Forming Units) for Salmonella and 10⁵ PFU reaction^-1 (Plaque Forming Units) for phage MS2. Use of the NEBNext kit resulted in detection of Salmonella at 10⁶ CFU reaction^-1 and phage MS2 at 10⁷ PFU reaction^-1. 16S amplicon-sequencing yielded a similar LoD of 10⁵ CFU reaction^-1 for Salmonella but could not detect MS2. The tested NGS methodologies, in combination with bioinformatics approaches applied, proved less sensitive than conventional microbial detection approaches.

Characterization of conditions for bacteria-human norovirus capsid P protein complex (BPC) binding to and removal from Romaine lettuce extract

Norovirus is a very contagious virus that causes acute gastroenteritis. Contaminated produce is a main vehicle for dissemination of human noroviruses (HuNoVs). As HuNoVs could bind to bacteria effectively, it is highly possible that produce could be contaminated by bacteria-HuNoVs complex. In this study, we used a bacterial-surface-display system to express genogroup I (GI) or genogroup II (GII) HuNoV capsid protein (P protein) on the surface of bacteria. The bacteria-P protein complex (BPC) was used to characterize the conditions for binding to Romaine lettuce extract and removal of the bound BPCs. We demonstrated both GI and GII BPCs could bind to extract from leaf (LE) and vein (VE) effectively. Carbohydrates in LE and VE were involved in GI BPCs binding, and both carbohydrates and proteins were involved in GII BPCs binding. Saliva from both type A and O secretors could completely block binding of both BPCs to LE and VE. Saliva from type B secretors only partially blocked binding of GII but not GI BPCs to LE and VE. However, LE- and VE-bound BPCs could not be reversely removed by washing solution containing free HBGAs from saliva. The binding of GI BPCs to LE and VE was enhanced when pH was below pI (6.1) of GI and reduced when pH was above pI of GI (p < 0.05). The optimal binding for GII BPCs to LE and VE occurred at pI (6.4) of GII. All LE- or VE-bound BPCs could be reversely removed by washing with low (3.0-5.0) or high (9.0-10.0) pH buffer. The effect of ionic strength (NaCl and MgCl2, from zero to 100 g/L) on binding of BPCs to LE and VE was tested. The optimal ionic strength for binding of BPCs to LE and VE was 10.0 g/L (GI) and 5.0 g/L (GII) for NaCl, and 5.0 g/L for MgCl2. LE- and VE-bound BPCs could be reversely removed by washing with high ionic solutions. All LE- or VE- bound BPCs could be released when washed with NaCl concentrations of above 75.0 g/L (GI) and 25.0 g/L (GII), or with MgCl2 concentrations of above 75.0 g/L (GI) and 50.0 g/L (GII). Binding of BPCs to LE and VE was inhibited in the presence of Tween-80 (nonionic surfactant) as low as 0.05% (v/v). All LE- and VE-bound BPCs could be reversed by Tween-80 concentrations over 0.1% (v/v). The study provided important parameters for BPCs binding to and removal from lettuce extract.

Specific Interactions between Human Norovirus and Environmental Matrices: Effects on the Virus Ecology

Human norovirus is the major cause of non-bacterial epidemic gastroenteritis. Human norovirus binds to environmental solids via specific and non-specific interactions, and several specific receptors for human norovirus have been reported. Among them, histo-blood group antigens (HBGA) are the most studied specific receptor. Studies have identified the presence of HBGA-like substances in the extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and lipopolysaccharides (LPS) of human enteric bacteria present in aquatic environments, gastrointestinal cells, gills, and palps of shellfish, and cell walls, leaves, and veins of lettuce. These HBGA-like substances also interact with human norovirus in a genotype-dependent manner. Specific interactions between human norovirus and environmental matrices can affect norovirus removal, infectivity, inactivation, persistence, and circulation. This review summarizes the current knowledge and future directions related to the specific interactions between human norovirus and HBGA-like substances in environmental matrices and their possible effects on the fate and circulation of human norovirus.

Key characteristics of foods with an elevated risk for viral enteropathogen contamination

Viral enteropathogens are one of the leading causative agents of foodborne illnesses in both the United States and the European Union. While human noroviruses and hepatitis A virus cause the vast majority of outbreaks and illnesses, there are handful of human enteric viruses that contribute to sporadic outbreaks worldwide including astrovirus, sapovirus, rotavirus, enterovirus and Aichi virus. In addition, hepatitis E virus is increasingly being recognized as an emerging zoonotic threat within the food supply. This review aims to briefly describe the primary human enteric viruses of concern with respect to foodborne transmission. Next, we focus on the contamination and persistence of these viruses within three high-risk food commodities-leafy greens, soft red fruits and bivalve mollusks. As opposed to detailing the specific routes by which these foods can be contaminated with enteric viruses, we have chosen to focus on their persistence and specific interactions within the food itself. Therefore, the processes of attachment and internalization of the viruses in foods have been emphasized. Looking forward, the implications of these specific interactions of human enteric viruses with leafy greens, soft red fruits and bivalve mollusks are briefly considered within the context of future prevention and control strategies.

Enhanced Removal of Norovirus Surrogates, Murine Norovirus and Tulane Virus, from Aqueous Systems by Zero-Valent Iron

Viral contamination can compromise the safety of water utilized for direct consumption, produce irrigation, and postharvest washing of produce. Zero-valent iron (ZVI) is used commercially for chemical remediation of water and has been demonstrated to remove some biological contaminants from water in laboratory and field studies. This study investigated the efficacy of ZVI to remove human norovirus surrogates, Tulane virus (TV) and murine norovirus (MNV), from water and to characterize the reversibility and nature of viral association with ZVI. Genomic material of TV and MNV recovered from the effluent of inoculated water treatment columns containing a 1:1 mixture of ZVI and sand was 2 and 3 log, respectively, less than that recovered from the effluent of treatment columns containing only sand. Elution buffers (citrate buffers, pH 4 and 7, and virus elution buffer, pH 9.5, with and without added 1 M NaCl) did not increase recovery of infectious TV and MNV from ZVI as compared with elution with water alone. TV-inoculated lettuce washed with water in the presence of ZVI yielded 1.5 to 2 log fewer infectious TV from washwater as compared with lettuce washed with water alone or in the presence of sand. These data demonstrate the enhanced removal of human norovirus surrogates, TV and MNV, from water by ZVI and provide indications that unrecovered viruses are not readily disassociated from ZVI by buffers of various pH and ionic strength. These findings warrant further investigation into larger-scale simulations of water remediation of viral contaminants for potential application in the treatment of water used for drinking, irrigation, and food processing.

Potential of Human Norovirus Surrogates and Salmonella enterica Contamination of Pre-harvest Basil (Ocimum basilicum) via Leaf Surface and Plant Substrate

Fresh produce has been identified as an important vehicle for foodborne pathogen transmission and fresh culinary herbs have occasionally been associated with human pathogens and illness. In this study, the fate of human NoV surrogates [murine norovirus 1 (MNV-1) and Tulane virus (TV)] and three strains of Salmonella enterica on pre-harvest basil (Ocimum basilicum) was investigated. The persistence after contamination via either leaf surface or plant substrate was tested respectively. After 3 days, both MNV-1 and TV on pre-harvest leaves were at non-detectable levels (>5.5-log reduction for MNV-1 and >3.3-log reduction for TV). The three Salmonella strains showed consistent reductions of 3- to 4-log. At day 6 and 9, all the tested samples showed low levels of infectivity which were close or below the detection limits (1.7-log PFU/sample leaf for MNV-1 and TV, 0.7-log CFU/sample leaf for Salmonella) except for S. Thompson FMFP 899, one out of three samples showed to maintain present at exceptional high levels (day 6: 5.5-log CFU/sample leaf; day 9: 6.7-log CFU/sample leaf). Possibilities of microbial internalization into the edible parts of basil via the roots was demonstrated with both MNV-1 and S. enterica Thompson FMFP 899. The infectivity of internalized MNV-1 and S. enterica both decreased to non-detectable levels within 9 days after inoculation. Moreover, it should be noticed that very high microbial inoculation was used in the experimental set-up (8.46-log PFU/ml of MNV-1, 8.60-log CFU/ml of S. enterica), which is abnormal in the real-life expected contamination scenario. Within the tested scenarios in this study, S. enterica contaminated on the adaxial leaf surface of basil plants while in growth, and remained/reached a high population of over 6-log CFU/sample leaf after 9 days in one out of three samples, thus showed the highest potential for causing foodborne infection.

Binding of Escherichia coli Does Not Protect Tulane Virus from Heat-Inactivation Regardless the Expression of HBGA-Like Molecules

Histo-blood group antigens (HBGAs) are considered as receptors/co-receptors for human norovirus (HuNoV). It has been reported that binding of HuNoV-derived virus-like particles (VLPs) to HBGA-like molecules-expressing bacteria increased the stability of VLPs to heat-denaturation (HD). In this study, we tested for HBGA-like-binding-conveyed protection against HD on viral replication using Tulane virus (TV) and Escherichia coli O86:H2 (O86:H2), with E. coli K-12 (K-12) used as a control. Expression of HBGA type B was confirmed by ELISA in O86:H2 but not in K-12. Binding of TV was confirmed by ELISA in O86:H2 (P/N = 2.23) but not in K-12 (P/N = 1.90). Pre-incubation of TV with free HBGA could completely inhibit its ability to bind to O86:H2 (p = 0.004), while producing no significant change in its ability to bind K-12 (p = 0.635). We utilized a bacterial-capture-RT-qPCR procedure to confirm that both bacterial strains were capable of binding TV, and that O86:H2 exhibited fivefold greater binding capacity than K-12. Pre-incubation of TV with free HBGA would partially inhibit the binding of TV to O86:H2 (p = 0.047). In contrast, not only did pre-incubation of TV with free HBGA not inhibit the binding of TV to K-12, binding was slightly enhanced (p = 0.13). The viral infectivity assay allowed us to conduct a direct evaluation of the ability of HBGA-like-bound bacteria to confer HD protection to TV. Prior to inoculate to LLC-MK2 cells, TV was incubated with each bacterial strain at ratios of 1:0, 1:1 and 100:1, then both partially and fully HD. The viral amplification was quantitated by RT-qPCR 48 h later. The binding of bacteria to TV reduced viral replication in a dose-dependent matter. We found that neither bound O86:H2 nor K-12 conferred protection of TV against partial or full HD conditions. Partial HD reduction of viral replication was not significantly impacted by the binding of either bacterial strain, with infectivity losses of 99.03, 99.42, 96.32, 96.10, and 98.88% for TV w/o bacteria, TV w/O86:H2 (1:1), TV w/O86:H2 (100:1), TV w/K-12 (1:1), and TV w/K-12 (100:1), respectively. Full HD reduction of viral replication was not impacted by the binding of either bacterial strain, as full loss of infectivity was observed in all cases.

A universal primer-independent next-generation sequencing approach for investigations of norovirus outbreaks and novel variants

Norovirus (NoV) is the most common cause of non-bacterial gastroenteritis and is a major agent associated with outbreaks of gastroenteritis. Conventional molecular genotyping analysis of NoV, used for the identification of transmission routes, relies on standard typing methods (STM) by Sanger-sequencing of only a limited part of the NoV genome, which could lead to wrong conclusions. Here, we combined a NoV capture method with next generation sequencing (NGS), which increased the proportion of norovirus reads by ~40 fold compared to NGS without prior capture. Of 15 NoV samples from 6 single-genotype outbreaks, near full-genome coverage (>90%) was obtained from 9 samples. Fourteen polymerase (RdRp) and 15 capsid (cap) genotypes were identified compared to 12 and 13 for the STM, respectively. Analysis of 9 samples from two mixed-genotype outbreaks identified 6 RdRp and 6 cap genotypes (two at >90% NoV genome coverage) compared to 4 and 2 for the STM, respectively. Furthermore, complete or partial sequences from the P2 hypervariable region were obtained from 7 of 8 outbreaks and a new NoV recombinant was identified. This approach could therefore strengthen outbreak investigations and could be applied to other important viruses in stool samples such as hepatitis A and enterovirus.

Occurrence of hepatitis A and E and norovirus GI and GII in ready-to-eat vegetables in Italy

Fresh vegetables and their ready-to-eat (RTE) salads have become increasingly recognized as potential vehicles for foodborne diseases. The EU Reg. 1441/2007 establishes microbiological criteria for bacterial pathogens for products placed on the market during their shelf-life (i.e. Salmonella spp., Listeria monocytogenes) for pre-cut fruits and vegetables (RTE) whilst it does not address the problem of contamination by enteric viruses. In this study we investigated the contamination by hepatitis A virus (HAV), hepatitis E virus (HEV) and norovirus (NoV) in 911 ready-to-eat vegetable samples taken from products at retail in Apulia and in Lombardia. The vegetable samples were tested using validated real-time PCR (RT-qPCR) assays, ISO standardized virological methods and ISO culturing methods for bacteriological analysis. The total prevalence of HAV and HEV was 1.9% (18/911) and 0.6% (6/911), respectively. None of the samples analysed in this study was positive for NoV, Salmonella spp. or Listeria monocytogenes. The detection of HAV and HEV in RTE salads highlights a risk to consumers and the need to improve production hygiene. Appropriate implementation of hygiene procedures is required at all the steps of the RTE vegetable production chain and this should include monitoring of emerging viral pathogens.

Bacterial Surface-Displayed GII.4 Human Norovirus Capsid Proteins Bound to HBGA-Like Molecules in Romaine Lettuce

Human Noroviruses (HuNoVs) are the main cause of non-bacterial gastroenteritis. Contaminated produce is a main vehicle for dissemination of HuNoVs. In this study, we used an ice nucleation protein mediated surface display system to present the protruding domain of GII.4 HuNoV capsid protein on bacterial surface and used it as a new strategy to explore interaction between HuNoV protein and receptor candidates from romaine lettuce. The surface-displayed HuNoV proteins were confirmed on the surface of the transformed bacteria by an immunofluorescence assay. The distribution patterns of the surface-displayed HuNoV proteins in romaine lettuce were identified through a confocal immunofluorescence assay. The surface-displayed HuNoV proteins could be found in the stomata, and the surfaces of vein and leaf of romaine lettuce. The surface-displayed HuNoV proteins could be captured by an ELISA assay utilizing extract from leaf (LE) or vein (VE). The binding of the surface-displayed HuNoV proteins to LE or VE could be competitively blocked by histo-blood group antigens from human saliva. In addition, the binding of the surface-displayed HuNoV proteins to LE or VE could also be attenuated by heat denaturation of lettuce proteins, and abolished by oxidation of lettuce carbohydrates. The results indicated that histo-blood group antigen-like molecules in LE or VE were involved in the binding of the surface-displayed HuNoV proteins to romaine lettuce. All data demonstrated that the surface-displayed HuNoV proteins could be utilized in a new and simple system for investigation of the interaction between the HuNoVs and their candidate ligands.

Recognition of Histo-Blood Group Antigen-Like Carbohydrates in Lettuce by Human GII.4 Norovirus

Human norovirus (HuNoV) genogroup II genotype 4 (GII.4) strains account for about 80% of the gastroenteritis outbreaks in the United States. Contaminated food is a major transmission vehicle for this virus. In humans, pigs, and oysters, histo-blood group antigens (HBGAs) act as attachment factors for HuNoVs. In lettuce, although the virus-like particles (VLPs) of a GII.4 HuNoV were found to bind to cell wall carbohydrates, the exact binding site has not been investigated. Here, we show the presence of HBGA-like carbohydrates in the cell wall of lettuce. The digestion of lettuce leaves with cell wall-degrading enzymes exposed more binding sites and significantly increased the level of binding of GII.4 HuNoV VLPs. Competition assays showed that both the HBGA monoclonal antibody, recognizing the H type, and plant lectins, recognizing α-l-fucose in the H type, effectively inhibited VLP binding to lettuce tissues. Lettuce cell wall components were isolated and their NoV VLP binding characteristics were tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. The binding was inhibited by pretreatment of the lettuce cell wall materials with α-1,2-fucosidase. Collectively, our results indicate that H-type HBGA-like carbohydrates exist in lettuce tissues and that GII.4 HuNoV VLPs can bind the exposed fucose moiety, possibly in the hemicellulose component of the cell wall.

IMPORTANCE

Salad crops and fruits are increasingly recognized as vehicles for human norovirus (HuNoV) transmission. A recent study showed that HuNoVs specifically bind to the carbohydrates of the lettuce cell wall. Histo-blood group antigens (HBGAs) are carbohydrates and are known as the attachment factors for HuNoV infection in humans. In this study, we show the presence of HBGA-like carbohydrates in lettuce, to which HuNoVs specifically bind. These results suggest that specifically bound HuNoVs cannot be removed by simple washing, which may allow viral transmission to consumers. Our findings provide new information needed for developing potential inhibitors to block binding and prevent contamination.

Abiotic Stress and Phyllosphere Bacteria Influence the Survival of Human Norovirus and Its Surrogates on Preharvest Leafy Greens

Foodborne outbreaks of human noroviruses (HuNoVs) are frequently associated with leafy greens. Because there is no effective method to eliminate HuNoV from postharvest leafy greens, understanding virus survival under preharvest conditions is crucial. The objective of this study was to evaluate the survival of HuNoV and its surrogate viruses, murine norovirus (MNV), porcine sapovirus (SaV), and Tulane virus (TV), on preharvest lettuce and spinach that were subjected to abiotic stress (physical damage, heat, or flood). We also examined the bacteria culturable from the phyllosphere in response to abiotic stress and in relation to viral persistence. Mature plants were subjected to stressors 2 days prior to inoculation of the viruses on leaves. We quantified the viral RNA, determined the infectivity of the surrogates, and performed bacterial counts on postinoculation days (PIDs) 0, 1, 7, and 14. For both plant types, time exerted significant effects on HuNoV, MNV, SaV, and TV RNA titers, with greater effects being seen for the surrogates. Infectious surrogate viruses were undetectable on PID 14. Only physical damage on PID 14 significantly enhanced HuNoV RNA persistence on lettuce, while the three stressors differentially enhanced the persistence of MNV and TV RNA. Bacterial counts were significantly affected by time and plant type but not by the stressors. However, bacterial counts correlated significantly with HuNoV RNA titers on spinach and with the presence of surrogate viruses on both plant types under various conditions. In conclusion, abiotic stressors and phyllosphere bacterial density may differentially influence the survival of HuNoV and its surrogates on lettuce and spinach, emphasizing the need for the use of preventive measures at the preharvest stage.

Attachment and localization of human norovirus and animal caliciviruses in fresh produce

Fresh produce is a high risk food for human norovirus (NoV) contamination. To help control this pathogen in fresh produce, a better understanding of the interaction of human NoV and fresh produce needs to be established. In this study the attachment of human NoV and animal caliciviruses (murine norovirus, MNV-1; Tulane virus, TV) to fresh produce was evaluated, using both visualization and viral enumeration techniques. It was found that a human NoV GII.4 strain attached efficiently to the Romaine lettuce leaves and roots and green onion shoots, and that washing with PBS or 200 ppm of chlorine removed less than 0.4 log of viral RNA copies from the tissues. In contrast, TV and MNV-1 bound more efficiently to Romaine lettuce leaves than to the roots, and simple washing removed less than 1 log of viruses from the lettuce leaves and 1-4 log PFU of viruses from roots. Subsequently, the location of virus particles in fresh produce was visualized using a fluorescence-based Quantum Dots (Q-Dots) assay and confocal microscopy. It was found that human NoV virus-like particles (VLPs), TV, and MNV-1 associated with the surface of Romaine lettuce and were found aggregating in and around the stomata. In green onions, human NoV VLPs were found between the cells of the epidermis and cell walls of both the shoots and roots. However, TV and MNV-1 were found to be covering the surface of the epidermal cells in both the shoots and roots of green onions. Collectively, these results demonstrate that (i) washing with 200 ppm chlorine is ineffective in removing human NoV from fresh produce; and (ii) different viruses vary in their localization patterns to different varieties of fresh produce.

Postharvest Survival of Porcine Sapovirus, a Human Norovirus Surrogate, on Phytopathogen-Infected Leafy Greens

Leafy greens are increasingly being recognized as an important vehicle for human noroviruses (HuNoV), which cause recurring gastroenteritis outbreaks. Leafy greens often become infected by phytopathogens in the field, which may cause symptoms on the edible parts. Whether plant pathogen infections enhance the survival of HuNoV on leafy greens is unknown. Lettuce and spinach plants were infected with a bacterium, Xanthomonas campestris pv. vitians strain 701a, and with Cucumber mosaic virus strain Fny, respectively. The survival rate of porcine sapovirus (SaV), a HuNoV surrogate, on infected and noninfected postharvest leaves was then assessed. In addition, acibenzolar-S-methyl, a commercial chemical elicitor of plant systemic defense, was used to assess whether stimulating the plant host defense affects the postharvest survival of SaV. Leaves harvested from control and treated plants were inoculated with SaV and incubated for 7 days at 4°C. The infectivity (tissue culture infectious dose affecting 50% of the culture [TCID50]/ml) and RNA (genomic equivalent/ml) titers of SaV were assayed using immunohistochemistry staining and SaV-specific TaqMan real-time reverse transcription PCR. Our results showed that cucumber mosaic virus Fny induced mild, nonnecrotic symptoms on spinach leaves and had no effect on SaV survival. In contrast, X. campestris pv. vitians 701a induced small localized necrotic lesions and significantly enhanced SaV survival on lettuce leaves. Treatment with acibenzolar-S-methyl was effective in reducing X. campestris pv. vitians 701a-induced lesions on infected lettuce plants but had no direct effect on SaV survival when used on healthy lettuce plants. These findings indicate that phytopathogen-induced necrotic lesions may enhance the postharvest survival of HuNoV on lettuce leaves. Therefore, preventive measures aiming to maintain healthy plants and minimize preharvest biological damage are expected to improve the safety of leafy greens.

Role of noroviruses as aetiological agents of diarrhoea in developing countries

Diarrhoea is considered to be the second leading cause of death due to infections among children  < 5 years of age worldwide that may be caused by bacteria, parasites, viruses and non-infectious agents. The major causative agents of diarrhoea in developing countries may vary from those in developed countries. Noroviruses are considered to be the most common cause of acute diarrhoea in both children and adults in industrialized countries. On the other hand, there is a lack of comprehensive epidemiological evidence from developing countries that norovirus is a major cause of diarrhoea. In these regions, asymptomatic norovirus infections are very common, and similar detection rates have been observed in patients with diarrhoea and asymptomatic persons. This review summarizes the current knowledge of norovirus infection in developing countries and seeks to position infections with noroviruses among those of other enteropathogens in terms of disease burden in these regions.

Norovirus cross-contamination during preparation of fresh produce

Infection with human norovirus (HuNoV) is considered a common cause of foodborne illness worldwide. Foodborne HuNoV outbreaks may result from consumption of food contaminated by an infected food handler in the foodservice environment, in which bare-hand contact, lack of hand washing, and inadequate cleaning and disinfection are common contributing factors. The goal of this study was to examine cross-contamination of a HuNoV surrogate, murine norovirus (MNV-1), during common procedures used in preparing fresh produce in a food service setting, including turning water spigots, handling and chopping Romaine lettuce, and washing hands. MNV-1 transfer % was log-transformed to achieve a normal distribution of the data and enable appropriate statistical analyses to be performed. MNV-1 transfer coefficients varied by surface type, and a greater affinity for human hands and chopped lettuce was observed. For example, greater transfer was observed from a contaminated stainless steel spigot to a clean hand (24% or 1.4-log transfer %) compared to transfer from hand to spigot (0.6% or -0.2-log transfer %). During the chopping of Romaine lettuce, MNV-1 was transferred from either a contaminated cutting board (25% or 1.4-log transfer %) or knife (~100% or 2.0-log transfer %) to lettuce at a significantly greater rate (p>0.05) than from contaminated lettuce to the board (2.1% or 0.3-log transfer %) and knife (1.2% or 0.06-log transfer %). No significant difference (p>0.05) in MNV-1 transfer coefficients was observed between bare hands and Romaine lettuce during handling. For handwashing trials, only one hand was inoculated with MNV-1 prior to washing. The handwashing methods included rubbing hands under tap water for at least 5s (average 2.8-log reduction) or washing hands for at least 20s with liquid soap (average 2.9-log reduction) or foaming soap (average 3.0-log reduction), but no statistical difference between these reductions was achieved (p>0.05). Despite the reductions of MNV-1 observed, residual virions were detected on both hands after washing in every replicate trial. This observation reveals that virions are transferred from one hand to the other during washing with and without soap. Each transfer scenario was repeated at least 9 times, and the data gathered indicate that MNV-1 transfers readily between common surfaces during food preparation. These data are important for the development of quantitative risk analyses, and will assist in the development of appropriate intervention strategies for enteric viruses in food preparation.

A probabilistic quantitative microbial risk assessment model of norovirus disease burden from wastewater irrigation of vegetables in Shepparton, Australia

Wastewater can be an important resource for water-scarce regions of the world, but a major barrier to its use is the associated health risk. Quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) is a probabilistic modeling technique used to determine the health risks from wastewater reuse, but only a handful of QMRA studies have examined the norovirus health risks from consumption of vegetables irrigated with human wastewater, even though norovirus is a, if not the most, significant microbial cause of diarrheal disease world-wide. Furthermore, the majority of these studies have focused only on risks from lettuce consumption. To meet the knowledge gap in health risks for other vegetables, a QMRA model was constructed for agricultural wastewater irrigation in the regional city of Shepparton, Australia, using fecal shedding rates to estimate norovirus concentration in raw sewage. Annual norovirus disease burden was estimated for the consumption of lettuce, broccoli, cabbage, Asian vegetables, and cucumber after irrigation with treated wastewater. Results indicate that the waste stabilization pond treatment did not have sufficient virus removal to meet the World Health Organization (WHO) threshold for acceptable level of risk for wastewater reuse, but addition of disinfection treatments provided acceptable results for consumption of cucumber and broccoli. This is the first QMRA study to incorporate virus accumulation from previous wastewater irrigation events.

Method validation for norovirus detection in naturally contaminated irrigation water and fresh produce

Human enteric viruses are shed in extremely high numbers in the feces of infected individuals, becoming environmental contaminants and eventually leading to contamination of a variety of foodstuffs at the pre-harvest stage. Among these foods at risk is fresh produce and irrigation water is a major vehicle for crop contamination. In the present study, a standardized molecular method for quantitative virus assay has been evaluated in different types of fresh produce and in irrigation water for human norovirus (NoV) detection. Two different virus concentration procedures, polyethylene-glycol precipitation (PEG) and organic flocculation (OF), were employed. The procedures were initially assayed in spiked samples and later validated on naturally contaminated samples from the Nile Delta in Egypt. Overall, PEG provided significantly (p<0.05) better virus recoveries than OF for both irrigation water and salad vegetable virus analysis. NoV GI and GII recoveries in spiked irrigation water ranged from 22.0% to 43.3% and from 12.6% to 16.4% with the PEG and OF methods, respectively. In experimentally contaminated salad vegetables, virus recoveries ranged from 28.0% to 48.0% and from 14.0% to 18.8% by PEG precipitation and OF, respectively. Using PEG precipitation, NoV was found in 31.9% of naturally contaminated irrigation water samples. Both NoV GI and GII were detected in these samples with genome copy numbers of around 10(2) per liter. Virus analyses performed in naturally contaminated fresh produce that included green onion, watercress, radish, leek, and lettuce show that NoV GI was present in 20.8%-34.0% of the samples with genome copy numbers of around 10(2) per gram. When OF was employed, NoV was found in 25.0% of the irrigation water samples. Both genogroups could be found in these samples with genome copy numbers of around 10 per liter. In fresh produce, GI was present in 16.0%-25.7% of the samples with genome copy numbers per gram of around 10. Surprisingly, NoV GII was not detected in any salad vegetable despite highly satisfactory virus/nucleic acid extraction and enzyme efficiencies reported in the assays. Available reliable standardized assays for virus detection in food matrices including appropriate quality assurance and quality control measures to assess the efficiency of critical steps in virus analysis open the possibility to produce consistent and accurate exposure data to be used in QMRA (quantitative microbial risk assessment) and at the same time may enable the formulation of guidelines to ensure the virological quality of selected commodities in specific scenarios to reduce the risk of foodborne virus infections.

Norovirus surrogate survival on spinach during preharvest growth

Produce can become contaminated with human viral pathogens in the field through soil, feces, or water used for irrigation; through application of manure, biosolids, pesticides, and fertilizers; and through dust, insects, and animals. The objective of this study was to assess the survival and stability of human noroviruses and norovirus surrogates (Murine norovirus [MNV] and Tulane virus [TV]) on foliar surfaces of spinach plants in preharvest growth conditions. Spinach plants were housed in a biocontrol chamber at optimal conditions for up to 7 days and infectivity was determined by plaque assay. Virus inoculation location had the largest impact on virus survival as viruses present on adaxial leaf surfaces had lower decimal reduction time (D values) than viruses present on abaxial leaf surfaces. Under certain conditions, spinach type impacted virus survival, with greater D values observed from survival on semi-savoy spinach leaves. Additional UVA and UVB exposure to mimic sunlight affected virus survival on adaxial surfaces for both semi-savoy and smooth spinach plants for both viruses. Human GII norovirus inoculated onto semi-savoy spinach had an average D value that was not statistically significant from MNV and TV, suggesting that these surrogates may have similar survival on spinach leaves compared with human noroviruses. An understanding of the behavior of enteric viruses on spinach leaves can be used to enhance growers' guidelines and for risk assessment with certain growing conditions.

Inactivation of the Tulane virus, a novel surrogate for the human norovirus

Human noroviruses (HuNoVs) are the major cause of nonbacterial gastroenteritis epidemics. The culturable feline calicivirus and murine norovirus have been used extensively as surrogates to study HuNoV biology, as HuNoV does not grow in vitro. Additional efforts to identify new surrogates are needed, because neither of these common surrogates are truly intestinal pathogens. The newly described Tulane virus (TV) is a typical calicivirus, it is isolated from macaque stools, is cultivable in vitro, and recognizes human histo-blood group antigens. Therefore, TV is a promising surrogate for HuNoVs. In this study, we evaluated the resistance or stability of TV under various physical and environmental conditions by measuring a 50% reduction of tissue culture infective dose (TCID50) by using a TV cell culture system. Due to the nature of this virus, it is hard to produce a high-titer stock through tissue culture. In our study, the maximal reduction in virus titers was 5D (D = 1 log) in heat-denaturation and EtOH experiments, and 4D in UV, chlorine, and pH-stability experiments. Therefore in this study, we defined the inactivation of TV as reaching a TCID50/ml of 0 (a 4- to 5-D reduction in TCID50, depending on the detection limit). TV was inactivated after incubation at 63 °C for 5 min, incubation at 56 °C for 30 min (5D), exposure to 60 mJ/cm2 of UVC radiation (4D), or incubation at 300 ppm of free chlorine for 10 min (4D). TV was shown to be stable from pH 3.0 to 8.0, though an obvious reduction in virus titer was observed at pH 2.5 and 9.0, and was inactivated at pH 10.0 (4D). TV was resistant to a low concentration of EtOH (40% or lower) but was fully inactivated (5D) by 50 to 70% EtOH after a short exposure (20 s). In contrast, quantitative real-time PCR was unable to detect, or poorly detected, virus titer reductions between treated and untreated samples described in this study.

Harmonised investigation of the occurrence of human enteric viruses in the leafy green vegetable supply chain in three European countries

Numerous outbreaks have been attributed to the consumption of raw or minimally processed leafy green vegetables contaminated with enteric viral pathogens. The aim of the present study was an integrated virological monitoring of the salad vegetables supply chain in Europe, from production, processing and point-of-sale. Samples were collected and analysed in Greece, Serbia and Poland, from 'general' and 'ad hoc' sampling points, which were perceived as critical points for virus contamination. General sampling points were identified through the analysis of background information questionnaires based on HACCP audit principles, and they were sampled during each sampling occasion where as-ad hoc sampling points were identified during food safety fact-finding visits and samples were only collected during the fact-finding visits. Human (hAdV) and porcine (pAdV) adenovirus, hepatitis A (HAV) and E (HEV) virus, norovirus GI and GII (NoV) and bovine polyomavirus (bPyV) were detected by means of real-time (RT-) PCR-based protocols. General samples were positive for hAdV, pAdV, HAV, HEV, NoV GI, NoV GII and bPyV at 20.09 % (134/667), 5.53 % (13/235), 1.32 % (4/304), 3.42 % (5/146), 2 % (6/299), 2.95 % (8/271) and 0.82 % (2/245), respectively. Ad hoc samples were positive for hAdV, pAdV, bPyV and NoV GI at 9 % (3/33), 9 % (2/22), 4.54 % (1/22) and 7.14 % (1/14), respectively. These results demonstrate the existence of viral contamination routes from human and animal sources to the salad vegetable supply chain and more specifically indicate the potential for public health risks due to the virus contamination of leafy green vegetables at primary production.

A review of known and hypothetical transmission routes for noroviruses

Human noroviruses (NoVs) are considered a worldwide leading cause of acute non-bacterial gastroenteritis. Due to a combination of prolonged shedding of high virus levels in feces, virus particle shedding during asymptomatic infections, and a high environmental persistence, NoVs are easily transmitted pathogens. Norovirus (NoV) outbreaks have often been reported and tend to affect a lot of people. NoV is spread via feces and vomit, but this NoV spread can occur through several transmission routes. While person-to-person transmission is without a doubt the dominant transmission route, human infective NoV outbreaks are often initiated by contaminated food or water. Zoonotic transmission of NoV has been investigated, but has thus far not been demonstrated. The presented review aims to give an overview of these NoV transmission routes. Regarding NoV person-to-person transmission, the NoV GII.4 genotype is discussed in the current review as it has been very successful for several decades but reasons for its success have only recently been suggested. Both pre-harvest and post-harvest contamination of food products can lead to NoV food borne illness. Pre-harvest contamination of food products mainly occurs via contact with polluted irrigation water in case of fresh produce or with contaminated harvesting water in case of bivalve molluscan shellfish. On the other hand, an infected food handler is considered as a major cause of post-harvest contamination of food products. Both transmission routes are reviewed by a summary of described NoV food borne outbreaks between 2000 and 2010. A third NoV transmission route occurs via water and the spread of NoV via river water, ground water, and surface water is reviewed. Finally, although zoonotic transmission remains hypothetical, a summary on the bovine and porcine NoV presence observed in animals is given and the presence of human infective NoV in animals is discussed.

Internalization and dissemination of human norovirus and animal caliciviruses in hydroponically grown romaine lettuce

Fresh produce is a major vehicle for the transmission of human norovirus (NoV) because it is easily contaminated during both pre- and postharvest stages. However, the ecology of human NoV in fresh produce is poorly understood. In this study, we determined whether human NoV and its surrogates can be internalized via roots and disseminated to edible portions of the plant. The roots of romaine lettuce growing in hydroponic feed water were inoculated with 1 × 10(6) RNA copies/ml of a human NoV genogroup II genotype 4 (GII.4) strain or 1 × 10(6) to 2 × 10(6) PFU/ml of animal caliciviruses (Tulane virus [TV] and murine norovirus [MNV-1]), and plants were allowed to grow for 2 weeks. Leaves, shoots, and roots were homogenized, and viral titers and/or RNA copies were determined by plaque assay and/or real-time reverse transcription (RT)-PCR. For human NoV, high levels of viral-genome RNA (10(5) to 10(6) RNA copies/g) were detected in leaves, shoots, and roots at day 1 postinoculation and remained stable over the 14-day study period. For MNV-1 and TV, relatively low levels of infectious virus particles (10(1) to 10(3) PFU/g) were detected in leaves and shoots at days 1 and 2 postinoculation, but virus reached a peak titer (10(5) to 10(6) PFU/g) at day 3 or 7 postinoculation. In addition, human NoV had a rate of internalization comparable with that of TV as determined by real-time RT-PCR, whereas TV was more efficiently internalized than MNV-1 as determined by plaque assay. Taken together, these results demonstrated that human NoV and animal caliciviruses became internalized via roots and efficiently disseminated to the shoots and leaves of the lettuce.

Effects of a variety of food extracts and juices on the specific binding ability of norovirus GII.4 P particles

The effects of 13 food extracts and juices, including shellfish, fruits, and vegetables, on the binding ability of human norovirus (NoV) were examined, using P particles of human NoV GII.4 as a research surrogate. The enhancements (positive values) or reductions (negative values) of NoV P particle detection (changes in optical density at 450 nm) in the presence of different food extracts and juices as compared with P particles diluted in phosphate-buffered saline were tested by saliva-binding, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in triplicate. In the presence of different food extracts and juices at different concentrations, an increase or decrease of the receptor-binding ability of the NoV P particles was observed. Due to a higher specific binding and thus a higher accumulation of the viral particles, oysters may be contaminated with human NoV more often than other shellfish species (mussel, hard clams, and razor clams). Cranberry and pomegranate juices were shown to reduce the specific binding ability of human NoV P particles. No such binding inhibition effects were observed for the other tested extracts of fresh produce (strawberry, blackberry, blueberry, cherry tomato, spinach, romaine lettuce) or, notably, for raspberry, which has been associated with human NoV outbreaks.

Binding of human GII.4 norovirus virus-like particles to carbohydrates of romaine lettuce leaf cell wall materials

Norovirus (NoV) genogroup II genotype 4 (GII.4) strains are the dominant cause of the majority of food-borne outbreaks, including those that involve leafy greens, such as lettuce. Since human NoVs use carbohydrates of histo-blood group antigens as receptors/coreceptors, we examined the role of carbohydrates in the attachment of NoV to lettuce leaves by using virus-like particles (VLPs) of a human NoV/GII.4 strain. Immunofluorescence analysis showed that the VLPs attached to the leaf surface, especially to cut edges, stomata, and along minor veins. Binding was quantified using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) performed on cell wall materials (CWM) from innermost younger leaves and outermost lamina of older leaves. The binding to CWM of older leaves was significantly (P < 0.05) higher (1.5- to 2-fold) than that to CWM of younger leaves. Disrupting the carbohydrates of CWM or porcine gastric mucin (PGM) (a carbohydrate control) using 100 mM sodium periodate (NaIO(4)) significantly decreased the binding an average of 17% in younger leaves, 43% in older leaves, and 92% for PGM. In addition, lectins recognizing GalNAc, GlcNAc, and sialic acid at 100 μg/ml significantly decreased the binding an average of 41%, 33%, and 20% on CWM of older leaves but had no effect on younger leaves. Lectins recognizing α-D-Gal, α-D-Man/α-D-Glc, and α-L-Fuc showed significant inhibition on CWM of older leaves as well as that of younger leaves. All lectins, except for the lectin recognizing α-D-Gal, significantly inhibited NoV VLP binding to PGM. Collectively, our results indicate that NoV VLPs bind to lettuce CWM by utilizing multiple carbohydrate moieties. This binding may enhance virus persistence on the leaf surface and prevent effective decontamination.

Differences in the binding of human norovirus to and from romaine lettuce and raspberries by water and electrolyzed waters

Food contamination by human norovirus (hNoV) is a major cause of gastrointestinal disease. We evaluated the effectiveness of removing inoculated hNoV from the surfaces of raspberries and romaine lettuce by a simple wash in tap water and in different forms of electrolyzed water (EW), including acidic EW (AEW), neutral EW (NEW), and basic EW (BEW). A simple rinsing or soaking in water was able to remove >95% of hNoV from surface-inoculated raspberries. In contrast, only 75% of hNoV was removed from surface-inoculated romaine lettuce by rinsing in tap water. An AEW wash enhanced the binding of hNoV to raspberries and lettuce. Only 7.5% (±10%) and 4% (±3.1%) of hNoV were removed by AEW wash from surface-inoculated raspberries and lettuce, respectively. When raspberries and lettuce were prewashed with NEW or BEW prior to surface inoculation, an AEW wash likewise resulted in significantly less removal of hNoV compared with untreated samples. A prewash with AEW significantly decreased the removal of hNoV from raspberries and lettuce when they were washed with NEW, from 90.6 to 51% and from 76 to 51.3% , respectively. There are minimal or no improvements gained by use of any of the EWs instead of a regular tap water wash in removal of hNoV from produce. However, use of AEW shows a significant decrease in the removal of hNoV from contaminated produce compared with other water rinses. The ability to remove hNoV from different types of produce varies, possibly due to differences among types of ligand-like molecules that bind hNoV. The distribution of hNoV on raspberries and lettuce was studied using recombinant Norwalk-like particles (rNVLP). By immunofluorescence microscopy, we were able to observe binding of rNVLP only to vein areas of romaine lettuce, suggesting that the virus was binding to specific molecules in these areas. Random binding of rNVLP occurred only with raspberries prewashed with AEW or washed with AEW.