First ENAC accreditation for the identification of viruses in food
September 2, 2010
Currently, these microbiological risks currently covered by the European regulation laying down microbiological criteria in food (reg. No. 2073 / 2005) in which is recognized, both the need to develop analytical methods for the detection of enteric viruses, as the low reliability of the use of other microorganisms indicators to detect the presence of these viruses. As a result, AINIA has implemented a method for the detection and quantification of virus of norovirus and hepatitis A (HAV) in its laboratories I and II genogrupo in plant and bivalve molluscs.
The accredited analytical procedure based on working documents of the European Committee for standardisation as well as scientific publications of recognized prestige, consists of the extraction of viral particles that may be present in the samples to be analyzed for laterproceeding to the extraction, purification and concentration of the viral RNA. From this extract is the transcription of RNA in cDNA and specific detection by real-time PCR, amplifying a specific fragment of the gene 5'--NCR and 5' ORF2.
This method, which if necessary can achieve results even within less than 24 hours, allow food companies and public authorities guarantee the safety of foods potentially contaminated with this type of emerging pathogens.
