At Matís, specific methods have been developed to detect noroviruses in food and water, but the viruses are contagious and can cause very severe intestinal infections in humans.
Noroviruses are found where faecal contamination has occurred and require a more sensitive method to detect them than conventional methods used to detect faecal contamination in food and water.
The methods that Matís has developed for the analysis of noroviruses are molecular biological methods with so-called PCR technology (Polymerase Chain Reaction). The use of PCR methods for microbiological analysis has increased significantly in recent years, but with technology it is now possible to detect the presence of noroviruses in food and water and thus prevent the spread of the viruses. Group infections caused by norovirus can be a serious problem as they occur and it is therefore important to prevent the spread of the virus.
It is mainly foods that are consumed raw or undercooked, such as shellfish, vegetables and fruits, that are a cause for concern in the case of norco-infections. The virus can withstand frost but dies when heated above 60 ° C. Consumption of shellfish has long been considered a major cause of foodborne infections caused by norovirus, and group infections caused by contaminated shellfish are common. However, the number of group infections that have not been attributed to shellfish consumption has focused on other foods, especially prepared foods, fruits, vegetables and drinking water as risk factors.
Apply new analytical methods
"Matís has set up methods for the analysis of noroviruses in drinking water, surface water and food and we can now detect noroviruses of genotypes I and II, but these are the types that mainly infect humans," says Anna Kristín Daníelsdóttir, division manager at Matís.
