TY - JOUR
T1 - Norovirus contamination of sea urchins (Paracentrotus lividus)
T2 - potential food risk for consumers
AU - Santos-Ferreira, Nânci
AU - Mesquita, João Rodrigo
AU - Rivadulla, Enrique
AU - Inácio, Ângela S.
AU - Nascimento, Maria São José
AU - Romalde, Jesus
AU - Martins da Costa, Paulo
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was supported by the Structured R&D&I Project INNOVMAR – “Innovation and Sustainability in the Management and Exploitation of Marine Resources” (ref. NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000035) within the research line “INSEAFOOD - Innovation and valorisation of seafood products: meeting local challenges and opportunities”, founded by the Northern Regional Operational Programme (NORTE2020) through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) , and grant 2014-PG110 from the Xunta de Galicia(Spain) .
Funding Information:
This work was supported by the Structured R&D&I Project INNOVMAR ? ?Innovation and Sustainability in the Management and Exploitation of Marine Resources? (ref. NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000035) within the research line ?INSEAFOOD - Innovation and valorisation of seafood products: meeting local challenges and opportunities?, founded by the Northern Regional Operational Programme (NORTE2020) through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), and grant 2014-PG110 from the Xunta de Galicia(Spain).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2019 Elsevier Ltd
PY - 2020/5
Y1 - 2020/5
N2 - Sea urchin gonads are today considered a gourmet food but despite eaten raw, not much attention has been given to microbiological quality. This study evaluated the microbial (bacterial and viral) contamination and adequacy to current European regulations of Paracentrotus lividus sea urchins produced in Portugal. Four batches of 10 sea urchins were collected (September 2016 to May 2017) from the sea floor of a natural urchin growing area located in the north of Portugal. Sea urchin gonad batches were analysed for E. coli and Salmonella spp. as governed by the Commission Regulation (EC) No 2073/2005, modified by regulation (EC) No 2015/2285, on microbiological criteria for foodstuffs. Hepatitis A virus, norovirus GI and norovirus GII were also searched for following ISO 15216-1:2017. The four batches were all within the sanitary limits imposed by legislation for E. coli and Salmonella spp. Two batches were found positive for norovirus (one positive for norovirus GI, the other for both norovirus GI and GII), presenting viral concentrations that ranged from 8.7 × 103 and 3.2 × 104 genome copies/g. Sequencing and phylogenetic analysis showed that the obtained sequence clustered with norovirus GI.2. This study is the first evaluating the presence of human pathogenic viruses in live echinoderms and the first reporting NoV contamination of bacteriologically safe sea urchin gonads. NoV infection risk related to consumption of raw sea urchin gonads is in urgent need for evaluation.
AB - Sea urchin gonads are today considered a gourmet food but despite eaten raw, not much attention has been given to microbiological quality. This study evaluated the microbial (bacterial and viral) contamination and adequacy to current European regulations of Paracentrotus lividus sea urchins produced in Portugal. Four batches of 10 sea urchins were collected (September 2016 to May 2017) from the sea floor of a natural urchin growing area located in the north of Portugal. Sea urchin gonad batches were analysed for E. coli and Salmonella spp. as governed by the Commission Regulation (EC) No 2073/2005, modified by regulation (EC) No 2015/2285, on microbiological criteria for foodstuffs. Hepatitis A virus, norovirus GI and norovirus GII were also searched for following ISO 15216-1:2017. The four batches were all within the sanitary limits imposed by legislation for E. coli and Salmonella spp. Two batches were found positive for norovirus (one positive for norovirus GI, the other for both norovirus GI and GII), presenting viral concentrations that ranged from 8.7 × 103 and 3.2 × 104 genome copies/g. Sequencing and phylogenetic analysis showed that the obtained sequence clustered with norovirus GI.2. This study is the first evaluating the presence of human pathogenic viruses in live echinoderms and the first reporting NoV contamination of bacteriologically safe sea urchin gonads. NoV infection risk related to consumption of raw sea urchin gonads is in urgent need for evaluation.
KW - Norovirus
KW - Paracentrotus lividus
KW - Sea urchin
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85076379345&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.foodcont.2019.107041
DO - 10.1016/j.foodcont.2019.107041
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85076379345
SN - 0956-7135
VL - 111
JO - Food Control
JF - Food Control
M1 - 107041
ER -