Project Number: 1935-42000-059-00
Project Type: Appropriated

Start Date: Apr 25, 2006
End Date: Jan 30, 2011

Objective:
Research will focus on four main objectives designed to enhance the safety of aquaculture products, to: a) continue to develop rapid, enzyme-based assays to detect bacterial pathogens in aquaculture products; b) identify RT-PCR inhibitors and develop real-time molecular methods to detect and quantify viral pathogens in shellfish tissues; c) investigate physical and chemical parameters influencing the efficiency of high hydrostatic pressure inactivation of hepatitis A virus, norovirus, and surrogate viruses; and d) investigate the mechanisms of enteric virus persistence within live shellfish. Develop more effective means for decontaminating fresh and minimally processed fruits and vegetables containing human pathogens to ensure food safety and security by assessing the efficacy of new and/or improved intervention technologies. This maintains the flexibility to expand research efforts on produced when and where necessary.

Approach:
We propose to use a wide variety of protein chemistry, biochemistry, microbiology, virology, molecular biology, and food technology principles and techniques to: a) develop molecular biological and enzyme-based assays to detect specific pathogens in shellfish tissues as well as processing interventions to inactivate enteric viruses that contaminate shellfish; b) screen for, identify and characterize novel enzyme activities associated with bacterial pathogens to develop rapid, enzyme-based assays for their decteion; c) develop improved virus extraction procedures for shellfish with the intent to characterize and eliminate potential inhibitors of real-time RT-PCR methods; d)explore the mechanism by which high pressure processing inactivates hepatitis A virus and noroviruses to determine the physical and chemical parameters that influence processing effectiveness, e) participate in a human volunteer study to determine the effectiveness of high pressure processing to inactivate noroviruses in oysters; and f) evaluate the mechanism by which enteric viruses persist within shellfish with the goal of developing improved shellfish disinfection and detection methods. We will accomplish these tasks in collaboration with Federal, State, and industry partners and distribute new methods and information to our stakeholders, especially the aquaculture industry and regulatory agencies. Together, these studies will enchance seafood safety and quality for all Americans.