Thermal inactivation kinetics of hepatitis A virus in homogenized clam meat (Mercenaria mercenaria)

• Published in: Journal of applied microbiology Vol. 119; no. 3; pp. 834 - 844
• Main Authors: Bozkurt, H., D'Souza, D.H., Davidson, P.M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Oxford University Press 01.09.2015
• Subjects: activation energy; Animals; Arrhenius model; Bivalvia; clams (Mercenaria mercenaria); D‐value; first‐order model; Food contamination & poisoning; Hepatitis; Hepatitis A virus; Hepatitis A virus - chemistry; Hepatitis A virus - growth & development; Hot Temperature; Kinetics; Meat Products - microbiology; Mercenaria - virology; Mercenaria mercenaria; Mollusks; Seafood; Shellfish - virology; Temperature; thermal treatment; Virus Inactivation; Weibull model; z‐value; z-value; thermal treatment; D-value; activation energy; Weibull model; clams (Mercenaria mercenaria); Arrhenius model; first-order model; hepatitis A virus
• ISSN: 1364-5072; 1365-2672
• DOI: 10.1111/jam.12892

Aims Epidemiological evidence suggests that hepatitis A virus (HAV) is the most common pathogen transmitted by bivalve molluscs such as clams, cockles, mussels and oysters. This study aimed to generate thermal inactivation kinetics for HAV as a first step to design adequate thermal processes to control clam‐associated HAV outbreaks. Methods and Results Survivor curves and thermal death curves were generated for different treatment times (0–6 min) at different temperatures (50–72°C) and Weibull and first‐order models were compared. D‐values for HAV ranged from 47·37 ± 1·23 to 1·55 ± 0·12 min for the first‐order model and 64·43 ± 3·47 to 1·25 ± 0·45 min for the Weibull model at temperatures from 50 to 72°C. z‐Values for HAV in clams were 12·97 ± 0·59°C and 14·83 ± 0·0·28°C using the Weibull and first‐order model respectively. The calculated activation energies for the first‐order and Weibull model were 145 and 170 kJ mole−1 respectively. Conclusion The Weibull model described the thermal inactivation behaviour of HAV better than the first‐order model. Significance and Impact of the Study This study provides novel and precise information on thermal inactivation kinetics of HAV in homogenized clams. This will enable reliable thermal process calculations for HAV inactivation in clams and closely related seafood.