Evaluation of skimmed milk flocculation method for virus recovery from tomatoes

• Published in: Brazilian journal of microbiology Vol. 49; no. S1; pp. 34 - 39
• Main Authors: Melgaço, Fabiana Gil, Corrêa, Adriana Abreu, Ganime, Ana Carolina, Brandão, Marcelo Luiz Lima, Medeiros, Valéria de Mello, Rosas, Carla de Oliveira, Lopes, Silvia Maria dos Reis, Miagostovich, Marize Pereira
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Brazil Elsevier Editora Ltda 01.11.2018; Springer Nature B.V; Elsevier; Sociedade Brasileira de Microbiologia
• Subjects: Adenovirus; Animals; Bacterial analysis; Cattle; Elution; Fecal coliforms; Flocculation; Food Microbiology - instrumentation; Food Microbiology - methods; Food safety; Fruit - chemistry; Fruit - classification; Fruit - virology; Metropolitan areas; MICROBIOLOGY; Milk; Milk - chemistry; Murine norovirus-1; Norovirus; Process control; Recovery; Research Paper; Salmonella; Solanum lycopersicum; Solanum lycopersicum - chemistry; Solanum lycopersicum - classification; Solanum lycopersicum - virology; Tomato; Tomatoes; Viruses; Viruses - classification; Viruses - genetics; Viruses - isolation & purification; Murine norovirus-1; Norovirus; Tomato; Adenovirus; Flocculation
• ISSN: 1517-8382; 1678-4405; 1678-4405
• DOI: 10.1016/j.bjm.2018.04.014

This study aimed to evaluate the elution-concentration methodology based on skimmed milk flocculation from three varieties of tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum L. [globe], Solanum lycopersicum var. cerasiforme [cherry] and hybrid cocktail [grape tomato]) for further monitoring of field samples. Spiking experiments were performed to determine the success rate and efficiency recovery of human norovirus (NoV) genogroup II, norovirus murine-1 (MNV-1) used as sample process control virus and human adenovirus (HAdV). Mean values of 18.8%, 2.8% and 44.0% were observed for NoV GII, MNV-1 and HAdV, respectively with differences according to the types of tomatoes, with lower efficiency for cherry tomatoes. Analysis of 90 samples, obtained at commercial establishments in the metropolitan region of Rio de Janeiro State, revealed 4.5% positivity for HAdV. Bacterial analysis was also performed with no detection of Salmonella spp., L. monocytogenes and fecal coliforms. Data demonstrated that the skimmed milk flocculation method is suitable for recovering HAdV from tomatoes and highlights the need for considering investigation in order to improve food safety.