Infection with norovirus (NoV) is considered the most common cause of foodborne illness in the U.S. Many foodborne NoV outbreaks result from consumption of food contaminated by an infected food handler in the foodservice environment. Such infections typically occur in closed environments including restaurants, cruise ships, schools and nursing homes where large amounts of food are prepared daily. Fresh fruits and vegetables have been implicated as vehicles for NoV. Preparation of fresh fruits and vegetables usually involves considerable human contact, including handling, chopping/slicing and mixing, and since these foods are often consumed raw, there is often no effective pathogen reduction step prior to consumption. Since 2008, researchers from the Institute for Food Safety and Health (formerly National Center for Food Safety and Technology), Rutgers University, and collaborators from FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition and Ecolab USA, have been collaborating to examine cross-contamination of NoV during common procedures used in preparation of fresh produce in a food service setting. The NoV transfer data, which has been collected using more than 120 volunteers, is being incorporated into a quantitative risk assessment to evaluate the risk reduction of worker behavior as a result of the research findings. The symposium will provide an opportunity for the project team to report their findings, discuss the potential for NoV transmission through a retail food service setting, as well as educational elements to change working behavior.

Presentations