Analytical Application of a Sample Process Control in Detection of Foodborne Viruses

Abstract

Sample process controls (SPCs) are an essential component of methods to detect viruses in food, as they verify that the sample treatment has operated correctly. Also, the use of an SPC can allow the efficiency of extraction of the target to be estimated for each individual sample analysed. The use of murine norovirus as SPC is here described. Its efficiency of extraction from different food products was 39. 47%, 24. 79% and 36. 29% for strawberry, lettuce and shellfish samples. An incorrectly performed sample treatment was modelled to demonstrate the effectiveness of this control. © 2011 The Author(s).