Eurofins Now Offers Norovirus Testing for Food Manufacturers

Eurofins Scientific provide a comprehensive range of analytical testing services to clients from a wide range of industries including the pharmaceutical, food and environmental sectors. Eurofins is now able to offer services for the detection of viruses causing gastroenteritis.

Bacterial contamination is typically well controlled at food manufacturing sites. However, noroviruses are suspected to cause half of all food-related outbreaks of illness. This group of viruses is generally overlooked as it is not detectable by microbiological analyses. Contaminated food and water are the major ways for infections.

Eurofins has implemented a new validated method for the detection of noroviruses.

"With this new assay we help food manufacturers to minimise the risk of food-borne illness through viruses. By applying this method, regular and periodical monitoring of virus contamination at manufacturing sites has become a reality." said Dr. Bert Popping, Director of Molecular Biology and Immunology.

The new method is based on reverse transcriptase Real-Time PCR and detects noroviruses of genogroups I and II. The detection is highly specific and sensitive and detects even low amounts of viruses, thus minimising the risk of infection through norovirus contamination.