Attachment and removal of porcine rotavirus (PRV) and Tulane virus (TV) on fresh and artificial phylloplanes of Romaine lettuce and Carmel spinach as affected by ultrasonication in combination with oxidant- or surfactant-based sanitizer(s)

This work examined the attachment of porcine rotavirus (PRV) and Tulane virus (TV), a surrogate for human norovirus, to fresh and artificial phylloplanes of Romaine lettuce and Carmel spinach. The effect of produce type, sanitizer, and ultrasound treatment on removal of PRV and TV from produce and artificial surfaces was also investigated. Sanitization was performed with two oxidant-based sanitizers (chlorine and peroxyacetic acid) and one surfactant-based sanitizer (0.5 % malic acid +0.05 % thiamine lauryl sulfate) in combination with ultrasound. PRV and TV were spot inoculated to fresh and artificial produce surfaces and treated for 1 min with a sanitizing solution with and without ultrasound. No significant differences were observed in the attachment of PRV and TV to fresh and artificial leaf surfaces. The removal of PRV from produce leaves treated by different sanitizers was significantly higher than that of TV. No difference in viral removal between the fresh and artificial produce surfaces was found. The addition of ultrasound significantly increased viral removal from both type of produce surfaces. The removal of virus attached to fresh and artificial phylloplanes was virus-type, sanitizer-type, and produce cultivar dependent. Artificial phylloplanes may provide a novel platform for screening of sanitizers in food safety applications.