Disciplines Associated with Food Safety: Food Virology

Food virology is a relatively young but important field in food safety. Viruses in general and human noroviruses in particular, are the leading cause of foodborne disease of known etiology in developed countries. Hepatitis A virus is also important, as are a number of emerging viruses. This article identifies the relevant viruses, describes their structural characteristics and the diseases they cause, and what is known about their epidemiological significance. It also describes why their transmission is so difficult to control, their detection difficult to achieve, and future research needs that will facilitate their study by food safety scientists.