High pressure processing (HPP) is an increasingly
popular non-thermal food processing technology.
Study of HPP’s potential to inactivate foodborne viruses has
defined general pressure levels required to inactivate hepatitis
A virus, norovirus surrogates, and human norovirus
itself within foods such as shellfish and produce. The sensitivity
of a number of different picornaviruses to HPP is
variable. Experiments suggest that HPP inactivates viruses
via denaturation of capsid proteins which render the virus
incapable of binding to its receptor on the surface of its host
cell. Beyond the primary consideration of treatment pressure
level, the effects of extending treatment times, temperature
of initial pressure application, and matrix composition have
been identified as critical parameters for designing HPP
inactivation strategies. Research described here can serve as
a preliminary guide to whether a current commercial process
could be effective against HuNoV or HAV.