o:8573 Detection of foodborne viruses in berries – State of science and future considerations en Enteric viruses are the leading cause of foodborne disease, with human norovirus (HuNoVs) the most prevalent, and hepatitis A virus (HAV) the more severe. Fresh and frozen berry fruits are a recognized vehicle for trans- mission, gaining increased international attention. The detection of these viruses is complicated because: (i) they cannot be cultivated routinely in vitro; (ii) their concentrations in foods are frequently low; (iii) and sample matrices are complex. ISO- standardized methods, released in the last decade, are widely used, but there remain complexities in their applications, interpretations, and risk-based decision making based on results. This paper describes deliberations of an International Expert Panel asked to address the following: (i) methods most often used to detect viruses in fresh and frozen berries; (ii) role of sampling in test reliability; (iii) means by which testing results are interpreted; (iv) typical uses of testing by various stakeholder sectors; (v) role/use of confir- matory testing; (vi) how testing results are used by various stakeholder sectors; and (vii) the overall value of testing. Critical unanswered questions are discussed, such as the relationship between RT-qPCR positive results and infection risk (virus infectivity) and the role of testing in risk management. Perhaps the most comprehensive work of its kind, this paper highlights the unique challenges posed by emerging molecular-based detection methods applied to non-cultivable foodborne pathogens and sets a stage for the questions that beg answers as these methods become more widely and routinely used. Foodborne viruses, Norovirus, Hepatitis A virus, Berries, Molecular detection 1552099 10.1016/j.foodcontrol.2025.111436 2025-12-02T12:44:33.863Z 44 yes 46 Lee-Ann Jaykus Department of Food, Bioprocessing and Nutrition Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7624, USA Detection of foodborne viruses in berries – State of science and future considerations Sabah Bidawid Bureau of Microbial Hazards, Food Research Division, Health Canada, 251 Sir Frederick Banting Driveway Rm E401, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0K9, Canada Detection of foodborne viruses in berries – State of science and future considerations person Albert Bosch c Enteric Virus Laboratory, Section Microbiology, Virology and Biotechnology, Dep. Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics, School of Biology, Antoni Prevosti Bldg, Avda. Diagonal 643, 08028 Barcelona, Spain Detection of foodborne viruses in berries – State of science and future considerations person Sophie Butot Nestle Research, Soci´ et´ e des Produits Nestl´ e S.A., Route du Jorat 57, Lausanne 26, 1000 Switzerland Detection of foodborne viruses in berries – State of science and future considerations person Nigel Cook 2 Minster View, Wigginton, York YO32 2GN, United Kingdom Detection of foodborne viruses in berries – State of science and future considerations person Sanjay Gummalla Frozen Food Foundation, 161 Waylands Mill Road, Culpepper, VA 22701, USA Detection of foodborne viruses in berries – State of science and future considerations person https://orcid.org/0009-0007-8647-3851 James Lowther Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas), The Nothe, Barrack Road, Dorset Weymouth, DT4 8UB, United Kingdom Detection of foodborne viruses in berries – State of science and future considerations person Neda Nasheri Bureau of Microbial Hazards, Food Research Division, Health Canada, 251 Sir Frederick Banting Driveway Rm E401, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0K9, Canada Detection of foodborne viruses in berries – State of science and future considerations person Rosa M. Pinto Enteric Virus Laboratory, Section Microbiology, Virology and Biotechnology, Dep. Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics, School of Biology, Antoni Prevosti Bldg, Avda. Diagonal 643, 08028 Barcelona, Spain Detection of foodborne viruses in berries – State of science and future considerations person Donald W. Schaffner Department of Food Science, Food Science and Nutritional Sciences Building West, School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 65 Dudley Rd, New Brunswick, NJ 08901-8525, USA Detection of foodborne viruses in berries – State of science and future considerations person Magnus Simonsson European Union Reference Laboratory for Foodborne Viruses, Swedish Food Agency, Dag Hammarskjolds va¨g 56A, Box 622, SE - 751 26 Uppsala, Sweden Detection of foodborne viruses in berries – State of science and future considerations person Branko Velebit Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Institute of Meat Hygiene and Technology, Ka´ canskog 13, 11040 Belgrade, Serbia Detection of foodborne viruses in berries – State of science and future considerations person https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7577-8074 Jan Vinje j Viral Gastroenteritis Branch, Division of Viral Diseases, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Rd NE, mailstop H18-7, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA Detection of foodborne viruses in berries – State of science and future considerations person Sophie Zuber Nestle Research, Soci´ et´ e des Produits Nestl´ e S.A., Route du Jorat 57, Lausanne 26, 1000 Switzerland person application/pdf 2827397 https://unilib.phaidrabg.rs/o:8573 no yes 19 70 1552253 71A01 Food Control 180 180 111436 Food Control https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/food-control ScienceDirect 2026