A solution containing 0.1% citrus juice or 1% cranberry juice is thus able to eliminate norovirus, which is a common cause of gastroenteritis and diarrhea in developed countries, explained first. to The Canadian Press researcher Monique Lacroix.
However, when these solutions are used in conjunction with gamma irradiation, concentrations of 0.01% citrus juice and 0.5% cranberry juice are sufficient, she said.
“Industrialists want to have compounds that are natural,” said Ms. Lacroix. These extracts are natural, but obviously natural extracts are quite expensive. So if we can dilute them (and) take a smaller amount … “
It would also have the advantage of halving the irradiation time required to destroy the virus.
“Fresh fruits, fresh vegetables and also the salad, which is very sensitive, cannot always endure the processing time necessary to eliminate the virus because you can produce oxidations, browning, softening of the tissue,” explained Mrs. Lacroix. If you reduce the processing time by using combinations of products, you can ensure the safety of the product. “
The organic acids and polyphenols in cranberry juice and citrus extract are thought to alter the viral protein and help inhibit its activity, making the norovirus more sensitive to radiation.
Canada does not currently allow the irradiation of fruits and vegetables. However, the process is widely used in some 40 countries, including the United States, from which Canada imports countless amounts of food each year.
However, Quebec is allowed to disinfect food with ozone and short wavelength UV rays (UVC), and Ms. Lacroix believes her discovery could be used in conjunction with these two processes.
“Combinations can also be done with UVC and ozone,” she said. In Quebec, there would be the possibility of developing salad washing with the products we discovered, followed by ozone treatment and / or followed by UVC treatment. ”
More than 77% of foodborne illnesses are due to viruses, 30% to bacteria and 3% to parasites, said the researcher.
It remains to be seen how Ms. Lacroix’s work will be received by industry.
“I don’t know,” she said. Since the beginning of my career I wanted to try to see (the effect) of natural extracts on viruses and how we can develop combinations of treatments to eliminate viruses, so I am very happy to have reached these results. “
Ms. Lacroix’s discovery was announced in the pages of the Journal of Applied Microbiology.
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