Oct 7, 2026 - Foods
Noroviruses in shellfish – an underestimated risk to food safety
Mussels and other bivalve molluscs can play an important role in the transmission of noroviruses. Because they obtain their food by filtering water, they can also concentrate pathogens from their environment. This is particularly relevant for mussels that are eaten raw or insufficiently heated.
Noroviruses are among the leading causes of acute gastroenteritis worldwide. Transmission can occur, among other routes, via contaminated food or water. There is a particular risk with mussels when the animals grow in waters contaminated with faecal matter. Due to their filtering activity, the viruses can accumulate in the tissue and remain detectable there for an extended period.
Even the natural cleansing of mussels, the so-called depuration, cannot in all cases completely remove the viral load. The scientific review also shows that conventional preparation methods do not necessarily guarantee complete inactivation if heating is inadequate. Careful control of the origin and quality of mussels is therefore an important component of food safety.
For producers, traders and importers of mussels and mussel products, origin, water quality, processing and hygienic conditions are therefore of particular importance. In addition to bacteriological tests, molecular biological methods can also be used to detect norovirus RNA in food samples.
The BAV Institute and the Tentamus laboratories support companies in testing foods for relevant microbiological and molecular biological parameters. This helps to detect possible contaminations at an early stage and to ensure the safety of food along the entire supply chain.
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