Inactivation of hepatitis A virus (HAV) in fruits and vegetables by gamma irradiation

Doses of gamma (60Co) irradiation ranging between 1 and 10 kGy were used to investigate the inactivation of hepatitis A virus (HAV) inoculated onto lettuce and strawberries at ambient temperature. The number of surviving viruses at a given dose of radiation was determined by a plaque assay. Data analysis by a linear model indicated that D10 values of 2.72±0.05 and 2.97±0.18 kGy were required to achieve a 1-log reduction in HAV titre in lettuce and strawberries, respectively. These data indicate that gamma irradiation doses between 2.7 and 3.0 kGy would be required to achieve ≥90% kill in HAV populations on fruits and vegetables.