Hepatitis A virus (HAV), which is endemic worldwide and is often transmitted to humans through contaminated food, is difficult to detect due to the presence of inhibitory substances and low concentration of the virus in most samples. In a study published in the September 2005 issue of Applied and Environmental Microbiology, researchers combined real-time reverse transcription-PCR and immunomagnetic separation (IMS) treatment to detect for HAV in rinses from strawberries and green onions. They were able to capture 20 times more HAV particles from both green onion and strawberry rinses receiving IMS treatment. And because the entire testing process can be completed within just six hours, it could be used as a routine test for HAV in fresh produce and environmental samples.

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