Foodborne Viruses such as Noroviruses and Mycotoxins are being tested using portable technology developed by scientists.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Matthew Moore, a virologist at UMass Amherst, is the team's leader.

• Noroviruses cause about 200,000 fatalities each year throughout the world.

• Mycotoxins can cause cancer and damage to organs.

A $750,000 grant has been awarded to a group of multinational researchers from the United States and the United Kingdom to create portable, fast biosensors capable of detecting noroviruses and mycotoxins in foods and agricultural goods. Noroviruses, according to the experts, are the most common cause of foodborne disease worldwide and are extremely infectious. Every few years, they start a pandemic. Mycotoxins, on the other hand, are created by fungi that thrive in warm, humid environments and can be found on cereals, nuts, seeds, and spices. In the context of climate change trends and greater consumption of plant-based foods, they pose a significant hazard to public health.

The USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) partnership grant is one of the first to be issued in collaboration with a foreign partner. Matthew Moore, a food and environmental virologist at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, is leading the project, which will also evaluate the technique for general use.

Mycotoxins are difficult to detect, according to Moore, but they frequently cause long-term harm, particularly to the kidneys and liver. Mycotoxins have also been linked to the development of cancer. Every year, human noroviruses kill approximately 200,000 people worldwide, many of whom are youngsters under the age of five. They inflict a multibillion-dollar economic burden.

"We need a technique to swiftly and easily determine if a meal includes these toxins in a cost-effective manner — without having to return to a separate lab," he added.

The team is using this technology to develop a low-cost, long-lasting, and possibly reusable sensor that can detect these toxins. Moore claims that the nanoMIP-based sensing technique provides a slew of benefits. "It's extremely sturdy under extreme situations and quite portable." It's also rather affordable, which is a key factor to consider when testing for foods," he noted.

NanoMIP-based electrochemical sensing, according to the researchers, is an interesting new application for agricultural objectives. It has shown promise for other targets, including SARS-CoV-2, and the researchers hope to further explore its potential for human noroviruses and mycotoxins.