Thermal Inactivation Model for Hepatitis E Virus (HEV)

Hepatitis E is an emerging issue, with the number of confirmed cases in the UK increasing in 2009-2015, and decreasing slightly in 2016 and 2017. There is some epidemiological evidence of an association of this virus with undercooked pork and pork products. Currently, there is no standardized method for evaluating thermal stability of HEV and also a lack of a suitable assay that can distinguish between intact HEV that can cause an infection and damaged virus which is not capable of causing an infection. This has raised concerns as it is extremely difficult to extrapolate the risk from pork products in relation to cooking practices. We are seeking to address this knowledge gap, which will not only inform our risk assessment, but will also provide an indication if cooking is sufficient to inactivate the virus in foods