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Abstract
Human norovirus (HuNoV) and hepatitis A virus (HAV) are the two main viruses causing foodborne outbreaks. These viruses can be transmitted through the fecal-oral route via food, water, or food-contact surfaces. The objectives of this study were to investigate the effect of blue light (BL) at 405 nm on HuNoV and HAV on stainless steel (SS) and in freshwater at room temperature. At a dose of 1520 J/cm2, infectious TV and HAV suspended in organic matter then dried on SS, were inactivated by ~0.6 and 0.8 log TCID50/ml, respectively. In sterile water, infectious TV and HAV showed ~0.6 and 2.5 log reductions, while in pond freshwater, the reduction reached ~0.8 and 2.8 log, respectively. Furthermore, BL transiently affected pond water pH, conductivity, and total suspended solids while minimally reducing pond water indigenous bacteria. Overall, this study provided novel insights on the potential use of BL to inactivate foodborne viruses.