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Rapid monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 on fruits and vegetables using reverse-transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification assay


Affiliations
1 National Reference Laboratory, ICAR-National Research Centre for Grapes, P.O. Manjri Farm, Pune 412 307, India, India
2 National Reference Laboratory, ICAR-National Research Centre for Grapes, P.O. Manjri Farm, Pune 412 307, India, Indonesia
3 National Institute of Virology, Mumbai Unit, A.D. Marg, Parel, Mumbai 400 012, India, India
 

COVID-infected people handling fruits and vegetables may spread the virus to healthy people on contact. Here we examined if SARS-CoV-2 was detectable on the fruits, vegetables, hand gloves and packaging materials collected from the open markets and pack houses in India. During the study (2021–22), swabs from 748 samples representing the majorly traded items were tested using RT-LAMP assay. The sensitivity and specificity of the kit were found to be equivalent to the RT-PCR assay. All test samples were found negative for SARS-CoV-2. Thus, it can be concluded that the virus is unlikely to spread to foods and packaging materials through human contact

Keywords

COVID-19 pandemic, fresh fruits and vege-tables, open markets and pack houses, packaging materials, transmission and monitoring.
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  • Rapid monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 on fruits and vegetables using reverse-transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification assay

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Authors

Manisha Dhanshetty
National Reference Laboratory, ICAR-National Research Centre for Grapes, P.O. Manjri Farm, Pune 412 307, India, India
Supriya Kusale
National Reference Laboratory, ICAR-National Research Centre for Grapes, P.O. Manjri Farm, Pune 412 307, India, India
Vijayshree Chavan
National Reference Laboratory, ICAR-National Research Centre for Grapes, P.O. Manjri Farm, Pune 412 307, India, Indonesia
Shraddha Shewale
National Reference Laboratory, ICAR-National Research Centre for Grapes, P.O. Manjri Farm, Pune 412 307, India, India
Upendra P. Lambe
National Institute of Virology, Mumbai Unit, A.D. Marg, Parel, Mumbai 400 012, India, India
Sonali A. Sawant
National Institute of Virology, Mumbai Unit, A.D. Marg, Parel, Mumbai 400 012, India, India
Shyam Sundar Nandi
National Institute of Virology, Mumbai Unit, A.D. Marg, Parel, Mumbai 400 012, India, India
Sujoy Saha
National Reference Laboratory, ICAR-National Research Centre for Grapes, P.O. Manjri Farm, Pune 412 307, India, India
Somnath Holkar
National Reference Laboratory, ICAR-National Research Centre for Grapes, P.O. Manjri Farm, Pune 412 307, India, India
Jagruti Jankar
National Reference Laboratory, ICAR-National Research Centre for Grapes, P.O. Manjri Farm, Pune 412 307, India, India
Ramhari Somkuwar
National Reference Laboratory, ICAR-National Research Centre for Grapes, P.O. Manjri Farm, Pune 412 307, India, India
Kaushik Banerjee
National Reference Laboratory, ICAR-National Research Centre for Grapes, P.O. Manjri Farm, Pune 412 307, India, India

Abstract


COVID-infected people handling fruits and vegetables may spread the virus to healthy people on contact. Here we examined if SARS-CoV-2 was detectable on the fruits, vegetables, hand gloves and packaging materials collected from the open markets and pack houses in India. During the study (2021–22), swabs from 748 samples representing the majorly traded items were tested using RT-LAMP assay. The sensitivity and specificity of the kit were found to be equivalent to the RT-PCR assay. All test samples were found negative for SARS-CoV-2. Thus, it can be concluded that the virus is unlikely to spread to foods and packaging materials through human contact

Keywords


COVID-19 pandemic, fresh fruits and vege-tables, open markets and pack houses, packaging materials, transmission and monitoring.

References





DOI: https://doi.org/10.18520/cs%2Fv124%2Fi8%2F938-945