A Nigerian researcher at the University of Florida, United States, Nuradeen Yusuf, has raised concerns over the rising cases of foodborne diseases, linking them to poor sanitation, inadequate food handling practices, and the lack of clean water.
Yusuf, a food safety expert and microbiologist, highlighted the challenges facing food safety in Nigeria, particularly in informal markets where fresh produce, seafood, and minimally processed foods dominate. He noted that the absence of accurate testing methods poses a significant threat to public health.
His study, conducted at the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, focuses on reshaping the understanding of foodborne virus detection. It also examines the limitations of Reverse Transcription Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-qPCR) in distinguishing between infectious and non-infectious norovirus particles in food safety monitoring.
“Norovirus is the leading cause of foodborne gastroenteritis worldwide, affecting millions annually. Unlike bacterial pathogens, viruses cannot grow in food, yet they persist in contaminated produce, seafood, and water sources,” Yusuf explained.
He warned that Nigeria’s reliance on informal food markets makes norovirus contamination a silent but serious risk, as detecting the virus remains difficult using traditional methods. His research, published in Food and Environmental Virology, introduced the use of the Tulane virus—a cultivable surrogate for norovirus—to compare culture-based infectivity assays with RT-qPCR detection.
Yusuf’s findings indicate that while RT-qPCR is highly sensitive, it can overestimate viral presence by detecting non-infectious viral RNA. He advocated for the use of RNase pretreatment to reduce false positives and provide more accurate food safety assessments.
“One of the biggest challenges in detecting norovirus is that traditional RT-qPCR methods cannot differentiate between live and dead virus particles,” Yusuf said. “This means food may be declared unsafe based on non-infectious viral remnants, leading to unnecessary product recalls and economic losses.”
He stressed that regulatory agencies must adopt improved food safety testing techniques to align with global best practices, ensuring that food safety decisions are based on actual infectivity rather than molecular detection alone.
“Our markets heavily depend on fresh produce and seafood, which are vulnerable to viral contamination. Without accurate testing, we either underestimate or overestimate risks, both of which have serious consequences for food safety and public health,” he said.
Yusuf called on regulatory bodies across Africa, including the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), to integrate infectivity-based testing into their frameworks.
He outlined key recommendations, including:
Capacity building for food safety agencies to implement RT-qPCR with infectivity assessment.
Collaboration between universities and industry stakeholders for large-scale surveillance of foodborne viruses.
Increased investment in research and development to create cost-effective testing methods suitable for low-resource environments.
“Food safety is not just a microbiology issue—it’s an economic and public health challenge. Investing in accurate detection tools can help prevent outbreaks, reduce healthcare costs, and protect the food supply,” Yusuf added.
He also emphasized the need for greater public awareness, particularly among food vendors and consumers, about the risks of foodborne viruses.
“Many people believe that cooking eliminates all risks, but norovirus can be highly resistant and remain infectious under certain conditions. Proper handwashing, improved sanitation, and better food handling practices are essential to reducing infections,” he advised.
Yusuf further warned that the effects of foodborne diseases extend beyond Nigeria, as climate change, urbanization, and cross-border food trade continue to heighten the risk of viral infections across Africa. He urged governments and stakeholders to adopt a coordinated response to address these challenges.
