Effective inactivation of hepatitis A virus in the edible <i>Ulva lactuca</i> seaweed using dielectric barrier discharge (DBD)-plasma treatment

Contamination with the hepatitis A virus (HAV) represents a significant etiological factor in acute hepatitis, occasionally progressing to liver failure. HAV transmission is primarily linked to the consumption of HAV-polluted water and food. The effectiveness of dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma on the infectivity reduction of a HAV strain on edible seaweed <i>Ulva lactuca</i> was evaluated under varying treatment durations (control, 10, 30, and 60 min), and its impact on the quality of the seaweed was also examined. To identify infectious and non-infectious virus components, HAV was exposed using RT-qPCR with propidium monoazide/sarkosyl. HAV was decreased in seaweed when compared control to DBD (0.37 -1.43 log₁₀copy number/µL) and in non-PMA reduction titers were (0.37, 0.42, and 0.54 log₁₀copy number/µL) and PMA + Sarkosyl-treated group (0.64, 0.68, and 1.43 log₁₀copy number/µL), respectively. The acidity (pH) and Hunter color assessments of control and DBD-treated seaweed exhibited no significant disparities (<i>P</i> > 0.05). These outcomes indicate the potential applicability of PMA/RT-qPCR in detecting HAV infectivity without compromising the quality of seaweed subsequent to DBD treatment. HAV infectivity was significantly reduced in the foods after DBD treatment for 60 min, indicating potential for commercial application. With further optimization, DBD plasma has the potential to be utilized by food processors as a nonthermal method for inactivating foodborne viruses.