Effects of Acidification, Bacterial Fermentation, and Temperature on the Survival of Rotavirus in a Model Weaning Food.

The effect of acidification, bacterial fermentation, and temperature on the survival of SA-11 rotavirus in model infant weaning foods was investigated. The influence of added organic acids and of bacterial fermentation on rotavirus survival was explicable solely by the pH achieved. The rotavirus was stable at temperatures representative of tropical ambient and at pH values typical of lactic fermented foods (3.8-4.1). Starch gelatinization temperatures were sufficient to inactivate rotavirus rapidly at neutral pH. Thus, cooking would kill virus although recontamination would remain a concern. A similar lethality to that at neutral pH could be observed in acidified media at lower temperatures. Although effective against bacterial pathogens, lactic fermentation of weaning foods confers little protection against rotavirus unless combined with a mild heat treatment such as might be used prior to serving to enhance palatability.