Response of four types of coliphages to high hydrostatic pressure.

Pressure inactivation of four types of coliphages, varphiX 174 (ssDNA virus), MS2 (ssRNA virus), lambda imm434 (dsDNA virus) and T4 (dsDNA virus), was studied to evaluate their potential as human enteric viral surrogates for use in validation of commercial pressure processing treatments. Phage varphiX 174 demonstrated an unexpected high resistance to pressure with no more than 1-log(10) reduction observed following exposures to 350-600 MPa. There was no greater than 1-log(10) reduction below 500 MPa for MS2 in modified phosphate-buffered saline, but a 3.3-log(10) reduction was observed for MS2 pressurized at 600 MPa. Coliphages lambda imm434 and T4 were relatively sensitive to pressure in demonstrating inactivation at 350 MPa. At 21 degrees C, lambda imm434 was inactivated in modified phosphate-buffered saline or Dulbecco's Modified Eagle's Medium plus 5% fetal bovine sera by at least 7.5-log(10) when exposed to 400 MPa for 5 min. Treatment at 450 MPa for 5 min was necessary to obtain a log(10) reduction of 6-7 for T4.