Norovirus outbreaks linked to produce typically originate at the farm level.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Not sure
• D. Rarely

Answer: (A)

Norovirus contamination of produce is most often introduced before the product leaves the farm, through factors like infected workers handling crops or contaminated irrigation and wash water. The virus is highly contagious and can be shed by people who feel ill or even mildly ill, and produce (often eaten raw) doesn’t have a cooking step to inactivate the virus, so contamination at the farm can spread to many units of produce before harvest or during harvesting and handling. Because these farm-to-table contact points occur early in the supply chain and can affect large quantities of produce, outbreaks linked to produce are typically traced back to the farm level.