Open Access
Review
Table 3
Advantages and limitations of the techniques used to assess infectivity and viability.
| Methods | Parasites | Advantages | Limitations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bioassays [I] |
Cp & Ch / G / T | - Requires a single (oo)cyst - Application on complex food matrices - Reliable exposure assessment of humans to infective protozoa. − Reliable assessment of inactivation efficacy |
- Ethical concerns - Expensive method and labor intensive - Lack of reliability with low numbers of (oo)cysts - Discrimination of large but not fine differences between treatments - Long time-to-results (one week minimum) |
| Cell Culture [I] |
Cp & Ch / T | - Correlation with bioassays - Requires a single (oo)cyst - Reliable exposure assessment of humans to infective protozoa - Reliable assessment of inactivation efficacy |
- Lack of standardized assays - Medium (48/72h) to long (10 days) time to results - Not applicable to Giardia - No application on complex food matrices |
| Methods based on morphology and physical properties [V] |
C / G | - Correlation between electrorotation and PI exclusion method - Rapid - Require a single (oo)cyst |
- Require purified (oo)cysts - No data on viability relative to infectivity measure - No application in exposure assessment in food |
| Excystation [V] |
C / G / T | - Correlation with PI exclusion method - Rapid - Non-expensive |
- Requires large numbers of purified (oo)cysts - Variable excystation rate - Over/underestimation of the exposure of humans to infective protozoa* - Over/underestimation of inactivation efficacy* - No application on complex food matrices |
| Vital dye exclusion [V] |
C / G / T | - Correlation with excystation for PI dye (C) - Rapid and relatively simple - Non-expensive - Requires a single (oo)cysts - Application on complex food matrices |
- Requires purified (oo)cysts - Few applications for T. gondii - Overestimation of the exposure of humans to infective protozoa* - Underestimation of inactivation efficacy* |
| RT-PCR [V] |
C / G / T | - Rapid - Identification of (oo)cysts of human health significance - Easy to standardize - Requires low numbers of (oo)cysts - Application on complex food matrices |
- Limit of detection variable depending on matrices - Overestimation of the exposure of humans to infective protozoa* - Underestimation of inactivation efficacy* |
| FISH [V] |
C | - Rapid - Non-expensive - Requires a single (oo)cysts |
- Requires purified (oo)cysts - Overestimation of the exposure of humans to infective protozoa* - Underestimation of inactivation efficacy* - No application on complex food matrices |
| NASBA [V] |
C | - Correlation with PI exclusion method - Rapid - Non-expensive - Requires low numbers of (oo)cysts |
- Overestimation of the viable population - Non-quantitative - No data on viability relative to infectivity measure - No application in exposure assessment in food |
| PMA-PCR [V] |
C | - Rapid - Requires low numbers of (oo)cysts - Can be coupled to genotyping - Easy to standardize |
- Overestimation of the viable population - No data on viability relative to infectivity measure - No application in exposure assessment in food |
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