** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** HUMAN NOROVIRUS IS THE LEADING CAUSE OF FOODBORNE ILLNESSES IN THE UNITED STATES. IT CAUSES SWELLING OF THE STOMACH AND INTESTINES. ILLNESSES WITH NOROVIRUS OCCUR WHEN PATHOGEN IS INGESTED THROUGH THE CONSUMPTION OF RAW OR UNDERCOOKED FOOD. FOOD COMMODITIES, SUCH AS OYSTERS, HAVE A REMARKABLY HIGHER RISK OF CARRYING THE VIRUS. OYSTERS LIVE IN WATER AND OBTAIN THEIR FOOD THROUGH FILTERING WATER, THROUGH WHICH THEY ALSO ENTRAP MICROBES AND FOOD PARTICLES. VIRUSES ARE GENERALLY KNOWN TO LAST LONG IN OYSTERS AND ARE MORE TOLERANT THAN BACTERIA TO PARTIAL COOKING. NOROVIRUS IS ONE OF THE HARDY PATHOGENS THAT SPREAD QUICKLY IN A COMMUNITY. DESPITE COOKING BEING THE CHEAPEST AND MOST EFFECTIVE METHOD FOR PROTECTING HUMANS FROM ILLNESSES, SEVERAL NOROVIRUS OUTBREAKS HAVE BEEN REPORTED AFTER EATING COOKED OYSTERS, INDICATING HIGH TOLERANCE OF NOROVIRUS TO CURRENT COOKING PRACTICES. THE BINDING OF VIRUSES TO EACH OTHER OR FOOD PARTICLES ARE BELIEVED TO PROTECT THEM FROM COOKING. OUR INTERDISCIPLINARY FOOD VIROLOGY, FOOD ENGINEERING, AND RISK ASSESSMENT TEAM ADDRESS THIS CRITICAL CONCERN BY STUDYING THE CONDITIONS THAT MAY LEAD TO THE SURVIVAL OF NOROVIRUS IN OYSTERS DURING THE COOKING PRACTICES (ROASTING, BAKING, AND STEAMING) USED BY CONSUMERS AND RESTAURANTS. DIFFERENT FORMS OF NOROVIRUS PRESENCE IN OYSTERS WILL BE TESTED TO UNDERSTAND THEIR RESPONSE TO HEAT. RISKS OF CONSUMPTION WILL BE INVESTIGATED USING LABORATORY-DRIVEN DATA. THE OUTCOMES OF THIS STUDY AIM TO REDUCE THE BURDEN OF ILLNESSES ASSOCIATED WITH NOROVIRUS SO CONSUMERS KEEP ENJOYING EATING OYSTERS.