** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** FOODBORNE VIRUSES ARE THE LEADING CAUSE OF FOODBORNE ILLNESS AND FOURTH LEADING CAUSE OF FOODBORNE DEATH IN THE US.FOODBORNE VIRUSES ARE ALSO ESTIMATED TO CAUSE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF LOSSES ANNUALLY. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF CHALLENGES TO CONTROLLING THESE VIRUSES, AND ONE OF THEM IS THE ABILITY TO RAPIDLY DETECT THEM IN FOOD AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAMPLES IN ORDER TO TAKE MEASURES TO PREVENT THEIR SPREAD. OFTEN, VIRAL CONTAMINATION OF FOODS AND THE ENVIRONMENT OCCURS AT LOW LEVELS THAT CAN STILL GET PEOPLE SICK, BUT MAKE THE VIRUSES DIFFICULT TO DETECT. A PROBLEM WITH ALL FOOD AND ENVIRONMENTAL DETECTION OF VIRUSES THAT INFECT ANIMALS IS THE FACT THAT A CULTURAL ENRICHMENT STEPTO GROW THE NUMBER OF VIRUSES IN THE SAMPLE AND INCREASE THE EASE OF DETECTING THEM IS NOT AS FEASIBLE AS FOR BACTERIAL PATHOGENS. THEREFORE, THE VIRUSES NEED TO BE PICKED OUT OF LARGE, COMPLEX FOOD AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAMPLES IN ORDER TO BE DETECTED--A LOT LIKE FINDING AND CAPTURING NEEDLES IN A HAYSTACK. HOWEVER, TRADITIONAL METHODS THAT CAPTURE VIRUSESARE COST-PROHIBITIVE AND HAVE OTHER LIMITATIONS THE REDUCE THE EASE WITH WHICH THEY CAN BE UTILIZED IN-FIELD OR AT POINT-OF-PREPARATION. MAGNETIC IONIC LIQUIDS (MILS) AND DEEP EUTECTIC SOLVENTS (DESS) ARE A HIGHLY DIVERSE GROUP OF HYDROPHOBIC LIQUIDS THAT HAVE SHOWN PROMISE FOR CONCENTRATION OF BACTERIA AND OTHER BIOLOGICAL TARGETS IN FOODS; HOWEVER, THEIR ABILITY TO CONCENTRATE VIRUSES FROM FOODS AND THE ENVIRONMENT HAS NOT BEEN STUDIED. MILS AND DESS ALSO HAVE THE ADVANTAGE OF BEING VERY STABLE, AND ONLY REQUIRE A MAGNETIC FOR CAPTURE, REDUCING THE NEED FOR HEAVY OR ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT AND MAKING PORTABLE PROCESSING OF FOODS FEASIBLE. THE GOAL OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT IS TO DEVELOP AND EVALUATE THESE LIQUIDS AS REAGENTS FOR PORTABLE, RAPID CONCENTRATION OF VIRUSES FROM FOODS AND THE ENVIRONMENT FOR DOWNSTREAM PORTABLE DETECTION. FURTHER, THE PROPOSED WORK WILL ATTEMPT TO ANCHOR SPECIFIC MOLECULES THAT SPECIFICALLY TARGET VIRUSES TO MILS AND DETERMINE IF THIS CAN IMPROVE THE CONCENTRATION OF VIRUSES FROM FOODS. THIS WOULD BE A NEW PARADIGM IN THE USE OF MILS FOR CAPTURE OF BIOLOGICAL TARGETS IF SUCCESSFUL.