The hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a causative agent of important infection in humans in European countries. Food-borne transmission appears to be the major pathway for human HEV infections in Europe, and domestic pigs, wild boar and probably deer are considered the main animal reservoirs of the HEV. For this reason, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has published a scientific opinion on the HEV and the possibilities of its transmission across this continent. This opinion focuses on current methods for the detection, characterisation and tracing of the HEV in food- producing animals and foods; HEV reservoirs, its food-borne pathways and potential control options; the epidemiology of HEV, its occurrence and persistence in foods; and possible control measures along food chains. The aim of this paper is to summarise the reviewed data and to familiarise the reader with the main findings and conclusions presented in this scientific opinion.
