This document specifies a method for detection of hepatitis A virus (HAV) and norovirus genogroups I (GI) and II (GII), from test samples of foodstuffs [(soft fruit, leaf, stem and bulb vegetables, bottled water, bivalve molluscan shellfish (BMS)] or surfaces using real-time RT-PCR. This method is not validated for detection of the target viruses in other foodstuffs (including multi-component foodstuffs), or any other matrices, nor for the detection of other viruses in foodstuffs, surfaces or other matrices.