Interest in viruses in food products stems from the large number of outbreaks of acute gastroenteritis among persons of all ages. The frequency and extent of these outbreaks may still be overlooked, mainly because of the lack of means of easy diagnosis. Basic information about viral epidemiology, factors determining the attachment of viruses to food surfaces, viral inactivation under certain conditions and persistence on different food products is still being acquired. An important aspect of  the transmission of viruses is the length of time for which these pathogens can stay on different surfaces or matrices. Understanding of the conditions that promote the persistence of viruses as infectious agents in the environment would help to eliminate viruses from the food supply chain. Factors such as ambient pH, temperature and humidity, surface topology (food or inanimate surfaces) may play major role in virus persistence and resistance to chemical treatment and preservation methods as well as the attachment to various receptors or surface components. Investigations have focused on these factors using laboratory-adapted strains or surrogates that can be propagated in vitro. The aim of this review is to compile the recent findings regarding the factors that promote the persistence of foodborne viruses on environmental and food surfaces.