While the exact mechanism of hepatitis A virus (HAV) accumulation remains unclear, it has been demonstrated that viruses related to shellfish-borne gastroenteritis can bind to carbohydrates of oyster tissues. We investigated carbohydrate-binding sites to determine if they were related to the binding of HAV to carbohydrate moieties on oyster digestive tissues (DTs) using recombinant HAV proteins (rHAVPs). In addition, we evaluated lectins to determine if they influenced the inhibition of binding of rHAVPs to carbohydrates present in DT. DT that was treated with 0.5% potassium periodate allowed only 23% ± 3.6% and 33% ± 7.8% binding of VP1-P2A and VP1 rHAVPs, respectively, when compared with a control group (100%) treated with distilled water, indicating that carbohydrate-binding sites are strongly related to the binding of HAV. Soybean agglutinin (SBA) led to the greatest decrease in the binding affinity among six lectins (Helix pomatia, Dolichos biflorus, Ulex europaeus, SBA, Triticum vulgaris, and Arachis hypogaea) tested for inhibition of the binding of rHAVPs to DT, indicating that exposing the virus-contaminated DT to SBA might have the potential to depurate viral contaminants found in shellfish food products by high-affinity binding between SBA and rHAVPs, thus improving food safety.