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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania » Eastern Regional Research Center » Microbial and Chemical Food Safety » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #338174
Research Project: Integration of Multiple Interventions to Enhance Microbial Safety, Quality, and Shelf-life of Foods

Location: Microbial and Chemical Food Safety

Title: Application of ultraviolet C technology for surface decontamination of fresh produce

Author
item Fan, Xuetong
item HUANG, RUNZE - University Of Delaware
item CHEN, HAIQIANG - University Of Delaware

Submitted to: Current Opinion in Food Science
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/8/2017
Publication Date: 10/12/2017
Citation: Fan, X., Huang, R., Chen, H. 2017. Application of ultraviolet C technology for surface decontamination of fresh produce. Current Opinion in Food Science. 70:9-19.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Ultraviolet C (UV-C) employs physical light energy to inactivate microorganisms. This article discusses factors affecting the efficacy of UV-C against common foodborne pathogenic bacteria for food surface decontamination, means to assess and overcome the shading effect, survival and growth of pathogens during post-UV-C storage, formation of viable but nonculturable bacteria due to UV-C treatments, combinations of UV-C with other interventions to achieve synergistic effects, and in-package UV-C treatment. Some research on pulsed light is also included as the germicidal effect of pulsed light is mainly due to the UV-C component of the light spectrum. Further research needs, inactivation mechanisms, and challenges for commercial application are also addressed.