ARS | Publication request: Efficacy of ultraviolet light (UV) and UV-ozone as an intervention to reduce pathogens-contaminated fresh beef

Submitted to: Annual Meeting of the Institute of Food Technologists
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: February 12, 2012
Publication Date: June 25, 2012
Citation: Kalchayanand, N., Bosilevac, J.M., Wheeler, T.L. 2012. Efficacy of ultraviolet light (UV) and UV-ozone as an intervention to reduce pathogens-contaminated fresh beef.[Abstract] Annual Meeting of the Institute of Food Technologists.June 25-28, 2012, Las Vegas, Nevada. Abstract 035-71:25.

Technical Abstract: Although numerous chemical interventions have been implemented and validated to decontaminate meat and meat products during the harvesting process, more novel technologies are under development. Ultraviolet light (UV) ionizing irradiation has been used extensively in pharmaceutical and medical device companies to control microbial contamination. Lately, UV treatment has received attention from the beef processing industry because it is a non-thermal processing technology that does not leave any chemical residues on products. In this study, the ability of UV and UV-ozone to inactivate E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella, and L. monocytogenes on surfaces of fresh beef was investigated. Fresh beef tissues were first inoculated with a cocktail mixture of these pathogens to a final concentration of approximately 1.5 x 10**4 CFU/cm**2 each and then subjected to either UV (254 nm) or UV-ozone (~10 ppm ozone) combination for 15 to 75 s. UV irradiation for 75 s resulted in 1.18, 1.25, and 1.07 log reduction for Salmonella, E. coli O157:H7, and L. monocytogenes, respectively. Treatment with UV-ozone combination for 75 s resulted in an approximate additional 0.2 log reduction. The D values of UV-ozone combination for Salmonella, E. coli O157:H7, and L. monocytogenes were 63.7, 59.9, and 74.6 s, respectively. The use of UV or UV-ozone has the potential as an intervention to reduce foodborne pathogens on surfaces of fresh beef.