Pulsed light for food decontamination: a review

Pulsed light (PL) is a technique to decontaminate surfaces by killing microorganisms using pulses of an intense broad spectrum, rich in UV-C light. The present review is focused on the application of PL for food decontamination. It revises the mechanism of microbial inactivation (UV-C as the most im...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Trends in food science & technology 2007-09, Vol.18 (9), p.464-473
Main Authors: Gómez-López, Vicente M., Ragaert, Peter, Debevere, Johan, Devlieghere, Frank
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biological and medical sciences
Food industries
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
General aspects
Hygiene and safety
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Pulsed light (PL) is a technique to decontaminate surfaces by killing microorganisms using pulses of an intense broad spectrum, rich in UV-C light. The present review is focused on the application of PL for food decontamination. It revises the mechanism of microbial inactivation (UV-C as the most important part of the spectrum, photothermal and photochemical mechanisms, inactivation curve, peak power dependence, and photoreactivation), the factors affecting its efficacy, the advantages and problems associated with PL treatment, and results obtained in vitro. Examples of applications to foods are given, including microbial inactivation, and effects on food matrices.
ISSN:0924-2244
1879-3053
DOI:10.1016/j.tifs.2007.03.010