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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania » Eastern Regional Research Center » Food Safety and Intervention Technologies Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #290129
Title: Inactivation of Escherichia coli on tomatoes using a ultraviolet(LED)light

Author
item Geveke, David
item BRUNKHORST, CHRISTOPHER - Princeton University

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/12/2013
Publication Date: 7/13/2013
Citation: Geveke, D.J., Brunkhorst, C. 2013. Inactivation of Escherichia coli on tomatoes using a ultraviolet(LED)light. Meeting Abstract.Institute of food Technologists Annual Meeting.,Chicago, Illinois., July 13-16,2013., Volume 1, Page 1.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The recently developed UV LED has been shown effective at inactivating bacteria in water, but its ability to inactivate bacteria on foods is unknown. Escherichia coli in solution and dried on the surface of tomatoes was exposed to 255 nm UV from a LED, with a forward voltage of 6.5 V operating at 20 mA and a UV output of approximately 300 microwatts. The distance from the samples to the LED was 1.9 cm and the exposure times varied from 0 to 150 seconds. After 150 seconds of exposure, the populations of E. coli in solution and on the surface of tomatoes were reduced by 5.3 and 2.6 log, respectively. This is the first study to show that bacteria on foods can be inactivated using UV LED technology.