Development of Human-safe Microplasma-based Far UV-C Disinfection Modules for Improving Food Safety

Foodborne illness is a grave threat to the global food industry and public health. Each year, one in six Americans falls ill from consuming contaminated food or beverages, resulting in 3,000 deaths; and the annual economic cost of foodborne illnesses in the United States has been estimated at $15.6 billion. Given the numerous pathways to food contamination, it is crucial for communities and the food industry to adopt new techniques for minimizing cross-contamination and ensuring effective disinfection of food products and their processing environments, while preserving user safety. Members of our team have recently developed a new generation of far-ultraviolet ôCö light sources using low-temperature microcavity plasma technology. Recent studies indicate that this type of light, particularly in the 200-235 nanometer range, can effectively inactivate foodborne, airborne, and waterborne pathogens. Unlike traditional germicidal ultraviolet systems, most of which have wavelengths of 254 nanometers, the shorter wavelengths of far-ultraviolet ôCö do not penetrate the outer layers of human skin or eyes, thus vastly enhancing user safety. During Phase I, the full project team explored novel food-safety applications of far-ultraviolet ôCö technology and developed an improved lamp platform tailored to a range of food-processing applications. The resulting new compact microplasma lamps, each emitting more than 100 mW of 222 nanometer light, demonstrated powerful disinfection capabilities, achieving up to a 5-log reduction in pathogens such as Escherichia coli and Listeria monocytogenes within seconds. Additionally, in partnership with food-industry firms, the team identified several potential pathways to early commercialization and market entry. In Phase II, the team will focus on enhancing its lampsĺ intensities, configurations, cost effectiveness, and lifespans to meet the requirements of scaled-up food processing and handling. The primary goal is to develop inline far-ultraviolet ôCö microplasma modules with semi-transparent housings capable of effectively disinfecting food products moving at speeds of at least 3 meters per minute via uniform UV irradiation, while also sanitizing the immediate environment. Additionally, the team has identified several potential point-of-use applications that could rely on the same far-ultraviolet ôCö engine, and has plans to commence commercial production before the completion of Phase II. The ultimate aim is to optimize and commercialize compact and versatile far-ultraviolet ôCö irradiation systems that prevent cross-contamination of food products and offer sustained continuous disinfection of human-occupied spaces. Microbial-inactivation efficacy evaluations will be conducted in real food-processing environments to confirm these productsĺ commercial viability.