A new scientific review examines blue light-mediated photosensitization for antimicrobial intervention across various food sectors. The review notes the technology's promise as a nonthermal antimicrobial intervention for food safety and emphasizes the need for further studies to support scale-up across industry.
Studies funded by the Center for Produce Safety (CPS) are investigating ways to improve produce packinghouse brush sanitation, including the use of antimicrobial light and choosing the best time to replace brushes.
New research has demonstrated that certain plant-based compounds (i.e., curcumin, berberine, quercetin, and capsaicin) can enhance the antimicrobial effect of blue light treatment against Listeria monocytogenes on food and disrupt its biofilm-forming abilities.
The pulsed light disinfection system is engineered for food processing and packaging environments, with a range of applications from direct irradiation of foodstuffs to package disinfection.
The top ten food safety research projects that excited Food Safety Magazine’s audience the most in 2025 covered Listeria monocytogenes (especially related to biofilms), microplastics, Escherichia coli, antimicrobial resistance (AMR), avian influenza in dairy, microbial threats in irrigation water, and food allergens.
This episode of Food Safety Five discusses two scientific advancements related to Listeria monocytogenes control: 1) a study that showed the effectiveness of combining antimicrobial blue light with chemical sanitizers for pathogen inactivation, and 2) the development of a new growth prediction model for L. monocytogenes in artisanal cheeses.
A study from the University of Georgia’s Center for Food Safety suggests a synergistic effect between antimicrobial blue light treatment and low concentrations of sanitizers commonly used in industry, finding enhanced inactivation of Listeria monocytogenes on food contact surfaces.
A recent studyhas demonstrated the efficacy of antimicrobial blue light technology for the inactivation of both dried cells and biofilms of Listeria monocytogenes on surfaces found in food processing environments.
Researchers from the University of Georgia received a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture to study how antimicrobial blue light can be used in food processing facilities to combat pathogenic biofilms and viruses.
