Light based technologies for microbial inactivation of liquids, bead surfaces and powdered infant formula

- Light-based technologies were effective for reducing microbial loads in PIF.
- Cronobacter and Listeria were the most and least light-tolerant organisms, respectively.
- Light-based technologies could be an intervention in the PIF manufacture process.

This study evaluates the potential of continuous wave Ultraviolet C light (UV-C) and broad-spectrum intense pulsed light (in this study referred to as High Intensity Light Pulses, HILP) for the inactivation of pathogens of public concern in powdered infant formula (PIF) producers. To achieve this goal a sequential set of experiments were performed, firstly in clear liquid media, secondly on the surface of spherical beads under agitation and, finally in PIF. L. innocua was the most sensitive microorganism to both technologies under all conditions studied with reductions exceeding 4 log10 cycles in PIF. In the clear liquid medium, the maximum tolerance to light was observed for C. sakazakii against UV-C light and for B. subtilis spores against HILP, with a fluence of approximately 17 mJ/cm2 required for a 1 log10 cycle inactivation (D value) of each species. In PIF it was possible to inactivate >99% of the vegetative cell populations by HILP with a fluence of 199 mJ/cm2 and of B. subtilis spores by doubling the fluence. By contrast, for UV-C treatments a fluence of 2853 mJ/cm2 was needed for 99.9% reduction of C. sakazakii, which was the most light-resistant microorganism to UV-C. Results here obtained clearly show the potential for light-based interventions to improve PIF microbiological safety.