High-Intensity Light Pulses To Inactivate Salmonella Typhimurium on Mexican Chia ( Salvia hispanica L.) Seeds

Chia seeds provide a suitable environment for microorganisms. However, it is difficult to disinfect these seeds with water and/or chemical disinfectant solutions because the mucilage in the seeds can absorb water and consequently form gels. High-intensity light pulses (HILP) is one of the most promising emerging technologies for inactivating microorganisms on surfaces, in clear liquids and beverages, and on solid foods. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of HILP on Typhimurium in culture medium (in vitro tests) and inoculated onto chia seeds (in vivo tests). HILP was effective against Typhimurium under both conditions: 8 s of treatment (10.32 J/cm ) resulted in a 9-log reduction during in vitro tests, and 15 s of treatment (19.35 J/cm ) resulted in a 4-log reduction on the inoculated chia seeds. Typhimurium inactivation kinetics were accurately described using the Weibull model ( > 0.939). These results indicate that the use of HILP for microbial inactivation on seeds could generate products suitable for human consumption.