Pulsed Ultraviolet Light Decontamination of Meat Conveyor Surfaces

Contact with continuous belt conveyors during processing results in opportunities for pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms to contaminate meat products. The objective of this project is to investigate the germicidal response on the surface of food-grade conveyor belt materials treated with pulsed ultraviolet (PUV) light. Four conveyor belt types including: a stainless-steel chain-link belt, a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)-coated fabric belt, a solid pliable polymer belt, and a rigid-linked polymer belt, were evaluated for the inactivation of Escherichia coli K12-NSR strain and lactic acid bacteria (LAB). Prior to bacterial inoculation, samples were classified as soiled or unsoiled, based on the presence or absence of pork intramuscular fluid on the surfaces of the conveyor samples. Using a variable speed conveyor, equipped with a Xenon flashlamp positioned 10-cm above the surface, each belt sample was exposed to PUV light at three fixed conveyor speeds: 3.05, 15.24, and 30.48 cm/sec, resulting in a total energy exposure of 3.31, 0.66 and 0.33 J/cm 2 , respectively. For samples inoculated with E. coli K12-NSR, the surface condition (soiled or unsoiled) by treatment interaction was significant for microbial inactivation on the surface of the rigid polymer linked belt (P