Inactivation of foodborne viruses by UV light: a review
Autor/es
Gómez López, Vicente Manuel; Jubinville, Eric; Bouchard, Simon; Jean, Julie; Rodríguez López, María Isabel; [et al.]Fecha
2021Disciplina/s
Ciencias de la AlimentaciónMateria/s
UV lightPulse light
Foodborne viruses
Mechanism of inactivation
Food safety
Resumen
Viruses on some foods can be inactivated by exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light. This green technology has little impact on product quality and, thus, could be used to increase food safety. While its bactericidal effect has been studied extensively, little is known about the viricidal effect of UV on foods. The mechanism of viral inactivation by UV results mainly from an alteration of the genetic material (DNA or RNA) within the viral capsid and, to a lesser extent, by modifying major and minor viral proteins of the capsid. In this review, we examine the potential of UV treatment as a means of inactivating viruses on food processing surfaces and different foods. The most common foodborne viruses and their laboratory surrogates; further explanation on the inactivation mechanism and its efficacy in water, liquid foods, meat products, fruits, and vegetables; and the prospects for the commercial application of this technology are discussed. Lastly, we describe UV’s limitations and legislati...