UV TECHNOLOGY FOR FOOD DISINFECTION-NEW CLAIMS

Keeping the food from harm's way is a continuing challenge for the industry in spite of enormous success in evolving a multitude of disinfection technologies during the last five decades. Classically the traditional thermal pasteurization still rules the roost though the technique to generate heat may vary depending on the technology one talks about. With the advent of HTST/UHT technology which is being used by Tetrapack and other companies, heat damage to the quality of food processed has been greatly minimized though it is not avoided completely. 

Quest for non-thermal processing has resulted in development of modern technologies like Gamma Radiation, High Pressure Processing and a few others which are now being commercialized though on a slow pace. Ultra Violet light certainly has high disinfecting potential but its use is restricted more or less to making water pathogen-free. Now comes the news that new technologies are on the anvil exploiting the kill potential of UV light for commercial pasteurization of liquid foods like wine, fruit juices, milk etc. Here are some details about this latest development.

"The production of environmentally friendly, sustainable, chemical-free food continues to challenge the food industry, spurring the development of alternative novel food processing techniques that are more sophisticated than traditional practices and better for the environment. Ultraviolet light is one of these emerging solutions being used in food technology as a physical preservation method in food processing to purify microbiologically sensitive liquids such as wine, fruit juice and milk.  

This is according to US-based research scientist and world-renowned ultraviolet light in food technology expert, Dr Tatiana Koutchma, who was recently hosted by SurePure, the global patent holders of the world's first UV-C photopurification turbulator technology, to lecture the Microbiology Research Group students at the University of the Western Cape on the benefits of novel processing technologies other than heat, including UV light. She says that the use of UV light can not only lower microbial infestation and obviate chemical degradation of foods and the environment, but that it can improve the functionality of food, too, by enhancing fruit phenols and preserving antioxidants"

How far the above report is commercial promotion and how much the technology described above is realistic cannot be ascertained unless there are verifiable user experience regarding its efficacy and reliability. Probably the manufacturers of the so called "UV Photopurification Turbulator Technology" may have to do a lot of leg work to convince the user industries that it can "improve chemical, physical and microbiological" quality of foods treated, as being claimed. The assertion that the nutritional quality is enhanced because of increase in polyphenol content also needs more scientific evidence. No doubt UV technology can compliment the conventional pasteurization processes but how far it can become a stand alone technology remains to be seen.