Inactivation of salmonella in flour using GRAS photo-sensitizer and light
Innovative process utilizing a GRAS photo-sensitizer and UV light to inactivate Salmonella in flour, enhancing its safety and improving baking properties. The method is effective in low moisture environments and maintains flour's nutritional profile.
Overview
This innovative solution leverages the combination of a Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) photo-sensitizer and UV light to effectively inactivate Salmonella in flour. This process not only ensures greater than 2 log CFU reduction in Salmonella but also enhances the baking properties of wheat flour by improving the elasticity of gluten proteins. The method is particularly effective in low moisture environments, maintaining the safety and quality of flour without altering its nutritional composition.
Technical specifications
- Photo-sensitizer activation: The included photo-sensitizer, when exposed to light, induces a cascade reaction that inactivates Salmonella.
- UV light treatment: The UV light exposure is brief (<2 seconds) and enhances the reactive properties of certain antioxidants in flour, leading to pathogen inactivation.
- Improved dough functionality: The process is found to improve the elasticity and functionality of dough, due to enhanced gluten protein properties.
- Pathogen spectrum: Effective against Salmonella, and future studies aim to include E. coli and Listeria monocytogenes.
- Quality assurance: The treatment does not negatively affect the flour's composition or nutrient profile.
Technology readiness level
Currently, the technology stands at TRL 3, indicating that it has been experimentally validated. Further studies are planned to optimize operating conditions and extend the efficacy to additional pathogens like E. coli and Listeria monocytogenes, as well as to assess different types of flour.
About University of Guelph
The University of Guelph is a comprehensive, mid-sized public research university in Guelph, Ontario. Industry partners engage through an on-campus research park and the Ontario Veterinary College’s teaching hospitals, which enable product evaluation and clinical translation. The university’s Arboretum and the nearby Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Guelph Research and Development Centre offer living laboratories and federal linkages that support collaborative R&D. Research is backed by competitive federal funding and strong provincial support via the Ontario Agri‑Food Innovation Alliance. The Research Innovation Office serves as the university’s technology transfer and industry liaison hub, supporting IP, licensing, and co‑funded partnerships.
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