Impact of photodynamic inactivation on microbial safety in foods

Abstract

Food-borne diseases caused by contaminated food products continue to pose a threat to public health, as well as causing major economic losses and a negative impact on companies’ reputation among consumers. In the food industry, inactivation of pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms is conventionally performed through thermal- and chemical-based techniques, which can affect the nutritional and sensorial quality of food. Furthermore, the emergence of microbial resistance to conventional decontamination techniques has drawn increased attention to finding an alternative and sustainable approach for similar or higher decontamination efficiency. Over the past decade, photodynamic treatment has been introduced for inactivating food spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms as a promising cost-effective, chemical-free, environmentally friendly technique with no reports on toxic residues and microbial resistance. The application and efficiency of photodynamic treatment in various food matrices against a broad range of microorganisms demonstrates the potential of using this technology in the food industry.