Ultraviolet inactivation of bacteria and model viruses in coconut water using a collimated beam system

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of ultraviolet-C irradiation on the inactivation of microorganisms in coconut water, a highly opaque liquid food (1.01 ± 0.018 absorption coefficient). Ultraviolet-C inactivation kinetics of two bacteriophages (MS2, T1UV) and three surrogate bacteria ( Escherichia coli, Salmonella Typhimurium, Listeria monocytogenes) in 0.1% (w/v) peptone and coconut water were investigated. Ultraviolet-C irradiation at 254 nm was applied to stirred samples, using a collimated beam device. A series of known ultraviolet-C doses (0–40 mJ cm −2 ) were applied for ultraviolet-C treatment except for MS2 where higher doses were delivered (100 mJ cm −2 ). Inactivation levels of all organisms were proportional to ultraviolet-C dose. At the highest dose of 40 mJ cm −2 , three surrogates of pathogenic bacteria were inactivated by more than 5-log 10 (p < 0.05) in 0.1% (w/v) peptone and coconut water. Results showed that ultraviolet-C irradiation effectively inactivated bacteriophage and surrogate bacteria in highly opaque coconut water. The log reduction kinetics of microorganisms followed log-linear and exponential models with higher R 2 (>0.95) and low root mean square error values. The D 10 values of 3, 5.48, and 4.58 mJ cm −2 were obtained from the inactivation of E. coli, S. Typhimurium, and L. monocytogenes, respectively. Models for predicting log reduction as a function of ultraviolet-C irradiation dose were found to be significant (p < 0.05). Fluid optics were the key controlling parameters for efficient microbial inactivation. Therefore, the ultraviolet-C dose must be calculated not only from the incident ultraviolet-C intensity but must also consider the attenuation in the samples. The results from this study imply that adequate log reduction of vegetative cells and model viruses is achievable in coconut water and suggested significant potential for ultraviolet-C treatment of other liquid foods.