Researchers Use Electricity To Kill Pathogens In Prepackaged Foods
Researchers at Purdue University have designed a device which uses electricity to kill harmful pathogens in prepackaged foods. Dr. Kevin Keener, an associate professor in the Department of Food Science, developed the technology. According to Keener, the device uses high-voltage coils to ionize oxygen (which creates a plasma field) inside a sealed package of food. The plasma field, which increases temperature by only a few degrees, does not alter the product, but will kill any harmful bacteria such as E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella that may be present.
.jpg)
The technology works by placing two high-voltage, low-watt coils on the outside of a sealed package of food. The oxygen in the package is charged, becomes ionized and then turns into ozone. In turn, the ozone kills bacteria such as E. coli and Salmonella. The process uses only 30-40 watts of electricity (less than most incandescent light bulbs), and treatment times range from 30 seconds to about five minutes. Eventually, once the charge is removed, the ionized gas will revert back to its original composition. "It's kind of like charging a battery,” said Keener. “We're [simply] charging a sample without electrode intrusion."
According to Keener, the testing has worked with glass containers, flexible plastic-like food-storage bags and rigid plastics, such as strawberry cartons and pill bottles. "Conceptually, we can put any kind of packaged food we want in there," said Keener. "So far, it has worked on spinach and tomatoes, but it could work on any type of produce or other food." He also said the technology could work to ensure pharmaceuticals are free from bacteria.
The next step, reported Keener, is to develop a commercial prototype of the device that could work on large quantities of food.
