3:30 - 5:30 PM - UV+EB for Food Safety

MODERATORS: Tatiana Koutchma, Ph.D., Research Scientist in Novel Food Processing, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), and Peter E. Gordon, MSEE, Manager, LiTeProducts

SESSION DESCRIPTION: The non-thermal treatment of juice, milk, tea as well as he disinfection of food packaging and food preparation surfaces are just a few examples of the diverse applications being contemplated for the wider installation of UV germicidal solutions along different points along the safe food delivery chain. Germicidal lamp based disinfection is a proven technology, offering an economically-sound, effective, and versatile dry-processing technology, that improves plant and consumer safety and offers the further preservation of different foods and extended shelf life. With the continued rapid emergence of UV+EB technologies, significant opportunities exist to effectively design and innovatively utilize new processes, while advancing appropriate validation and verification methods and approaches. In addition, after many years of development, UV light emitting diodes (LEDS) are now a promising new optical source for indoor crop growth stimulation and pathogen inactivation and spoilage organism reduction nearer to the point of consumption as they enable fine tuning of illumination and small scale selectivity of germicidal, sensory, and nutritional qualities.