title: Inactivation of avirulent Yersinia pestis on food and food contact surfaces by ultraviolet light and freezing.
abstract: Yersinia pestis, the causative agent of plague, can occasionally be contracted as a naso-pharyngeal or gastrointestinal illness through consumption of contaminated meat. In this study, the use of 254 nm ultraviolet light (UV-C) to inactivate a multi-isolate cocktail of avirulent Y. pestis on food and food contact surfaces was investigated. When a commercial UV-C conveyor was used (5 mW/cm(2)/s) 0.5 J/cm(2) inactivated >7 log of the Y. pestis cocktail on agar plates. At 0.5 J/cm(2), UV-C inactivated ca. 4 log of Y. pestis in beef, chicken, and catfish, exudates inoculated onto high density polypropylene or polyethylene, and stainless steel coupons, and >6 log was eliminated at 1 J/cm(2). Approximately 1 log was inactivated on chicken breast, beef steak, and catfish fillet surfaces at a UV-C dose of 1 J/cm(2). UV-C treatment prior to freezing of the foods did not increase the inactivation of Y. pestis over freezing alone. These results indicate that routine use of UV-C during food processing would provide workers and consumers some protection against Y. pestis.
authors.affiliation: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Eastern Regional Research Center, 600 East Mermaid Lane, Wyndmoor, PA 19038, USA. Electronic address: christopher.sommers@ars.usda.gov.
authors.forename: Christopher H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Sommers
authors.affiliation: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Eastern Regional Research Center, 600 East Mermaid Lane, Wyndmoor, PA 19038, USA.
authors.forename: Shiowshuh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sheen
mesh_terms: D000362:Agar; D000818:Animals; D002397:Catfishes / Q000382:microbiology; D002645:Chickens / Q000382:microbiology; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005511:Food Handling / Q000379:methods; D005514:Food Irradiation; D005516:Food Microbiology / Q000379:methods; D005615:Freezing; D050296:Microbial Viability; D010930:Plague / Q000517:prevention & control; D000069466:Red Meat / Q000382:microbiology; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays; D015010:Yersinia pestis / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects
chemical_list: D000362:Agar
keywords: Beef; Catfish; Chicken; Food; Food contact surfaces; Ultraviolet; Yersinia pestis