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

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-log10 (p < 0.05) in 0.1% (w/v) peptone and coconut water. Results showed that ultraviolet-C irradiation effectively inactivated bacteriophage and surrogate bacteria ...