A 2025 study in Science of The Total Environment highlights UV-C technology’s effectiveness in inactivating dairy bacteriophages on surfaces, offering a valuable approach to improving sanitation in dairy processing environments.
The study tested 16 bacteriophages that infect lactic acid bacteria, essential for dairy fermentation, on borosilicate glass surfaces mimicking industrial settings. Using low-pressure mercury lamps emitting UV-C light at 254 nm, researchers applied doses as low as 0.13 J/cm², achieving complete inactivation of six phages and 3.16 to 4.45 log reductions for the remaining revolutions per minute, ten at doses up to 0.32 J/cm². These low doses, requiring short exposure times, are practical for industrial use due to minimal energy and maintenance costs. UV-C disrupted the phages’ DNA, preventing replication and reducing risks to fermentation processes. A tailing effect at higher doses indicated some phages needed extended exposure, but kinetic models (Geeraerd and Baranyi and Roberts) accurately predicted inactivation, supporting equipment design for dairy sanitation.
Unlike prior research focusing on liquid media, this study addresses phage contamination on dry surfaces, relevant to dairy facilities where bioaerosols and contaminated surfaces spread phages. Companies like UV-Clear apply similar UV-C principles to air purification, using LED technology in more effective wavelengths (250–280 nm) for pathogen inactivation, which leads to enhanced disinfection while consuming less energy than the older-style mercury-based tube lights used in the study. UV-Clear’s HVAC-integrated systems deliver high UV-C doses, potentially benefiting settings like dairy plants by reducing airborne microbial risks.
This research underscores UV-C’s role as a sustainable, chemical-free tool for enhancing dairy industry sanitation, with broader implications for food safety. Learn more about UV-C applications at uv-clear.com.
Citation:
- Jacob, M. F., Quiberoni, A. d. L., Ballari, M. d. l. M., & Briggiler Marcó, M. (2025). Kinetic modeling of dairy phages inactivation under UV-C irradiation. Science of The Total Environment, 983, 179664. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.179664
