A Nigerian-born food safety and quality assurance specialist, Munachimso Ugo-Ukegbu, has developed a new tool in the fight against foodborne viruses. Her research focuses on using blue light to inactivate viruses, which cause millions of illnesses globally each year. Ugo-Ukegbu, who works at King’s Hawaiian as a quality assurance supervisor, investigated the effectiveness of 405 nm blue light in inactivating Tulane virus and hepatitis A virus on stainless steel and in freshwater microcosms. Her work aims to address the limitations of current inactivation methods for foodborne viruses.
Ugo-Ukegbu’s passion for food safety and quality assurance stems from her educational background in chemistry and food science. She graduated from the University of Ibadan with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and later obtained a Master of Science in Food Science and Technology from the University of Georgia. Her expertise includes food safety systems, quality management, and regulatory compliance. Ugo-Ukegbu’s research is an intervention against viruses transmitted through food, water, and contaminated food-contact surfaces, which pose significant risks to public health.
Foodborne viruses, such as human norovirus and hepatitis A virus, are prevalent causes of illness and death globally. Norovirus alone is responsible for over 685 million cases of illness and approximately 200,000 deaths annually. In the United States, norovirus causes more than half of reported foodborne disease outbreaks, resulting in an estimated 19-21 million cases of acute gastroenteritis and 56,000-71,000 hospitalizations each year. The economic burden of norovirus is substantial, with estimated annual societal costs of $60.3 billion and direct healthcare costs of $4.2 billion.
Ugo-Ukegbu’s research explored the effectiveness of 405 nm blue light in inactivating Tulane virus and hepatitis A virus on stainless steel and in freshwater microcosms. She exposed virus-contaminated stainless-steel surfaces, sterile water spiked with photosensitizer, and raw freshwater to 405 nm blue light. The study demonstrated that blue light could reduce the infectivity of the foodborne viruses investigated, although its effectiveness varied depending on the virus and environment. The findings provide scientific evidence supporting blue light’s potential as an integrated intervention in viral inactivation.
The study’s results showed that hepatitis A virus was considerably more susceptible to blue-light treatment in freshwater than Tulane virus. The type of water also influenced the effectiveness of the treatment against hepatitis A virus, highlighting the importance of environmental conditions in viral response to blue light. Ugo-Ukegbu’s research connects two potential points of contamination within the food chain: water at the agricultural-production stage and food-contact surfaces during food processing.
Ugo-Ukegbu’s work has significant implications for food safety and public health. Her research identifies areas where blue-light technology needs further development and suggests potential applications in food processing and agricultural environments. Future research could investigate higher blue-light doses, different photosensitising compounds, and treatment conditions that more closely reproduce commercial food-processing and agricultural environments.
Similar research supports Ugo-Ukegbu’s findings on the anti-viral utility of light. A 2022 paper titled ‘Viral inactivation by light’ highlights the potential of light-based methods for inactivating viruses. Ugo-Ukegbu’s research contributes to the growing body of evidence on the effectiveness of blue light in inactivating foodborne viruses, offering a promising tool for improving food safety and public health.
Key points
- Blue light shows promise in inactivating foodborne viruses, including Tulane virus and hepatitis A virus.
- Environmental conditions, such as water type, influence the effectiveness of blue-light treatment against viruses.
- Further research is needed to optimize blue-light technology for commercial food-processing and agricultural applications.
