Developments and Advances of High Intensity Pulsed Light and its Combination with Other Treatments for Microbial Inactivation in Food Products

High-intensity pulsed light (HIPL) technology is increasingly utilized to disinfect foods by inactivating microorganisms. Short-duration, high-intensity, broad-spectrum light bursts delay food spoilage and inactivate or destroy pathogenic microorganisms through photothermal, photochemical, and photophysical mechanisms. These effects are predominantly derived from the ultraviolet (UV) fraction of HIPL; however, the technique possesses certain limitations that have impeded widespread adoption by the food industry. HIPL primarily acts on the surface of foods and is currently only applicable to transparent fluids, unlike UV disinfection. In recent years, improvements in the design of HIPL treatments include kinetic systems that move particles around a light source and modalities that combine HIPL with other techniques. Studies have shown that HIPL could increase the effectiveness of ultrasound, edible coatings, and sanitizer washes in certain instances. The converse has also been demonstrated, with added treatments improving the efficacy of HIPL processes. The goal of combination technologies is to reduce the intensity of any one treatment to better preserve food quality. Research on combination methods for HIPL treatment is ongoing and is focused on equipment refinements that confer better treatments over a wider range of applications. This review provides a summary of the current design criteria and effects of HIPL as well as recent research on interactions of HIPL with other food disinfection technologies.