Far UVC light effective against fungal contamination in cereals

Fungal contamination can have an impact on cereal market prices and lead to revenue loss for cereal farmers. Furthermore, when contaminated grain is downgraded to animal feed, the health problems associated with mycotoxins - such as immune deficiency, cancer, kidney damage, and foetal development effects - are shifted to livestock.

“Light-based technology is easy to use, and the cost is minimal compared to many other methods. However, conventional UVC lamps emit light at a wavelength of 254 nm, which can cause skin or eye damage to humans, so it’s not safe to use when workers or consumers are around,” said Yi-Cheng Wang, an assistant professor in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, part of the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at Illinois. “So instead, we are using a technology called microplasma-based far-UVC light. It emits light at 222nm, a wavelength other studies have found to be safe for humans, even at prolonged exposure. We wanted to see if it can also be used to mitigate fungal contamination.”