Yersinia pestis, the causative agent of plague, can occasionally be contracted as a naso-pharyngeal or
gastrointestinal illness through consumption of contaminated meat. In this study, the use of 254 nm
ultraviolet light (UV-C) to inactivate a multi-isolate cocktail of avirulent Y. pestis on food and food contact
surfaces was investigated. When a commercial UV-C conveyor was used (5 mW/cm2
/s) 0.5 J/cm2 inactivated
>7 log of the Y. pestis cocktail on agar plates. At 0.5 J/cm2
, UV-C inactivated ca. 4 log of Y. pestis in
beef, chicken, and catfish, exudates inoculated onto high density polypropylene or polyethylene, and
stainless steel coupons, and >6 log was eliminated at 1 J/cm2
. Approximately 1 log was inactivated on
chicken breast, beef steak, and catfish fillet surfaces at a UV-C dose of 1 J/cm2
. UV-C treatment prior to
freezing of the foods did not increase the inactivation of Y. pestis over freezing alone. These results
indicate that routine use of UV-C during food processing would provide workers and consumers some
protection against Y. pestis.