(july 14, 2015) Scientists
here have seen the light - blue light emitting diodes (LEDs) in refrigerators
could keep food poisoning at bay, they have found.
National University of Singapore (NUS) researchers
discovered that the lights alone, known for being energy savers, are major bug
busters capable of killing bacteria that cause food poisoning, including the
especially nasty salmonella and E. coli.
The LEDs proved particularly effective in cold temperatures
and mildly acidic conditions, so the scientists believe they could lead to a
chemical-free way of storing fruit and other products.
Exposure to blue LED lights starts off a process within the
bacterial cells which causes them to die off as their light-sensitive compounds
absorb the light, explained Assistant Professor Yuk Hyun Gyun of the food science
and technology programme at the NUS Faculty of Science, who led the study.
Unlike previous studies, Dr Yuk, 40, said his team's work is
the first to show blue LEDs alone can eliminate the bacteria without the need
to add chemicals like photosensitisers - light-absorbing compounds that help to
kill bacteria - or preservatives. "This could meet the increasing demand
for natural or minimally processed foods without relying on chemicals," he
added.