The UC Berkeley Center for Next Generation Food Systems

Optimizing High Energy Light Sterilization in Controlled Environment Agriculture

SIGNIFICANCE & APPROACH

This project investigates methods for improving food safety using high energy light sterilization. The high-tech, controlled environment of the pod farms offers a unique opportunity to explore pathogen control using novel methods. These include designing optimal UV lighting systems to decontaminate surfaces as plants grow and X-ray irradiation of harvested foods for full volume decontamination.

GOALS

  1. Track the dose of UV light from LED grow lights and/or UV strips placed throughout the hydroponic pod farm.
  2. Use UV dosimetry information to optimize the lighting design (amount and placement) for plant growth and sterilization effects.
  3. Simulate post-harvest X-ray irradiation of plant products to optimize dose distribution uniformity throughout the entirety of the product.

RESEARCHERS

PI: Rebecca Abergel, GSR: Allison O’Brien

This work is supported by the USDA/NSF AI Institute for Next Generation Food Systems (AIFS) through the AFRI Competitive Grant no. 2020-67021-32855/project accession no. 1024262 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture.