By Iroyin Yoruba Television
A Nigerian-born food safety specialist has contributed to research exploring how visible blue light could be used as an additional tool for reducing infectious foodborne viruses on food-contact surfaces and in freshwater, opening another area of scientific investigation into safer methods of protecting food and water supplies.
The research, conducted by Munachimso Ugo-Ukegbu during her Master of Science programme in Food Science and Technology at the University of Georgia in the United States, examined the ability of 405-nanometre blue light to reduce the infectivity of viruses associated with foodborne and waterborne disease. Her thesis was successfully completed and defended in May 2025, while details of the work have now received renewed public attention.
The study is significant because viruses present a different challenge from many bacteria. Blue-light technologies have been investigated extensively for their ability to damage or inactivate certain bacteria, but viruses do not contain the same internal cellular structures that can naturally act as photosensitising agents. This means that simply exposing a virus to visible light does not necessarily produce the same effect observed with some bacterial organisms.
Ugo-Ukegbu's research therefore focused on whether carefully controlled exposure to 405-nanometre blue light could reduce the infectivity of selected foodborne viruses under conditions relevant to food production and environmental contamination.
Her work examined two important contamination environments: stainless-steel surfaces and freshwater. Both are relevant to food safety because viruses can move through food-processing environments and contaminated water can become a pathway through which pathogens reach agricultural products.
The research used Tulane virus as a surrogate for human norovirus and also examined hepatitis A virus. Human norovirus is one of the major causes of acute gastroenteritis and is associated with foodborne outbreaks, while hepatitis A virus can also be transmitted through contaminated food and water.
Rather than treating the findings as a replacement for existing food-safety procedures, the research provides evidence for further investigation into whether visible-light technology could eventually form part of a broader system of interventions.
HOW THE RESEARCH WAS CONDUCTED
The study investigated 405-nanometre blue light at controlled doses against viruses placed on stainless-steel surfaces and suspended in water.
Stainless steel was selected because it is widely used in food-processing equipment, work surfaces and other areas where food may come into contact with equipment during production. If a contaminated surface is not properly sanitised, infectious organisms can potentially be transferred from equipment to food.
Freshwater was examined because water quality is closely connected to food safety. Agricultural water can come into contact with crops, particularly fruits and vegetables that may later be eaten raw or undergo limited processing.
The researcher tested virus-contaminated stainless-steel surfaces and water samples under blue-light treatment. The study also included untreated control samples, allowing researchers to compare the level of infectious virus remaining after exposure.
The freshwater component went beyond laboratory-prepared water. Samples were collected from three natural ponds in Georgia, providing an opportunity to examine how the treatment performed in a more complex environmental setting.
The research also monitored selected water-quality characteristics and naturally occurring bacteria in the pond samples. This was important because real-world water contains substances and microorganisms that may influence how light penetrates the water and how effectively a treatment reaches its target.
The University of Georgia's research record reports that the experiments produced measurable reductions in infectious virus under particular conditions, but the effectiveness differed according to the virus, the surrounding environment and the treatment conditions.
DIFFERENT VIRUSES RESPONDED DIFFERENTLY
One of the important findings was that blue light did not affect every virus in exactly the same way.
The study found that hepatitis A virus was considerably more susceptible to the treatment in freshwater than Tulane virus. In sterile water, the research recorded reductions of approximately 0.6 log for infectious Tulane virus and 2.5 log for hepatitis A virus at the investigated dose. In pond freshwater, the corresponding reductions were approximately 0.8 log and 2.8 log respectively.
The findings demonstrate why virus-control technologies must be evaluated against specific organisms and under realistic environmental conditions rather than assuming that one treatment will work equally well against every pathogen.
The results also showed that the composition of the water could influence treatment effectiveness.
That observation has practical importance because agricultural and food-processing water is rarely identical to laboratory-grade water. Natural water can contain suspended material, organic matter and microorganisms, all of which can affect how light travels through the water and how pathogens respond to treatment.
The research therefore points toward a more complex scientific question: not simply whether blue light can reduce viral infectivity, but under which conditions, at what dose, for which virus and in what environment the technology can provide a meaningful level of control.
WHY FOODBORNE VIRUSES REMAIN A PUBLIC-HEALTH CONCERN
Foodborne viral infections can have consequences far beyond individual cases of illness.
Fresh produce is particularly important because foods such as leafy vegetables, strawberries and other fruits may be eaten raw. If contamination occurs during cultivation, harvesting, transportation, preparation or processing, there may be limited opportunities to eliminate the virus before consumption.
Food-contact surfaces are another important consideration. Processing equipment can become contaminated and potentially provide a route for pathogens to move between batches of food if appropriate cleaning and sanitation procedures are not maintained.
Norovirus is especially important in this context. It is responsible for a substantial global burden of gastroenteritis, while hepatitis A can cause liver inflammation and is also transmitted through contaminated food and water.
A 2026 review of food-safety conditions in Nigerian food systems similarly identifies biological hazards as an important component of the country's foodborne-illness burden and highlights the continuing need for stronger food-safety practices and preventive interventions.
This broader context makes research into additional methods of pathogen control relevant beyond the laboratory where the experiments were performed.
BLUE LIGHT IS NOT A STAND-ALONE SOLUTION
The research should not be interpreted as demonstrating that blue light can replace conventional food-safety controls.
Food safety depends on several layers of protection, including clean water, proper hygiene, safe handling practices, appropriate sanitation, temperature control, effective processing and measures that prevent contamination from occurring in the first place.
The study itself identifies areas where additional work is needed before blue-light treatment could be considered for wider commercial applications.
Among the possibilities for future research are higher light doses, different photosensitising compounds and treatment conditions that more closely reproduce actual food-processing and agricultural environments.
The research record also indicates that blue-light exposure produced only limited effects on naturally occurring bacteria in the pond water while causing temporary changes in some measured water-quality characteristics. These observations demonstrate why any future application would need to consider both pathogen reduction and the wider characteristics of the treated environment.
The technology therefore remains an area for development rather than an established universal treatment.
A NIGERIAN SCIENTIST WORKING IN GLOBAL FOOD SAFETY
Ugo-Ukegbu's academic background also highlights the international nature of scientific research.
She studied Chemistry at the University of Ibadan before moving to the United States for postgraduate study in Food Science and Technology at the University of Georgia.
Her professional work has focused on food safety and quality assurance, including compliance with food-production standards and systems designed to reduce risks throughout the manufacturing process.
That combination of chemistry, food science and quality assurance is relevant to research into virus control because effective food-safety interventions must eventually connect laboratory findings with practical production environments.
A laboratory treatment may demonstrate potential under controlled conditions, but commercial adoption requires additional evidence about cost, scalability, equipment requirements, worker safety, treatment time, energy consumption and the quality of food or water after treatment.
Those questions will determine whether technologies such as visible blue light can move from experimental research toward practical food-safety applications.
WHAT THE FINDINGS COULD MEAN FOR FOOD PRODUCTION
The potential value of the research lies in its exploration of a non-chemical approach to viral inactivation.
Food producers continuously face the challenge of controlling microorganisms without damaging food quality or creating additional safety problems. Some chemical disinfectants can be effective but require careful handling, correct concentrations and appropriate controls.
Other physical technologies, including ultraviolet treatment, ozone and different forms of irradiation, have also been investigated for microbial control. Each technology has its own advantages, limitations and operating requirements.
Visible blue light is therefore being considered as one component of a wider search for safer and more adaptable pathogen-control technologies.
The approach is particularly interesting because it could potentially be incorporated into controlled environments where food-contact surfaces or water require treatment. However, such applications would require extensive validation before being introduced into commercial food-processing systems.
Research on 405-nanometre light has previously shown that viral inactivation can depend strongly on the presence of photosensitising compounds and on the characteristics of the food or environmental surface involved. Earlier work has therefore provided a scientific basis for continuing to investigate visible-light approaches, while also showing that the technology has limitations.
THE NEXT STAGE IS FURTHER VALIDATION
The most important message from the research is that blue light has potential, but that potential still requires further scientific validation.
Future studies could examine different light intensities, exposure periods, water conditions, food surfaces and viral concentrations. Researchers may also investigate combinations of blue light with other food-safety interventions.
Such combination approaches could become particularly important because no single technology is likely to solve every foodborne-virus challenge.
The research could also contribute to the development of interventions for environments where conventional approaches are difficult to apply. However, any technology intended for food or water treatment must meet strict safety requirements before it can be adopted.
The work therefore represents a step in scientific exploration rather than a finished commercial solution.
For Nigeria and other countries working to strengthen food-safety systems, research of this nature also demonstrates the importance of investing in scientific capacity, food technology and practical approaches to disease prevention.
Food safety is closely connected to public health, agricultural productivity, consumer confidence and economic activity. Reducing contamination before food reaches consumers can prevent illness while also reducing losses associated with contaminated products.
The findings from Ugo-Ukegbu's research provide another piece of evidence for scientists investigating how visible light can be used against foodborne viruses. The study's results suggest that 405-nanometre blue light can reduce the infectivity of selected viruses under specific conditions, but the degree of reduction varies according to the virus and environment.
For now, the strongest conclusion is that the technology warrants further research.
Its eventual usefulness will depend on whether future studies can establish reliable treatment conditions, demonstrate consistent results in realistic food-production environments and address questions surrounding cost, safety, scalability and integration with existing food-safety systems.
The research also illustrates how scientific work originating from a Nigerian scholar can contribute to an international effort to address a problem that affects food systems across borders.
As food production becomes increasingly interconnected and consumers demand safer fresh foods, research into new pathogen-control technologies is likely to remain an important part of global food-safety development.
Ugo-Ukegbu's work adds to that growing body of research by examining a specific and practical question: whether visible blue light can help reduce the infectious potential of viruses at points where contamination can enter the food chain.
The answer is not yet a complete solution, but the evidence provides a foundation for researchers to investigate the technology further and determine where it may eventually have a useful role in protecting food and water from viral contamination.