This technology is a combined removal method that first treats biofilms formed by Vibrio parahaemolyticus on seafood surfaces with mildly acidic electrolyzed water (20–40 ppm free chlorine) for 10–20 minutes, followed by physical treatment with UV-C irradiation at an intensity of 30–90 mW·s/cm². Combining these two processes sequentially significantly reduces biofilms compared to using either method alone.
Microorganisms within biofilms are over 1,000 times more resistant to antibiotics than those in a planktonic state, making them difficult to eliminate. It is known that 60–80% of bacterial infections from consuming contaminated seafood originate from biofilms. Vibrio parahaemolyticus forms strong biofilms on shrimp, oysters, crabs, mussels, and surfaces like glass and stainless steel, accounting for 9–16% of food poisoning cases in Korea. Existing physical and chemical methods are mostly used individually and focus on inhibiting bacterial growth rather than removing the biofilm itself.
This technology is designed to weaken the outer membrane of the biofilm with mildly acidic electrolyzed water (pH 5.0–6.0) before UV-C inactivates the bacteria inside. It achieves higher reduction rates than sodium hypochlorite despite using electrolyzed water with a lower chlorine concentration. It can be applied to the sanitary treatment of raw seafood like oysters and shrimp, cleaning processes for workbenches and conveyors in processing plants, and surface disinfection in live fish and shellfish distribution facilities. It offers an economical way to reduce the risk of Vibrio food poisoning in raw seafood using low-concentration electrolyzed water, which minimizes residual chlorine, and easily implementable UV-C equipment.
This invention was developed with research support from the Ministry of Science and ICT for identifying the causes of pathogenic bacterial biofilm formation in the food industry and developing efficient control technologies that combine physical, chemical, and biological techniques.
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