Efficacy of conventional growth dependent methods to determine pulsed-light lethality kinetic data: a review

Abstract

The purpose of this timely review is to critically appraise and to assess the potential significance of best-published microbial inactivation kinetic data generated by pulsed light (PL). The importance of selecting different inactivation models to describe the PL inactivation kinetics is highlighted. Current methods for the detection of viable-but-nonculturable (VBNC) organisms post PL-treatments are outlined along with the limitations of these methods within food microbiology. Finally, the importance of further molecular and combinational research to tackle the potential threat posed by VBNC organisms with regard to public health and food safety is presented.