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Researchers from the University of Reading and the Animal and Plant Health Agency report that violet-blue photodynamic inactivation killed all 64 Campylobacter strains tested. The contact-free treatment uses no added chemicals, but its effectiveness and practicality on chicken still require further trials.
Researchers from the University of Reading and the Animal and Plant Health Agency report that a violet-blue light treatment killed all 64 Campylobacter strains tested, a result that could support new ways to reduce the bacteria on chicken. The method, called violet-blue photodynamic inactivation, does not physically touch the food or require added chemicals, but the researchers say more trials are needed before its potential use can be established.
The study tested violet-blue photodynamic inactivation (VB-PDI) against 64 different Campylobacter strains. According to the report, every strain was killed by the treatment, across species and antibiotic-resistance profiles. That breadth makes the result of interest, although it comes from a study rather than evidence that the method is ready for routine use in food processing.
VB-PDI uses light and does not require physical contact with food or the addition of chemicals, the report says. It describes the technique as a promising option for reducing Campylobacter on chicken, while stressing that further trials are required. The supplied report does not give details such as the light dose, treatment duration, or the exact conditions in which the strains were tested.
Campylobacter is a leading cause of bacterial gastroenteritis worldwide. The report says the United Kingdom recorded 70,000 laboratory-confirmed cases in 2024 and 2025; it does not specify whether that figure covers each year separately or the two-year period combined. Cooking kills Campylobacter, but handling raw meat can spread bacteria to hands, utensils, or other foods, creating a cross-contamination risk before cooking.
A Possible New Step for Chicken Safety
If later trials show that VB-PDI can reliably reduce Campylobacter on chicken under real processing conditions, the technique could add another control point before meat reaches shops or kitchens. Its non-contact approach and lack of added chemicals may be useful features for food businesses evaluating ways to limit contamination.
The findings do not mean consumers can handle raw chicken less carefully, or that the treatment replaces cooking. Campylobacter can still spread during food preparation, and the report provides no evidence that consumers should change their current practices. Until the method is tested further and its use is established, the immediate public-health message remains to cook chicken thoroughly and keep raw poultry and its juices away from ready-to-eat foods.
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Campylobacter and Raw Chicken
The report identifies Campylobacter as the most common cause of bacterial gastroenteritis worldwide. Chicken is relevant to the study because the researchers are considering whether light treatment could reduce contamination on poultry. The supplied material does not state how frequently chicken is contaminated, nor does it give an estimate of the share of illness attributable to poultry.
Cooking kills the bacteria, according to the report, but food safety risks can arise earlier if raw meat or its juices contaminate hands, work surfaces, utensils, or foods that will not be cooked. The reported UK total of 70,000 laboratory-confirmed cases in 2024 and 2025 indicates the public-health relevance of Campylobacter, but the precise time basis for that combined figure is not specified in the source material.
“Every strain was killed by the treatment, regardless of species or antibiotic resistance profile.”
— Food Safety News report on the study
Questions Before Food-Plant Use
The reported result is promising, but the source material does not provide enough detail to judge how well VB-PDI would work on chicken in commercial settings. It does not specify whether the treatment was tested on naturally contaminated poultry or under simulated processing conditions, or how much bacterial reduction occurred beyond the statement that the tested strains were killed.
Other details remain unreported, including the required light intensity and exposure time, whether treatment reaches bacteria in different areas of a chicken product, and whether it affects the food’s quality or shelf life. The report also does not describe costs, operational requirements, regulatory review, or a timeline for further trials. No adoption by food producers is reported.
The study result applies to the 64 strains tested; it should not be read as proof that every Campylobacter strain or every contaminated food item would respond in the same way. The researchers’ call for more trials reflects that gap between a laboratory finding and demonstrated performance across wider food-production conditions.
Further Trials Will Test Practicality
The next step is additional trials, which the study’s reporting says are needed before VB-PDI can be treated as a practical option for chicken. Those trials would need to establish how consistently the light treatment reduces Campylobacter on poultry and what conditions are required to achieve the result.
The source material does not announce a timetable, named follow-up study, or commercial rollout. Until such information is available, the finding remains an early research result, not a change to food-handling guidance. Consumers should continue to cook chicken thoroughly, wash hands and surfaces after handling raw poultry, and prevent raw-meat juices from contacting ready-to-eat foods.
Key Questions
What is violet-blue photodynamic inactivation?
VB-PDI is a light-based treatment tested by researchers as a way to reduce Campylobacter on chicken. The report says it does not physically contact the food or require added chemicals; it does not provide further technical details about how the treatment is applied.
What did the researchers find?
The study tested the technique against 64 Campylobacter strains and reported that every strain was killed, across species and antibiotic-resistance profiles. More trials are needed to establish how the method performs beyond the reported testing.
Can consumers rely on this treatment instead of cooking chicken?
No. The report says Campylobacter is killed by cooking, and it does not recommend changing food-safety practices. Cook chicken thoroughly and prevent raw poultry and its juices from contaminating hands, surfaces, utensils, or ready-to-eat foods.
Is the light treatment already being used by chicken producers?
The source material does not report commercial use or producer adoption. It says more trials are needed, and gives no rollout schedule or regulatory status.
How many Campylobacter cases were reported in the UK?
The report gives a total of 70,000 laboratory-confirmed cases in 2024 and 2025. It does not clarify whether this is a combined two-year total or how the cases were divided between the years.
Source: rss
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