Are there studies that support disinfection with UV-C light?

Yes. This page brings together microbiological studies carried out by external laboratories on real products and processes: coliforms on Swiss chard (38 vs 62 CFU/g with and without UV-C), process water (from 20–35 CFU/ml to less than 1 CFU/ml), viral inactivation above 99.99% verified by SGS and a microbiological profile of avocado seed by Analab.

What percentage of viruses, bacteria and moulds does UV-C light inactivate?

In the SGS test, viral inactivation exceeded 99.99% under controlled laboratory conditions. In a plant, the result depends on the dose applied, the distance and the exposure time on each surface, so each case needs its own validation.

Are UV-Life studies carried out by independent laboratories?

Yes. The reports come from external laboratories and bodies: SGS, Analab Chile S.A. (ISO 17025 accredited) and Bureau Veritas, plus the health authorisation from MINSAL and the ISP registration in Chile.

Does UV-C light inactivate Listeria and Salmonella?

UV-C light reduces the surface load of bacteria such as Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella spp. by acting on their DNA. It is a surface load reduction measure: it does not penetrate the inside of the food and does not replace the cold chain or the food safety plan.

Does UV-C light inactivate bacterial spores?

Bacterial spores are considerably more resistant to UV-C radiation than vegetative cells and need much higher doses. That is why UV-C should not be considered a sterilisation method against spores, but a microbial load reduction method.

Does UV-C light replace a HACCP plan?

No. UV-C is integrated as a complementary control measure within the hygiene prerequisites and the HACCP-based food safety management system, in line with the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and the general hygienic and sanitary practices of Schedule 4 of the FSS (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011. It reduces microbial load at defined points in the process, but does not replace the food safety management system.

Are these studies useful for a food safety inspection in India?

They serve as technical support from the supplier, not as a substitute for your own validation. In official inspections carried out by State Food Safety Departments within the framework set by FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India), what is checked is that your establishment complies with the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and the general hygienic and sanitary practices of Schedule 4 of the FSS (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011: documented cleaning and sanitation programmes, with procedures, frequencies and records, within the prerequisite programmes and the HACCP system. UV-C light is documented there as one more control measure, supported by these studies and by the microbiological verification you carry out on your own process.

UV-C Disinfection: Scientific Evidence

Scientific evidence: microbiological studies of UV-C light

Every study on this page is published with its matrix, the parameter measured, the result with and without UV-C light, the laboratory that issued it and an image of the original report. We also state what each test does not prove: ultraviolet C light is a tool for reducing surface microbial load, not a sterilant.

Studies

Results measured with and without UV-C

Five studies carried out in real plants and in an accredited laboratory. The data are given as text so they can be verified, cited and shared.

Food

Coliforms on Swiss chard: 38 vs 62 CFU/g with and without UV-C

Matrix analysed: Fresh Swiss chard (leafy vegetable)
Parameter: Total coliforms
Result with UV-C: 38 CFU/g
Result without UV-C: 62 CFU/g
Change: −39%
Laboratory: Laboratorio Italiano · Mendoza, Argentina
Client / plant: Rie La Huerta
Report date: 17 March 2026
Regulatory reference: Código Alimentario Argentino (Argentine Food Code)

What the report shows

Two samples from the same batch of Swiss chard, one treated with UV-C light and one untreated, analysed by the same laboratory. The treated sample showed 38 CFU/g of total coliforms against 62 CFU/g in the untreated one: a 39% reduction of the initial load. Both samples remained below the limit of the Código Alimentario Argentino (Argentine Food Code).

What it does not prove

It does not prove sterilisation or the absence of coliforms. Nor can it be extrapolated to other vegetables or other line set-ups: the result depends on the UV-C dose applied, the distance and the exposure time on the product surface.

Laboratory report of total coliforms on Swiss chard treated with UV-C light: 38 CFU/g, Rie La Huerta, Mendoza

Laboratory report of total coliforms on Swiss chard without UV-C treatment: 62 CFU/g, Rie La Huerta, Mendoza

Photograph of the culture plates of Swiss chard with and without ultraviolet UV-C light treatment

Equipment surface

Coliforms on an ice lolly mould tray: no colonies after 24 h

Matrix analysed: Surface of an ice lolly mould tray (“canjelón”, process equipment)
Parameter: Coliforms
Result with UV-C: No colonies
Result without UV-C: More than 100 CFU
Condition: 24 h of continuous production
Laboratory / report: Fruna report · Polo 12 line
Client / plant: Fruna · Chile
Report date: 20 January 2025

What the report shows

Side-by-side comparison of two mould trays on the same ice cream line: no. 3 with a UV-C lamp installed and no. 4 without a lamp. After 24 hours of continuous production, the tray without UV-C exceeded 100 CFU of coliforms, while the one operating with UV-C showed no colonies.

What it does not prove

It measures the load on the equipment surface, not on the finished product. It does not replace the plant’s cleaning and sanitation programme: it is a complementary measure that keeps recontamination low between sanitation cycles.

Report of coliforms on a mould tray of the Fruna ice cream line, comparing the unit with and without a UV-C lamp

Process water

Process water: from 20–35 CFU/ml to less than 1 CFU/ml after UV-C

Matrix analysed: Plant supply water
Parameter: Aerobic mesophilic count (AMC)
Result before UV: 20–35 CFU/ml
Result after UV: Less than 1 CFU/ml
Condition: Three consecutive days of sampling
Laboratory / report: Certificate of analysis
Client / plant: Quillayes/Surlat · Loncoche, Chile
Report date: 7 October 2025

What the report shows

Supply water samples taken before and after the UV disinfection unit on three consecutive days. The aerobic mesophilic count went from 20–35 CFU/ml at the inlet to less than 1 CFU/ml at the outlet in every sampling.

What it does not prove

The effectiveness of UV-C in water depends on transmittance: in turbid water or water with a high organic load, performance drops because suspended particles block the radiation. It does not replace prior filtration.

Certificate of analysis of the aerobic mesophilic count in process water before and after UV-C light treatment, Loncoche plant

Air and surface

Viral inactivation above 99.99% — SGS test

Matrix analysed: Air and surface of an enclosed space
Parameter: H1N1 virus inactivation
Result: Above 99.99%
Test distance: 2 metres
Unit tested: UV-Life space steriliser
Laboratory: SGS
Report no.: Test Report GZF20-014499
Report date: 13 August 2020

What the report shows

H1N1 virus inactivation test carried out by SGS on the UV-Life space steriliser, with the unit placed 2 metres from the test surface. The measured inactivation rate was above 99.99%.

What it does not prove

It is a germicidal efficacy test under controlled laboratory conditions, on a space disinfection unit. It is not a result from a food production line and does not translate directly to the surface of a product moving on a conveyor belt.

SGS Test Report GZF20-014499 on H1N1 virus inactivation with UV-Life ultraviolet UV-C light

Dehydrated food

Microbiological profile of powdered avocado seed — Analab

Matrix analysed: Dehydrated, powdered avocado seed
Moulds: Less than 10 CFU/g
Yeasts: 200 CFU/g
Escherichia coli: Less than 10 CFU/g
Staphylococcus aureus: Less than 10 CFU/g
Salmonella: Absent
Laboratory: Analab Chile S.A.
Accreditation: ISO 17025
Report date: 20 January 2026

What the report shows

Full microbiological profile of the finished product, a dehydrated and powdered ingredient, analysed by an ISO 17025 accredited laboratory.

What it does not prove

It is a safety characterisation of the finished product, not a comparison with and without UV-C. These values cannot be attributed to the ultraviolet treatment alone.