A laser-induced cavitation-based sterilization technique was demonstrated to efficiently inactivate foodborne pathogenic bacteria with a low loss of nutrients. A sterilization efficiency of more than 90% (less than 5 × 105 colony-forming unit / mL) was achieved when the flow rate was no more than 40 μL / s on a chip that could mimic an industrial sterilization system. In addition, the sterilization efficiency could be enhanced if the channels of the chip were coated with Ta2O5 / SiO2 film. Moreover, the nutrient composition of the milk was well preserved. The laser-induced cavitation-based sterilization technique provides an alternative method for the inactivation of foodborne pathogenic bacteria.
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