ABSTRACT
The transmission of UV light through fresh juices and other liquid foods is small due to their high optical density. The presence of solids, organic solutes, and compounds leads to light scattering and absorbance, both of which strongly attenuate the effects of UV light. Moreover, suspended solids can also provide sites for the aggregation of bacteria to particle surfaces. As the UV absorbance of a liquid medium increases, the penetration and intensity of UV light delivered to the product in the UV reactor decreases, thereby reducing the antimicrobial effectiveness of the delivered UV dose.
