Evaluation of ultraviolet-C and spray-drying processes as two independent inactivation steps on enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli K88 and K99 strains inoculated in fresh unconcentrated porcine plasma.

The safety of raw materials from animal origin such as spray-dried porcine plasma (SDPP) may be a concern for the swine industry. Ultraviolet treatment at 254 nm (UV-C) of liquid plasma has been proposed as an additional biosafety feature in the manufacturing process of SDPP. We found that UV-C exposure in the liquid plasma at 3000 J l-1 reduces about 4 log10 ml-1 for E. coli K88 and K99. Full inactivation of both E. coli strains was achieved in all spray-dried samples. The incorporation of UV-C treatment to liquid plasma improves the robustness of the SDPP manufacturing process.