Biocidal Effect of Alternating Current Technology on Planktonic Foodborne Pathogens

Abstract

Electric current has been demonstrated to inhibit growth of bacteria in solution. Alternating current has been shown to reduce populations at two frequencies; 150 kHz, which has been considered as a tumor-treating field (TTField), and 10 MHz as an antimicrobial field (AMField). The present study attempted to design an apparatus to determine the efficacy of an alternating current device, as well as combine this technology with antimicrobials to determine the combined effect on planktonic bacteria. This study found that low salt solutions, when exposed to ACF for long exposure times, 24 and 48 hours, and combined with 100 ppm of sodium hypochlorite, slowed bacterial growth when grown in Mueller Hinton Broth.