Harnessing blue light for cost-effective and eco-friendly antimicrobial solutions in poultry farming

Blue light in the visible spectrum naturally fights bacteria and effectively deactivates various Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and fungi using photodynamic processes. It works against drug-resistant strains within these species and is gentler on mammalian cells than ultraviolet rays or chemicals. This study evaluated blue light as an affordable way to sanitize surfaces in poultry settings, such as eggs and litter. The study used an light-emitting diode array to remove harmful Esche¬richia coli and Staphylococcus aureus from these items and observed how blue light affected their survival rates. Blue light (455 nm) at 30 mW/cm2 for one hour decreased the survival of S. aureus and E. coli on solid agar plates to 29.88% and 21.04%, respectively, compared to non-irradiated cultures. Similarly, on untreated surfaces (such as plastic used for feeding and drinking), the survival rates dropped to 25.8% and 15.6%, respectively. The survival percentages on treated eggs were 50% (S. aureus) and 48.2% (E. coli) and 59% (S. aureus) and 36.46% (E. coli) on treated litter. Hence, blue light technology offers a promising alternative to traditional antimicrobial methods by leveraging specific wavelengths to target microbial cells. This approach can significantly reduce the microbial load in poultry environments, enhancing food safety and animal health. This paper reports the first use of blue light as an antibacterial within poultry research in Iraq, offering a fresh approach to disinfection in this field.