Ultraviolet and pulsed light treatment of spices and herbs and their products: Microbial safety, enzyme inactivation, bioactive retention, and shelf-life extension.

Spices and herbs are a crucial component of the global food industry, valued for their unique flavors, aromas, and bioactive properties. However, microbial contamination and quality degradation during production, storage, and distribution pose significant challenges. Ultraviolet (UV) and pulsed light (PL) processing have emerged as nonthermal technologies offering effective, eco-friendly solutions for microbial decontamination and quality retention in spices.