Antimicrobial efficacy and spectrum of phosphorous-fluorine co-doped TiO₂ nanoparticles on the foodborne pathogenic bacteria Campylobacter jejuni, Salmonella Typhimurium, Enterohaemorrhagic E. coli, Yersinia enterocolitica, Shewanella putrefaciens, Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus.

Contamination of meats and meat products with foodborne pathogenic bacteria raises serious safety issues in the food industry. The antibacterial activities of phosphorous-fluorine co-doped TiO₂ nanoparticles (PF-TiO₂) were investigated against seven foodborne pathogenic bacteria: Campylobacter jejuni, Salmonella Typhimurium, Enterohaemorrhagic E. coli, Yersinia enterocolitica, Shewanella putrefaciens, Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus. PF-TiO₂ NPs were synthesized hydrothermally at 250 °C for 1, 3, 6 or 12 h, and then tested at three different concentrations (500 μg/mL, 100 μg/mL, 20 μg/mL) for the inactivation of foodborne bacteria under UVA irradiation, daylight exposure or dark conditions. The antibacterial efficacies were compared after 30 min of exposure to light. Distinct differences in the antibacterial activities of the PF-TiO₂ NPs, and the susceptibilities of tested foodborne pathogenic bacterium species were found. PF-TiO₂/3 h and PF-TiO₂/6 h showed the highest antibacterial activity by...