WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind., March 4 (UPI) -- A U.S. scientist says he's developed an ozone device that eliminates bacteria in packaged foods such as spinach and tomatoes.

Purdue University Associate Professor Kevin Keener said his device consists of a set of high-voltage coils attached to a small transformer that generates a room-temperature plasma field in a package, ionizing the gases inside. Keener said the process kills harmful bacteria such as E. coli and salmonella.

"Conceptually, we can put any kind of packaged food we want in there," said Keener. "So far, it has worked on spinach and tomatoes but it could work on any type of produce or other food."

He said ozone kills bacteria such as E. coli and salmonella and the longer the gas in the package remains ionized, the more bacteria are killed. Eventually, the ionized gas will revert back to its original composition.

The technology is outlined in the early online edition of the journal LWT -- Food Science and Technology.

--
Copyright 2008 by United Press International.
All rights reserved.
--