The use of blue light to reduce Campylobacter on chicken is a promising option but more trials are needed, according to findings from a study.
Scientists from the University of Reading and the Animal and Plant Health Agency tested a technique called violet-blue photodynamic inactivation (VB-PDI) against 64 different strains of Campylobacter. Every strain was killed by the treatment, regardless of species or antibiotic resistance profile.
Campylobacter is the most common cause of bacterial gastroenteritis worldwide. In 2024 and 2025 there were 70,000 laboratory confirmed cases in the UK. While it is killed by cooking, cross-contamination from handling raw meat is thought to be a major route of infection.