**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THERE IS AN INCREASING APPRECIATION OF THE BENEFITS OF NON-CHEMICAL BASED TREATMENTS AS A GREENER PROCESS FOR THE INACTIVATION OF PATHOGEN ASSOCIATED BIOAEROSOLS IN AIR AND ON SURFACES. AS A RESULT, THERE IS A GROWING INTEREST IN APPLYING ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT (UV) TECHNOLOGIES TO INACTIVATE BACTERIAL AND VIRAL PATHOGENS IN AIR AND ON FOOD CONTACT SURFACES IN THE MEAT INDUSTRY. MAJOR HURDLES AND CHALLENGES OF USING UV-C PHOTONS TO DECONTAMINATE FOOD CONTACT SURFACES INCLUDE LOW LIGHT PENETRATION THROUGH BIOAEROSOLS. THIS PROJECT WILL ADDRESS THESE CHALLENGES BY DEVELOPING A NOVEL HIGH-POWER UV LIGHT EMITTING DIODE (LED) SYSTEM AND BY ASSESSING THE SENSITIVITY OF PATHOGENS INCLUDING SPOILAGE AND SPORE-FORMING MICRO-ORGANISMS AND VIRUSES TO GERMICIDAL UV REGIMES, AND ACCOUNT FOR THEIR SPECTRAL CHARACTERISTICS. WE HYPOTHESIZE THAT EFFECTIVE INACTIVATION OF TARGET MICROBES IN BIOAEROSOLS CAN BE ACHIEVED THROUGH THE COMPLETE UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR SPECTRAL CHARACTERISTICS TOGETHER WITH EFFECTIVE UV DOSE DELIVERY. THIS PROPOSAL WILL INITIALLY TARGET DEVELOPMENT OF EFFECTIVE BIOAEROSOL DECONTAMINATION STRATEGIES FOR SELECT FOODBORNE BACTERIAL PATHOGENS (LISTERIA MONOCYTOGENES, SALMONELLA ENTERICA SEROVAR TYPHIMURIUM, STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS, CLOSTRIDIUM PERFRINGENS, PSEUDOMONAS FRAGI) AND VIRUSES (MS2, HEPATITIS A). THIS PROJECT WILL INVOLVE ENGINEERING, DESIGN, AND VALIDATION OF UV LED SYSTEMS THAT CAN DELIVER EFFICIENT INACTIVATION DOSES AND DETERMINE INACTIVATION KINETICS OF TARGET BACTERIA AND VIRUSES. THE DEVELOPED NOVEL, SUSTAINABLE AND ECONOMICAL SYSTEM THAT CAN BE EASILY INCORPORATED IN PROCESSING PLANTS WILL RESULT IN A BREAKTHROUGH IN CURRENT CLEANING PRACTICES OF SURFACE AND AIR TREATMENT IN THE UNITED STATES WITH LONG-TERM APPLICATIONS FOR SOLVING GLOBAL FOOD SAFETY ISSUES.