AUTOMATED SANITIZATION OF ROBOTIC FOOD EQUIPMENT USING ANTIMICROBIAL LIGHT

摘要

An automated robotic food handling or preparation apparatus includes one or more food contact surfaces and an antimicrobial lighting fixture. The antimicrobial lighting fixture includes an enclosure forming a sanitization chamber and one or more antimicrobial lighting elements, wherein each element emits light at a wavelength, irradiance, and direction sufficient to inactivate one or more microorganisms on a target surface(s) within the sanitization chamber. The automated food handling apparatus subjects itself to an antimicrobial lighting treatment within the sanitization chamber upon detection of one or more conditions. The systems and/or methods of the present disclosure may sanitize food contact surfaces of automated robotic food equipment and help reduce the frequency at which such food contact surfaces need to be manually sanitized to keep microbial growth below acceptable levels.