A process that accelerates the separation of bacteria could be the answer to the food industry’s prayers.

Food contamination, which refers to the presence of unwanted chemicals and bacteria in food, has been plastered across the news lately. Dozens of products have been recalled in the past 60 days. For example, Blue Bell Creameries had a massive recall of all ice cream products due to an April listeria outbreak, according to the FDA’s website.

A team from this university’s biongineering department – led by professor Javier Atencia-Fernandez – has created a potential solution with a process that separates bacteria in an hour rather than the normal 12 to 36-hour timeline.

“What the industry is doing right now is taking a sample, putting it in a bag with lots of liquid nutrients, and then they have to incubate that for 24 hours to allow the bacteria to reproduce,” Atencia-Fernandez said. “It’s a technique to be able to separate pathogens from food fast. It doesn’t detect them, but it allows them to be detected by other technologies fast.”

Several products in the food industry — particularly produce — spoil if not tested quickly, Atencia-Fernandez said. He added this forces many processing companies to ship produce before test results come back.

“There could be a contamination without anyone knowing,” Atencia-Fernandez said. “Then you find out the products are contaminated, all the products must be recalled, people get sick and there is tremendous cost.”

But with this new process — which uses a chemical repellent that forces bacteria to self-separate and eliminates the need for sample enrichment — he said the separation timeline could be reduced or eliminated altogether, giving the project great potential impact on the food industry.

The team’s work has not gone unnoticed. Their process won one of this university’s Invention of the Year Awards at the Celebration of Innovation and Partnership, which took place at the University House on April 29, according to a university news release. The event was sponsored by the Office of Technology Commercialization.

The innovation received its award in life sciences, one of three areas this university’s Office of Technological Commercialization recognized. A high-density nanopore battery collected the prize in physical sciences, and a video stream sourcing method garnered honors in information sciences.

Atencia-Fernandez said it felt great to win, and other members of his department said they felt the same way.

“The department benefits tremendously by having this recognition, and that’s one of the things we’re really excited about here in the bioengineering department,” said Bill Bentley, the department chair. “We’re trying to develop methods and practices to encourage people to think about inventions and then translate those thoughts, and this is an outstanding example of that.”

Gayatri Varma, the OTC’s executive director, highlighted the process’s potential for larger-scale use as an attractive element.

“Our focus is on the commercial potential for [the invention] to be something the industry wants,” Varma said. “That’s the most important criteria.”

Even with the team’s success, Atencia-Fernandez said he understands that their work is not done.

“It’s an honor, and it is a responsibility,” Atencia-Fernandez said. “People have reviewed the idea and have seen the results, so there is a real potential impact. … I feel responsible for this and I want to see it through.”

And as Atencia-Fernandez works to see the project through to market and commercialization, Varma said the OTC is ready to help.

“He’s supercharged, he’s very energized — he wants to get this done,” Varma said. “Our job is to help him get there.”