###### Abstract  
Controlling microbial problems when processing seeds and powdered foods is difficult due to their low water activity, irregular surfaces, and opaqueness. Moreover, existing thermal processing can readily cause various undesirable changes in sensory properties. Intense pulsed light (IPL) can be effective in nonthermal processing, and so two xenon lamps were attached to the sides of a self-designed cyclone type of pilot-scale IPL device. Each lamp was connected to its own power supply, and the following treatment conditions were applied to four sample types: lamp DC voltage of 1800-4200 V, pulse width of 0.5-1.0 ms, frequency of 2 Hz, and treatment time of 1-5 min. This device achieved reductions of 0.45, 0.66, and 0.88 log CFU/mL for ground black pepper, red pepper, and embryo buds of rice, respectively, under a total energy fluence of 12.31 J/cm\({}^{2}\). Meanwhile, >3-log reductions were achieved for sesame seed samples under a total energy fluence of 11.26 J/cm\({}^{2}\). In addition, analyses of color changes, water activity, and moisture content revealed no significant differences between the control and IPL-treated samples. These findings indicate that IPL treatment may be considered a feasible sterilization method for seeds and powdered foods. intense pulsed light (IPL); cyclone; pilot scale; seeds; powdered foods Article  
Decontamination of Powdery Foods Using an Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) Device for  
1  
[PERSON]; [PERSON]; [PERSON] Decontamination of Powdery Foods Using an Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) Device for  
Practical Application. _Appl. Sci._**2021**, _11_, 1518. [[https://doi.org/10.3390/appl1014518](https://doi.org/10.3390/appl1014518)]([https://doi.org/10.3390/appl1014518](https://doi.org/10.3390/appl1014518))  
Academic Editor: [PERSON] Received: 30 December 2020  
Accepted: 2 February 2021  
Submitted: 8 February 2021  
**Publisher's Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. **  
**Published: 0221 by the authors. **  
**Published: 0221 by the authors. Licence MDP, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license ([[https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)]([https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/))). **  
**Published: 0221 by the authors. Licence MDP, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons. steam, microwaves, joule-effect treatment, and fumigation), irradiation, and vacuum gassing are often used in the food industry for effective microbial inactivation in food products [7]. However, thermal methods induce many undesirable changes such as color modification, flavor change, nutrient destruction, and loss of essential oils [8]. These thermal processing methods can markedly reduce the levels of pathogens and nonpathogenic microorganisms in food products, but with these resulting in degraded food quality, it is necessary to consider other methods of inactivation, and the nonthermal sterilization method can be an alternative. Nonthermal processing meets the consumer demand for fresh and minimally processed foods but is also energy-efficient and cost-effective [9]. An intense pulsed light (IPL) system aims to reduce the number of surface microorganisms by applying high-intensity light over a broad wavelength range within a short time. It is an effective and rapid method that represents a feasible alternative to thermal sterilization. In terms of its food-industry applications, an IPL system can significantly extend the shelf life of a foodstuff while maintaining its quality. Some previous studies have specifically applied IPL to foodstuffs. Among them, [PERSON] et al.