Practical in-storage interventions to control foodborne pathogens on fresh produce

Although tremendous efforts have been made to ensure fresh produce safety, various foodborne outbreaks and recalls occur annually. Most of the current intervention strategies are evaluated within a short timeframe (less than 1 h), leaving the behavior of the remaining pathogens unknown during subsequent storages. This review summarized outbreak and recall surveillance data from 2009 to 2018 obtained from government agencies in the United States to identify major safety concerns associated with fresh produce, discussed the postharvest handling of fresh produce and the limitations of current antimicrobial interventions, and reviewed the intervention strategies that have the potential to be applied in each storage stage at the commercial scale. One long-term (up to 12 months) prepacking storage (apples, pears, citrus among others) and three short-term (up to 3 months) postpacking storages were identified. During the prepacking storage, continuous application of gaseous ozone at low doses (≤1 ppm) is a feasible option. Proper concentration, adequate circulation, as well as excess gas destruction and ventilation systems are essential to commercial application. At the postpacking storage stages, continuous inhibition can be achieved through controlled release of gaseous chlorine dioxide in packaging, antimicrobial edible coatings, and biocontrol agents. During commercialization, factors that need to be taken into consideration include physicochemical properties of antimicrobials, impacts on fresh produce quality and sensory attributes, recontamination and cross-contamination, cost, and feasibility of large-scale production. To improve fresh produce safety and quality during storage, the collaboration between researchers and the fresh produce industry needs to be improved.     

Virucidal effect of high power ultrasound combined with a chemical sanitizer containing peroxyacetic acid for water reconditioning in the fresh-cut industry

The use of chlorine-based sanitizers is widespread throughout the fresh produce industry in the process water to maintain microbial safety of produce, avoid cross-contamination and recycle water. In this study, alternative disinfection technologies were investigated due to the negative reports showing chlorine instability in the presence of organic matter and the undesirable by-product residues. Tsunami^® (15.2% peroxyacetic acid and 11.2% hydrogen peroxide) and high-power ultrasound (HPU, 0.56 kW/l, 20 kHz), alone or in combination, were evaluated in lettuce process water analyzing their ability to reduce MNV during either produce washing or water recycling. PAA concentrations of 6.4, 12.8 and 16 mg/l as well as HPU were insufficient for application in the produce washing tank where a rapid MNV inactivation is required. In contrast, a complete rapid inactivation of MNV (7.4 log TCID₅₀) was recorded when 80 mg/l of PAA was used. For recycled water reconditioning, HPU was applied and no virus reduction was observed. Two PAA concentrations (6.4 and 12.8 mg/l) that can be found in the recycled water were also tested. The MNV inactivation was faster at 12.8 mg/l than at 6.4 mg/l of PAA with 2.6 and 2 log reductions after 20 min contact. One additional log reduction was achieved 20 and 40 min later, respectively. MNV inactivation fitted the Bipashic model well. A contact time of 95 and 115 min would be required to obtain the complete elimination of MNV (4.4 log TCID₅₀) by 6.4 and 12.8 mg/l of PAA. PAA efficacy was not enhanced by the combination with HPU in contrast to the inactivation of pathogenic bacteria tested in other studies. This indicates that viruses are more resistant to this hurdle technology than pathogenic bacteria such as Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella and other HPU conditions such as higher frequencies and combination of HPU with other physical treatments need to be explored.     

Reduction of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella Typhimurium DT 104 on fresh produce using an automated washer with near neutral electrolyzed (NEO) water and ultrasound

Automated produce washers can be a useful processing aid when treating fresh produce contaminated with pathogens. The use of near neutral pH electrolyzed (NEO) water as a wash or sanitizing solution has been shown to lead to significant reductions of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella on fresh produce. To further enhance reported pathogen reductions, the effects of a combined NEO water (155 mg/L free chlorine, pH 6.5) and ultrasound wash protocol on lettuce and tomatoes inoculated with E. coli O157:H7 and S. Typhimurium DT 104 were studied. The effects of the pH of NEO water and washer agitation on pathogen reductions were also assessed. Inoculated tomatoes and lettuce leaves were treated with either chilled deionized water or NEO water, with or without 20 kHz ultrasound (130 W and 210 W). Tomatoes were treated for 1, 3 and 5 min while lettuce was treated for 5, 10 and 15 min. Ultrasound significantly increased the oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) of NEO water (p < 0.05) but did not affect the pH and free chlorine concentration (p > 0.05). Increased washing time and higher ultrasonic power led to significantly greater reductions of both pathogens on produce items (p < 0.05). NEO water combined with 210 W ultrasonication for 15 min led to 4.4 and 4.3 log reductions of E. coli O157:H7 and S. Typhimurium on lettuce, respectively, while 210 W ultrasound for 5 min completely inactivated both pathogens on tomatoes. Both pathogens were completely inactivated in NEO water solutions, suggesting that its use presents little chance of cross-contamination.     

Entwicklung eines Transformationsmodells – Modularisierung schrittweise gedacht

For some years now, the process industry has been meeting the challenges of the markets with modular production and logistics concepts. This article presents this development process in the form of a four-stage transformation model. It is shown that the path towards modular production environments can be taken step by step. The motto is “evolution instead of revolution”. First, an overview of the state of the art of modularized production and logistics systems is given. Based on this, the article describes and classifies the four different stages of modularization.     

晋煤集团高瓦斯矿井煤层气抽采及利用效果

介绍了晋城煤业集团煤层气储量及赋存特点,阐述了"先抽后采"、采煤采气一体和"三级"瓦斯治理的模式、方法及配套抽采方式和工艺。重点叙述了"井上下抽采相结合,井上抽采先行;抽采利用相结合,以用促采",开创了高瓦斯矿井煤层气抽采利用新局面。     

基于绿色制造的综采机械齿座材料研究

以绿色制造原理探讨了20CrNiMo在材料应用、机械性能、工艺性能及使用性能上的优越性,在与其他几种常用的齿座材料进行比较分析后,研制出20CrNiMo齿座及组焊件并应用于生产。具有较强的实用价值和优越的经济价值。     

商品混凝土质量问题的分析及解决途径

本文阐述了商品混凝土常见的质量问题，并进行了详细分析，提出了相应的措施．对商品混凝土公司和施工单位具有一定的参考价值。     

海洋独立支撑钢管桩的涡振研究

对在水流、波浪力作用下海洋独立支撑结构所产生的涡振进行非线性研究.该研究的目的是通过改变独立支撑结构自振频率来控制结构产生的涡振,以避免结构产生涡振破坏.提出涡振概念;分析独立支撑结构1产生涡振条件、作用荷载、涡振频率以及振动方程的解.结果表明通过改变独立支撑结构EI值或采取一些特殊措施,增加结构的自振频率,来避免其在施工过程中产生的涡振破坏,对实际工程具有重大理论价值.     

氨基酸透明洁面啫喱体系研究

以椰油酰甘氨酸钠和月桂酰谷氨酸钠2种氨基酸表面活性剂体系为研究对象,通过复配其他温和表面活性剂,选用2种增稠剂异硬脂酰胺MIPA/月桂酸甘油酯(SPA-80)和鲸蜡硬脂醇聚醚-60肉豆蔻基甘醇(GT 282S)对体系进行增稠,考察2种增稠剂在不同氨基酸表面活性剂体系中的增稠性能。在此基础上,通过调节体系pH以获得最佳黏度、泡沫量、透明度和稳定性。研究结果表明,椰油酰甘氨酸钠体系中,SPA-80和GT 282S各添加1.5%,调节pH 6.8时黏度最高,且具有最优的泡沫量、低温透明度和稳定性;月桂酰谷氨酸钠体系中,SPA-80和GT 282S添加量分别为2.7%和1.6%,调节pH 5.8时黏度最高,且具有最优的泡沫量、低温透明度和稳定性。     

Demonstrating the Minimal Impact of Cultivation Conditions on Antioxidants in Fruits and Vegetables by Differential Pulse Voltammetry

Conventionally, organically, and locally grown varieties of carrot, tomato, rhubarb, raspberry, strawberry, and bell peppers were analyzed by differential pulse voltammetry to determine the impact of cultivation conditions on produce antioxidant content. The potential (indicating antioxidant activity) and area (indicating antioxidant capacity) of the primary peaks were evaluated. Overall, no consistent trends were observed across cultivation conditions, suggesting that cultivation conditions have minimal impact on antioxidant content. This study revealed differential pulse voltammetry to be a sensitive and rapid method for antioxidant determination, with a detection and quantitation limit of 8.38 × 10^?5 and 2.79 × 10^?4 mol/L, respectively.