Evaluation of the use of decontamination agents during fresh-cut leek processing and quantification of their effect on its total quality by means of a multidisciplinary approach

In this study the impact of different decontamination agents (water, peroxyacetic acid, sodium hypochlorite, neutral electrolyzed oxidizing water and gaseous chlorine dioxide) on the microbial and sensory quality as well as the nutrient content of minimally processed leek was investigated. Washing with 250 mg/L peroxyacetic acid and contact with 1.59 mg/L chlorine dioxide gas reduced the native microflora with 1.52 and 1.48 log cfu/g respectively whereas the other treatments did not induce a reduction that was significantly higher than the one achieved after washing with water. None of the treatments had a significant effect on the sensory quality of the raw fresh-cut leek, whereas a treatment with 200 mg/L sodium hypochlorite or with 250 mg/L peroxyacetic acid changed the sensory quality of cooked leek significantly when compared with water washing. Apart from the effect of leaching of nutrients into the wash water, the supplementary effect on nutrient content caused by adding a decontamination agent was limited with the exception of some isolated cases such as the significant losses of vitamin C (23%), tocopherols (11–18%) and violaxanthin (66%) after a treatment with respectively chlorine dioxide, 250 mg/L peroxyacetic acid and electrolyzed oxidizing water.Industrial relevanceVegetables like leek are highly contaminated with micro-organisms due to their contact with soil, water and other debris as a result of preharvest as well as postharvest conditions. Moreover, the sales of fresh-cut vegetables such as fresh-cut leek showed a tremendous increase over the last decade. Usually these products have a limited shelf-life due to microbial, sensorial and chemical alterations. The fresh-cut produce industry is continuously looking for treatments able to replace the traditionally used sodium hypochlorite which is associated with the formation of harmful disinfection by-products. In this study more innovative treatments like neutral electrolyzed oxidizing water, peroxyacetic acid and gaseous chlorine dioxide were studied for their effect on the microbial, sensory and nutritional quality of fresh-cut leek.     

Effect of decontamination on the microbial load,the sensory quality and the nutrient retention of ready-to-eat white cabbage

The effect of different decontamination treatments such as washing with sodium hypochlorite (20 and 200 mg/L), peroxyacetic acid (80 and 250 mg/L), neutral electrolysed oxidising water (4.9 and 31.7 mg/L free chlorine) and contact with 1.55 mg/L chlorine dioxide gas on the microbial and sensory quality, and the nutrient content of fresh-cut white cabbage was studied. Only rinsing with 200 mg/L sodium hypochlorite, peroxyacetic acid or contact with gaseous chlorine dioxide resulted in significantly higher reductions of the total plate count (1.5–2.5 log cfu/g) than the ones achieved by washing with tap water (0.5 log cfu/g). However, those treatments giving the best results from a microbial point of view induced significant changes in the sensory quality. Regarding the effects on nutrient content, the mechanical effects caused by water washing already reduced the vitamin C content by 16–29%. Contrary to washing with neutral electrolysed oxidising water and contact with chlorine dioxide gas, a supplementary decrease of the vitamin C content ranging between 9 and 28% was observed, when peroxyacetic acid or 200 mg/L sodium hypochlorite were used. After the use of peroxyacetic acid or gaseous chlorine dioxide, the phenol content also showed a decreasing trend, although not statistically significant. Apart from the effect of washing with water, the lipophilic nutrients were well retained after a decontamination step except for the α-tocopherol content, when peroxyacetic acid was used (−43 to 56%), and for the all-trans-β-carotene content (−8%) of cabbage in contact with gaseous chlorine dioxide. Because of its potential to reduce the initial microbial load without negative effects on the sensory quality, in combination with its limited effects on nutrient content, a treatment with 80 mg/L peroxyacetic acid is preferable to decontaminate fresh-cut white cabbage.     

Alternative disinfection methods to chlorine for use in the fresh-cut industry

The use of chlorine as a disinfectant in the fresh-cut produce industry has been identified as a concern mainly due to public health issues. In fact, this chemical, commonly used as hypochlorous acid and hypochlorite, has already been prohibited in some European countries, due to the potential production of toxic by-products, such as chloroform and other trihalomethanes, chloramines and haloacetic acids. The search for alternative methods of disinfection is therefore a current and on-going challenge in both Academia and Industry. Some methods are well described in the literature on the disinfection of food-contact surfaces and process water and also on the decontamination of the produce. These methods are commonly classified as biological (bacteriocins, bacteriophages, enzymes and phytochemicals), chemical (chlorine dioxide, electrolyzed oxidizing water, hydrogen peroxide, ozone, organic acids, etc) and physical (irradiation, filtration, ultrasounds, ultraviolet light, etc). This review provides updated information on the state of art of the available disinfection strategies alternative to chlorine that can be used in the fresh-cut industry. The use of combined methods to replace and/or reduce the use of chlorine is also reviewed.     

Efficacy of neutral electrolyzed water (NEW) for reducing microbial contamination on minimally-processed vegetables

Consumption of minimally-processed, or fresh-cut, fruit and vegetables has rapidly increased in recent years, but there have also been several reported outbreaks associated with the consumption of these products. Sodium hypochlorite is currently the most widespread disinfectant used by fresh-cut industries. Neutral electrolyzed water (NEW) is a novel disinfection system that could represent an alternative to sodium hypochlorite. The aim of the study was to determine whether NEW could replace sodium hypochlorite in the fresh-cut produce industry. The effects of NEW, applied in different concentrations, at different treatment temperatures and for different times, in the reduction of the foodborne pathogens Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli O157:H7 and against the spoilage bacterium Erwinia carotovora were tested in lettuce. Lettuce was artificially inoculated by dipping it in a suspension of the studied pathogens at 10(8), 10(7) or 10(5) cfu ml(-1), depending on the assay. The NEW treatment was always compared with washing with deionized water and with a standard hypochlorite treatment. The effect of inoculum size was also studied. Finally, the effect of NEW on the indigenous microbiota of different packaged fresh-cut products was also determined. The bactericidal activity of diluted NEW (containing approximately 50 ppm of free chlorine, pH 8.60) against E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella, L. innocua and E. carotovora on lettuce was similar to that of chlorinated water (120 ppm of free chlorine) with reductions of 1-2 log units. There were generally no significant differences when treating lettuce with NEW for 1 and 3 min. Neither inoculation dose (10(7) or 10(5) cfu ml(-1)) influenced the bacterial reduction achieved. Treating fresh-cut lettuce, carrot, endive, corn salad and 'Four seasons' salad with NEW 1:5 (containing about 50 ppm of free chlorine) was equally effective as applying chlorinated water at 120 ppm. Microbial reduction depended on the vegetable tested: NEW and sodium hypochlorite treatments were more effective on carrot and endive than on iceberg lettuce, 'Four seasons' salad and corn salad. The reductions of indigenous microbiota were smaller than those obtained with the artificially inoculated bacteria tested (0.5-1.2 log reduction). NEW seems to be a promising disinfection method as it would allow to reduce the amount of free chlorine used for the disinfection of fresh-cut produce by the food industry, as the same microbial reduction as sodium hypochlorite is obtained. This would constitute a safer, 'in situ', and easier to handle way of ensuring food safety.     

杀菌剂对鲜切西兰花的保鲜作用

为探讨不同杀菌剂对鲜切西兰花的保鲜效果,以次氯酸钠、二氧化氯和酸性电解水三种杀菌剂对鲜切西兰花进行处理,在4℃下贮藏,研究了不同杀菌剂对鲜切西兰花品质的影响,并对各项指标作了相关性分析。实验结果表明:三种杀菌剂对于延缓西兰花可溶性固形物含量、叶绿素含量和Vc含量的下降具有显著的效果(p0.05),可显著降低呼吸强度和水分的损失,并在一定程度上提高了过氧化物酶(POD)活性,降低了丙二醛(MDA)活性,能有效抑制微生物生长繁殖。从贮藏效果来看,以酸性电解水杀菌效果最好,酸性电解水能最大程度的延缓营养物质的流失,延迟鲜切西兰花呼吸高峰和POD活性高峰的到来,最大程度的抑制微生物生长繁殖,从而达到延长鲜切西兰花货架期的目的。     

Cross-contamination of fresh-cut lettuce after a short-term exposure during pre-washing cannot be controlled after subsequent washing with chlorine dioxide or sodium hypochlorite

Chlorine dioxide (ClO₂) has been postulated as an alternative to sodium hypochlorite (NaClO) for fresh-cut produce sanitization to avoid risks associated with chlorination by-products. Experiments were performed to determine the prevention of cross-contamination of fresh-cut lettuce by Escherichia coli using chlorine dioxide (3 mg/L) or sodium hypochlorite (100 mg/L) as sanitation agents. The efficacy of these sanitation solutions was evaluated simulating as much as possible the conditions of a fresh-cut processing line. Thus, to evaluate the potential risk of cross-contamination during pre-washing, inoculated fresh-cut lettuce was pre-washed and after that non-inoculated lettuce was then pre-washed in the same water. After this pre-washing, non-inoculated lettuce was cross-contaminated, changing from 0 to 3.4 log units of E. coli cells. During washing with sanitizers, none of the tested sanitation agents significantly reduced E. coli counts in both inoculated and cross-contaminated lettuce. These results suggest that when cross-contamination occurs, even if the event is recent, subsequent sanitation steps are inefficient for inactivating E. coli cells on the vegetable tissue. However, chlorine dioxide and sodium hypochlorite solutions were able to inactivate most E. coli cells that passed from inoculated product to wash water. Therefore, they might be able to avoid cross-contamination between clean and contaminated product during the washing step. Scanning electron microscopy micrographs indicated that bacterial cells were mainly located in clusters or tissue stomata where they might be protected, which explains the low efficacy of sodium hypochlorite and chlorine dioxide solutions observed in this study.     

超声波协同微酸性电解水对小龙虾净化及品质的影响

为了探究小龙虾（Procambarus clarkii）的净化工艺,采用超声波清洗协同微酸性电解水减菌技术对小龙虾进行活体净化处理。本文以小龙虾的菌落总数、芽孢总数及清洗液浊度为评价指标,以微酸性电解水的有效氯浓度、浸泡时间以及超声波功率为单因素水平,研究了微酸性电解水对小龙虾的减菌效果和超声波对小龙虾的清洗效果。结果表明:微酸性电解水的有效氯质量浓度越高,处理时间越长减菌效果越好。当微酸性电解水有效氯质量浓度60 mg/L,处理小龙虾50 min后菌落总数和芽孢总数分别下降了4.26 lg CFU/g、500 CFU/g,减菌率分别达到了99.99%、92.61%;使用超声波技术对小龙虾进行清洗处理,超声功率50 W处理50 min后小龙虾存活率为100%,清洗液浊度为181 NTU,显著优于对照组（P<0.05）。超声波技术协同微酸性电解水对小龙虾活体净化处理后,小龙虾初始菌由7.17 lg CFU/g降到3.52 lg CFU/g,净化效果显著优于车间气泡清洗工艺（P<0.05）。小龙虾净化前后的营养价值和品质无显著性差异（P>0.05）,该工艺合理有效。     

Roles of hydroxyl radicals in electrolyzed oxidizing water (EOW) for the inactivation of Escherichia coli

The food industry has recognized electrolyzed oxidizing water (EOW) as a promising alternative decontamination technique. However, there is not a consensus about the sanitizing mechanism of EOW. In this study, we evaluated the disinfection efficacy of different types of EOW on Escherichia coli. Based on the hypothesis of hydroxyl radicals existing in EOW, in the present study, the hydroxyl radicals existed in slightly acidic electrolyzed water (SAEW) and acidic electrolyzed water (AEW) diluted to different levels were detected quantitatively. An ultraviolet (UV) spectrophotometer was used to scan EOW with different pH values. Accounting for the results of UV scanning to EOW with different pH value and the disinfection efficacy of different types of EOW, it can be concluded that considering the lower chlorine concentration of EOW compared with traditional chlorine disinfectants, the existing form of chlorine compounds rather than the hydroxyl radicals played important role in the disinfection efficacy of EOW.     

酸性电解水对果蔬杀菌及保鲜效果的研究

本研究采用酸性电解水对新鲜菠菜、桃子及樱桃进行处理,考察了酸性电解水对上述果蔬在不同贮藏条件下保鲜效果的影响.结果表明,pH 3.04、有效氯浓度(ACC)30.2 mg/kg的强酸性电解水和pH 5.68、ACC 26.6 mg/kg的微酸性电解水浸泡处理5min均能使菠菜表面的微生物数下降2.0lg cfu/g以上...     

电解水在黑小麦发芽中的应用研究

本研究用电解水生产黑小麦芽,探究电解水对黑小麦发芽及生长的影响,并考察了电解水处理对黑小麦芽基本营养成分的影响,以期为电解水用于黑小麦的发芽提供科学依据。试验结果表明,电解水均可以促进黑小麦种子的萌发,其中p H值为4.55,有效氯浓度20.14 mg/L的酸性电解水处理组黑小麦发芽率比自来水对照组提高15.29%。但电解水处理组会不同程度的抑制黑小麦芽胚轴和胚根的生长,与自来水p H值相近的酸性或碱性电解水的抑制作用相对较弱。经p H值4.36~4.91,有效氯浓度10~30 mg/L的酸性电解水处理的黑小麦芽脂肪含量比自来水对照组降低27.06%~36.93%,还原糖含量降低21.84%~56.58%,总糖含量降低13.68%~27.11%,而蛋白质含量与对照组间无显著差异。因此在黑小麦芽的生产过程中,适宜在种子浸泡阶段使用电解水,而在芽苗淋浇阶段使用自来水,这样既促进了种子的萌发,也不会对黑小麦芽的生长产生抑制作用。     

Decontamination of lettuce using acidic electrolyzed water

The disinfectant effect of acidic electrolyzed water (AcEW), ozonated water, and sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) solution on lettuce was examined. AcEW (pH 2.6; oxidation reduction potential, 1140 mV; 30 ppm of available chlorine) and NaOCl solution (150 ppm of available chlorine) reduced viable aerobes in lettuce by 2 log CFU/g within 10 min. For lettuce washed in alkaline electrolyzed water (AIEW) for 1 min and then disinfected in AcEW for 1 min, viable aerobes were reduced by 2 log CFU/g. On the other hand, ozonated water containing 5 ppm of ozone reduced viable aerobes in lettuce 1.5 log CFU/g within 10 min. It was discovered that AcEW showed a higher disinfectant effect than did ozonated water significantly at P < 0.05. It was confirmed by swabbing test that AcEW, ozonated water, and NaOCI solution removed aerobic bacteria, coliform bacteria, molds, and yeasts on the surface of lettuce. Therefore, residual microorganisms after the decontamination of lettuce were either in the inside of the cellular tissue, such as the stomata, or making biofilm on the surface of lettuce. Biofilms were observed by a scanning electron microscope on the surface of the lettuce treated with AcEW. Moreover, it was shown that the spores of bacteria on the surface were not removed by any treatment in this study. However, it was also observed that the surface structure of lettuce was not damaged by any treatment in this study. Thus, the use of AcEW for decontamination of fresh lettuce was suggested to be an effective means of controlling microorganisms.     

Effect of acidified sodium chlorite, chlorine, and acidic electrolyzed water on Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella, and Listeria monocytogenes inoculated onto leafy greens

Recent foodborne outbreaks implicating spinach and lettuce have increased consumer concerns regarding the safety of fresh produce. While the most common commercial antimicrobial intervention for fresh produce is wash water containing 50 to 200 ppm chlorine, this study compares the effectiveness of acidified sodium chlorite, chlorine, and acidic electrolyzed water for inactivating Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella, and Listeria monocytogenes inoculated onto leafy greens. Fresh mixed greens were left uninoculated or inoculated with approximately 6 log CFU/g of E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella, and L. monocytogenes and treated by immersion for 60 or 90 s in different wash solutions (1:150, wt/vol), including 50 ppm of chlorine solution acidified to pH 6.5, acidic electrolyzed water (pH 2.1 +/- 0.2, oxygen reduction potential of 1,100 mV, 30 to 35 ppm of free chlorine), and acidified sodium chlorite (1,200 ppm, pH 2.5). Samples were neutralized and homogenized. Bacterial survival was determined by standard spread plating on selective media. Each test case (organism x treatment x time) was replicated twice with five samples per replicate. There was no difference (P > or = 0.05) in the time of immersion on the antimicrobial effectiveness of the treatments. Furthermore, there was no difference (P > or = 0.05) in survival of the three organisms regardless of treatment or time. Acidified sodium chlorite, resulted in reductions in populations of 3 to 3.8 log CFU/g and was more effective than chlorinated water (2.1 to 2.8 log CFU/g reduction). These results provide the produce industry with important information to assist in selection of effective antimicrobial strategies.     

发芽糙米的杀菌工艺研究

以“豫粳6号”粳米为试材,在发芽过程中分别用蒸馏水、电生酸性水、电生碱性水、1%(V/V)次氯酸钠溶液杀菌剂进行清洗或浸泡,比较其杀菌效果及对糙米发芽的影响。结果表明,电生酸性水和1%(V/V)次氯酸钠溶液清洗糙米能明显抑制发芽过程中细菌的滋生,而且对糙米发芽影响小,又能明显抑制根的生长,电生酸性水杀菌作用略大于次氯酸钠溶液。用电生酸性水和次氯酸钠浸泡糙米对于细菌和根的生长有很明显的抑制作用,但不利于糙米芽的生长。     

Use of neutral electrolysed water (EW) for quality maintenance and shelf-life extension of minimally processed lettuce

Experiments were conducted to determine the effectiveness of different treatments based on the use of neutral electrolysed water (EW) on fresh-cut lettuce. EW was diluted to obtain different free chlorine concentrations (120, 60 and 12 ppm) and to compare with standard washing treatment of 120 ppm chlorine solution. Shelf-life quality and safety markers were studied at the beginning and at the end of the 7-day-storage at 4 °C. The use of EW decreased the respiration rate of the samples which might be related with the observed reduction in microbial spoilage. The use of EW also increased the activity of a browning-related enzyme (polyphenoloxydase) although sensory results showed all samples as acceptable at the end of the 7 day-storage. Perhaps longer storage time might increase the risk to browning development in the samples treated with EW. The highest EW concentration (120 ppm free chlorine) was the most effective treatment in reducing sample microbial load; however this treatment also affected the final produce with effects such as loss of turgor, plasmolysis and a reduction in mineral content.Results suggest an intermediate EW concentration with 60 ppm free chlorine could be an alternative to 120 ppm chlorine (from sodium hypochlorite) for sanitizing fresh-cut vegetables, reducing to half the amount of chlorine used and maintaining the antimicrobial effectiveness and without differences affecting the quality. However further studies will be necessary in order to observe the effect of the oxidising capacity of EW on other quality and safety markers as pathogens and nutritional content.Industrial relevanceChlorine solutions have been widely used to sanitise fruit and vegetables in the fresh-cut industry. However, the association of chlorine with the possible formation of carcinogenic chlorinated compounds in water has called into question the use of chlorine in food processing. The efficacy in controlling the microbial load and browning of samples treated with electrolysed water shows it as a promising decontaminant agent for fresh-cut lettuce. Due to the high oxidising potential of the EW quality requirements must be balanced to obtain the optimal treatment conditions keeping satisfying safety levels. The use of EW-60 showed similar safety and quality (browning) results as the use of chlorine or double EW concentration (EW-120). However the treatment EW-120 affected negatively the textural properties. The study suggests the use of EW-60 as an alternative to sodium hypochlorite solution with 120 ppm available chlorine, obtaining similar safety and quality results and reducing the amount of chlorine needed. Further investigations in the effect of EW on lettuce, such as those on pathogens or nutritional markers (e.g. carotenoids and vitamin C) are recommended in order to explore this alternative that might reduce the increasingly concerning use of chlorine to decontaminate this type of product.     

次氯酸钠消毒剂对猪黄喉中氨基脲生成量的影响

目的 研究不同浸泡条件下次氯酸钠消毒剂对猪黄喉中氨基脲生成量的影响。方法 在不同有效氯质量浓度、浸泡时间、浸泡pH、浸泡温度下处理黄喉, 样品经甲醇+水(1:1, V:V)洗涤后在酸性条件下经邻硝基苯甲醛衍生, 再利用静电场轨道阱超高分辨质谱仪进行定性, 采用高效液相色谱质谱联用仪结合同位素内标法定量。结果 随着有效氯质量浓度(0.005%~0.2%)的增加, 猪黄喉中氨基脲生成量呈直线增加; 且随浸泡时间增加(24 h内)、pH增大、温度增高, 均会导致氨基脲含量增加。结论 经次氯酸钠消毒剂处理后, 猪黄喉中会产生一定量的氨基脲, 且产生的氨基脲以结合态的形式存在于猪黄喉中。     

Effectiveness of electrolyzed acidic water in killing Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella enteritidis,and Listeria monocytogenes on the surfaces of tomatoes

A study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of electrolyzed acidic water, 200-ppm chlorine water, and sterile distilled water in killing Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella, and Listeria monocytogenes on the surfaces of spot-inoculated tomatoes. Inoculated tomatoes were sprayed with electrolyzed acidic water, 200-ppm chlorine water, and sterile distilled water (control) and rubbed by hand for 40 s. Populations of E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella, and L. monocytogenes in the rinse water and in the peptone wash solution were determined. Treatment with 200-ppm chlorine water and electrolyzed acidic water resulted in 4.87- and 7.85-log10 reductions, respectively, in Escherichia coli O157:H7 counts and 4.69- and 7.46-log10 reductions, respectively, in Salmonella counts. Treatment with 200-ppm chlorine water and electrolyzed acidic water reduced the number of L. monocytogenes by 4.76 and 7.54 log10 CFU per tomato, respectively. This study's findings suggest that electrolyzed acidic water could be useful in controlling pathogenic microorganisms on fresh produce.     

Electrolyzed Water as a Disinfectant for Fresh-cut Vegetables

The effect of electrolyzed water on total microbial count was evaluated on several fresh-cut vegetables. When fresh-cut carrots, bell peppers, spinach, Japanese radish, and potatoes were treated with electrolyzed water (pH 6.8, 20 ppm available chlorine) by dipping, rinsing, or dipping/blowing, microbes on all cuts were reduced by 0.6 to 2.6 logs CFU/g. Rinsing or dipping/blowing were more effective than dipping. Electrolyzed water containing 50 ppm available chlorine had a stronger bactericidal effect than that containing 15 or 30 ppm chlorine for fresh-cut carrots, spinach, or cucumber. Electrolyzed water did not affect tissue pH, surface color, or general appearance of fresh-cut vegetables.     

Efficacy of electrolyzed water in the inactivation of planktonic and biofilm Listeria monocytogenes in the presence of organic matter

The ability of electrolyzed (EO) water to inactivate Listeria monocytogenes in suspension and biofilms on stainless steel in the presence of organic matter (sterile filtered chicken serum) was investigated. A five-strain mixture of L. monocytogenes was treated with deionized, alkaline EO, and acidic EO water containing chicken serum (0, 5, and 10 ml/liter) for 1 and 5 min. Coupons containing L. monocytogenes biofilms were also overlaid with chicken serum (0, 2.5, 5.0, and 7.5 ml/liter) and then treated with deionized water, alkaline EO water, acidic EO water, alkaline EO water followed by acidic EO water, and a sodium hypochlorite solution for 30 and 60 s. Chicken serum decreased the oxidation-reduction potential and chlorine concentration of acidic EO water but did not significantly affect its pH. In the absence of serum, acidic EO water containing chlorine at a concentration of 44 mg/liter produced a > 6-log reduction in L. monocytogenes in suspension, but its bactericidal activity decreased with increasing serum concentration. Acidic EO water and acidified sodium hypochlorite solution inactivated L. monocytogenes biofilms to similar levels, and their bactericidal effect decreased with increasing serum concentration and increased with increasing time of exposure. The sequential 30-s treatment of alkaline EO water followed by acidic EO water produced 4- to 5-log reductions in L. monocytogenes biofilms, even in the presence of organic matter.     

Efficacy of sanitizers to inactivate Escherichia coli O157:H7 on fresh-cut carrot shreds under simulated process water conditions

Chlorine is widely used as a sanitizer to maintain the microbial quality and safety of fresh-cut produce; however, chlorine treatment lacks efficacy on pathogen reduction, especially when the fresh-cut processing water contains heavy organic loads. A more efficacious sanitizer that can tolerate the commercial processing conditions is needed to maintain microbial safety of fresh-cut produce. This study evaluated the efficacy of Escherichia coli O157:H7 reduction on fresh-cut carrots using new and traditional sanitizers with tap water and fresh-cut processing water scenarios. Fresh-cut carrot shreds inoculated with E. coli O157:H7 were washed in sanitizer solutions including 200 ppm chlorine, citric acid-based sanitizer (Pro-San), 80 ppm peroxyacetic acid-based sanitizer (Tsunami 100), and 1,000 ppm acidified sodium chlorite (SANOVA) prepared in fresh tap water or simulated processing water with a chemical oxygen demand level of approximately 3,500 mg/liter. Samples were packaged and stored at 5 degrees C. Microbial analyses performed at days 0, 7, and 14 indicate that the organic load in the process water significantly affected the efficacy of chlorine on pathogen removal and was especially evident on samples tested during storage. Acidified sodium chlorite provided a strong pathogen reduction even under process water conditions with up to a 5.25-log reduction when compared with the no-wash control. E. coli O157:H7 was not recovered on acidified sodium chlorite-treated samples during the entire 14 days of storage, even following an enrichment step. These results suggest that acidified sodium chlorite holds considerable promise as an alternative sanitizer of fresh-cut produce.     

Efficacy of neutral electrolyzed water to inactivate Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus on plastic and wooden kitchen cutting boards

This study evaluated the efficacy of neutral electrolyzed water (NEW; 64.1 mg/liter of active chlorine) to reduce populations of Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and Listeria monocytogenes on plastic and wooden kitchen cutting boards. Its effectiveness was compared with that of a sodium hypochlorite solution (NaClO; 62.3 mg/liter of active chlorine). Inoculated portions of cutting boards were rinsed in either NEW or NaClO solutions, or deionized water (control). Plastic boards were rinsed for 1 min and wooden boards for 1 and 5 min. After each treatment, the surviving population of each strain was determined on the surface and in the soaking water. No significant difference (P > or = 0.05) was found between the final populations of each strain with regard to the treatment solutions (NEW or NaClO). However, a significant difference (P < or = 0.05) was revealed between surface materials after 1 min of washing. Whereas in plastic boards the initial bacterial populations were reduced by 5 log CFU/50 cm2, in wooden cutting boards they underwent a reduction of <3 log CFU/50 cm2. A 5-min exposure time yielded reductions of about 4 log CFU/50 cm2. The surviving populations of all bacteria in NEW and NaCIO washing solutions were <1 log CFU/ml after soaking both surfaces. This study revealed that NEW treatment is an effective method for reducing microbial contamination on plastic and wooden cutting boards. NEW efficacy was comparable to that of NaCIO, with the advantage of having a larger storage time.