Summary
Abstract
The efficacy of newly developed low concentration electrolyzed water (LcEW) was investigated to inactivate the pathogens on spinach leaves as a convenient and safe alternative sanitizer and it was compared to other sanitizers. Spinach leaves were inoculated with Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Listeria monocytogenes and dip treated with deionized water (DIW), LcEW, strong acid electrolyzed water (SAEW), aqueous ozone (AO), 1% citric acid (CA) and sodium hypochlorite solution (NaOCl) for 3 min at room temperature (23 +/- 2 C). For all pathogens, the similar pattern of microbial reduction on spinach was apparent with LcEW and SAEW washing. In the present study, it was found that LcEW inactivated, at maximum, 1.64-2.80 log cfu/g and DIW resulted in lowest reduction, 0.31-0.95 log cfu/g of background or pathogenic microflora present on spinach leaves compared to the unwashed control. The findings of this study indicate that LcEW and SAEW did not differ significantly (P > 0.05) in reducing background or pathogenic microflora on spinach and LcEW may be a promising sanitizer for washing vegetables without environmental pollution instead of using electrolyzed oxidizing (EO) water or SAEW.
Study details
- Published in: Food Control 21.10 (2010): 1383-1387
- Microbes studied: Escherichia coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes
Source
Source: Food Control 21.10 (2010): 1383-1387
Conditions tested
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Organisms | Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes |
| Relevant sectors | Food Processing, Produce & Packing |
| Publication | Food Control, 2010 |
Reading this responsibly
Published figures are obtained under controlled conditions, usually on clean surfaces or in defined matrices. Organic load, surface condition, temperature and application coverage all affect real-world performance. Use these numbers to design a protocol, then validate it on your own site with environmental swabbing.
Applying it
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