Efficacy of acidic electrolyzed water ice for pathogen control on lettuce

J Food Prot. 2004 Nov;67(11):2544-9. doi: 10.4315/0362-028x-67.11.2544.

Abstract

Acidic electrolyzed water (AcEW) was used as frozen AcEW (AcEW-ice) for inactivation of Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli O157:H7 on lettuce. AcEW-ice was prepared from AcEW with 20, 50, 100, and 200 ppm of available chlorine by freezing at -40 degrees C and generated 30, 70, 150, and 240 ppm of chlorine gas (Cl2), respectively. The AcEW-ice was placed into styrene-foam containers with lettuce samples at 20 degrees C for 24 h. Although AcEW-ice generating 30 ppm Cl2 had no effect on L. monocytogenes cell counts, AcEW-ice generating 70 to 240 ppm of Cl2 significantly (P < 0.05) reduced L. monocytogenes by ca. 1.5 log CFU/g. E. coli O157:H7 cell counts were reduced by 1.0 log CFU/g with AcEW-ice generating 30 ppm of Cl2. AcEW-ice generating 70 and 150 ppm of Cl2 reduced E. coli O157:H7 by 2.0 log CFU/g. Further significant reduction of E. coli O157:H7 (2.5 log CFU/g) was demonstrated by treatment with AcEW-ice generating 240 ppm of Cl2. However, treatment with AcEW-ice generating 240 ppm of Cl2 resulted in a physiological disorder resembling leaf burn. AcEW-ice that generated less than 150 ppm of Cl2 had no effect on the surface color of the lettuce. AcEW-ice, regardless of the concentration of the emission of Cl2, had no effect on the ascorbic acid content in the lettuce. The weight ratio of lettuce to AcEW-ice required was determined to be over 1:10. The bactericidal effect of AcEW-ice appeared within the first 2 h. The use of AcEW-ice provides simultaneously for low temperature storage and inactivation of bacteria.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Chlorine / pharmacology
  • Colony Count, Microbial
  • Consumer Product Safety
  • Disinfectants / pharmacology*
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Electrolysis*
  • Escherichia coli O157 / growth & development*
  • Food Microbiology
  • Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
  • Ice
  • Lactuca / microbiology*
  • Lactuca / standards
  • Listeria monocytogenes / growth & development*
  • Water / physiology*

Substances

  • Disinfectants
  • Ice
  • Water
  • Chlorine