Efficiency of sodium hypochlorite, fumaric acid, and mild heat in killing native microflora and Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella typhimurium DT104, and Staphylococcus aureus attached to fresh-cut lettuce.
The effect of the disinfectant sodium hypochlorite (NaClO), with or without mild heat (50 degrees C) and fumaric acid, on native bacteria and the foodborne pathogens Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Salmonella Typhimurium DT104 attached to iceberg lettuce leaves was examined. The retail lettuce examined consistently harbored 6 to 7 log CFU/g of native bacteria throughout the study period. Inner leaves supported 1 to 2 log CFU/g fewer bacteria than outer leaves. About 70% of the native bacterial flora was removed by washing five times with 0.85% NaCl. S. aureus, E. coli, and Salmonella allowed to attach to lettuce leaves for 5 min were more easily removed by washing than when allowed to attach for 1 h or 2 days, with more S. aureus being removed than E. coli or Salmonella Typhimurium. An increase of time for attachment of pathogens from 5 min to 2 days leads to decreased efficiency of the washing and sanitizing treatment. Treatment with fumaric acid (50 mM for 10 min at room temperature) was the most effective, although it caused browning of the lettuce, with up to a 2-log reduction observed. The combination of 200 ppm of sodium hypochlorite and mild heat treatment at 50 degrees C for 1 min reduced the pathogen populations by 94 to 98% (1.2- to 1.7-log reduction) without increasing browning.
Department of Nutrition and Food Science, Ochanomizu University, Tokyo, Japan.
Nozomi
N
Kondo
Masatsune
M
Murata
Kenji
K
Isshiki
D001422:Bacterial Adhesion / Q000187:drug effects; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003257:Consumer Product Safety; D004202:Disinfectants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004357:Drug Synergism; D019453:Escherichia coli O157 / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology; D005650:Fumarates / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D018545:Lactuca / Q000382:microbiology*; D012486:Salmonella typhimurium / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology; D012973:Sodium Hypochlorite / Q000494:pharmacology; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors
D004202:Disinfectants; D005650:Fumarates; C032005:fumaric acid; D012973:Sodium Hypochlorite