title: Efficacy of aqueous ozone for the decontamination of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella on raspberries and strawberries.
abstract: The efficacy of ozone as a water additive for washing raspberries and strawberries was investigated. Pathogen-inoculated fruits were treated with aqueous ozone concentrations of 1.7 to 8.9 mg/liter at 20 degrees C for 2 to 64 min, with an aqueous ozone concentration of 21 mg/liter at 4 degrees C for 64 min, or with water as a control. Maximum pathogen reductions on raspberries were 5.6 and 4.5 log CFU/g for Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella, respectively, at 4 degrees C, whereas reductions on strawberries were 2.9 and 3.3 log CFU/g for E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella, respectively, at 20 degrees C after 64 min. Washing with water (sparging with air as control) resulted in reductions of approximately 1 log CFU/g. The results presented here indicate that aqueous ozone may be useful as a decontaminant for small fruits.
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA.
authors.forename: Katherine L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Bialka
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Demirci
mesh_terms: D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003257:Consumer Product Safety; D019453:Escherichia coli O157 / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000517:prevention & control; D005511:Food Handling / Q000379:methods; D005516:Food Microbiology; D005519:Food Preservation / Q000379:methods*; D005638:Fruit / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D010083:Oxidants, Photochemical / Q000494:pharmacology; D010126:Ozone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012475:Salmonella / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D012499:Sanitation / Q000379:methods*; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D010083:Oxidants, Photochemical; D010126:Ozone