title: Inactivation of Escherichia coli and Listeria monocytogenes on iceberg lettuce by dip wash treatments with organic acids.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study and compare the efficacy of organic acids and chlorine dipping in inactivation of Escherichia coli and Listeria monocytogenes on fresh-cut iceberg lettuce.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fresh-cut iceberg lettuce leaves were inoculated with E. coli or L. monocytogenes. After inoculation, samples were stored at 4 degrees C for 24 h and dipped in organic acid or chlorine solutions for 2 and 5 min. E. coli and L. monocytogenes were enumerated on selective media. Treatment of fresh-cut iceberg lettuce with chlorine solution caused 1.0 and 2.0 log(10) CFU g(-1) reductions in the number of L. monocytogenes and E. coli, respectively. Maximum reduction for E. coli (about 2.0 log(10) CFU g(-1)) was obtained for samples dipped in lactic or citric acids while maximum reduction for L. monocytogenes (about 1.5 log(10) CFU g(-1)) was attained for samples dipped in lactic acid.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dipping of iceberg lettuce in 0.5% citric acid or 0.5% lactic acid solution for 2 min could be as effective as chlorine for reducing microbial populations on fresh-cut iceberg lettuce.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dipping in solutions containing organic acids is shown to be effective to reduce E. coli and L. monocytogenes on fresh-cut iceberg lettuce.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Gebze Institute of Technology, Gebze, Kocaeli, Turkey. akbasm@gyte.edu.tr
authors.forename: M Y
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Akbas
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Olmez
mesh_terms: D002713:Chlorine / Q000494:pharmacology; D019343:Citric Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005511:Food Handling / Q000379:methods*; D005516:Food Microbiology; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018545:Lactuca / Q000382:microbiology*; D008089:Listeria monocytogenes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012996:Solutions / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D012996:Solutions; D019343:Citric Acid; D019344:Lactic Acid; D002713:Chlorine