title: Effect of electrolyzed water for reduction of foodborne pathogens on lettuce and spinach.
abstract: The ability of electrolyzed water (EW) to inactivate foodborne pathogens on the surfaces of lettuce and spinach was investigated. Lettuce and spinach leaves were inoculated with a cocktail of 3 strains each of Escherichia col O157:H7, Salmnonella Typhimurium, and Listeria monocytogenes and treated with acidic electrolyzed water (AC-EW), alkaline electrolyzed water (AK-EW), alkaline electrolyzed water followed by acidic electrolyzed water (sequential treatment, AK-EW + AC-EW), deionized water followed by acidic electrolyzed water (sequential treatment, DW + AC-EW), and deionized water (control, DW) for 15, 30 s, and 1, 3, and 5 min at room temperature (22 +/- 2 degrees C). For all 3 pathogens, the same pattern of microbial reduction on lettuce and spinach were apparent. The relative efficacy of reduction was AC-EW > DW + AC-EW approximately = AK-EW + AC-EW > AK-EW > control. After a 3-min treatment of AC-EW, the 3 tested pathogens were reduced below the detection limit (0.7 log). DW + AC-EW and AK-EW + AC-EW produced the same levels of reduction after 5 min when compared to the control. AK-EW did not reduce levels of pathogens even after a 5-min treatment on lettuce and spinach. Results suggest that AC-EW treatment was able to significantly reduce populations of the 3 tested pathogens from the surfaces of lettuce and spinach with increasing time of exposure.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Washington State Univ., Pullman, WA 99164-6376, USA.
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Alexander
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Kang
mesh_terms: D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003257:Consumer Product Safety; D004203:Disinfection / Q000379:methods*; D004572:Electrolysis; D019453:Escherichia coli O157 / Q000254:growth & development*; D005516:Food Microbiology; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D018545:Lactuca / Q000382:microbiology*; D008089:Listeria monocytogenes / Q000254:growth & development*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D012486:Salmonella typhimurium / Q000254:growth & development*; D018724:Spinacia oleracea / Q000382:microbiology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014867:Water
chemical_list: D014867:Water