TY - JOUR
T1 - Chlorine stabilizer T-128 enhances efficacy of chlorine against cross-contamination by E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonellain fresh-cut lettuce processing
AU - Nou, Xiangwu
AU - Luo, Yaguang
AU - Hollar, Lavonda
AU - Yang, Yang
AU - Feng, Hao
AU - Millner, Patricia
AU - Shelton, Daniel
PY - 2011/4
Y1 - 2011/4
N2 - During fresh-cut produce processing, organic materials released from cut tissues can rapidly react with free chlorine in the wash solution, leading to the potential survival of foodborne bacterial pathogens, and cross-contamination when the free chlorine is depleted. A reported chlorine stabilizer, T-128, has been developed to address this problem. In this study, we evaluated the ability of T-128 to stabilize free chlorine in wash solutions in the presence of high organic loads generated by the addition of lettuce extract or soil. Under conditions used in this study, T-128 significantly (P< 0.001) decreased the rate of free chlorine depletion at the presence of soil. T-128 also slightly decreased the rate of free chlorine depletion caused by the addition of lettuce extract in wash solution. Application of T-128 significantly reduced the survival of bacterial pathogens in wash solutions with high organic loads and significantly reduced the potential of cross-contamination, when contaminated and uncontaminated produce were washed together. However, T-128 did not enhance the efficacy of chlorinated wash solutions for microbial reduction on contaminated iceberg lettuce. Evaluation of several produce quality parameters, including overall visual appearance, package headspace O2 and CO2 composition, and lettuce electrolyte leakage, during 15 d of storage indicated that iceberg lettuce quality and shelf life were not negatively impacted by washing fresh-cut lettuce in chlorine solutions containing 0.1% T-128.
AB - During fresh-cut produce processing, organic materials released from cut tissues can rapidly react with free chlorine in the wash solution, leading to the potential survival of foodborne bacterial pathogens, and cross-contamination when the free chlorine is depleted. A reported chlorine stabilizer, T-128, has been developed to address this problem. In this study, we evaluated the ability of T-128 to stabilize free chlorine in wash solutions in the presence of high organic loads generated by the addition of lettuce extract or soil. Under conditions used in this study, T-128 significantly (P< 0.001) decreased the rate of free chlorine depletion at the presence of soil. T-128 also slightly decreased the rate of free chlorine depletion caused by the addition of lettuce extract in wash solution. Application of T-128 significantly reduced the survival of bacterial pathogens in wash solutions with high organic loads and significantly reduced the potential of cross-contamination, when contaminated and uncontaminated produce were washed together. However, T-128 did not enhance the efficacy of chlorinated wash solutions for microbial reduction on contaminated iceberg lettuce. Evaluation of several produce quality parameters, including overall visual appearance, package headspace O2 and CO2 composition, and lettuce electrolyte leakage, during 15 d of storage indicated that iceberg lettuce quality and shelf life were not negatively impacted by washing fresh-cut lettuce in chlorine solutions containing 0.1% T-128.
KW - Chlorine stabilizer
KW - E. coliO157:H7
KW - Free chlorine
KW - Fresh-cut leafy green
KW - Salmonella
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U2 - 10.1111/j.1750-3841.2011.02046.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1750-3841.2011.02046.x
M3 - Article
C2 - 21535847
AN - SCOPUS:79955037009
SN - 0022-1147
VL - 76
SP - M218-M224
JO - Journal of Food Science
JF - Journal of Food Science
IS - 3
ER -