Application of green tea extract as food preservative to improve shelf life of overnight pickled cucumber

Application of green tea extract (GTE) to food preservation was investigated. Viable counts of cucumber pickled overnight at 10degC with seasoning solution containing acetic acid, NaCl, and/or GTE were determined during cold storage at 10degC. Viable counts did not increase above the initial values for 7 days of treatment with seasoning solution containing 0.1% acetic acid, 2% NaCl, and 0.05% GTE. Use of these seasoning components alone or in combination showed no bacteriostatic effects on the pickled cucumber. Viable counts of Escherichia coli O157 : H7 did not increase when the cucumber was artificially contaminated with this bacterium and then pickled overnight with the seasoning solution containing 0.1% acetic acid. These results indicated that the addition of GTE to seasoning solution containing both acetic acid and NaCl prolongs the shelf life of overnight pickled cucumber.