Application of a Combined Decontamination Method for Fresh Produce Using SAHW, Sucrose Fatty Acid Ester and Microbubbles

Combined sequential treatment using 100 mg/L sucrose monopalmitate solution under microbubble generation and soaking in slightly acidic hypochlorous water containing 30 mg/L available chlorine for 5 min at 50°C was tested for decontamination of ginger, Japanese ginger, perilla, parsley, Welsh onion and cucumber, and at 20°C for strawberry. Viable bacterial count was reduced by about 2 log cfu/g in perilla, parsley, and Welsh onion. Ginger, parsley and Welsh onion maintained viable counts of less than 5 log cfu/g during 6 days of subsequent cold storage at 6°C. Viable count for cucumber decreased by only 1 log cfu/g after combined treatment, and increased to 5.5 log cfu/g after storage for 6 days at 6°C. For decontamination of strawberry, as 50°C treatment with SAHW damaged the surface, the treatment was performed at 20°C. After combined sequential treatment, viable bacterial count decreased from 4.5 to 2.0 log cfu/g, and increased slightly to 2.5 log cfu/g after storage at 6°C for 6 days. Fungal count for strawberry also decreased from 4.9 to 2.3 log cfu/g immediately after treatment and did not increase after storage for 6 days. These results indicate the great potential of this approach in sanitization of fresh fruits and vegetables.