INFLUENCE OF WASHING TREATMENT ON NATIVE MICROFLORA AND ESCHERICHIA COLI POPULATION OF INOCULATED CANTALOUPES

ABSTRACT The influence of chlorine or hydrogen peroxide treatment on populations of Escherichia coli 25922 on the external surface of inoculated cantaloupe was investigated. Surface treatment with 70% EtOH, followed by immersion in 108 CFU/mL E. coli inoculum deposited an average of 4.4 log10CFU/cm2 cell population on the cantaloupe surface. The efficncy of washing inoculated cantaloupe was dependent on storage interval between inoculation and treatment. Dipping the cantaloupes in solutions containing 1000 mg/L chlorine or 5% peroxide for 5 min, within 24 h of inoculation, caused a 2 log10 CFU/cm2 reduction of the indigenous surface microflora and a 3–4.0 log10 CFU/cm2 reduction in E. coli. The efficacy was less when the interval between inoculation and treatment exceeded 24 h. Chlorine appeared in be a better antimicrobial agent than hydrogen peroxide against F. coli ATCC 25922 inoculated on cantaloupe surfaces while hydrogen peroxide was better in reducing surface microflora of cantaloupe.