Synergistic effect of 222-nm krypton-chlorine excilamp and mild heating combined treatment on inactivation of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella Typhimurium in apple juice

Simultaneous treatment with 222-nm KrCl excilamp and mild heating (EX-MH) at 45, 50 and 55 °C showed synergistic bactericidal effects on non-acid and acid adapted cells of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella Typhimurium in apple juice. In particular, acid-adapted pathogens exhibited increased resistance to EX-MH compared to pathogenic bacteria that were not acid-adapted. Also, elucidation of the synergistic bactericidal mechanism of EX-MH was performed through several assays and this mechanism was described as follows: (i) when KrCl excilamp (EX) and mild heating (MH) are applied simultaneously, MH reversibly inactivates the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase (SOD), thereby increasing accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated by EX and thus inducing synergistic ROS generation, (ii) ROS production induces lipid peroxidation occurrence in the cell membrane, (iii) this lipid peroxidation occurrence in the cell membrane induces synergistic destruction of cell membrane, resulting in synergistic cell death. While EX-MH of 45, 50, or 55 °C reduced E. coli O157:H7 (the pathogen most resistant to EX-MH) in apple juice by 5-log, the qualities such as color (L*, a*, and b*), total phenolic compounds (TPC), and DPPH free radical scavenging activity of apple juice did not change significantly (P > 0.05). This study not only suggests the applicability of EX-MH to the apple juice industry, but also can be used as baseline data for future relevant research. •Combined treatment of KrCl excilamp and mild heating produced synergistic bactericidal effect.•Mild heating reversibly reduced superoxide dismutase activity.•ROS production by KrCl excilamp could be increased due to decreased superoxide dismutase activity.•Increased ROS induced an increase in occurrence of cell membrane damage of pathogens.•Combined treatment of KrCl ecilamp and mild heating did not change the quality indicators of apple juice.