Authors: Xie, Y.¹; Hajdok, C.¹; Mittal, G.S.²; Warriner, K.¹

Source: Journal of Food Protection®, Volume 71, Number 5, May 2008 , pp. 903-907(5)

Publisher: International Association for Food Protection

Abstract:

The efficacy of a produce decontamination method based on a combination of UV light (254 nm) and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) to inactivate the MS2 F(+) coliphage inoculated onto iceberg lettuce was evaluated. Lettuce inoculated with 6.57 log PFU of MS2 was reduced by 0.5 to 1.0 log unit when illuminated with UV light alone for 20 to 60 s (12.64 to 18.96 mJ/cm²). In contrast, a 3-log reduction in MS2 was achieved with 2% (vol/vol) H₂O₂ spray delivered at 50°C. No significant increase in log count reduction (LCR) was observed when H₂O₂ and UV light were applied simultaneously. However, H₂O₂ sprayed onto lettuce samples for 10 s, followed by a further 20-s UV illumination, resulted in an LCR of 4.12 that compares with the 1.67 obtained with 200 ppm of calcium hypochlorite wash. No further increase in MS2 inactivation was achieved by the use of either longer H₂O₂ spray or UV illumination times. The extent of MS2 reduction was significantly (P ≤ 0.05) decreased when the H₂O₂ spray was delivered at 10 or 25°C compared with 50°C. In the course of aerobic storage at 4°C, lettuce treated with UV light and H₂O₂ (10 or 25°C) developed discoloration (polyphenol accumulation) within 6 days. In contrast, lettuce treated with UV light and H₂O₂ at 50°C developed less discoloration within this time period and was comparable to untreated controls. This study demonstrated that the combination of UV light and H₂O₂ represents an alternative to hypochlorite-based washes to reduce the carriage of viruses on fresh produce.

Document Type: Research article

Affiliations: 1: Department of Food Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada N1G 2W1 2: School of Engineering, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada N1G 2W1

Publication date: 2008-05-01

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  First published in 1937, the Journal of Food Protection^®, is a refereed monthly publication. Each issue contains scientific research and authoritative review articles reporting on a variety of topics in food science pertaining to food safety and quality. The Journal is internationally recognized as the leading publication in the field of food microbiology with a readership exceeding 11,000 scientists from 70 countries. The Journal of Food Protection^® is indexed in Index Medicus, Current Contents, BIOSIS, PubMed, Medline, and many others.
  
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