Washing fruit and vegetables is a key step in the fresh produce processing industry to assure microbial quality and safety of ready-to-eat vegetables as it helps removing spoilage and pathogenic bacteria such as Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella and traces of pesticides from the product surface. Consequently, wash waters quickly accumulate high content of solids, organic matter, and microbial contaminants which make necessary an adequate sanitizing treatment prior to water disposal or its re-use. EU legislation stipulates that recycled water used in food processing should be of the same standard as drinking water. Traditionally decontamination of wash water is based on chemical or physical treatments, e.g. sodium hypochlorite, oxidizing agents, UV-C or ozone treatments. Among emerging technologies, Cold Atmospheric Plasma (CAP) and Plasma Activated Water (PAW) have recently drawn considerable attention as several studies have highlighted their activity against several food-borne pathogens and spoilage microorganisms in different food matrices. The aim of the study was to test the technology to assess its potentials in decontaminating washing waters. The efficacy of CAP treatments was compared with reference sanitization technology currently in the industry. Different operational conditions were tested and, for each of them, water quality (COD, BOD) and efficacy in reducing content of the main microbial spoilage populations were measured. The washing waters treated with plasma were also used to wash/re-wash fresh leafy vegetable. The reduction of natural spoilage microbiota and the effects on product quality (pH, colour parameters, total phenolic content) were evaluated immediately after treatments. Overall, the results showed that plasma technology is a promising solution for the food industry to assure safety and microbial quality of both the wash water and the product with the possibility to get water sanitation, water reuse and water saving. This work was carried out in the framework of the CO-FRESH project which has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon2020 research and Innovation programme under the GA n° 101000852
Cellini B., G.E. (2023). Cold plasma treatments for minimally processed leafy vegetables: decontamination of processing wash water and effects on product safety and quality.
Cold plasma treatments for minimally processed leafy vegetables: decontamination of processing wash water and effects on product safety and quality
Cellini B.;Ghirardelli E.;Patrignani F.;Romani S.;Dalla Rosa M.;Lanciotti R.;Rocculi P.;Vannini L.
2023
Abstract
Washing fruit and vegetables is a key step in the fresh produce processing industry to assure microbial quality and safety of ready-to-eat vegetables as it helps removing spoilage and pathogenic bacteria such as Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella and traces of pesticides from the product surface. Consequently, wash waters quickly accumulate high content of solids, organic matter, and microbial contaminants which make necessary an adequate sanitizing treatment prior to water disposal or its re-use. EU legislation stipulates that recycled water used in food processing should be of the same standard as drinking water. Traditionally decontamination of wash water is based on chemical or physical treatments, e.g. sodium hypochlorite, oxidizing agents, UV-C or ozone treatments. Among emerging technologies, Cold Atmospheric Plasma (CAP) and Plasma Activated Water (PAW) have recently drawn considerable attention as several studies have highlighted their activity against several food-borne pathogens and spoilage microorganisms in different food matrices. The aim of the study was to test the technology to assess its potentials in decontaminating washing waters. The efficacy of CAP treatments was compared with reference sanitization technology currently in the industry. Different operational conditions were tested and, for each of them, water quality (COD, BOD) and efficacy in reducing content of the main microbial spoilage populations were measured. The washing waters treated with plasma were also used to wash/re-wash fresh leafy vegetable. The reduction of natural spoilage microbiota and the effects on product quality (pH, colour parameters, total phenolic content) were evaluated immediately after treatments. Overall, the results showed that plasma technology is a promising solution for the food industry to assure safety and microbial quality of both the wash water and the product with the possibility to get water sanitation, water reuse and water saving. This work was carried out in the framework of the CO-FRESH project which has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon2020 research and Innovation programme under the GA n° 101000852I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
