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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania » Eastern Regional Research Center » Microbial and Chemical Food Safety » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #326433
Title: Effect of sanitizer washing on quality and shelf-life of fresh coriander during refrigerated storage

Author
item GAO, HAIYAN - Zhejiang Academy Of Agricultural Sciences
item FANG, XIANGJUN - Zhejiang Academy Of Agricultural Sciences
item LI, YUNLONG - Zhejiang Academy Of Agricultural Sciences
item CHEN, HANGJUN - Zhejiang Academy Of Agricultural Sciences
item ZHAO, QI FA - Zhejiang Academy Of Agricultural Sciences
item Jin, Zhonglin

Submitted to: Journal of Food Science and Technology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/16/2016
Publication Date: 1/9/2017
Citation: Gao, H., Fang, X., Li, Y., Chen, H., Zhao, Q., Jin, Z.T. 2017. Effect of sanitizer washing on quality and shelf-life of fresh coriander during refrigerated storage. Journal of Food Science and Technology. 54(1):260-266. doi: 10.1007/s13197-016-2458-7.

Interpretive Summary: Washing with sanitizer is an important step to reduce spoilage microorganisms and possible foodborne pathogens in fresh produce. In the present study, three aqueous solutions of sodium hypochlorite, chlorine dioxide, and sodium butyl p-hydroxybenzoate were used to treat fresh coriander and their effects on the sensory quality, nutritional value, and shelf-life were investigated. Chlorine dioxide treatment has the least detrimental effects on color, total chlorophyll and ascorbic acid contents of fresh coriander, and showed a greater reduction in bacteria and maintained the microbial load at lower levels than other treatments. The data suggest that aqueous chlorine dioxide washing is an alternative for maintenance of sensory quality and nutritional value as well as extension of shelf-life of fresh coriander.

Technical Abstract: Fresh coriander leaves are highly perishable in nature and their sensory quality and nutritional value decreases without proper processing or preservation. In the present study, three aqueous solutions of sodium hypochlorite (SH, 100mg/L), chlorine dioxide (CD, 10 mg/L), and sodium butyl p-hydroxybenzoate (SBPH, 12 mg/L), and tap water (TW), were used to treat fresh coriander for 15 min. The treated samples were packed in PVC boxes and stored at 4 degrees C for 10 days. Effects of washing treatments on color, total chlorophyll contents, ascorbic acid contents, total contents of phenolic compounds, and total aerobic bacterial counts (APC) were investigated. CD treatment has the least detrimental effects on color, total chlorophyll contents and ascorbic acid contents of fresh coriander, followed by SH treatment. In addition, CD treatment showed a greater reduction in APC and maintained the microbial load at lower levels than other treatments during the 10-day storage period.