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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 #370793
Research Project: Integration of Multiple Interventions to Enhance Microbial Safety, Quality, and Shelf-life of Foods

Location: Microbial and Chemical Food Safety

Title: Advanced Oxidation Process as a Postharvest Decontamination Technology To Improve Microbial Safety of Fresh Produce

Author
item Fan, Xuetong
item SONG, YUANYUAN - Jiangnan University

Submitted to: Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/5/2020
Publication Date: 5/5/2020
Citation: Fan, X., Song, Y. 2020. Advanced Oxidation Processes to Improve Microbial Safety of Fresh Produce. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.0c01381.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.0c01381

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Fresh produce is frequently associated with outbreaks of foodborne diseases, thus, there is a need to develop effective intervention technologies and antimicrobial treatments to improve the microbial safety of fresh produce. Washing with chemical sanitizers, commonly used by the industry, is limited in its effectiveness and is viewed as a possible cross-contamination opportunity. This article discuses advanced oxidation process (AOP), which involves generating highly reactive hydroxyl radicals to inactivate human pathogens. Ionizing irradiation, ultraviolet light, and cold plasma can be regarded as AOP; however, more effective AOPs employing combinations of UV, H2O2, cold plasma, and ozone may be promising as higher amounts of hydroxyl radicals are produced, and the combinative AOPs may be more consumer friendly than ionizing irradiation. When applied as a gaseous/aerosolized treatment, AOPs may have advantages over immersion treatments, considering the reactivity of hydroxyl radicals and presence of organic materials in wash water. Further research needs to be conducted on specific AOPs before being considered for commercialization, such as reduced formation of undesirable chemical byproducts, impact on quality, as well as scaled up studies.