Nippon Shokuhin Kagaku Kogaku Kaishi
Online ISSN : 1881-6681
Print ISSN : 1341-027X
ISSN-L : 1341-027X
Technical Reports
Decontamination of Pre-cut Green Onion Using Electrolyzed Water and Observations of Its Surface by Confocal Scanning Laser Microscope (Enhancement of Sterilization Effect on Pre-cut Vegetable Using Electrolyzed Water Part I)
Kyoichiro YoshidaNobuo AchiwaMasahiko KatayoseYumiko KizawaShigenobu KosekiSeiichiro IsobeKazuhiro Abe
Author information
JOURNAL FREE ACCESS

2005 Volume 52 Issue 6 Pages 266-272

Details
Abstract

Foodborne diseases caused by microorganisms occur with numerous incidents and patients every year. It is believed that most of the incidents are caused by cross-contamination of microbes at the stage of food processing. In this research, we studied about microorganism control by using electrolyzed water for pre-cut vegetable. We carried out studies as follows ; observation of microorganism's behavior on food surface with confocal scanning laser microscope, consideration of decontamination effect by using alkaline electrolyzed water, and utilization of treatment temperature variation. Difference in diminution of available chlorine concentration was found depending on treatment part of green onion. On grounds of available chlorine concentration, volume of treatment water, decontamination effect, and simplified operation, it could be concluded that soaking for 2 minutes in acidic electrolyzed water was the optimum condition in this case. Decontamination on green onion using alkaline electrolyzed water as pre-cleaning was also found useful. According to the result of confocal microscopy of lettuce surface, it was revealed that numerous microbes existed in parts with structural change such as stomas and bounds of plant cells. Therefore, it was considered that no significant sterilization effect was accomplished because it was difficult to expose microbes to electrolyzed water. Similarly, numerous microorganisms were observed in parts of green onion with irregular surfaces. We also found that the clump of microbes had thickness and penetrated into cells of green onion in some depth. It was considered that it is difficult to achieve sterilization effect against microbes existing in inaccessible parts, such as stomas and damaged cells.

Content from these authors
© 2005 Japanese Society for Food Science and Technology
Previous article Next article
feedback
Top