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Title: Reduction of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella in fresh-cut produce by sodium caprylate

Author
item Patel, Jitu
item Darlington, Leonora
item KUMAR, VENKITANARAYAN - University Of Connecticut

Submitted to: Annual Meeting of the Institute of Food Technologists
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/10/2011
Publication Date: 6/11/2011
Citation: Patel, J.R., Darlington, L.K., Kumar, V. 2011. Reduction of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella in fresh-cut produce by sodium caprylate[abstract]. Annual Meeting of the Institute of Food Technologists. IFT Book of Abstracts. #199-18.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Fresh produce have been implicated in Escherichia coli O157:H7 human illness outbreaks in the U.S. Effective produce wash is required to reduce E. coli O157:H7 and other pathogens on fresh produce. The potential use of caprylic acid (CA) for reducing E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella populations on spinach and lettuce was evaluated. Fresh produce (2.5 x 4 cm coupons; spinach, iceberg and romaine lettuce) samples were inoculated with a cocktail of five E. coli O157:H7 or Salmonella strains (5 log cfu per coupon), air dried for 30 min, and then treated with sodium caprylate (25, 50, and 100 ppm) or chlorine (50 ppm) for 60 sec. Treated samples were dipped in sterile water to remove residual treatment solution and then stored at 4°C in oxygen-permeable polyethylene bags for 14 days. Samples treated with water served as control. Produce samples were analyzed at 0 (after wash treatment), 7 and 14 days for surviving populations of E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella by plating on Sorbitol MacConkey (SMAC) and XLT4 agar, respectively. The CA treatment significantly reduced these pathogens on fresh produce compared to wash treatment with water and chlorine. E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella populations were undetectable following treatment with CA at 50 and 100 ppm, whereas substantial populations of these pathogens survived in control (water) treatment. E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella populations were reduced further during storage. Results indicate that caprylic acid could effectively be used to kill E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella on fresh produce.