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Evaluation of Chlorine Dioxide Gas Residues on Selected Food Produce
Author(s) -
Trinetta Valentina,
Vaidya Nirupama,
Linton Richard,
Morgan Mark
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
journal of food science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 150
eISSN - 1750-3841
pISSN - 0022-1147
DOI - 10.1111/j.1750-3841.2010.01911.x
Subject(s) - chlorine dioxide , chemistry , hand sanitizer , food science , chlorate , human decontamination , chlorine , oxidizing agent , contamination , gas chromatography , listeria , environmental chemistry , listeria monocytogenes , waste management , organic chemistry , bacteria , chromatography , biology , ecology , engineering , genetics
In recent years, the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables has greatly increased, and so has its association with contamination of several foodborne pathogens ( Listeria , Salmonella , and Escherichia coli ). Hence, there is a need to investigate effective sanitizer systems for produce decontamination. Chlorine dioxide (ClO 2 ), a strong oxidizing gas with broad spectrum and sanitizing properties, has previously been studied for use on selected fruits and vegetables. ClO 2 gas treatments show great potential for surface pathogen reduction; however its use from a residue safety standpoint has yet to be assessed. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate residues of ClO 2 , chlorite, chlorate, and chloride on selected fresh produce surfaces after treatment with ClO 2 gas. A rinse procedure was used and water samples were analyzed by N, N‐diethyl‐p‐phenylenediamine and ion chromatography method (300.0). Seven different foods—tomatoes, oranges, apples, strawberries, lettuce, alfalfa sprouts, and cantaloupe—were analyzed after ClO 2 treatment for surface residues. Very low residues were detectable for all the food products except lettuce and alfalfa sprouts, where the measured concentrations were significantly higher. Chlorine dioxide technology leaves minimal to no detectable chemical residues in several food products, thus result in no significant risks to consumers. Practical Application: Potential for chlorine dioxide gas treatments as an effective pathogen inactivation technology to produce with minimal risk for consumers.