Hurdle Enhancement of Electrolyzed Water with Other Techniques

Abstract

Improving the quality and safety aspects of fresh produce is one of the key issues in the food industry. EW is one of the most widely used sanitizers and is considered as an alternative technology to sodium chlorite treatment in the fresh produce industry. EW is well known to have a potential of microbial reduction of approximately 2 log CFU. The potential of this enhancement requires the application of combinations of EW with appropriate technologies susceptible to promoting standards in both microbial quality and safety and the sensory properties of fresh produce. In recent years, an increasing number of publications have shown that EW hurdle technology is considered as a potential food decontamination process, which can improve the microbial quality and safety and extend the shelf life of fresh produce. This chapter presents a complete picture of recent developments in EW hurdle technology applied to fresh produce, with a particular emphasis on microbial quality and safety. Several studies have been conducted to develop effective combined treatments of EW and thermal, chemical (especially organic), physical nonthermal, and various biological technologies. More specifically, the common use of chemical and biological treatments in simultaneous combination and the use of physical treatments in subsequent combination with different types of EW, including alkaline, acidic, and slightly acidic, are highlighted. The principles, mechanism of microbial and enzymatic inactivation, and microbial decontamination issues that can be overcome using a combination of EW with other treatments are also discussed. There are indications that the hurdle technology of EW can be used in the fresh produce industry; however, a better understanding of practical knowledge and the optimization of parameters of different treatments associated with EW would also contribute to reinforcing the future application of EW hurdle technologies in the fresh produce industry.