Ready-to-eat vegetables production with low-level water chlorination: an evaluation of water quality and of its impact on end products
INTRODUCTION: We evaluated the microbiological impact of low-level chlorination (1 ppm free chlorine) on the production of ready-to-eat (RTE) vegetables by monitoring the microbiological quality of irrigation and processing water in two production plants over a 4-season period, as well as the microb...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Istituto Superiore di Sanità
2012-06-01
|
| Series: | Annali dell'Istituto Superiore di Sanità |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.scielosp.org/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0021-25712012000200008&lng=en&tlng=en |
| _version_ | 1828445990914359296 |
|---|---|
| author | Francesca D'Acunzo Angela Del Cimmuto Lucia Marinelli Caterina Aurigemma Maria De Giusti |
| author_facet | Francesca D'Acunzo Angela Del Cimmuto Lucia Marinelli Caterina Aurigemma Maria De Giusti |
| author_sort | Francesca D'Acunzo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | INTRODUCTION: We evaluated the microbiological impact of low-level chlorination (1 ppm free chlorine) on the production of ready-to-eat (RTE) vegetables by monitoring the microbiological quality of irrigation and processing water in two production plants over a 4-season period, as well as the microbiological quality of unprocessed vegetables and RTE product. Water samples were also characterized in terms of some chemical and physico-chemical parameters of relevance in chlorination management. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Both producers use water with maximum 1 ppm free chlorine for vegetables rinsing, while the two processes differ by the number of washing cycles. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Salmonella spp and Campylobacter spp were detected once in two different irrigation water samples out of nine from one producer. No pathogens were found in the vegetable samples. As expected, the procedure encompassing more washing cycles performed slightly better in terms of total mesophilic count (TCM) when comparing unprocessed and RTE vegetables of the same batch. However, data suggest that low-level chlorination may be insufficient in preventing microbial build-up in the washing equipment and/or batch-to batch cross-contamination. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T22:05:40Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-30324c9649514299b179e76b8ae00f39 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0021-2571 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T22:05:40Z |
| publishDate | 2012-06-01 |
| publisher | Istituto Superiore di Sanità |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Annali dell'Istituto Superiore di Sanità |
| spelling | doaj.art-30324c9649514299b179e76b8ae00f392022-12-22T01:31:45ZengIstituto Superiore di SanitàAnnali dell'Istituto Superiore di Sanità0021-25712012-06-0148215116010.4415/ANN_12_02_08S0021-25712012000200008Ready-to-eat vegetables production with low-level water chlorination: an evaluation of water quality and of its impact on end productsFrancesca D'Acunzo0Angela Del Cimmuto1Lucia Marinelli2Caterina Aurigemma3Maria De Giusti4Sapienza Università di RomaSapienza Università di RomaSapienza Università di RomaSapienza Università di RomaSapienza Università di RomaINTRODUCTION: We evaluated the microbiological impact of low-level chlorination (1 ppm free chlorine) on the production of ready-to-eat (RTE) vegetables by monitoring the microbiological quality of irrigation and processing water in two production plants over a 4-season period, as well as the microbiological quality of unprocessed vegetables and RTE product. Water samples were also characterized in terms of some chemical and physico-chemical parameters of relevance in chlorination management. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Both producers use water with maximum 1 ppm free chlorine for vegetables rinsing, while the two processes differ by the number of washing cycles. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Salmonella spp and Campylobacter spp were detected once in two different irrigation water samples out of nine from one producer. No pathogens were found in the vegetable samples. As expected, the procedure encompassing more washing cycles performed slightly better in terms of total mesophilic count (TCM) when comparing unprocessed and RTE vegetables of the same batch. However, data suggest that low-level chlorination may be insufficient in preventing microbial build-up in the washing equipment and/or batch-to batch cross-contamination.http://www.scielosp.org/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0021-25712012000200008&lng=en&tlng=envegetali pronti al consumoclorazione dell'acquadecontaminazione microbica |
| spellingShingle | Francesca D'Acunzo Angela Del Cimmuto Lucia Marinelli Caterina Aurigemma Maria De Giusti Ready-to-eat vegetables production with low-level water chlorination: an evaluation of water quality and of its impact on end products Annali dell'Istituto Superiore di Sanità vegetali pronti al consumo clorazione dell'acqua decontaminazione microbica |
| title | Ready-to-eat vegetables production with low-level water chlorination: an evaluation of water quality and of its impact on end products |
| title_full | Ready-to-eat vegetables production with low-level water chlorination: an evaluation of water quality and of its impact on end products |
| title_fullStr | Ready-to-eat vegetables production with low-level water chlorination: an evaluation of water quality and of its impact on end products |
| title_full_unstemmed | Ready-to-eat vegetables production with low-level water chlorination: an evaluation of water quality and of its impact on end products |
| title_short | Ready-to-eat vegetables production with low-level water chlorination: an evaluation of water quality and of its impact on end products |
| title_sort | ready to eat vegetables production with low level water chlorination an evaluation of water quality and of its impact on end products |
| topic | vegetali pronti al consumo clorazione dell'acqua decontaminazione microbica |
| url | http://www.scielosp.org/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0021-25712012000200008&lng=en&tlng=en |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT francescadacunzo readytoeatvegetablesproductionwithlowlevelwaterchlorinationanevaluationofwaterqualityandofitsimpactonendproducts AT angeladelcimmuto readytoeatvegetablesproductionwithlowlevelwaterchlorinationanevaluationofwaterqualityandofitsimpactonendproducts AT luciamarinelli readytoeatvegetablesproductionwithlowlevelwaterchlorinationanevaluationofwaterqualityandofitsimpactonendproducts AT caterinaaurigemma readytoeatvegetablesproductionwithlowlevelwaterchlorinationanevaluationofwaterqualityandofitsimpactonendproducts AT mariadegiusti readytoeatvegetablesproductionwithlowlevelwaterchlorinationanevaluationofwaterqualityandofitsimpactonendproducts |