Application of Neutral Electrolyzed Oxidizing Water as a Post-Harvest Intervention Strategy to Control Foodborne Pathogens Associated with Meat Products

Abstract

The meat industry has been viewed as an important component of human society and eat safety continues to be a major food safety concern in recent years. Nowadays, due to the increasing demand and preference of “fresh-like” food, novel non-thermal decontamination technologies that can further secure food safety without producing significant negative impact on food quality have attracted increasing research attentions. Among these nonthermal treatments, neutral oxidizing electrolyzed (NEO) water has been studied on different types of food and demonstrated its great antimicrobial efficacy and application potentials. In this project, antimicrobial efficacy and general influence of NEO water on E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella Enteritidis and Yersinia enterocolitica were analyzed in both pure culture and on inoculated pork chops and skin samples. Moreover, experiments were carried out to investigate viable but nonculturable formation, sublethally injured pathogens formation, bacterial transcriptional response after NEO water treatments. The results verified the potential of NEO water in inactivating foodborne pathogens both in pure cultures and on inoculated skin samples. High percentage of post-NEO treatment viable but nonculturable state and sublethal injury bacteria was verified by employed methods. In conclusion, NEO water has the potential to be applied as a post-harvest intervention to reduce the risk from pathogenic bacteria, especially when appropriately implemented in hurdle technologies.