• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.41 no.5
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• pp.578-586
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• 2009

This study was conducted to determine the effects of alkaline electrolyzed water (AIEW), acidic electrolyzed water (AcEW), 1% citric acid, and 100 ppm sodium hypochlorite, either alone or in combination with citric acid, in reducing the populations of spoilage bacteria and foodborne pathogens (Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli O157:H7) on lettuce at various exposure times (3, 5, and 10 min) with different dipping temperatures (1, 20, 40, and $50^{\circ}C$). In addition, the inhibitory effect of alkaline electrolyzed water combined with citric acid on the browning reaction during storage at $4^{\circ}C$ for 15 days was investigated. Compared to the untreated control, electrolyzed water more effectively reduced the number of total bacteria, mold, and yeast than 100 ppm sodium hypochlorite under the same treatment conditions. All treatments exposed for 5 min significantly reduced the numbers of total bacteria, yeast, and mold on head lettuce. The inactivation effect of each treatment on head lettuce was enhanced as the dipping temperature increased from 1 to $50^{\circ}C$, but there was no significantly difference at temperatures greater than $40^{\circ}C$ (p<0.05). The total counts of yeast and mold in head lettuce were completely eliminated when a combination of 1% citric acid and AlEW treatment was used at temperatures greater than $40^{\circ}C$. However, decreased reduction in L. monocytogenes (2.81 log CFU/g), and E. coli O157:H7 (2.93 log CFU/g) on head lettuce was observed under these treatment conditions. In addition, enhanced anti-browning effect was observed when the samples were subjected to both 1% citric acid and AlEW treatment at temperatures greater than $40^{\circ}C$ compared to when single treatments alone were used. Thus, this combined treatment might be considered a potentially beneficial sanitizing method for improving the quality and safety of head lettuce.