Articles
Impact of alkaline electrolyzed water treatment on superficial scald incidence and microbial load reduction on ‘Granny Smith’ apples
Article number
1422_60
Pages
499 – 506
Language
English
Abstract
‘Granny Smith’ apples are popular in South Africa due to their high nutritional value and desirable taste.
However, ‘Granny Smith’ apples are susceptible to quality deterioration and decay during postharvest.
However, under sub-optimal postharvest handling practices the fruit are susceptible to physiological disorders.
In the present study, ‘Granny Smith’ apples were not pre-treated with 1-MCP and stored three months at 0.5°C under regular atmospheric condition, thereafter, treated by dipping in alkaline electrolyzed water (AIEW) (200 and 300 mg L‑1) for 10 min for superficial scald suppression and inactivation of microflora (total plate count, yeast and mould). These were then compared with sodium hypochlorite (C-1, 200 mg L‑1) and the untreated control.
AIEW-1 had better visual representation compared with AIEW-2, C-1 and the untreated samples.
Treatments with AIEW-2 and sodium hypochlorite had no effect on scald incidence.
Treatments with AIEW-1 resulted in ≈2 Log reduction in total aerobic mesophilic bacteria (from 4.1 to 2.2 Log CFU cm‑2) and <1 Log reduction for yeast and mould (from 3.9 to 2.7 Log CFU cm‑2) counts.
At the end of storage, AIEW-2-treated apples maintained the lowest total aerobic mesophilic bacteria and yeast and mould counts compared with the control samples.
Overall results of this study demonstrated the efficacy and potential of electrolyzed water treatment as a disinfectant alternative to conventional industry/pack-house practice (sodium hypochlorite treatment) for apple fruit.
Furthermore, as the search for alternatives continues it is suggested that the fruit should still be treated with 1-MCP before long-term storage to achieve a high efficacy in controlling scald severity.
However, ‘Granny Smith’ apples are susceptible to quality deterioration and decay during postharvest.
However, under sub-optimal postharvest handling practices the fruit are susceptible to physiological disorders.
In the present study, ‘Granny Smith’ apples were not pre-treated with 1-MCP and stored three months at 0.5°C under regular atmospheric condition, thereafter, treated by dipping in alkaline electrolyzed water (AIEW) (200 and 300 mg L‑1) for 10 min for superficial scald suppression and inactivation of microflora (total plate count, yeast and mould). These were then compared with sodium hypochlorite (C-1, 200 mg L‑1) and the untreated control.
AIEW-1 had better visual representation compared with AIEW-2, C-1 and the untreated samples.
Treatments with AIEW-2 and sodium hypochlorite had no effect on scald incidence.
Treatments with AIEW-1 resulted in ≈2 Log reduction in total aerobic mesophilic bacteria (from 4.1 to 2.2 Log CFU cm‑2) and <1 Log reduction for yeast and mould (from 3.9 to 2.7 Log CFU cm‑2) counts.
At the end of storage, AIEW-2-treated apples maintained the lowest total aerobic mesophilic bacteria and yeast and mould counts compared with the control samples.
Overall results of this study demonstrated the efficacy and potential of electrolyzed water treatment as a disinfectant alternative to conventional industry/pack-house practice (sodium hypochlorite treatment) for apple fruit.
Furthermore, as the search for alternatives continues it is suggested that the fruit should still be treated with 1-MCP before long-term storage to achieve a high efficacy in controlling scald severity.
Publication
Authors
N.E. Nyamende, Z.A. Belay, O.J. Caleb
Keywords
physiological disorder, fruit quality and safety, Malus domestica, postharvest management
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