APPLICATION OF OZONE FOR INACTIVATION OF ESCHERICHIA COLI 0157:H7 ON INOCULATED ALFALFA SPROUTS

Abstract

Chemical treatments to eliminate pathogens on inoculated seed sprouts have shown little success. This study investigated the effectiveness of aqueous ozone in killing Escherichia coli 0157:H7 on alfalfa sprouts. Alfalfa sprouts inoculated with a five strain cocktail of E. coli 0157:H7 were immersed in water containing 21 ppm ozone for 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64 min at 4C. To increase availability and accessibility of ozone into sprout crevices, alternative treatments with continuous