Chlorine dioxide gas from an aqueous solution: reduction of Salmonella in wounds on tomato fruit and movement to sinks in a treatment chamber.

Abstract

Chlorine dioxide (ClO2) off-gassed from an aqueous solution and reacted incrementally with potassium iodide solutions (sinks). After 30 min, 45% of the initial dose was detected as chlorite ion in the sink, whereas 35% of the initial dose was still in the source. Aqueous solutions of ClO2 can be used as a source of ClO2 gas in various laboratory experiments involving treatment of fruits or vegetables. Movement from source to sink is continuous, which precludes the development of large headspace concentrations and the need for a tight chamber seal. When the source solution has dissipated, the chamber can be opened safely as there is little free ClO2 remaining in the headspace. In tests with whole, wound-inoculated tomato fruit, at both green and pink stages of ripeness, the control of Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium in wounds varied with the weight of gas used. The number of viable cells of Typhimurium recovered was reduced by > 5 log units when > or = 0.5 mg of ClO2 was applied to three pieces of fruit during a 2-h treatment.