Abstract
Cantaloupes and honeydew melons inoculated with 107 CFU/ml Salmonella bacteria were treated with 1.5% of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) at 20°C and minimally treated at 70°C for 3 min before storage at 5, 10, and 20°C. Salmonella bacteria recovered from the cantaloupe and honeydew melon rind surfaces averaged 4.5 and 3.9 log CFU/cm2, respectively, before antimicrobial treatments. Fresh-cut pieces prepared at each day of storage were immediately placed inside the refrigerator (5°C) while some pieces were left at room temperature (20°C) for 30 and 60 min before refrigeration. After minimal thermal hydrogen peroxide treatments, injured Salmonella on whole cantaloupes was significantly (p > 0.05) different than honeydew melons. Cold storage of treated melons at 5°C led to significant (p > 0.05) reduction of the injured bacteria and below detection in fresh-cut pieces even after enrichment process suggesting that minimal thermal antimicrobial processing will reduce transfer of bacteria to fresh-cut pieces during fresh-cut preparation. Practical applications The results of this study indicate that minimal thermal treatment with 1.5% of hydrogen peroxide at 70°C for 3 min and immediate cold storage of treated whole melons designated for fresh-cut preparation will reduce transfer of microbial populations from melons rind surfaces to fresh-cut pieces during fresh-cut preparation.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
