Pre-freezing Treatment of Blueberry, Korean Raspberry, and Mulberry

Abstract

To establish the pre-freezing treatment and to secure microbial safety of blueberry, Korean raspberry, and mulberry, the effects of chemical sanitizers on the populations of microorganisms in the berries were examined. Among the treatments, the combined treatment of 50 ppm aqueous chlorine dioxide and 0.1% fumaric acid reduced most the populations of total aerobic bacteria in the blueberry, Korean raspberry, and mulberry by 2.56, 2.26, and 2.56 log CFU/g, respectively, compared to the control. The populations of yeast and mold in the blueberry, Korean raspberry, and mulberry by the combined treatment were also reduced by 2.24, 2.08, and 1.49 log CFU/g, respectively. These results suggest that the combined treatment can be useful for reducing the microbial contamination and maintaining the quality of frozen berries.