SYNERGISM OF COMBINED VITAMIN B1AND NAOCL TREATMENT FOR THE REDUCTION OF MICROBIOLOGICAL CONTAMINATION IN HEAD LETTUCE

Abstract

ABSTRACT The synergistic bactericidal effect of vitamin B1 and sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) on total aerobic bacteria (APC) and Escherichia coli contaminating head lettuce (Lactuca sativa) was evaluated. The concentrations of NaOCl and vitamin B1 were varied from 50–200 mg/L and 100–2,000 mg/L, respectively. The reduction in APC and E. coli in head lettuce after treatment with NaOCl was 1.37–2.63 and 0.65–2.18 log10 cfu/g, respectively. APC were reduced by 2.63 log cfu/g when NaOCl was used at a concentration of 200 mg/L and by 4.90 log cfu/g when used in combination with 2,000 mg/L vitamin B1. Treatment with 200 mg/L NaOCl resulted in a 2.18 log10 cfu/g reduction in E. coli, while a reduction of 3.47 log10 cfu/g was obtained when the sample was treated with 200 mg/L NaOCl and 2,000 mg/L vitamin B1. These results suggest that a significant synergistic benefit results from combined NaOCl and vitamin B1 treatments. PRACTICAL APPLICATION NaOCl has long been known to be an effective disinfectant; vitamin B1 has historically been used as an additive or supplement. In this study, combined treatment with NaOCl and vitamin B1 was found to result in significant synergistic effects based on the observed reduction in E. coli. The results clearly demonstrate that the addition of vitamin B1 led to synergistic benefits and that combined disinfection treatments were more effective than single disinfection treatments. The applications of combined NaOCl and vitamin B1 treatment are vast, and this combination can be successfully used to reduce the number of foodborne pathogens on the surface of foods such as fruits and vegetables.