Sodium Hypochlorite Treatment Research Articles

Effects of ultrasound-assisted sodium hypochlorite on the decontamination and storage quality of chilled chicken leg-quarters

This study aimed to investigate the effect of ultrasound assisted sodium hypochlorite (US-assisted SH) on the physicochemical properties and bacterial communities on the skin surface of chilled chicken leg-quarters. US-assisted SH treatments were applied for 25 min, either as a single combination treatment (US & SH) or repeated twice, denoted as 2 × (US & SH). Meanwhile, the sodium hypochlorite (SH) and the control (immersion in deionized water) was used to compare their efficacy. After each treatment, all chicken leg-quarters were overwrapped and stored at 0 ∼ 4 °C for 0, 3 and 5 days. The results showed that both US & SH and 2 × (US & SH) treatments reduced the total viable count (TVC), Enterobacteriaceae and Psychrophilic bacteria on the surface at 0 day and maintained better sensory quality, without significant adverse effects on chicken skin color and lipid oxidation during 5 days of chilled storage. The 2 × (US & SH) treatment exhibited a superior efficacy in reducing TVC (4.72 log CFU/g), Enterobacteriaceae (2.83 log CFU/g) and psychrophilic bacteria (4.89 log CFU/g) compared to both US & SH and SH treatments, and diminished the growth potential of Acinetobacter, Aeromonas, Shewanella and Pseudomonas, resulting in an extension of shelf life by more than 2 days. The study showed that US-assisted SH could be a promising method for skin surface decontaminating during poultry slaughtering and fresh chicken preserving.

Management of bacterial blight ofcarrots by phenolic compounds treatment.

Bacterial blight is a serious disease of carrot production worldwide. Under favorable conditions, the causal organism Xanthomonas hortorum pv. carotae causes serious loss especially in seed production because of its seed-borne character. Unlike fungal diseases, the treatment of bacterial diseases is limited and methods such as hot water or sodium hypochlorite (bleach) treatment are mainly used by seed companies. Here, we compared the efficacy of hot water treatment, sodium hypochlorite treatment and treatment with three phenolic compounds-carvacrol, thymol and eugenol, to eliminate Xanthomonas growth in vitro and subsequently in vivo on seeds of Xhc low, medium and highly infested carrot seed lots. The complete elimination of Xhc from germinated plants was obtained only for Xhc low infested seed lot with 1% sodium hypochlorite and carvacrol solutions in concentrations of 0.0196%- 0.313%. The significant reduction of Xhc presence in germinated plants of Xhc medium infested seed lot was achieved with 1% sodium hypochlorite treatment and hot water treatment. However, hot water treatment resulted in a significant reduction of seed germination percentage as well. Considering the elimination of Xhc infection from germinated plants and the effect on seed germination and plant vigor, 0.0196% carvacrol solution was suggested as an alternative to 1% sodium hypochlorite treatment regarding additional costs related to the liquidation of used treated water and to hot water treatment that has been proved to be insufficient to obtain disease-free plants.

Characterization of Brevibacillus biofilm isolated from pasteurized milk and evaluation of the efficacy of sodium hypochlorite, CIP, and enzymatic treatment against the biofilm

Bacterial biofilms pose significant food safety threats to the dairy industry. This study identified Brevibacillus contamination in pasteurized milk at a processing plant, with biofilm formation observed on polyethylene plastic and stainless steel surfaces. The presence of milk promoted robust growth of Brevibacillus, facilitating biofilm formation and spore production. Biofilm structure, nanowires, and potential swelling were visualized on SEM images. Raman spectroscopy analysis revealed enrichment of lipids and amide I in milk-formed biofilms, resulting in a hydrophobic tendency as evidenced by contact angle measurements. Cultivable cell counts in milk-formed biofilms post-treatment with sodium hypochlorite or the alkaline and acid regime were approximately 7 and 3 log CFU/well, respectively. Effective biofilm removal was achieved through enzymatic treatment (lipase and DNase I) followed by an alkaline and acid regime. These findings underscore the pivotal role of biofilms in contaminating milk processing plants and highlight the urgent need for effective biofilm control strategies to safeguard the dairy industry.

Investigation on the inactivation effect and mechanism of Listeria monocytogenes in fresh-cut cucumber during storage by ultrasound combined with sodium hypochlorite

Fresh agricultural products are frequently contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes), which threatens consumer health. The mechanism of the inhibitory effect of ultrasound and sodium hypochlorite (US-NaClO) on L. monocytogenes on fresh-cut cucumber remains poorly understood. Therefore, the bactericidal ability and mechanism of US-NaClO treatment on L. monocytogenes were studied on fresh-cut cucumber during storage using various approaches such as determination of intracellular material leakage, scanning electron microscopy, flow cytometry, and expression analysis of virulence genes. The results showed that the number of L. monocytogenes on fresh-cut cucumber was significantly reduced after ultrasound treatment for 5 min in combined with 75 ppm sodium hypochlorite treatment(P < 0.05). The US–NaClO treatment affected cell morphology, impaired cell membrane integrity, increased cell membrane permeability, and reduced the concentration of K+, inorganic phosphate, ATP, proteins, and DNA in bacterial cells, leading to the inactivation of microorganisms. In addition, the US–NaClO treatment downregulated expression of the virulence genes actA, hly, inlA, mpl, pclA, and plcB, thus decreasing the pathogenicity of bacteria. It can avoid contamination by pathogenic bacteria during the production of fresh-cut cucumber, while providing safety assurance for production.

Extracting proteins from microscopic biominerals: A reproducible method development using oyster larvae

AbstractMicroscopic biominerals are ubiquitous in the ocean, and several major taxa secrete them during early life stages or as adults. Organisms secrete an extracellular proteome incorporated within the biomineral to guide biomineralization remotely and enhance its material properties. This proteome has attracted the attention of extensive scientific research, but its characterization is challenging due to methodological constraints that limit the overall insight, particularly in small organisms. Therefore, we propose this straightforward and reproducible method development for preparing microscopic biominerals before proteome extraction. The method development can be tailored to other microscopic biominerals, and, importantly, it aims to integrate biomineral cleanliness and integrity without sacrificing proteome completeness. First, we suggest running an in‐depth sample exploration to identify key sample characteristics and determine the magnitude of the sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) treatment. Then, we recommend running a multiple time points experiment for biomineral cleaning treatment with a fixed NaOCl concentration. The time points are evaluated using qualitative (visual assessment) and quantitative methods (biomineral loss, elemental composition, and organic structural components removal). Finally, critical time points are identified for method validation using shotgun proteomics. This approach was tested using Hong Kong oyster larval shells as a model organism. Our study discovered that surprisingly, longer treatments and partial biomineral damage are preferred for Hong Kong oyster larvae and do not lead to protein diversity loss but enrichment. This microscopic biomineral cleaning method development can facilitate harnessing information from increasingly diverse biomineral proteomes.

Comparison of sanitization efficacy of sodium hypochlorite and peroxyacetic acid used as disinfectants in poultry food processing plants

This study, we aimed to evaluate the in situ disinfection efficacy of peroxyacetic acid (PAA) and sodium hypochlorite (SH) against pathogens (Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella Typhimurium, and Listeria monocytogenes in suspension, and food contact surfaces of steel and utensil. In the clean and contaminated conditions, as the concentrations of PAA and SH increased (0–200 ppm) for 1 min and 5 min, the viable count of pathogenic bacteria reduced. In particular, more than 7 log cycle reductions in the pathogen population were observed using 200 ppm PAA and 100 ppm SH, except for S. aureus in the latter. Four pathogenic bacteria spiked (5–6 log/mL), each on the surface of the main processing machine (stainless steel, n = 36), displayed over 6 log reduction after treatment with 100 ppm PAA for 5 min, which was more effective than SH treatment at similar conditions. To compare the sterilization effect, swab sampling (n = 27) before and after working with poultry on cutting boards, knives, and worktable was performed. E. coli, coliforms, and total bacteria were considerably reduced using 100 ppm of both PAA and SH. After five different treatment concentrations (0–200 ppm) at 4 °C for seven days, chicken breasts treated with 200 ppm PAA exhibited a significant (P < 0.05) inhibitory effect on the total bacteria (1.29 log10) and coliform group organisms (1.10 log10) populations compared with the control chicken breast. Overall, PAA treatment had an effective antimicrobial activity in fresh poultry samples. The microbiological safety of poultry is an important public health concern worldwide, thus, the use of PAA as a disinfectant will greatly contribute to the improvement of poultry microbial safety.

Implication of Sodium Hypochlorite as a Sanitizer in Ready-to-Eat Salad Processing and Advantages of the Use of Alternative Rapid Bacterial Detection Methods.

The use of disinfection agents in the washing processing of ready-to-eat (RTE) vegetables, especially sodium hypochlorite, is a common industrial practice performed to enhance microbiological quality. However, some studies have reported a restart of bacterial growth and a substantial increase in bacterial load during early storage associated with the use of disinfection agents, which might represent a risk for consumers. We evaluated the effect of sodium hypochlorite on bacterial growth trends during the shelf-life in Lactuca sativa, simulating the industrial procedures for RTE vegetable packaging. Immediately after sodium hypochlorite treatment, an effective abatement of the bacterial load was observed, followed by a restart of growth throughout storage. After 5 days, the bacterial load was close to that reached by the control samples, indicating that the net increase in bacterial load was significantly higher in the treated samples. This might be ascribed to the reduction in competitive microflora and/or to the induction of adaptive responses by resting bacteria, which might select disinfectant-resistant bacteria. These findings elicit some concerns about the actual duration of the shelf-life; products might decrease their microbiological quality earlier during storage, pointing out the need to better clarify the impact of sodium hypochlorite as a sanitizer to closer consider its use in RTE vegetable processing. Furthermore, due to the importance of the rapid estimation of bacterial load and the early detection of foodborne pathogens throughout the food chain, the accuracy of the rapid bacteria detection method, the Micro Biological Survey (MBS), and its effectiveness for microbiological analyses of RTE vegetables were evaluated.

Pathogenic and transmissional potentials of a Chromobacterium haemolyticum isolate from a hydroponic farm.

This study aims to investigate the in vitro pathogenicity of Chromobacterium haemolyticum strain WI5 toward the intestinal tract, its resistance to water treatments, and its potential for foodborne transmission through leafy greens produced in hydroponic systems. C. haemolyticum WI5 caused cytopathic effects in human colon cells HCT116 and exhibited an 8.2-fold higher cell attachment compared to Salmonella serotype Typhimurium. It showed comparable resistance to sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) and ultraviolet (UV) treatments as Escherichia coli O157: H7 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa but was more susceptible to desiccation. On lettuce, C. haemolyticum WI5 failed to persist, with counts decreasing below the detection limit (≥4 log reductions) after 3 and 2 days at 4 and 25°C, respectively. C. haemolyticum WI5 demonstrated considerable virulence features and high in vitro pathogenicity toward the intestinal tract. NaOCl and UV treatments were effective in disinfecting C. haemolyticum in water. Due to its high susceptibility to desiccation and poor survivability on lettuce, the foodborne transmission potential of C. haemolyticum is considered limited.

Efficacy of a filtered far-UVC handheld disinfection device in reducing the microbial bioburden of hospital surfaces

The filtered far-UV-C (FFUV) handheld disinfection device is a small portable device that emits far UV-C at 222nm. The objective of this study was to evaluate the device's ability to kill microbial pathogens on hospital surfaces and compare it to manual disinfection using germicidal sodium hypochlorite wipes. A total of 344 observations (4 observations from 86 objects' surfaces) were sampled with 2 paired samples per surface: a pre- and a post-sodium hypochlorite and FFUV sample. The results were analyzed via a Bayesian multilevel negative binomial regression model. The estimated mean colony counts for the sodium hypochlorite control and treatment groups were 20.5 (95% uncertainty interval:11.7-36.0) and 0.1 (0.0-0.2) colony forming units (CFUs), respectively. The FFUV control and treatment groups had mean colony counts of 22.2 (12.5-40.1) and 4.1 (2.3-7.2) CFUs. The sodium hypochlorite group and the FFUV group had an estimated 99.4% (99.0%-99.7%) and 81.4% (76.2%-85.7%) reduction in colony counts, respectively. The FFUV handheld device effectively reduced the microbial bioburden on surfaces in the health care setting. The major benefit of FFUV is likely seen when manual disinfection is not possible or when supplementing cleaners or disinfectants with the low-level disinfection properties.

Comparison of the Efficiency of Different Eradication Treatments to Minimize the Impacts Caused by the Invasive Tunicate Styela plicata in Mussel Aquaculture.

In 2017, aquaculture producers of the Albufeira lagoon, Portugal, reported an invasion of tunicates that was disrupting mussel production, particularly the tunicate Styela plicata (Lesueur, 1823). A totally effective eradication method still does not exist, particularly for S. plicata, and the effects of the eradication treatments on bivalves' performance are also poorly understood. Our study examined the effectiveness of eradication treatments using three laboratory trials and five treatments (air exposure, freshwater immersion, sodium hypochlorite, hypersaline solution and acetic acid) for S. plicata, as well as their effects on survival and growth of blue mussel Mytilus edulis Linnaeus, 1758. While air exposure and freshwater immersion caused a 27% mortality rate in S. plicata, the acetic acid treatment was the most effective in eliminating this species (>90% mortality). However, a 33-40% mortality rate was registered in mussels. Both species were not affected by the hypersaline treatment in the last trial, but the sodium hypochlorite treatment led to a 57% mortality rate in mussels. Differences in mussels' growth rates were not detected. These trials represent a step forward in responding to the needs of aquaculture producers. However, further studies are needed to investigate the susceptibility of tunicates to treatments according to sexual maturation, as well as to ensure minimum mussel mortality in the most effective treatments, and to better understand the effects on mussel physiological performance in the long-term.

Ultrasound application for the decontamination of roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) seeds: Influence on fungal inhibition and seed quality

Seed decay is a major problem caused by pathogens that adversely affect seed yield and quality in agricultural production. Herein, the effect of 28 KHz ultrasound treatment for 20, 40 and 60 min and 1.5% sodium hypochlorite solution for 20 min was assessed for the decontamination of roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) seeds. In addition, seed germination indices, seedling growth traits, total phenolic content and the activity of defense-related enzymes, viz. peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, catalase and malondialdehyde were measured in the treated seeds. An isolate of Fusarium solani was obtained from roselle seeds and identified as the causal agent of roselle seed rot based on morphological and molecular characteristics. After six days of seed storage, the microbial infection caused the highest seed rot in the control seeds on the average of 56.67%, whereas ultrasound treatment for 60 min could remarkably reduce the seed decay by 3.33%. At the end of seed storage, the fungal load showed the highest (7.72 Log CFU ml−1) and lowest (6.99 Log CFU ml−1) rates in the control and ultrasound treatment for 60 min, respectively. Total phenolic content was significantly increased in ultrasound treatment for 60 min compared to control and sodium hypochlorite treatments. Moreover, the activity of peroxidase, superoxide dismutase and catalase was noticeably improved in ultrasound treatment for 60 min. Furthermore, ultrasound treatment did not show any adverse effects on seed germination indices and seedling growth traits of the roselle plants. Overall, ultrasound treatment for 60 min could effectively decrease roselle seed decay and the fungal load without changing seed and seedling quality.

Inactivation of Lactobacillus Bacteriophages by Dual Chemical Treatments

Phage contamination is one of the significant problems in the food fermentation industry, which eventually causes economic losses to the industry. Here, we investigated the viability of Lactobacillus plantarum phage P1 and P2 using various biocides treatments (ethanol, isopropanol, sodium hypochlorite and peracetic acid). Results indicated that phage P1 and P2 could be completely inactivated by treatment with 75% ethanol for 5 min, followed by 400 ppm of sodium hypochlorite treatment for 5 min. Phage P2 could be completely inactivated in the reverse sequence, while 800 ppm of sodium hypochlorite was required to achieve a similar effect for phage P1. Moreover, 100% isopropanol could increase the inactivating effect of 75% ethanol. This study may provide basic information on using multiple antimicrobials for phage control in laboratories and food plants.

Diagnosis and treatment of sodium hypochlorite poisoning with ingestion of household bleaching agents

Background: Sodium hypochlorite is commonly used as a household bleaching agent (for example, the Clorox brand). Sodium hypochlorite poisoning with ingestion of a bleaching agent is often observed in clinical practice.Current Concepts: Ingestion (intentional or accidental) is the most common route of exposure to household bleaching agents. Accidental ingestion of household bleaching agents is rarely clinically important. However, ingestion of a large amount of a dilute formulation or a high-concentration preparation of bleaching agents can result in severe and rarely fatal corrosive injury. Therefore, prompt supportive care is essential because a specific antidote is currently unavailable. Severe poisoning requires hospital admission. Emergency endoscopy and thoracic and abdominal computed tomography are warranted to aid with diagnosis and management of hypochlorite-induced corrosive injury in patients with severe poisoning, who develop clinical features suggestive of corrosive injury.Discussion and Conclusion: Intentional poisoning, which accounts for most cases of household bleaching agent poisonings in Korea, is likely to cause severe corrosive injuries. Therefore, it is necessary to gain deeper and accurate understanding of the clinical aspects and treatment of poisoning by household bleaching agents.

Effect of Ultrasound Combinated with Sodium Hypochlorite Treatment on Microbial Inhibition and Quality of Fresh-Cut Cucumber

The influence of ultrasound combined with sodium hypochlorite (US-NaClO) treatment on microorganisms and quality of fresh-cut cucumber during storage were investigated. Ultrasound (400 W, 40 kHz, US: 5, 10 and 15 min) and sodium hypochlorite (NaClO: 50, 75, 100 ppm) were used to treat fresh-cut cucumber in a single or combined treatment and stored at 4 °C for 8 days and analyzed for texture, color and flavor. The results showed that US-NaClO treatment had a synergistic effect on the inhibition of microorganisms during storage. It could significantly reduce (p < 0.05) the number of microorganisms by 1.73 to 2.17 log CFU/g. In addition, US-NaClO treatment reduced the accumulation of malondialdehyde (MDA) during storage (4.42 nmol/g) and water mobility, and maintained the integrity of the cell membrane, delayed the increase of weight loss (3.21%), reduced water loss, thus slowing down the decline of firmness (9.20%) of fresh-cut cucumber during storage. The degradation of chlorophyll (6.41%) was reduced to maintain the color of freshly cut cucumbers. At the same time, US-NaClO could maintain the content of aldehydes, the main aromatic substance of cucumber, and reduced the content of alcohols and ketones during storage. Combined with the electronic nose results, it could maintain the cucumber flavor at the end of the storage period and reduce the odor produced by microorganisms. Overall, US-NaClO was helpful to inhibit the growth of microorganisms during storage, improve the quality of fresh-cut cucumber.

Investigation on the applicability of a long-range reverse-transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction assay for the rapid detection of active viruses

BackgroundAlthough conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods are widely used in diagnosis, the titer of the pathogenic virus is difficult to determine based on the PCR. In our prior report, a long-range reverse-transcription quantitative PCR (LR-RT-qPCR) assay was developed to assess the titer of UV-irradiated influenza A virus (IAV) rapidly. In this research, we focused on whether the LR-RT-qPCR assay could evaluate the titer of IAV inactivated by other methods.MethodsIAV was inactivated by: heating at 100 °C for periods ranging from 1 to 15 min, treating with 0.12% sodium hypochlorite for periods ranging from 3 to 30 min, or treating with 70% ethanol for periods ranging from 10 to 30 min. Fifty percent tissue culture infectious dose (TCID50) assay was performed to confirm the efficacy of the inactivation methods, followed by LR-RT-qPCR to investigate the correlation between infectivity and copy number.ResultsOne minute heating, 3 min sodium hypochlorite treatment, or 10 min ethanol treatment was sufficient to deactivate IAV. Changes before and after the inactivations in the copy numbers on LR-RT-qPCR were significantly different among the inactivation methods. Heat-inactivation drastically decreased the copy number to below the cutoff value around 5 copies/μL after 5 min treatment. The inactivation time of heating estimated using LR-RT-qPCR was marginally higher than that determined using TCID50. However, the treatments with sodium hypochlorite or ethanol moderately and minimally affected the copy numbers obtained using LR-RT-qPCR (~ 1 digit or no copy number decrease), respectively.ConclusionsIn addition to good applicability in UV-irradiation previously reported, the LR-RT-qPCR method is suitable for evaluating the effect of heat-inactivation on IAV infectivity. However, minor modifications may be made and investigated in the future to reduce the time intervals with TCID50. Although this method is not applicable for the ethanol inactivation, rapid evaluation of the effects of chlorination on IAV can be determined by comparing copy numbers before and after treatment using the LR-RT-qPCR method.

Effectiveness of sodium hypochlorite treatment on the bonding of four adhesive systems to fluorotic enamel.

The study evaluated the effect of sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) treatment on fluorotic enamel bonding of four adhesive systems. They were Single Bond 2 (SB2), Prime&Bond NT (PBN), Clearfil SE Bond (CSB), and Single Bond Universal (SBU). One hundred eighteen extracted moderate fluorotic molars were divided into eight groups according to NaOCl pretreatment and four adhesive systems. The microshear bond strength (μSBS), etching pattern, and penetration depth (PD) were observed. The statistical method was two-way ANOVA and least significant difference (LSD) test (α=0.05). The application of NaOCl significantly increased the μSBS of PBN and SBU (p<0.05). The enamel-etching pattern of CSB and SBU was deeper under SEM. A noticeable increase of PD was in SB2 and SBU after the application of NaOCl (p<0.05). Pretreatment of 5.25% NaOCl for the 60 s can increase μSBS of PBN and SBU, PD of SB2 and SBU, and improve enamel-etching pattern of CSB and SBU to fluorotic enamel.

An Efficient Clearing Protocol for the Study of Seed Development in Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.).

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is one of the major cash crops worldwide. The tomato seed is an important model for studying genetics and developmental biology during plant reproduction. Visualization of finer embryonic structure within a tomato seed is often hampered by seed coat mucilage, multi-cell-layered integument, and a thick-walled endosperm, which needs to be resolved by laborious embedding-sectioning. A simpler alternative is to employ tissue clearing techniques that turn the seed almost transparent using chemical agents. Although conventional clearing procedures allow deep insight into smaller seeds with a thinner seed coat, clearing tomato seeds continues to be technically challenging, especially in the late developmental stages. Presented here is a rapid and labor-saving clearing protocol to observe tomato seed development from 3 to 23 days after flowering when embryonic morphology is nearly complete. This method combines chloral hydrate-based clearing solution widely used in Arabidopsis with other modifications, including the omission of Formalin-Aceto-Alcohol (FAA) fixation, the addition of sodium hypochlorite treatment of seeds, removal of the softened seed coat mucilage, and washing and vacuum treatment. This method can be applied for efficient clearing of tomato seeds at different developmental stages and is useful in full monitoring of the developmental process of mutant seeds with good spatial resolution. This clearing protocol may also be applied to deep imaging of other commercially important species in the Solanaceae.

The effects of different cavity disinfectants on fracture resistance of tooth fragment reattachments.

This study was conducted to investigate the fracture strength of reattached tooth fragments after different cavity disinfection protocols. Incisal edges of 144 bovine incisors were sectioned and then randomly divided into 4 different groups as follows: Group C: no disinfectant; Group NaOCl: 2.5% sodium hypochlorite solution; Group NaOCl+Asc: 2.5% sodium hypochlorite followed by 10% ascorbic acid solution; Group CHX: 2% chlorhexidine solution. Teeth were further divided into 3 subgroups according to universal adhesive (G-Premio Bond, Scotchbond Universal, Prime and Bond Universal). Fracture resistance was evaluated using a universal testing machine. Data was analyzed using 2-way ANOVA with Bonferroni tests. Cavity disinfectant had a statistically significant effect on bond strength (p<0.05), with the highest bond strength detected in the NaOCl+Asc Group (148.22 ± 51.64) and the lowest in the NaOCl Group (112.84 ± 43.12). Scotchbond Universal exhibited the highest bond strength values (163.59 ± 49.94); however, there were no significant differences between the other adhesive systems (p> 0.05). Application of ascorbic acid following sodium hypochlorite treatment can improve dentin bond strength.

EXPLANT STERILIZATION AND IN VITRO CULTURE OF PURPLE SWEET POTATO TO OPTIMIZE NORMAL SHOOT FORMATION

&lt;p class="abstrakinggris"&gt;Sweet potato (&lt;em&gt;Ipomoea batatas&lt;/em&gt; L.), a tuber-producing plant, is a functional food that produces carbohydrates while meeting nutritional needs. Propagation of sweet potato through tissue culture is often hampered in the initial culture due to contamination. The study aimed to optimize sterilization of explants and growth of &lt;em&gt;in vitro&lt;/em&gt; culture of purple sweet potato. Tubers of purple sweet potato cv. Antin 2 were &lt;em&gt;ex vitro&lt;/em&gt; cultured through a semi-immersion system to produce shoots. The shoots as explants were sterilized with alcohol, fungicide, and sodium hypochlorite (P1); alcohol and sodium hypochlorite (P2); sodium hypochlorite (P3), and washed on sterile distilled water as control (C). The explants were then cultured on MS solid medium in tubes and jars. Growth and multiplication of shoots were carried out on MS solid medium added with cytokinins (BA and kinetin) at different concentrations. The results showed that the best sterilization method was obtained in the sodium hypochlorite (P3) and alcohol-sodium hypochlorite (P2) treatments, with sterile shoots reaching 100%. Planting the explants in jars gave higher normal shoot formation (85–100%) than that in tubes (12.5–48%). The use of kinetin at 0.5–1 mg L&lt;sup&gt;-1&lt;/sup&gt; gave good shoot vigor. The best axillary shoot multiplication was found on media with 0.5 mg L&lt;sup&gt;-1&lt;/sup&gt; BA. Growing explants on the semi-immersion system and sodium hypochlorite sterilization produced the highest sterile ones, whereas culturing three explants promotes normal growth straight after sterilization.&lt;/p&gt;

Comparative analysis of the in-vitro effects of various sterilization techniques and different disinfectants on the micropropagation of explants of Asparagus Racemosus

Asparagus racemosus belongs to the Asparagaceae family and the Asparagus genus is an endangered plant species that have been listed in the red data book. For the conventional breeding of the Asparagus racemosus, its tubers are used whichpossess a wide range of antioxidants, leading to the wastage of highly oxidative tuber roots. Using the in-vitro propagation method we can propagate Asparagus racemosus using its nodal explants successfully only in a contamination-free environment. The sources of contamination can be present in the media or associated with the explantswhich need to be eradicated using various sterilization techniques and disinfectants. This paper presents two different sterilization techniques and treatment of disinfectant Sodium hypochlorite used to sterilize the media and the explants. The media was sterilized using an autoclave and microwave oven with the treatment of explant with sterilizing agent sodium hypochlorite in three concentrations of 5%, 10%, and 15% for 5 min. The nodal explants were cultured in MS basal medium supplemented with 30g sucrose, as a carbon source and 7g agar, as a gelling agent. The temperatureinside the growth chamber was maintained at 24±2°C with a photoperiod of 16 h daylight and 8 h dark.