Fresh produce has been implicated in a number of outbreaks of foodborne illnesses caused by human pathogenic bacteria. Intervention technologies are needed to reduce the risk of pathogen contamination. Gaseous antimicrobials offer advantages to aqueous chemical sanitizers as gases and are more effective in reaching sites such as crevices, stomata, or cracks that pathogens may hide in. Recent studies suggest that essential oils and their active components when used as a vapor reduced populations of E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella spp. and many other bacteria, suggesting a potential for their use on fresh fruits and vegetables to enhance microbial safety. Low volatility of some essential oils, toxicity, damage to product quality, and odor as limiting factors for commercial application will be discussed. A case study using gaseous cinnamon, oregano, and mustard essential oils, cinnamaldehyde, carvacrol, and allyl isothiocyanate to inactivate Salmonella on tomatoes will be presented.

Use of gaseous essential oils to control foodborne human pathogenic bacteria on fresh produce

244th National Meeting (2012)

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