Efficacy of Sanitizers in Reducing Salmonella on Pecan Nutmeats during Cracking and Shelling

Abstract

Studies were done to evaluate the efficacy of chlorine (200 to 1,000 μg/ml), lactic acid (0.5 to 2%), levulinic acid (0.5 to 2%), sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS, 0.05%), lactic acid plus SDS, levulinic acid plus SDS, and a mixed peroxyacid sanitizer (Tsunami 200, 40 and 80 μg/ml) in killing Salmonella on or in immersion- and on surface-inoculated pecan nutmeats (U.S. Department of Agriculture medium pieces and mammoth halves). The addition of SDS to treatment solutions containing lactic acid or levulinic acid resulted in generally higher reductions of Salmonella, but differences in these reductions were not always significant. Lactic and levulinic acids (2%) containing SDS (0.05%) were equivalent in killing Salmonella on immersion-inoculated nutmeats. Tsunami 200 (40 μg/ml) was less lethal or equivalent to 1 or 2% lactic and levulinic acids, with or without 0.05% SDS. Reductions did not exceed 1.1 log CFU/g of immersion-inoculated pieces and halves, regardless of sanitizer concentration or treatment time (up to 20 min). Reductions on surface-inoculated pieces and halves were 0.7 to 2.6 log CFU/g and 1.2 to 3.0 log CFU/g, respectively. Treatment with 2% lactic acid plus SDS (0.05%) and Tsunami (80 μg/ml) was most effective in killing Salmonella on surface-inoculated pieces; treatment of halves with chlorine (1,000 μg/ml) or lactic acid (1 or 2%), with or without SDS, was most efficacious. Exposure of immersion-inoculated pecan pieces to chlorine (200 μg/ml), lactic acid (2%) and levulinic acid (2%) with or without SDS, and Tsunami (80 μg/ml) during intermittent vacuum (18 ± 2 mbar) and ambient atmospheric pressure treatments for up to 20 min reduced Salmonella by only 0.1 to 1.0 log CFU/g. These studies emphasize the importance of preventing contamination of pecan nutmeats with Salmonella. Once nuts are contaminated, the lethality of sanitizers tested in this study is minimal.

MoWa: A Disinfectant for Hospital Surfaces Contaminated With Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Other Nosocomial Pathogens

“…The temperature should not represent a factor whether MoWa is utilized in hospital environments where the ambient temperature should be around 20°C but certainly not below 10°C. A similar formulation of LA and SDS has been used overall to disinfect bacteria contaminating pecans ( Beuchat et al., 2012 ; Beuchat et al., 2013 ), cantaloupes ( Webb et al., 2013 ), or beef cheek meat ( Schmidt et al., 2014 ) and from food slicers ( Chen et al., 2014 ). Besides environmental contamination, LA/SDS removed biofilms made by oral streptococci ( Wang et al., 2012 ).…”

“…The efficacy was similarly observed in pure cultures, or when strains were spiked on different surfaces or food items ( Zhao et al., 2011 ; Chen et al., 2014 ). A similar formulation of LA- and SDS-disinfected bacteria from produce such as pecans ( Beuchat et al., 2012 ; Beuchat et al., 2013 ), cantaloupes ( Webb et al., 2013 ), or those contaminating beef cheek meat ( Schmidt et al., 2014 ) and eradicated bacteria from food slicers ( Chen et al., 2014 ). However, the same LA/SDS solution was ineffective to eradicate parasites, such as Cryptosporidium parvum and Encephalitozoon intestinalis ( Ortega et al., 2011 ).…”

Recent and the Latest Developments in Rapid and Efficient Detection of Salmonella in Food and Water

“…About 95% of NTS infections are caused by ingestion of contaminated food and water [7]. Although the mortality of Salmonella gastroenteritis is lower than 1%, severe illness may occur among infants, the elderly, and the immune-compromised individuals.…”