Electrostatic Spray of Food-Grade Organic Acids and Plant Extract to Reduce Escherichia coli O157:H7 on Fresh-Cut Cantaloupe Cubes

The objective of the study was to determine the effects of organic acids and plant extract alone and in combination when applied by electrostatic spraying on Escherichia coli O157:H7-inoculated cantaloupe cubes. Inoculated cubes were sprayed with malic (M) and lactic (L) acids and grape seed extract at different concentrations (alone and various combinations) then stored at 4C. Under optimized concentrations, ML 2% was able to reduce E.coli O157:H7 by 1.9 logs after 12days of storage and was significantly different from the controls (P<0.05). Increasing the concentration of M (4%) alone and in combination with L (2%) caused an increase in log reduction (4.6 logs). These treatments can be used as alternatives to commercial sanitizers in order to improve the safety of fresh-cut cantaloupe cubes. Multiple hurdle technology of electrostatic sprayer combined with natural antimicrobials can be effective in improving the safety of food. Practical Application Electrostatic sprayer is a technology that can be used to enhance the effectiveness of antimicrobials. Organic acids and plant extracts can be used as antimicrobials to efficiently reduce contaminated cantaloupe cubes when combined with electrostatic sprayer. This multiple hurdle technology can be used in different food industry settings.