Decontamination of Microorganisms and Pesticides from Fresh Fruits and Vegetables: A Comprehensive Review from Common Household Processes to Modern Techniques

Fresh fruits and vegetables are a rich source of micronutrients. However, many foodborne illnesses have been linked to the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables as they are reported to harbor contaminants such as microorganisms and pesticides. Recently reported foodborne outbreaks have been linked to a diverse group of fruits and vegetables due to the presence of various pathogens including Salmonella, Escherichia coli, and Listeria monocytogenes. Also, the increased use of pesticides has resulted in the deposition of chemical residues on the surface of fruits and vegetables, which has led to the adverse health conditions such as cancer, birth defects, and neurodevelopmental disorders. Fresh commodities are subjected to various treatments to prevent or minimize these outbreaks, and the main targets of such treatments have been the elimination of pathogens and degradation of toxic chemical residues. Here, we have discussed various decontamination methods including simple household washing, chemical treatments, and modern technologies with their mode of action for microbial and pesticide removal. The simple household processes are not very effective in the removal of pathogenic organisms and pesticides. The use of modern techniques like cold plasma, ozone, high hydrostatic pressure, and so on, showed better efficacy in the removal of microorganisms and pesticides. However, their industrial use is limited considering high installation and maintenance cost. In this review, we suggest combined methods based on their mode of decontamination and suitability for a selected fruit or vegetable for effective decontamination of microbes and pesticide together to reduce the treatment cost and enhance food safety.