MICROBIAL DECONTAMINATION OF FOOD USING AQUEOUS OZONE

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The extent of microbial contamination of food and development of methods to control foodborne pathogens have been the targets of increasing public concern and regulatory control. The proposed work will evaluate the feasibility of using aqueous ozone, produced using a novel, high concentration electrochemical method, for the reduction of pathogenic bacteria from food surfaces using fresh beef surface tissue as a model. Significant amounts of Escherichia Coli 0157:H7 and Salmonella typhimurium remain on beef carcasses after processing and can contaminate ground beef or processed beef products. Ozone has been demonstrated to be an effective reagent to reduce numbers of microbes that contaminate food surfaces. This disinfectant is a powerful oxidizing agent which has recently been given GRAS status for use in food processing and because it readily decomposes into oxygen, there are no chemical residues that could contaminate the food product or the environment. In phase I, the optimal delivery of ozone to meat surfaces inoculated with E. Coli and Salmonella will be developed and evaluated microbiologically. Phase II will involve construction of an ozone rinse cabinet, on-site evaluation of diverse foods in a processing facility and incorporation into the existing HACCP program at that site. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS: It is envisaged that the electrochemically-generated ozone food rinse cabinet will be designed to be utilized at food processing facilities without significant modifications of existing equipment. This environmentally friendly rinse system will l) reduce risk associated with consumption of food susceptible to pathogenic surface contamination, 2) be automated, easily operated and inexpensively incorporated into conventional facilities and 3) allow for control of existing, unidentified or emerging pathogens (i.e. B. Coli 0l57:H7, Salmonella, Listeria, Camphylobacter, antibiotic-resistant bacteria, Cryptosporidium, Hepatitis A virus).