Investigation of handling practices for fresh produce and the efficacy of commercially available produce washes on removal of pathogens and natural microflora on whole cantaloupe surfaces

The objectives of our study were to collect descriptive data of handling practices for fresh produce and to evaluate the efficacy of commercially available washes for reducing pathogens and natural microflora on whole cantaloupes. A total of 51 people answered a produce handling survey. Information from the survey was used to develop two experiments. In one experiment, cantaloupes were washed with water (control), 9% vinegar solution, or a commercial antimicrobial for fruit and vegetables (CAFVT) for 2 min by using a continuous water motion system. Cantaloupe surfaces were tested on day 0 for initial aerobic plate counts (APC); then wedges or cubes in refrigeration storage were tested on days 1, 3, and 6 for APC. In a second experiment, Salmonella spp. (8.54 log(10) CFU/ml) or Listeria monocytogenes (8.52 log(10) CFU/ml) inoculated cantaloupes were washed with cold tap water (control) or a commercial produce wash (CPW) for 30, 60, or 120 s. APC populations for surfaces of untreated and cantaloupes treated with water, 9% vinegar solution, or CAFVT were 3.88, 3.39, 3.01, and 2.98 log(10) CFU/cm(2), respectively. Cubes from treated cantaloupes reached populations between 6.2 and 8 log(10) CFU/g on day 6 of storage, while populations of wedges from treated cantaloupes reached populations between 5.2 and 7.6 log(10) CFU/g on day 6 of storage. The CPW was capable of reducing ca. 1.26 and 1.12 log(10) CFU/cm(2) of Salmonella spp. and L. monocytogenes populations, respectively, on the surface of cantaloupes. Pathogenic populations for residual wash water were reduced below the detection limit of 1.95 log(10) CFU/ml. (c) 2016 Published by Elsevier Ltd.