Project Number: 1935-41420-011-04
Project Type: Nonfunded Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Nov 01, 2005
End Date: Dec 31, 2009

Objective:
1. Evaluate the effect of hot water and chlorine dioxide gas surface pasteurization processes, developed at ERRC, on microbial and sensory qualities, and shelf life extension of fresh-cut cantaloupe melons. 2. Validate and optimize hot water and chlorine dioxide gas surface pasteurization processes using the ERRC dip tank (hot water) and fumigation conditions (chlorine dioxide gas) under commercial production conditions at Del Monte¿s processing facility.

Approach:
Research will be conducted to determine the effect of hot water and chlorine dioxide gas surface pasteurization processes on microbiological and sensory qualities and shelf-life extension of fresh-cut cantaloupe melons. Our initial results indicate that more than 5 log CFU/cm2 reductions in Salmonella Poona populations on whole cantaloupe surfaces can be achieved following exposure to chlorine dioxide gas for six hours or hot water immersion of whole melons at 76C for 3 min. Also, these commercial-scale treatments of whole melons were not detrimental to the quality of fresh-cut pieces prepared from the treated melons, and resulted in an extension of shelf-life in excess of seven days. These treatments will be compared with chlorine wash treatment as point of reference. Large-scale produce decontamination trials will be conducted in the Biosafety Level 2 (BSL-2) Pilot Plant using an ERRC designed commercial-scale dip tank and fumigation chamber. Such research will provide critical information needed to establish the utility of hot water and chlorine dioxide gas surface pasteurization treatments as a produce sanitizer. Additional research will be conducted at Del Monte¿s fresh-cut production facility to validate the hot water and chlorine dioxide gas surface pasteurization processes under commercial-production conditions using the equipment and conditions developed for this purpose at ERRC. A full description of the research approach is attached as Appendix A, Effect of hot water and chlorine dioxide gas surface pasteurization treatments of whole cantaloupe on microbiological and sensory qualities, and shelf-life extension of fresh-cut cantaloupe melons.