ABSTRACT
Produce Surfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 412 18.2.8 Effects of ClO2 Gas Treatment on Quality of Produce . . . 414
18.3 Ozone Gas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 414 18.3.1 Properties of Ozone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 414 18.3.2 Potential Applications of Ozone in the Food Industry . . . . 415 18.3.3 Generation of Ozone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 415 18.3.4 Treatment Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 416 18.3.5 Mechanisms of Inactivation of Microbes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 417 18.3.6 Factors Influencing Sanitation Treatment by Ozone Gas 417 18.3.7 Efficacy in Reducing Foodborne Microorganisms on
Produce Surfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 418 18.3.8 Effects of Ozone Gas Treatments on Quality of Fruits
and Vegetables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 421 18.4 Allyl Isothiocyanate Gas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 422
18.4.1 Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 422 18.4.2 Mechanisms and Factors Influencing Sanitation
Treatment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 422
18.4.3 Efficacy in Reducing Foodborne Pathogens on Produce Surfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 422
18.4.4 Effects of AITC Vapor Treatment on Quality of Fruits and Vegetables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 422
18.5 Other Gases/Vapors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 423 18.5.1 Hydrogen Peroxide Vapor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 423 18.5.2 Acetic Acid Vapor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 424 18.5.3 Other Natural Plant Volatiles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 425
18.6 Present and Future Applications of Gaseous/Vapor-Phase Antimicrobials for Decontamination of Fresh Produce . . . . . . . . . . . . 426
18.7 Regulatory Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 427 References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 428
Since the 1950s chemical gases, such as ethylene oxide, propylene oxide, formaldehyde, and b-propiolactone, have been used to sterilize medical products and biological preparations that are not compatible with heat or radiation sterilization. In the 1980s sterilization of these products using chemical gases, such as chlorine dioxide (ClO2), ozone, and hydrogen peroxide vapor or plasma, emerged as a new technology [1-4]. For the purpose of this chapter, the gaseous form is considered as the direct application of the gas phase. The vapor form is considered as the application of a vaporized chemical from a liquid starting material.
