Shining a Light on Food Safety

ARS researchers are helping to make our produce safer to eat. Researchers in Wyndmoor, PA., are working to combat potential E-coli risks that can occur when consuming postharvest Romaine lettuce. While the produce industry employs chlorine-based chemical sanitizer washes to reduce contamination, safer and more effective methods are needed.

ARS researchers have developed a new method that uses a very short 10-second pulsed light treatment, followed by 2-minute wash in an antimicrobial solution, which contains organic acid and a natural antibiotic, a type of antimicrobial peptide, to inhibit bacterial growth. This combination can kill over 99.999% pathogenic E-coli in Romaine lettuce. Additionally, this method has been found to prevent resurgence of bacterial growth without deteriorating the quality of the lettuce – even after 7 days of refrigerated storage. This innovative treatment holds promise as a valuable tool for producers and processors of fresh and fresh-cut fruits and vegetables.