Application of electrolyzed water on reducing the microbial populations on commercial mung bean sprouts

The efficacy of acidic electrolyzed water (AEW) for reducing total bacteria, coliforms, yeast and mold counts on commercial mung bean sprouts was investigated. The impact of pH, available chlorine concentration (ACC) and the cleaning method on antimicrobial efficacy of AEW was studied. AEW with a pH of 4.47 reduced the total bacterial, coliform, and yeast and mold counts on mung bean sprouts by 1.23, 1.42 and 1.25 log CFU/g, respectively. The efficacy of AEW increased with increasing ACC, and further studies showed that its antimicrobial ability was based on a combination of pH and ACC values. Cleaning using ultrasonic waves enhanced the antimicrobial activity of electrolyzed water, achieving reduction of 2.46, 2.13 and 2.92 log CFU/g for total bacterial, yeast and mold, and coliform counts, respectively. These results have indicated that using ultrasonic waves as a cleaning method, combined with AEW, could be a promising way to reduce the microbial populations on mung bean sprouts.