This study aims to establish a practical procedure of fresh-cut cabbage disinfection with electrolyzed acidic water. The ratio of fresh-cut cabbage weight to treatment water volume and treatment duration were compared between electrolyzed acidic water and sodium hypochlorite solution as a conventional disinfectant to define the conditions of equal bactericidal effects. The time-dependent change in trihalomethane content was measured with fresh-cut cabbage treated with electrolyzed acidic water or sod ium hypochlorite solution. The sodium hypochlorite solution treatment resulted in constant detection of approximately 0.05mg/kg of chloroform throughout the 72-hour storage, but no trihalomethanes were detected even immediately after the electrolyzed aci dic water treatment. In the sensory evaluation, more than half of the thirty panelists detected abnormality in the odor and taste of cabbage immediately following the sodium hypochlorite solution treatment, whereas not more than one panelist detected abn ormality even immediately after the electrolyzed acidic water treatment. After 60 -minute storage following the sodium hypochlorite solution treatment, not more than two panelists detected abnormality in the odor and taste. This clearly indicates that ab normality in odor or taste is not detectable even in presence of residual trihalomethanes. Electrolyzed acidic water can provide an effective treatment without producing trihalomethanes or causing detectable abnormality in odor or taste even if used on f oods to be immediately supplied to consumers.
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