Eficiência do uso de água ozonizada e hipoclorito de sódio no controle da microbiota da superfície de vegetais

Abstract

Sanitizing foods consumed in their natural state is essential to prevent diseases transmitted by them. Common symptoms, such as diarrhea and infections, can frequently affect the population. Microbiological analyses are necessary to ensure their safety and to meet the quality standards established by health authorities. The main objective of this research was to evaluate the effectiveness and compare the sanitization methods of ozonated water and sodium hypochlorite in sanitizing strawberries and lettuce and in disinfecting water. The efficiency of the two methods was compared through microbiological analyses. Initially, the ozonation method and treatment with sodium hypochlorite under water containing a specific concentration of E. coli were applied to determine whether the treatments would be effective in eliminating microorganisms present in the water. In the first stage, ozonation of the water for 20 minutes resulted in a significant reduction in the microorganism count, equivalent to 6.28 log10 cycles; in 10 minutes, the reduction was 4.16 log10 cycles. Sodium hypochlorite eliminated 6.23 log10 cycles of E. coli in 10 minutes. In the second stage, the sanitization of strawberries, sodium hypochlorite showed a reduction of 1.0 log10 cycle, on the other hand, the strawberry treated with ozonated water reduced 0.54 log10 cycles. Regarding the sanitization performed on lettuce with ozonated water for 20 min and sodium hypochlorite for 10 min, it was possible to obtain a reduction of 2.36 log10 cycles and 3.38 log10 cycles, respectively. It is concluded that sodium hypochlorite is more effective in disinfecting vegetables in domestic environments, since it performs the same sanitization, but with a shorter contact time. However, it is necessary to highlight the need for further studies to improve the methods of disinfection with ozone and to develop equipment with greater control over the parameters of use.