Book description
Attempts to provide safer and higher quality fresh and minimally
processed produce have given rise to a wide variety of decontamination
methods, each of which have been extensively researched in recent years.
Decontamination of Fresh and Minimally
Processed Produce
is the first book to provide a systematic view of the different types
of decontaminants for fresh and minimally processed produce. By
describing the different effects - microbiological, sensory, nutritional
and toxicological - of decontamination treatments, a team of
internationally respected authors reveals not only the impact of
decontaminants on food safety, but also on microbial spoilage, vegetable
physiology, sensory quality, nutritional and phytochemical content and
shelf-life. Regulatory and toxicological issues are also
addressed.
The book first examines how produce becomes contaminated,
the surface characteristics of produce related to bacterial
attachment, biofilm formation and resistance, and sublethal damage and
its implications for decontamination. After reviewing how produce is
washed and minimally processed, the various decontamination methods
are then explored in depth, in terms of definition, generation
devices, microbial inactivation mechanisms, and effects on food
safety. Decontaminants covered include: chlorine, electrolyzed
oxidizing water, chlorine dioxide, ozone, hydrogen peroxide,
peroxyacetic acid, essential oils and edible films and coatings. Other
decontamination methods addressed are biological strategies
(bacteriophages, protective cultures, bacteriocins and quorum sensing)
and physical methods (mild heat, continuous UV light, ionizing
radiation) and various combinations of these methods through hurdle
technology. The book concludes with descriptions of
post-decontamination methods related to storage, such as modified
atmosphere packaging, the cold chain, and modeling tools for
predicting microbial growth and inactivation.
The many methods and effects of decontamination are detailed,
enabling industry professionals to understand the available
state-of-the-art methods and select the most suitable approach for
their purposes. The book serves as a compendium of information for
food researchers and students of pre- and postharvest technology, food
microbiology and food technology in general. The structure of the book
allows easy comparisons among methods, and searching information by
microorganism, produce, and quality traits.
Dr. Vicente M. Gómez-López
is a Senior Researcher at the Centro de Edafología y Biología Aplicada
del Segura (CEBAS-CSIC, Murcia, Spain) and a former Associate Professor
at the Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de Alimentos, Facultad de
Ciencias, Universidad Central de Venezuela
