Effectiveness of a low-cost household electrolyzed water generator in reducing the populations of Escherichia coli K12 on inoculated beef, chevon, and pork surfaces

Acidic and alkaline electrolyzed water (EW) were investigated for their bactericidal effects when sprayed on the surface of beef, chevon (goat meat), and pork inoculated with Escherichia coli K12. Inoculated meat samples were subjected to different treatment times ranging from 2 to 12min and enumerated on tryptic soy agar to determine the effective log reductions of microbial populations. Acidic EW treated beef, chevon, and pork samples resulted in the highest log reductions of approximately 1.16 (4min), 1.22 (12min), and 1.30 log(10) CFU/mL (10min), respectively; and alkaline EW treatments resulted in 1.61, 0.96, and 1.52 log(10) CFU/mL reductions at 12min treatment, respectively. In general, no significant difference in bacterial reduction (p>.05) among the different types of meat was observed. Experimental data were used to fit two microbial reduction models. The Weibull model best described E. coli reduction from meat surfaces. Practical applicationsFoodborne microorganisms are responsible for a large number of outbreaks and foodborne illnesses. Several conventional methods such as heat and chemicals have been used for many years to ensure the safety of food. Meat is the most consumed food as a source of protein. Since meat is usually marketed raw, chlorine-based washing technologies are commonly preferred for surface decontamination. However, these technologies may leave some chemical residues in meat that might alter its color, flavor, and texture. Electrolyzed oxidizing water is an alternative nonthermal technology that has been used in recent years to improve the safety of food products. This study thus focuses on determining the efficacy of acidic and alkaline electrolyzed water in inactivating Escherichia coli on beef, chevon, and pork surfaces.