Acids in combination with sodium dodecyl sulfate caused quality deterioration of fresh-cut iceberg lettuce during storage in modified atmosphere package

J Food Sci. 2010 Oct;75(8):S435-40. doi: 10.1111/j.1750-3841.2010.01786.x. Epub 2010 Sep 20.

Abstract

Recent studies showed that sodium acid sulfate (SAS) and levulinic acid (LA) in combination with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) was effective in inactivating human pathogens on Romaine lettuce. The present study investigated the effects of LA and SAS in combination with SDS (as compared with citric acid and chlorine) on the inactivation of E. coli O157:H7 and sensory quality of fresh-cut Iceberg lettuce in modified atmosphere packages during storage at 4 °C. Results showed that LA (0.5% to 3%) and SAS (0.25% to 0.75%) with 0.05% SDS caused detrimental effects on visual quality and texture of lettuce. LA- and SAS-treated samples were sensorially unacceptable due to development of sogginess and softening after 7 and 14 d storage. It appears that the combined treatments caused an increase in the respiration rate of fresh-cut lettuce as indicated by higher CO(2) and lower O(2) in modified atmosphere packages. On the positive side, the acid treatments inhibited cut edge browning of lettuce pieces developed during storage. LA (0.5%), SAS (0.25%), and citric acid (approximately 0.25%) in combination with SDS reduced population of E. coli OH157:H7 by 0.41, 0.87, and 0.58 log CFU/g, respectively, while chlorine achieved a reduction of 0.94 log CFU/g without damage to the lettuce. Therefore, compared to chlorine, LA and SAS in combination with SDS have limited commercial value for fresh-cut Iceberg lettuce due to quality deterioration during storage.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Carbonic Acid / analysis
  • Chemical Phenomena
  • Colony Count, Microbial
  • Color
  • Escherichia coli O157 / drug effects
  • Escherichia coli O157 / growth & development
  • Fast Foods / analysis
  • Fast Foods / microbiology
  • Food Handling
  • Food Packaging
  • Food Preservatives / adverse effects*
  • Food Preservatives / chemistry
  • Food Preservatives / pharmacology
  • Humans
  • Lactuca / chemistry*
  • Lactuca / microbiology*
  • Levulinic Acids / adverse effects*
  • Levulinic Acids / chemistry
  • Levulinic Acids / pharmacology
  • Microbial Viability
  • Oxygen / analysis
  • Plant Leaves / chemistry
  • Plant Leaves / microbiology
  • Quality Control
  • Sensation
  • Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate / adverse effects*
  • Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate / chemistry
  • Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate / pharmacology
  • Sulfates / adverse effects*
  • Sulfates / chemistry
  • Sulfates / pharmacology

Substances

  • Food Preservatives
  • Levulinic Acids
  • Sulfates
  • sodium sulfate
  • Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate
  • Carbonic Acid
  • levulinic acid
  • Oxygen