LAUSR

Fresh produce is frequently associated with outbreaks of foodborne diseases, thus, there is a need to develop effective intervention technologies and antimicrobial treatments to improve the microbial safety of fresh produce. Washing with chemical sanitizers, commonly used by the industry, is limited in its effectiveness and is viewed as a possible cross-contamination opportunity. This article discuses advanced oxidation process (AOP), which involves generating highly reactive hydroxyl radicals to inactivate human pathogens. Ionizing irradiation, ultraviolet light (UV), and cold plasma can be regarded as AOP; however, AOPs employing combinations of UV, H2O2, cold plasma, and ozone may be more promising as higher amounts of hydroxyl radicals are produced compared with the individual treatments, and the combinative AOPs may be more consumer friendly than ionizing irradiation. When applied as a gaseous/aerosolized treatment, AOPs may have advantages over immersion treatments, considering the reactivity of hydroxyl radicals and presence of organic materials in wash water. Gaseous/aerosolized AOPs achieve up to 5 log reductions of pathogenic bacteria on fresh produce compared to reductions of 1-2 logs with aqueous sanitizers. Further research needs to be conducted on specific AOPs before being considered for commercialization, such as reduced formation of undesirable chemical byproducts, impact on quality, as well as scaled up studies.