Electrolyzed water zaps food pathogens

The EO water generator, right, was used to test the effectiveness of electrolyzed water as a means of cleaning produce

By Environmental News Network staff

Your mother always told you never to use the hair dryer while you are in the bathtub or touch the light socket with wet hands. And she was right.

But mixing water with electricity does have its uses -- uses that can preserve your health rather than threaten it.

A University of Georgia researcher found that rinsing fresh produce, poultry and eggs with electrolyzed water -- made by applying an electrical current to a very dilute saltwater solution -- is a very effective way to kill food-borne bacteria such as salmonella, E. coli and listeria.

Using electrolyzed water to disinfect foods appears to be more potent than common methods that use heat or chlorinated water, according to the research.

Yen-Con Hung, a professor of food science and technology at UGA, conducted the study. He presented his results last week at the 220th meeting of the American Chemical Society.

Hung showed in earlier studies that soaking utensils, plates, cups, cutting boards and food processing equipment in electrolyzed water can eliminate bacteria from these surfaces. The current research is the first to indicate the solution's effectiveness in disinfecting foods.

While killing bacteria has obvious health advantages, tests also show that using electrolyzed water does not affect the quality of the foods as heat does.

Participants in the study were asked to assess produce that was treated with electrolyzed water. They found "there was no significant effect of the treatment on the quality," Hung said. The group was "unable to find any differences in color, appearance or smell" between produce washed with electrolyzed water and produce washed with tap water.

Yen-Con Hung is a professor of food science and technology at the Center for Food Safety and Quality Enhancement of the University of Georgia

So far, Hung has completed research that demonstrates the cleaning abilities of electrolyzed water for poultry, eggs, lettuce and apples. He also plans to conduct tests with Brussels sprouts, strawberries and broccoli.

"I also want to find out what are the most important properties that make electrolyzed water so effective," he said.

Electrolyzed water is highly acidic, contains chlorine and has high oxidation potential. This chemical combination holds the key to its effectiveness, said Hung, and he wants to determine the exact role of each component.

"We think it is the high oxidation potential of the electrolyzed water that cause the damage of cell membranes," he said.

The chemical process of oxidation occurs when oxygen comes into contact with other compounds, causing them to lose electrons, which in turn causes the compound to break down and change functions. In the case of food pathogens, oxidation would damage the cell membrane, creating a disruption in a cell's metabolic process and essentially killing it.

Devices for electrolyzing water could be adapted to household and industrial use, according to Hung. He envisions a compact machine smaller than a microwave that can be set up in the average kitchen. The electrolyzed water could be used to rinse foods right as it pours out from the unit.

Much larger versions of the same machine would be used for the food services industry, including food processing plants and grocery stores.

Federal regulatory approval will be required before these machines will be available. Some Japanese companies already manufacture equipment for making electrolyzed water that can be used to treat foods. Two such businesses have registered the technology with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for approval as a sanitizing rinse.

Copyright 2000, Environmental News Network, All Rights Reserved

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University of Georgia
   •food science and technology
   •Yen-Con Hung
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
   •salmonella
   •E. coli
   •listeria
American Chemical Society
Journal of Food Science
Information about a study about disinfecting properties of electrolyzed water
Amano

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