Hypochlorous Acid Research by Microbe - Results Type: All Microbe: Total Microbial Count

Hypochlorous acid (HOCl), a naturally occurring molecule produced by the immune system, is highly active against bacterial, viral, and fungal microorganisms. Moreover, HOCl is active against biofilm and increases oxygenation of the wound site to improve healing. Natural HOCl is unstable through technology, it can be stabilized into an effective topical antiseptic agent. This paper focuses on the of topical stabilized HOCl in wound and scar management for pre, peri, and postproceduresincluding its ability to reduce the occurrence hypertrophic scars and keloids. The role of the product in other skin conditions is beyond the scope of this article. A panel comprising clinicians with experience in cosmetic and surgical procedures met late 2018 to discuss literature search results and their own current clinical experience regarding topical stabilized HOCl. The panel of key opinion leaders in dermatology and plastic surgery defined key insights and consensus statements on the direction of for the product. Topical stabilized HOCl provides an optimal wound healing environment and, when combined with silicone, may be ideal for reducing scarring. Additionally, in contrast to chlorhexidine, HOCl, used as an antiseptic skin preparation, raises no concerns of ocular or ototoxicity. For wound care and scar management, topical stabilized HOCl conveys powerful microbicidal and antibiofilm properties, in addition to potency as a topical wound healing agent. It may offer physicians an alternative to other less desirable wound care measures.

Managing cavity wounds that cannot be cleaned using standard irrigating solution is challenging. An immunocompromised patient with a horseshoe perianal abscess was infection in wound cavities.

Leaving the abdominal cavity open is a well-described and frequently utilized technique in the treatment of severe intra-abdominal sepsis. Irrigation through a negative pressure wound therapy device is a technique employed to assist in the closure of wounds as well as the reduction of bacterial contamination. Furthermore, hypochlorous acid has been found to be safe and effective in microorganismal elimination from extremity wounds. There is no literature regarding the infusion of hypochlorous solution into the abdominal cavity for intra-abdominal sepsis or mucopurulent abscesses or biofilm. Objectives: A 47-year-old man with granulomatosis polyangiitis was started on weekly rituximab. After 4 infusions, skin sloughing, ultimately diagnosed as toxic epidermal necrolysis, developed. During the hospital course, he developed sepsis and bowel perforation necessitating an exploratory laparotomy. The abdomen was left open with a temporary abdominal closure using the Abthera open abdomen negative wound therapy device however, the abdomen remained infected with visually diffuse, thickening mucopurulence despite multiple washouts. Therefore, a VAC Vera-Flo irrigation device was combined with the Abthera open abdomen negative wound therapy device and cyclical irrigation of hypochlorous acid. After 72 hours, the purulence visually was improved and no adverse events were recorded with the placement of intra-abdominal hypochlorous acid. Conclusions: The combination of two medical devices for the intra-abdominal instillation of irrigation is considered off-label from the manufacturers recommendations. In addition, the repeated instillation of hypochlorous acid solution has not been described but was noted to have visually decreased the contaminated effluent within the intra-abdominal fluid.

Electrolyzed water (EW) is known by its bactericidal efficacy and capability to oxidize organic matter. The present research evaluated the efficacy of recently developed electrolytic cells able to generate higher concentration of reactive oxygen species using lower power and salt concentration than conventional cells. This study tested the inactivation of Escherichia coli O157:H7, the organic matter depletion and trihalomethane (THM) generation by EW in process wash water under dynamic conditions. To achieve this, clean tap water was continuously added up to 60 min with artificial process water with high chemical oxygen demand (COD) inoculated with E. coli O157:H7, in experiments performed in a pilot plant that recirculated water through one electrolytic cell. Plate counts of E. coli O157:H7, COD, THMs, free, combined and total chlorine, pH, temperature and oxidation-reduction potential were determined. Results indicate that the novel electrolysis system combined with minimal addition of NaCl (0.05) was able to suppress E. coli O157:H7 population build-up and decreased the COD accumulation in the process wash water. THM levels in the water were relatively high but its concentration in the washed product was marginal. Highly effective electrolysis has been proven to reduce the occurrence of foodborne diseases associated to cross-contamination in produce washers without having an accumulation of THMs in the washed product.

Squid is considered as a healthy food by consumers becaof its high nutritive value. However, it is easily decay caused by microbial contamination. This study aimed to investigate the effect of slightly acidic electrolyzed water ice (SAEW-ice) on preservation of squid. Five groups (untreated with ice (A), squid placed on the tap water (TW) ice (B) or SAEW ice (C), squid placed in the TW ice layers (D) or SAEW ice layers (E)) were conducted to evaluate the changes of sensory properties, microbial loads, pH value, peroxide value (POV), thiobarbituric acid (TBA) and total volatile basic nitrogen (TVBN) contents during the shelf life tests. The results showed that SAEW-ice was more efficient at maintaining the squid quality during storage than TW-ice. The total bacterial counts were significantly reduced by 1.46 0.10 log10 CFU/g treated by SAEW-ice and maintained relatively slow microbial growth during storage. It was also observed that SAEW-ice treatment delayed the appearance of browning and softening. Furthermore, SAEW-ice treatment also inhibited the increase of POV and maintained relatively low TBA and TVBN contents. These data indicated that SAEW-ice had the potential to ensure the microbial safety and control the quality deterioration of squid during storage, which could be a new approach worthy of further investigation.

Introduction: Wound debridement is considered essential in chronic wound management. Hypochlorous acid has been shown to be an effective agent in reducing wound bacterial counts in open wounds. Ultrasound-enabled wound debridement is an effective and efficient method of debridement. This study compared ultrasound irrigation with hypochlorous acid versus saline irrigation for wound debridement on pre- and postoperative wounds and determined regrowth of bacteria over 1 week period of time. Finally, the outcome of definitive wound closure of the clinically clean-appearing wounds was recorded. Methods: Seventeen consenting adult patients with chronic open wounds were randomly ultrasound versus saline alone.

Objectives/Hypothesis We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of low-concentration hypochlorous acid (HOCl) nasal irrigation compared to isotonic normal saline for pediatric chronic rhinosinusitis. Study Design This was a randomized, prospective, active-controlled study.MethodsThis study investigated the effectiveness of 4 weeks of low-concentration hypochlorous irrigation by analyzing five categorized subjective symptoms and x-ray findings in pediatric patients with rhinosinusitis. Thirty-seven patients were enrolled, and 26 patients successfully completed the study. Results Total symptom scores significantly improved with both HOCl and normal saline nasal irrigation, but there was no difference between the two groups. X-ray scores also improved in both groups improvement was much greater in the HOCl group than the placebo group. Conclusions Nasal irrigation with HOCl is an effective adjuvant treatment compared to isotonic normal saline for pediatric sinusitis.

The objective of this study was to determine the efficacy of electrolyzed oxidizing (EO) water in reducing natural microbiota on radish seed and sprout during seed soaking and sprouting. EO water with different available chlorine concentrations (ACC, 15, 20, 28, 33 and 40 mg/L) and different pH (2.5, 3.5, 4.5, 5.5 and 6.5) were used to soak radish seeds for 12 h and the surviving population of total aerobic bacteria, yeast and mold, and germination rate were determined. On the other hand, EO water with ACC of 30 and 50 mg/L was applied to spray sprouts during seed sprouting and the antimicrobial efficacy of EO water, as well as length, gross weight and dry weight of sprout were evaluated. The results showed that the population of natural microbiota decreased with increasing ACC of EO water, while no significant difference was observed among EO waters with different pH levels that were applied while soaking the seeds. EO water with higher ACC and lower pH slightly reduced the germination percentage of radish seed during seed soaking. EO waters with ACC of 30 and 50 mg/L sprayed during seed sprouting resulted in 1.39 and 1.58 log reductions of total aerobic bacteria, yeast and mold, respectively, and improved the length, gross weight and dry weight of the sprouts. Therefore, EO water with low ACC and near neutral pH could be used to soak seeds and water sprouts throughout seed germination and sprouting to control the population of natural microbiota on seeds and sprouts.

Product decontamination is one of the most important processes of the hygienic practice in food industries such as Minimally Processed Vegetables (MPV) plants and sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) solutions are commonly used as a biocide for disinfection. Although it may be corrosive and irritating when compared to , reducing the free chlorine concentration needed to sanitize salads, also decreasing water consumption whilst taking into account environmental and food quality impacts.

Slightly acidic electrolyzed water (SAEW) spray has been considered as a novel approach for airborne bacteria reduction in animal housing. This study aimed to optimize the operating parameters of SAEW spray based on the size distribution of sprayed aerosols, the available chlorine travelling loss in sprayed aerosols, and the reduction efficiency of airborne culturable bacteria (CB). The optimized operating parameters were the nozzle orifice diameter and the spray pressure. The size distribution 50) 60-90 m) are recommended for SAEW spray in animal housing.

This study was designed to evaluate the efficacy of slightly acidic electrolyzed water (SAEW) to reduce natural microbiota on celery and cilantro at different available chlorine concentrations (ACC), different treatment time and temperatures. Additionally, SAEW treated celery and cilantro were stored at 4 and 20 C for 6 days and population of total aerobic bacteria and yeast and mold were also determined at day 0, 2, 4 and 6, separately. Results showed that log reduction of total aerobic bacteria and yeast and mold significantly increased with increasing ACC and treatment time, respectively (p < 0.05). Celery and cilantro treated with SAEW at 30 mg/L ACC for 5 min and 25 mg/L for 7 min reduced yeast and mold to non-detectable level. No significant difference was observed for disinfection efficacy of SAEW on celery and cilantro at different temperatures (4, 20 and 37 C) (p > 0.05). The microbial population on celery and cilantro maintained at a low level during storage at 4 and 20 C after SAEW treatment (total aerobic bacteria: 3.34.1 log CFU/g, yeast and mold: 2.23.5 log CFU/g). The microbial inactivation effect as well as the absence of any sensory alterations on treated celery and cilantro rendered SAEW a promising disinfectant, which can be applied in fresh produce wash to control natural microbiota.

This paper focused on the effectiveness of electrolyzed water (EW) at different concentrations (5, 25, 50 and 100 mg/L) combined with passive atmosphere packaging on the quality of mushroom. In order to understand the effect of EW on mushrooms, gas composition inside packages, weight loss, pH, whiteness and browning index, texture profile analysis (TPA), cap development, electrolyte leakage and FT-NIR analysis were performed during the twelve days of storage at 4 C. Samples washed with 25 and 50 mg/L EW consumed O2 lower than the other treatments. Mushrooms treated with 25 mg/L EW had a significantly lower electrolyte leakage values than untreated and 5 mg/L treated mushrooms. Mushrooms treated with 25 mg/L EW had the highest whiteness index and lowest browning index. EW treatments at the concentrations of 25 and 50 mg/L maintained the textural parameters and slowed down the weight loss better than other treatments. FT-NIR analysis supported the results obtained by weight loss and electrolyte leakage. In conclusion, the results of this research support the idea that combined of EW treatment and passive modified atmosphere packaging can be used to extend the shelf life of mushrooms.

In order to evaluate slightly acidic electrolyzed water (SAEW) and sodium hypochlorite solution, the washing agents on shelf-life and quality were investigated during 25 days cold storage. The resultsshowed that the specific maximum peak force of lettuce and carrot significantly increased after treated with SAEW, while carrot with sodium hypochlorite solution treatment was not significantly (P > 0.05) increased. Also the shelf-life of lettuce processed with SAEW was prolonged for another 4.5 days. The results indicated that SAEW technology had stronger decontamination ability than sodium hypochlorite with its conveniences.

Three experiments were performed to enumerate the natural microflora on unwashed peaches, known as field peaches, and to determine the efficacy of using acidified electrolyzed water as a topical antimicrobial to remove or reduce the number of the natural microflora or inoculated Listeria innocua from to peach surfaces. During the first experiment, field peaches were divided into four treatment groups: no wash (NW), tap water wash (TW), acidified electrolyzed water wash (AEW), and chlorinated water wash (CL). Peaches were dipped into each of the treatment solutions at ambient temperature and immediately removed (approximately 5 seconds). Peaches were then rinsed in 100 mL of 0.1% peptone and rinsates were plated on aerobic plate count agar for enumeration. For the second experiment, exposure time to the treatment solutions and the temperature of the same treatment solutions were studied. Field peaches were again divided into NW, TW, AEW, and CL but treatments were applied using two exposure times of 5 seconds and 40 minutes at a temperature of 2C (samples were given either a 0 or 40 in their labels to denote exposure time in minutes where 5 second exposures = 0 minutes e.g. TW-0, TW-40, AEW-0, etc.). Rinsing and plating was conducted as mentioned above. Experiment three investigated the efficacy of NW, TW, AEW, and Cl, in reducing numbers of Listeria innocua on peaches that were previously inoculated and held at 4C for 24 hours. Inoculated peaches were dipped in treatment solutions for 5 second and 40 minute times at 2C. Results showed that exposure time had a significant effect on bacterial reduction for both AEW and Cl treatments. Average aerobic counts from all NW peaches was 4.2 log10 CFU/g peach for natural microflora and 4.3 log10 CFU/g peach for samples inoculated with iii Listeria. The following results show the number of bacteria recovered (log10 CFU/g peach) from natural microflora samples and Listeria inoculated samples, respectively: NW = 4.2 and 4.9, TW0 = 3.8 and 4.3, TW-40 = 3.2 and 4.7, AEW-0 = 3.6 and 3.7, AEW-40 = 2.6 and 1.6, CL=0 = 3.7 and 3.7, and CL-40 = 2.3 and 1.9. Greatest reductions were found with AEW-40 and CL-40 at refrigerated temperatures against both aerobic microorganisms and Listeria innocua. They reduced natural microflora counts by approximately 1.6 and 1.9 log10 CFU/g peach, respectively and they also reduced Listeria innocua counts by 3.3 and 3.0 log10 CFU/g peach, respectively. Listeria innocua, like monocytogenes, thrives in cold environments and the analysis of this studys results suggest that Listeria in TW-40 may have reattached to peaches during exposure. Color studies were also performed on the peaches from the preliminary experiment and Experiment 2 to determine the effects of exposing the peaches to low pH environment such as that of the AEW used in this study. Peaches were analyzed for Lab color data prior to their exposure to treatment solutions then they were analyzed again after their treatment concluded and they had air dried until no visible moisture remained. There was no significant color difference shown in any of the peaches when the pre- and post-treatment data was compared. Results from these studies demonstrate that total aerobic microorganisms and Listeria spp. may be reduced, but not eliminated, during washing (by dipping) with AEW or CL with similar reductions for both antimicrobial treatments.

Hospitals are faced with increasingly resistant strains of micro-organisms. When it comes to disinfection, individual parts of electronic equipment of angiology diagnostics such as patient couches of computer tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners prove to be very hard to disinfect. Disinfectants of choice are therefore expected to possess properties such as rapid, residue-free action without any damaging effect on the sensitive electronic equipment. This paper discusses the of the neutral electrolyzed oxidizing water (EOW) as a biocide for the disinfection of diagnostic rooms and equipment.MethodsThe CT and MRI rooms were aerosolized with EOW using aerosolization device. The presence of micro-organisms before and after the aerosolization was recorded with the help of sedimentation and cyclone air sampling. Total body count (TBC) was evaluated in absolute and log values.ResultsThe number of micro-organisms in hospital rooms was low as expected. Nevertheless, a possible TBC reduction between 78.9992.50% or 50.5070.60% in log values was recorded.ConclusionsThe research has shown that the of EOW for the air and hard surface disinfection can considerably reduce the presence of micro-organisms and consequently the possibility of hospital infections. It has also demonstrated that the sedimentation procedure is insufficient for the TBC determination. The of Biocide aerosolization proved to be efficient and safe in all applied ways. Also, no eventual damage to exposed devices or staff was recorded.

This paper discussed the effectiveness of using electrolyzed (EO) water for shelf-life extension for aquatic foods including live shellfish, and for sanitizing water and food contact surfaces. Highlight focused on the effectiveness of EO water on microorganisms and on the different parameters affecting efficacy which includes organic matter, exposure time, temperature, EO water properties, and inactivation of microbes.

The disinfection efficacy of acidic electrolyzed water (AEW) on the fresh-cut vegetables has been recognized. However, the application of AEW in the fresh-keeping of fresh-cut vegetables was limited due to its low pH (<2.7) and higher available chlorine concentration (80200mg/L). In the present study, the microbial reduction and storage qualities of fresh-cut cilantro treated by slightly acidic electrolyzed water (SAEW) were evaluated. The results demonstrated that AEW, mild heat AEW, SAEW and mild heat SAEW treatments could reduce the populations on fresh-cut cilantro at 0 day. However, there were no significant differences among all the treatments during the late storage periods. SAEW and mild heat SAEW treatments could keep the firmness of fresh-cut cilantro and maintain the level of electrolyte leakage in comparison with other treatments. SAEW treatment showed the advantage in keeping the overall quality of fresh-cut cilantro compared with other treatments. SAEW may be a better choice in the storage of fresh-cut cilantro than AEW.

The combined effect of weakly acidic electrolyzed water (WAEW) ice-glazing and modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) treatment on the quality of pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) during frozen storage was investigated in terms of microbiological activity, TVBN, TMA and TBARS content, texture, color and volatile flavor analysis. As a result, significantly (p < 0.05) higher inhibitor effects on total aerobes and Staphylococcus aureus were observed in WAEW ice-glazed shrimp packaged in 40% CO2 + 10% O2 + 50% N2 or in 30% CO2 + 20% O2 + 50% N2 than the water- and WAEW ice-glazed batches. Additionally, chemical analysis results showed that WAEW ice-glazing combined with MAP was highly effective in maintaining lower TVBN, TMA and TBARS values in frozen shrimp, perhaps due to the synergistic effect of antibacterial and antioxidant abilities. On the other hand, the texture, L*, and a* results also confirmed that this combined treatment effectively retarded the degradation of the physical structure of shrimp muscle and showed a positive effect on the stability of color during frozen storage. However, the presence of WAEW ice-glaze showed a negative effect on the volatile flavor of thawed shrimp due to the volatile chlorine and chlorine dioxide, but no significant effect in the cooked samples. Overall, the application of WAEW ice-glazing combined with MAP on peeled frozen shrimp is advisable to achieve better quality maintenance and extend the shelf-life of refrigerated products.

This study investigated the effect of ultrasonic treatment on the physicochemical properties (pH, available chlorine concentration (ACC), oxidation reduction potential (ORP), spectrophotometric characteristics) of slightly acidic electrolyzed water (SAEW). The effects of individual treatments (ultrasound and SAEW) and their combination on microbial loads and quality of cherry tomatoes and strawberries were also studied. The results indicated that a 10 min ultrasonic treatment had no effect on pH, ACC, or ORP of SAEW. Ultrasound enhanced the bactericidal activity of SAEW which resulted in 1.77 and 1.29 log reductions on total aerobic bacteria, and 1.50 and 1.29 log reductions on yeasts and molds, respectively for cherry tomatoes and strawberries. The firmness of cherry tomatoes decreased while all other qualities considered were unaffected. This research indicates that SAEW in combination with ultrasound treatment has potential as a sanitization treatment to improve the efficacy of microbial inactivation on fresh produce without compromising product quality.

This study evaluated the efficacy of individual treatments (thermosonication [TS+DW] and slightly acidic electrolyzed water [SAcEW]) and their combination on reducing Escherichia coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes, and spoilage microorganisms (total bacterial counts [TBC], Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonas spp., and yeast and mold counts [YMC]) on fresh-cut kale. For comparison, the antimicrobial efficacies of sodium chlorite (SC; 100 mg/L) and sodium hypochlorite (SH; 100 mg/L) were also evaluated. Each 10 g sample of kale leaves was inoculated to contain approximately 6 log CFU/g of E. coli O157:H7 or L. monocytogenes. Each inoculated or uninoculated samples was then dip treated with deionized water (DW; control), TS+DW, and SAcEW at various treatment conditions (temperature, physicochemical properties, and time) to assess the efficacy of each individual treatment. The efficacy of TS+DW or SAcEW was enhanced at 40 C for 3 min, with an acoustic energy density of 400 W/L for TS+DW and available chlorine concentration of 5 mg/L for SAcEW. At 40 C for 3 min, combined treatment of thermosonication 400 W/L and SAcEW 5 mg/L (TS+SAcEW) was more effective in reducing microorganisms compared to the individual treatments (SAcEW, SC, SH, and TS+DW) and combined treatments (TS+SC and TS+SH), which significantly (P < 0.05) reduced E. coli O157:H7, L. monocytogenes, TBC, Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonas spp., and YMC by 3.32, 3.11, 3.97, 3.66, 3.62, and >3.24 log CFU/g, respectively. The results suggest that the combined treatment of TS+SAcEW has the potential as a decontamination process in fresh-cut industry.

Preliminary mechanism of acidic electrolyzed water (AEW) ice on improving the quality and safety of shrimp was investigated by examining the physicochemical and microbiological changes, sarcoplasmic proteins and enzymatic activities. The results showed that compared with tap water (TW) ice, AEW ice had an obvious (p < 0.05) capability in limiting the changes of pH and shrinkage of muscle fibers in shrimp. Plate count enumeration and PCRDGGE indicated that AEW greatly inhibited growth of bacteria on shrimp. Additionally, AEW ice had no adverse effects on sarcoplasmic proteins by SDSPAGE method. And AEW ice displayed inhibitory activity (p < 0.05) toward cathepsin B and polyphenol oxidase (PPO), although it did not present positive effects on inhibiting cathepsin D, acid phosphatase and lipase activity. Thus, this study brought new evidence to further demonstrate that AEW ice can serve as a promising technology for improving the quality of aquatic products in food industry.

eafy vegetables are the major source of nitrite intake in the human diet, and technological processing to control nitrite levels in harvested vegetables is necessary. In the current work, the effect of electrolyzed oxidizing water (EOW) on the nitrite and nitrate levels in fresh spinach during storage was studied. EOW treatment, including slightly acidic electrolyzed water and acidic electrolyzed water, was found to effectively reduce nitrite levels in fresh spinach during storage levels in the late period were 30 to 40% lower than that of the control. However, the nitrate levels in fresh spinach during storage were not influenced by EOW treatment. The reduction of nitrite levels in EOW-treated fresh spinach during storage can be attributed to the inactivation of nitrate reductase directly and to the reduction of bacterial populations. Our results suggest that treatment with slightly acidic electrolyzed water may be a better choice to control nitrite levels in fresh vegetables during storage. This study provided a useful method to reduce nitrite levels in fresh spinach.

Our previous experimental study of perforated peritonitis in rats proved that peritoneal lavage with strong acid electrolyzed water (SAEW) has no adverse effects, reduces the bacteria count in the ascitic fluid more effectively than saline, and increases the survival rate significantly. Thus, we conducted a randomized controlled study, applying SAEW in the treatment of perforated appendicitis in children. Forty-four patients, aged 314 years, were randomly divided into two groups: Group S (n = 20), in which the peritoneal cavity was lavaged with 100 ml/kg saline and the wound was washed out with 200 ml saline and Group E (n = 24), in which the peritoneal cavity was lavaged with 100 ml/kg SAEW and the wound was washed out with 200 ml SAEW. No adverse effect of SAEW was observed in Group E. There was no difference in the bacterial evanescence ratio of ascitic fluid after lavage between Groups S and E (11.1 and 15.8 %, respectively). A residual abscess developed in one patient from each group (5.0 and 4.2 %, respectively). The incidence of surgical site infection (SSI) was significantly lower in Group E than in Group S (0 and 20 %, respectively P < 0.05). There was no difference in the duration of pyrexia, positive C-reactive protein, leukocytosis, or hospital stay between the groups. Peritoneal lavage and wound washing with SAEW have no adverse effects and are effective for preventing SSI.

The work presented here aims to contribute with a sustainable alternative to chemicals for avoiding deterioration of harvested date palm fruits by evaluating the single or combined use of UV-C radiation and ozonated or electrolyzed water (EW). In this way, the effects of UV-C light (0; 2.37; 6.22; 8.29 and 12.14 kJ m 2) alone, and the combined effect of 6.22 kJ m 2 UV-C with neutral EW (NEW, pH 6.99, 870 mV ORP, 100 mg L 1 free chlorine), alkaline EW (AEW, pH 11.28, 880 mV ORP, 1.83 mg L 1 free chlorine) and ozonated (O3, 0.55 mg/L ozone) water on overall quality of Deglet Nour dates stored for 30 days at 20 C were studied. Microbial growth, weight loss, firmness, pH, titratable acidity, moisture, water activity, sugars and phenolics content, antioxidant activity color and sensory quality were monitored. UV-C light, mainly at 6.22 kJ m 2, alone or combined with NEW, AEW and O3, kept the overall quality of dates during storage, Moreover, those treatments reduced the most mesophilic, coliforms, yeasts and molds counts. In summary, these combined emergent sanitizers could be useful for disinfection of fresh dates while keeping quality and prolonging shelf-life.

Spray-application of membraneless acidic electrolyzed water (MLAEW) is a novel technique for disinfection in livestock houses. This study investigated the loss of free chlorine (FC - the major germicidal component in MLAEW) over distance during spraying, as affected by air temperature and initial FC concentration. The anti-microbial effect of MLAEW on airborne bacteria from an aviary laying-hen house was examined. MATERIALS AND METHODS: MLAEW was prepared at two FC concentrations: app. 15 and 60 mg L , and sprayed at three air temperatures (18, 25, 32 C). The original MLAEW solution and MLAEW aerosols collected at 0, 25, and 50 cm from the spray nozzle were analyzed for FC concentrations. Bacteria were immersed into these MLAEW samples and numerated for viable count after 0.5, 2 and 5-min treatments. RESULTS: MLAEW aerosols collected at 0 cm lost 11.7-13.2% FC, compared with the original MLAEW solution. This initial loss was affected neither by the initial FC concentration (P = 0.13) nor by air temperature (P = 0.57). The rate of FC loss during travelling was 0.79-0.87 % per cm of aerosol travel distance (% cm ) at 18 C, 1.08-1.15 % cm at 25 C, and 1.35-1.49% cm at 32 C. This travelling loss was affected by air temperature (P = 0.02), but not by initial FC concentration (P = 0.38). Bacteria were completely inactivated at 0.5 min when treated with MLAEW samples with FC > 16.8 mg L , in 2 min when FC > 13.8 mg L , and in 5 min when FC > 7.2 mg L . CONCLUSION: Airborne bacteria from aviary hen house can be effectively inactivated by MLAEW with adequate FC concentration and contact time. During spraying, the anti-microbial efficacy of MLAEW aerosols decreased over distance due to FC loss which exacerbated at higher air temperatures.

Compared to conventional cage laying-hen houses, aviary hen houses generally have much higher concentrations of airborne dust and bacteria due to generation of bioaerosols by the hens access to and activities on the litter floor. Hence, reducing these airborne agents is important to safeguard the health of the animals and workers in such housing systems. Spraying slightly acidic electrolyzed water (SAEW) is a novel approach to reducing airborne culturable bacteria (CB) and particulate matter (PM) levels in hen houses. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of reducing airborne CB and PM in an experimental aviary chamber by periodic spraying of SAEW (Trt), as compared to no spraying (Ctrlns) or spraying of tap water (Ctrlw). The hens were provided 16 h light and 8 h dark (lights on at 6:00 h and off at 22:00 h) and were given access to the litter floor from 12:00 h to 22:00 h. The Trt regimen sprayed SAEW at 14:00 h for 15 min at a dosage of 80 mL m-2; the Ctrlns regimen had no spraying; and the Ctrlw regimen sprayed tap water following the same procedure as with Trt. Concentrations of airborne CB and PM in six aerodynamic size ranges (0.65-1.1, 1.1-2.1, 2.1-3.3, 3.3-4.7, 4.7-7.1, and >7.1 m) were measured at 1.5 m above the floor in the center of the room during the periods of 13:45-14:00 h and 14:45-15:00 h. Compared to Ctrlns, spraying SAEW significantly reduced airborne CB (>2.1 m) by up to 49% 10% (p < 0.05), while Ctrlw did not show a reduction effect. No significant difference was found between Trt and Ctrlw in reducing airborne PM, although both reduced or tended to suppress PM >7.1 m in size. The results show that spraying SAEW can inactivate airborne CB attached to PM. Thus, this is a promising technique for alleviating the adverse health impacts of bioaerosols in aviary laying-hen housing systems.

Reducing airborne microorganisms may potentially improve the environment in layer breeding houses. The effectiveness of slightly acidic electrolyzed water (SAEW; pH 5.29 6.30) in reducing airborne microorganisms was investigated in a commercial layer house in northern China. The building had a tunnel-ventilation system, with an evaporative cooling. The experimental area was divided into five zones along the length of the house, with zone 1 nearest to an evaporative cooling pad and zone 5 nearest to the fans. The air temperature, relative humidity, dust concentration, and microbial population were measured at the sampling points in the five zones during the study period. The SAEW was sprayed by workers in the whole house. A six-stage air microbial sampler was used to measure airborne microbial population. Results showed that the population of airborne bacteria and fungi were sharply reduced by 0.71 105 and 2.82 103 colony-forming units (CFU) m 3 after 30 min exposure to SAEW, respectively. Compared with the benzalkonium chloride (BC) solution and povidone-iodine (PVP-I) solution treatments, the population reductions of airborne fungi treated by SAEW were significantly (P < 0.05) more, even though the three disinfectants can decrease both the airborne bacteria and fungi significantly (P < 0.05) 30 min after spraying.

Biofilm formation in dental unit water systems (DUWSs) can contaminate water from three-in-one syringes, air rotors, and low-speed handpieces. This may serve as a potential source of infection for dentists, dental staff, and patients, so these systems must be sterilized. Becaslightly acidic electrolyzed water (SAEW) is often used as a disinfectant for food, the aim of this study was to investigate the possibility of using SAEW as a DUWS disinfectant. Slightly acidic electrolyzed water was injected into a dental unit and its effects evaluated. Chemical properties such as chlorine ion and potential hydrogen in the SAEW were measured. Detection of both ordinary and heterotrophic bacteria from the DUWS was performed by culture, and biofilm formation of the bacteria in the DUWS evaluated. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to detected contamination by nosocomial pathogens. Almost all the chlorine ions in the SAEW were exhausted during the two-day trials, and the pH value of the SAEW fell from 5 to 4. No viable cells were detected in the SAEW collected. Biofilm formation in the water from the DUWS with SAEW was almost at a baseline level, whereas that without SAEW was 4 times higher. The PCR analysis showed that no nosocomial infecting pathogens were detected in the SAEW. The present study demonstrated the antiseptic effect of SAEW in DUWS.

The decontamination efficacy of neutral electrolyzed water (NEW) was evaluated using shredded cabbages and carrots in both a scalable laboratory system (experiment I) and an actual processing line in a plant (experiment II). In experiment I, the antimicrobial effect of highly concentrated NEW (up to the maximum regulated level: 200 ppm) was tested to determine the appropriate conditions for use in an actual plant test: (1) hypochlorous acid (HClO) concentration (100, 150, and 200 ppm), (2) ratio of sample weight to NEW volume (1:5, 1:10, and 1:20), and (3) treatment time (5, 10, 20, and 30 min), using 2 kg of shredded cabbages and carrots. In experiment II, the feasibility of the NEW treatment was validated on an actual processing line (treatment unit: 20 kg), including cutting, three washing steps (two air bubble washes for 5 min each and 150 ppm NEW for 5 min at ratio of 1:10), rinsing (5 min), and dehydration (5 min). Overall, the microbial reductions tended to increase as the HClO concentration, ratio of sample to NEW, and treatment time increased. The results obtained from experiment I indicated that the maximum conditions (NEW 200 ppm, 1:20, 30 min) achieved 3.3 3.5 log CFU/g reductions in the coliform counts. After treatment with 200 ppm NEW for > 10 min, however, there were noticeable color changes (color differences, DE > 5.0) in both the shredded cabbages and carrots. In the experiment II, the microbial populations were not affected by cutting and two air bubble treatments, whereas washing with NEW greatly reduced both the aerobic plate counts (1.93 2.17 log CFU/g) and coliform counts (0.97 1.51 log CFU/g). More than 2 log CFU/g of indigenous flora were reduced from raw materials to final products with both shredded cabbages (2.05 2.48 log CFU/g) and carrots (2.34 2.76 log CFU/g). These results may provide useful recommendations for the practical application of highly concentrated NEW in the fresh-cut produce industry to improve the microbiological safety without quality deterioration.

Electrolyzed water ice is a relatively new concept developed in food industry in recent years. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of acidic electrolyzed water (AEW) ice, compared with tap water (TW) ice, on quality of shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) in dark condition. The chemical changes, microbiological changes and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity of shrimp stored in AEW ice or TW ice were measured periodically. The results showed that AEW ice significantly (p < 0.05) inhibited the changes of pH, the formation of total volatile basic nitrogen (TVBN), and the proliferation of total bacteria counts in shrimp. The diversity of bacterial flora in shrimp stored in AEW ice was greatly reduced according to the Shannon index and the average similarity coefficient based on PCR-DGGE method. Additionally, AEW ice could serve as a potential substance to inhibit PPO activity in shrimp. Based on above analysis, AEW ice is a valid post-harvest treatment for preserving the quality of seafood in dark condition.

Introduction. Chronic wounds and the infections associated with them are responsible for a considerable escalation in morbidity and the cost of health care. Infection and cellular activation and the relation between cells are 2 critical factors in wound healing. Since chronic wounds offer ideal conditions for infection and biofilm production, good wound care strategies are critical for wound healing. Topical antiseptics in chronic wounds remain in widespread today. These antiseptics are successful in microbial eradication, but their cytotoxcity is a controversial issue in wound healing. Objective. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of stabilized hypochlorous acid solution (HOCl) on killing rate, biofilm formation, antimicrobial activity within biofilm against frequently isolated microorganisms and migration rate of wounded fibroblasts and keratinocytes. Materials and Methods. Minimal bactericidal concentration of stabilized HOCl solution for all standard microorganisms was 1/64 dilution and for clinical isolates it ranged from 1/32 to 1/64 dilutions. Results. All microorganisms were killed within 0 minutes and accurate killing time was 12 seconds. The effective dose for biofilm impairment for standard microorganisms and clinical isolates ranged from 1/32 to 1/16. Microbicidal effects within the biofilm and antibiofilm concentration was the same for each microorganism. Conclusion. The stabilized HOCl solution had dose-dependent favorable effects on fibroblast and keratinocyte migration compared to povidone iodine and media alone. These features lead to a stabilized HOCl solution as an ideal wound care agent.

This study aimed to monitor the microbiological effect of cleaning near-patient sites over a 48-hour period with a novel disinfectant, electrolyzed water. One ward dedicated to acute care of the elderly population in a district general hospital in Scotland. Lockers, left and right cotsides, and overbed tables in 30 bed spaces were screened for aerobic colony count (ACC), methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA), and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) before cleaning with electrolyzed water. Sites were rescreened at varying intervals from 1 to 48 hours after cleaning. Microbial growth was quantified as colony-forming units (CFUs) per square centimeter and presence or absence of MSSA and MRSA at each site. The study was repeated 3 times at monthly intervals. There was an early and significant reduction in average ACC (360 sampled sites) from a before-cleaning level of 4.3 to 1.65 CFU/cm2 at 1 hour after disinfectant cleaning (P <.0001). Average counts then increased to 3.53 CFU/cm2 at 24 hours and 3.68 CFU/cm2 at 48 hours. Total MSSA/MRSA (34 isolates) decreased by 71% at 4 hours after cleaning but then increased to 155% (53 isolates) of precleaning levels at 24 hours. Cleaning with electrolyzed water reduced ACC and staphylococci on surfaces beside patients. ACC remained below precleaning levels at 48 hours, but MSSA/MRSA counts exceeded original levels at 24 hours after cleaning. Although disinfectant cleaning quickly reduces bioburden, additional investigation is required to clarify the reasons for rebound contamination of pathogens at near-patient sites.

Electrolyzed functional water (EFW) possesses broad spectrum antimicrobial activity, and is harmless to the environment and humans. In this research EFW used in germinated brown rice (GBR) production instead of tap water. The effects of the EFW on microbial growth and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) content; and the effects of available chlorine concentration (ACC) and presoaking and ultrasonic pretreatment in alkaline electrolyzed water (AlEW) on GABA accumulation during germination were studied. The results showed that presoaking and ultrasonic treatment of brown rice (BR) in AlEW can significantly enhance the antimicrobial activity of acidic electrolyzed water (AEW), resulting in plate count reductions of 2.89 and 3.75 log cfu/g for strong and slightly AEW treatments, respectively, compared with tap water. The AEW achieved better promotion of GBR growth and GABA accumulation than AlEW. A statistical analysis showed that the GABA content was significantly positively correlated with GBR sprout length. The main finding of this study indicates that AEW is effective at reducing the microbial load on BR and enhances the growth and GABA accumulation of GBR.

Lots of microorganisms exist in layer houses can cause bird diseases and worker health concerns. Spraying chemical disinfectants is an effective way to decontaminate pathogenic microorganisms in the air and on surfaces in poultry houses. Slightly acidic electrolyzed water (SAEW, pH 5.0 6.5) is an ideal, environmentally friendly broad-spectrum disinfectant to prevent and control bacterial or viral infection in layer farms. The purpose of this work was to investigate the cleaning effectiveness of SAEW for inactivating the microbes in layer houses. The effect of SAEW was evaluated by solid materials and surface disinfection in a hen house. Results indicate that SAEW with an available chlorine concentration of 250 mg/L, pH value of 6.19, and oxygen reduction potential of 974 mV inactivated 100% of bacteria and fungi in solid materials (dusts, feces, feather, and feed), which is more efficient than common chemical disinfectant such as benzalkonium chloride solution (1:1,000 vol/vol) and povidone-iodine solution (1:1,000 vol/vol). Also, it significantly reduced the microbes on the equipment or facility surfaces (P < 0.05), including floor, wall, feed trough, and water pipe surfaces. Moreover, SAEW effectively decreased the survival rates of Salmonella and Escherichia coli by 21 and 16 percentage points. In addition, spraying the target with tap water before disinfection plays an important role in spray disinfection.

PURPOSE: The aims of this study were to investigate the effects of sterilization with peracetic acid (PAA) and ethanol on the biological activity of porcine liver scaffolds and to develop a new technique for sterilization using slightly acidic electrolyzed water (SAEW). METHODS: Decellularization of liver slices was performed using 0.1% sodium-dodecyl-sulfate, then evaluated by histological and polymerase chain reaction analyses. Decellularized slices were treated with either PAA or ethanol or SAEW, and then DNA content was quantified. We determined sterilization efficiency by culturing scaffolds in culture medium and on blood agar. We next analyzed the glycosaminoglycan and collagen contents of the scaffolds. Finally, we tested the cytotoxicity of the scaffolds as well as the effects of sterilization on host cell attachment and proliferation. RESULTS: Complete cell and antigenic epitopes removal emphasized the decellularization efficiency. PAA and SAEW treatments achieved the highest efficiency of sterilization compared to that of the ethanol treated scaffolds, and were able to remove a considerable fraction of DNA from decellularized livers. The retained glycosaminoglycan content decreased in all treatments in the following order: SAEW, ethanol, and PAA. Ethanol caused a significant loss in collagen content compared to the other groups. A cytotoxicity evaluation revealed that all scaffolds were nontoxic. SAEW-treated scaffolds supported cell attachment and proliferation at a significantly higher rate than other groups. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that SAEW is highly efficient for sterilizing scaffolds and allowed the scaffolds to retain their bioactivity in addition to its high efficiency for cell remnant removal.

Spraying slightly acidic electrolyzed water (SAEW) has been considered as a potential approach to reduce airborne bacteria in laying-hen houses. In this study, the effects of spraying SAEW on airborne bacterial reduction were investigated in a laying-hen house as compared with using diluted didecyl dimethyl ammonium bromide (DDAB). Averaged air temperature reduced by approximate 1 C and average relative humidity increased by 3% at a stable ventilation rate (about 2.5 m3 hr 1 per bird) in the laying-hen house 30 min after spraying (120 mL m 2). Compared with the control without spraying, the airborne bacterial concentration was reduced by about 0.70 and 0.37 log10 colony-forming units (CFU) m 3 in the 4 hr after spraying 120 mL m 2 SAEW (available chlorine concentration [ACC] of 156 mg L 1) and diluted DDAB (active compound concentration of 167 mg L 1), respectively. Compared with spraying diluted DDAB, spraying SAEW was determined to be more effective for reducing airborne bacterial in laying-hen houses. The effects of spraying SAEW and diluted DDAB on airborne bacterial reduction in the laying-hen house increased with the increasing available chlorine concentrations for SAEW (156, 206, 262 mg L 1) and increasing active compound concentrations for diluted DDAB (167, 333, 500 mg L 1), respectively. Spraying SAEW and diluted DDAB with two levels of spraying volumes (120 and 90 mL m 2) both showed significant differences on airborne bacterial reduction in the laying-hen house (P < 0.05).

Electrolyzed water ice is a relatively new concept developed in food industry in recent years. The effect of acidic electrolyzed water (AEW) ice on preserving the quality of shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) was investigated. Physical, chemical, and microbiological changes of the shrimp were examined during the storage. The results showed that compared with tap water (TW) ice, AEW ice displayed a potential ability in limiting the pH changes of shrimp flesh and significantly (p < 0.05) retarded the changes of color difference and the formation of total volatile basic nitrogen (TVBN). And AEW ice treatment had no adverse effects on the firmness of shrimp. Conventional plate count enumeration and PCR-DGGE demonstrated that AEW ice had a capability of inhibiting growth of bacteria on raw shrimp, and the maximum reductions of population reached >1.0 log CFU/g (>90%) on the sixth day. Moreover, AEW ice was clearly more efficient in maintaining the initial attachments between muscle fibers in shrimp according to histological section analysis. On the basis of above analysis, AEW ice can be a new alternative of traditional sanitizer to better preserve the quality of seafood in the future.

Due to the limitations associated with the of existing biocidal agents, there is a need to explore new methods of disinfection to help maintain effective bioburden control, especially within the healthcare environment. The transformation of low mineral salt solutions into an activated metastable state, by electrochemical unipolar action, produces a solution containing a variety of oxidants, including hypochlorous acid, free chlorine and free radicals, known to possess antimicrobial properties. Electrochemically activated solutions (ECAS) have been shown to have broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, and have the potential to be widely adopted within the healthcare environment due to low-cost raw material requirements and ease of production (either remotely or in situ). Numerous studies have found ECAS to be highly efficacious, as both a novel environmental decontaminant and a topical treatment agent (with low accompanying toxicity), but they are still not in widespread use, particularly within the healthcare environment. This review provides an overview of the scientific evidence for the mode of action, antimicrobial spectrum and potential healthcare-related applications of ECAS, providing an insight into these novel yet seldom utilised biocides.

Reducing airborne dust is an essential process for improving hen housing environment. Dust reduction effects of neutral electrolyzed water (pH 8.2) spray were investigated in a commercial tunnel-ventilated layer breeding house during production in northern China. A multipoint sampler was used to measure airborne dust concentration to study the dust reduction effects and distribution in the house. Compared with the control treatment (without spray), airborne dust level was reduced 34% in the 3 hr after spraying 216 mL m 2 neutral electrolyzed water in the breeding house. The dust concentration was significantly higher during the periods of feed distribution (1.13 0.13 mg m 3) and artificial insemination (0.72 0.13 mg m 3) compared with after spray (0.47 0.09 mg m 3) and during lights-off period (0.29 0.08 mg m 3) in the three consecutive testing days (P < 0.05). The experimental cage area was divided into four zones along the length of the house, with zone 1 nearest to the evaporative cooling pad and zone 4 nearest to the fans. The air temperature, relative humidity, airflow rate, and dust concentration were measured at the sampling points of the four zones in 3 consecutive days and mortality of the birds for the duration of a month were investigated. The results showed that the air temperature, airflow rate, dust concentration, and number of dead birds increase from zone 1 to zone 4 in the tunnel-ventilated layer breeding house.

The effects of 40, 70 or 100 mg L 1 free chlorine neutral and acidic electrolyzed water (NEW and AEW) during the washing and disinfection step, on quality attribute changes during shelf life of fresh-cut mizuna baby leaves, were studied. Physiological, nutritional, enzymatic, sensory, and microbial changes throughout 11 days at 5 C were monitored. Results were compared to those reached with a conventional industrial treatment of 100 mg L 1 NaClO at pH 6.5 and with a control washing with deionised water. Both NEW and AEW showed an inhibitory effect on natural microflora growth and retained the main quality attributes. Total chlorophyll content was preserved after shelf life. Initial total phenolic contents ranged between 1868 and 2518 mg CAE kg 1 fw for AEW 40 and AEW 100 treatments respectively and slightly increased throughout shelf life. In contrast, after shelf life the total antioxidant activity recorded on the processing day decreased around 35%. Throughout shelf life EW induced an increase in catalase activity while superoxide dismutase activity decreased. Scanning electron microscopy of the leaves showed that neither NEW nor AEW affected their surface structure. To the best of our knowledge, the effects of NEW and AEW on bioactive quality parameters, as well as on antioxidant enzyme activities for fresh-cut baby leaves are first reported here. EW provides an alternative sanitizing technique to NaClO for maintaining the quality of fresh-cut mizuna baby leaves up to 11 days at 5 C.

The efficacy of slightly acidic electrolyzed water (SAEW, 20 mg/l of available chlorine) and sodium hypochlorite solution (NaClO, 120 mg/l of available chlorine) used as potential sanitizers for fresh-cut cucumbers was evaluated. SAEW with a near-neutral pH value (5.0 to 6.5) and lower available chlorine concentration (ACC) had an equivalent or higher efficiency to reduce microbial counts on the cucumbers compared to NaClO solution. A 5-minute treatment of SAEW and NaClO solution significantly reduced the indigenous aerobic bacteria on cucumbers by 1.62 and 1.51 log10 CFU/g, and molds and yeasts by 1.35 and 1.12 log10 CFU/g, respectively (P < 0.05). The reduction of microbial counts on cucumbers by tap water was markedly less than that by SAEW and NaClO solution (P < 0.05). Results indicate that SAEW provides an alternative technique for sanitization of fresh-cut vegetables with environmentally friendly broad spectrum microbial decontamination.

Bioaerosols in the animal feeding facility might be the potential health risk factors to agricultural workers. A novel on-site membrane-less electrolyzed water(MLEW) generating and fogging-spread system was designed and installed in : https://www.researchgate.net/publication/265268194_A_Study_of_Membrane-less_Electrolyzed_Water_fogging-_spread_for_Airborne_Bacteria_and_Fungus_Decontamination_in_Hen_Hoaccessed Feb 27 2018.

The efficacy of mildly heated, slightly acidic electrolyzed water (mildly heated SlAEW) at 45 C for disinfection and maintenance of sliced carrot quality was studied. Mildly heated SlAEW (23 mg/L available chlorine, pH at 5.5) was used to treat the carrots, followed by rinsing with tap water (TW) for 2 min at 4 C, and its effectiveness as a disinfectant was evaluated. The physicochemical properties of the carrots were determined and a comparison was made between treatments with SlAEW at room temperature (18 C), TW at 18 C and mildly heated TW at 45 C. Results show that total aerobic bacteria, mold and yeast populations were significantly lower after mildly heated SlAEW treatment. Mildly heated SlAEW treatment reduced the total aerobic bacteria by 2.2 log10 CFU/g and molds and yeasts by >1.9 log10 CFU/g compared with TW treatment. Color indices of hue and chroma of sample surfaces were not affected by mildly heated SlAEW treatment and there were insignificant differences in hardness or the ascorbic acid and -carotene contents of sliced carrots. The of mildly heated SlAEW is suggested as an effective disinfection method for fresh cut carrots with low available chlorine.

The efficacy of mildly heated, slightly acidic electrolyzed water (mildly heated SlAEW) at 45 C for disinfection and maintenance of sliced carrot quality was studied. Mildly heated SlAEW (23 mg/L available chlorine, pH at 5.5) was used to treat the carrots, followed by rinsing with tap water (TW) for 2 min at 4 C, and its effectiveness as a disinfectant was evaluated. The physicochemical properties of the carrots were determined and a comparison was made between treatments with SlAEW at room temperature (18 C), TW at 18 C and mildly heated TW at 45 C. Results show that total aerobic bacteria, mold and yeast populations were significantly lower after mildly heated SlAEW treatment. Mildly heated SlAEW treatment reduced the total aerobic bacteria by 2.2 log10 CFU/g and molds and yeasts by >1.9 log10 CFU/g compared with TW treatment. Color indices of hue and chroma of sample surfaces were not affected by mildly heated SlAEW treatment and there were insignificant differences in hardness or the ascorbic acid and -carotene contents of sliced carrots. The use of mildly heated SlAEW is suggested as an effective disinfection method for fresh cut carrots with low available chlorine.

Electrolyzed functional water possesses a wide variety of antimicrobial activities. Electrolyzed functional water, which used to take place of tap water in producing mung bean sprouts, was studied in this paper. The results showed that electrolyzed water can not only reduce the quantity of microorganism on the surface of mung bean sprouts, but also promote the growth of sprouts. Further research showed that electrolyte leakage rate of mung bean soaked in electrolyzed water was the lowest, while the catalase s activity of mung bean soaked in electrolyzed water was the highest. All of these contribute to the high activity of mung bean.

This section covers peculiarities of so-called in-line electrolysis when drinking water is electrolysed to produce disinfection species killing microorganisms. Mainly mixed oxide electrodes (MIO) based on IrO2 and/or RuO2 coatings and boron-doped diamond electrodes were used in the studies. Artificial and real drinking water systems were electrolysed in continuous and discontinuous operating mode, varying water composition, current density and electrode materials. Results show, besides the ability of producing active chlorine, risks of inorganic disinfection by-products (DBPs) such as chlorate, perchlorate, nitrite, ammonium, chloramines, hydrogen peroxide and others. DBPs are responsible for analysis errors using DPD method for active chlorine measurements. Geometry may influence by-product yield. As a conclusion, the necessity of developing test routines for practical cell applications must be underlined.

Pre-treatment steps of fresh produce as Saengshik raw materials are followed by initial clean-up, dipping, primary washing, and cutting. Hypochlorous acid solution was applied in the dipping step to reduce natural microflora. Also, procedures were changed by cutting, dipping and then primary washing, and the efficacy of hypochlorus acid was evaluated. Potatoes, carrots, kales, and angelicas were submerged in water or 100 ppm of hypochlorous acid for 5 min. After initial clean-up, the aerobic plate counts of potatoes, carrots, kales and angelicas were 4.7, 5.3, 5.6, and 5.7 log CFU/g, respectively. When samples were submerged into water, it only reduced the population of natural microflora by 0.2 to 1.1 log CFU/g, whereas when treated with hypochlorous acid, it reduced the population by 0.5 to 2.8 log CFU/g. Reductions of natural microflora in green leafy vegetables were more highly achieved than bulbs such as potatoes and carrots. However, the numbers of natural microflora were increased after cutting step. To control the cross contamination at the cutting process, the process was changed as follows: initial clean-up, cutting, dipping in hypochlorous acid, and then primary washing. It showed effective reduction of the population by 2.3 to 3.2 log CFU/g. Hypochlorous acid solution could be useful as a sanitizer for surface washing of fresh vegetables.

For the special efficacy of electrolyzed water and the status that electrolyzed water is less studied on leafy vegetables,in order to provide basis for electrolyzed water used in the cultivation of Chinese cabbage and other leafy vegetables,the effect of soaking Chinese cabbage seeds with electrolyzed water was studied under laboratory conditions.The results showed that pH value of the electrolyzed water was an important factor that affected the Chinese cabbage seeds germination.The acidic electrolyzed water of pH 3.30 could accelerate seeds germinating and raise fresh weight of shoots significantly;strong acidic electrolyzed water and alkaline electrolyzed water would slow down the speed of seeds germination and inhibit both germination rate and fresh weight of shoots;besides,neutral electrolyzed water have no clear effect on germination potential,germination rate and fresh weight of shoots.Preliminary view was that,In addition,the results also showed that 2h of soaking time was appropriate;when soaking time was too short,the electrolyzed water could not have any effect,and soaking too long would have a negative effect on the seeds germination.

This study was to investigate the electrolyzed water washing efficiency on the inhibition of bacteria for raw shrimp.The bactericidal activities on raw shrimp treated by four types of electrolyzed water(AEW1,AEW2,MEW1 and MEW2) and two types of organic acid(2%LA and 2%AA) were compared.Sterilize tap water was used as control.The bactericidal activity of on raw shrimp treated with 2%AA was better than electrolyzed water under no vibration condition,Raw shrimp treated with AEW1 was better than 2%AA under vibration condition,tap water treatment was worse than electrolyzed water or organic acid under both no vibration and vibration conditions.Almost no bacterial colony was observed except for tap water.The organoleptic properties of raw shrimp were barely affected by four types of electrolyzed water.The color,odor and overall acceptability of raw shrimp were slightly affected by 2%LA,the odor of raw shrimp was greatly affected by 2%AA,and the muscle tissue and overall acceptability of raw shrimp were slightly affected by 2%AA.Electrolyzed water can be used as cleaning solution to replace tap water in raw shrimp washing in shrimp processing industry.

To study the changes in physicochemical properties of electrolyzed water during storage and its effect on inhibiting bacteria growth in shrimp, a of physicochemical properties, pH values, oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) and available chlorine concentration (ACC) and bacterial inhibition of four types of electrolyzed water on storage day 7, day 14, day 21 and day 30 at two storage conditions, (-182)C and room temperature, were analyzed. And the surviving bacteria population in the solution after electrolyzed water treatment was investigated. The results showed that pH value of most of electrolyzed water progressively increased, while ORP and ACC decreased gradually. The values of pH and ACC of electrolyzed water ice were higher than that of electrolyzed water stored in the room temperature, while ORP of electrolyzed water ice was lower than that of electrolyzed water kept in the room temperature. The bactericidal effect of electrolyzed water was less effective after 30 d of storage than that before storage, and the bactericidal effect of electrolyzed water ice was better than that of electrolyzed water kept in the room temperature. It is suggested that the stored electrolyzed water in solid form holds the content of ACC, and improves the bactericidal capacity for shrimp.

Electrolyzed oxidizing water (EOW) has been regarded as a potential environmentally friendly broad spectrum microbial decontaminant. EOW with a pH of 3.0 and oxidation reduction potential of 1,079.0 mV were generated by the electrolysis of a dilute NaCl solution (20 mM) in an electrochemical cell. The effects of EOW, 1% NaClO solution, and alkaline electrolyzed water on controlling microbial growth, germination ratio, and enrichmentof -aminobutyric acid in germinated brown rice (GBR) were evaluated in this study. Results show that EOW was the most effective at inhibiting microbial growth during germination. Rinsing the rice grains with EOW at 12-h intervals resulted in aerobic plate count reductions of 4.82 log CFU/g, while soaking resulted in bacterial count reductions of 5.38 log CFU/g after 72 h of germination. Moreover, EOW significantly enriched -aminobutyric acid content in GBR (P < 0.05); content was increased 1.6 times in grain rinsed with EOW and 1.8 times in grain soaked in EOW. The findings indicate that EOW is a feasible disinfectant for industrial GBR production.

OBJECTIVE To realize the disinfectant effect of medical instrument by acidic electrolyzed oxidizing water(EOW).METHODS Two groups of subjects participated in this study,and chlorinated disinfectant is used in the control group. Adopting stability test to measure effective chlorine and pH,and to compute the bacterium elimination rate after disinfection. Contrast the result with the experimental group.RESULTS The pH mean value and the effective chlorine mean value of two groups before and after instrument immersing in had no remarkable differences. Medical instrument sterilized by EOW for 5 minutes,the bacterium eliminative rate was 100.0%,while sterilized by the chlorinated disinfectant needed 30 minutes. Sterilizing effects of two groups were the same,but sterilizing time was obviously short in experimental group.CONCLUSIONS The acidic electrolyzed oxidizing water can be used in medical instrument s disinfection. The effect is good,and the process is fast. EOW is better than chlorinated disinfectant in saving of resources economizing.

PURPOSE: Electrolyzed strong acid water (ESAW) is generated by the electrolysis of a weak sodium chloride solution. Although ESAW is known to have a strong bactericidal activity and to be harmless to the living body, its effectiveness and safety in the treatment of perforated peritonitis has not been well established. METHODS: Male Wistar rats were used for the study. Three hours after cecal ligation and puncture, the cecum was resected and the peritoneal cavity was irrigated with 50 ml of saline (Group S, n=12) or ESAW (Group E, n=14). The 5-day survival rate was compared between the two groups. In another pair of animals (n=10 each), bacteria in the ascitic fluid were counted at 6 and 18 h after irrigation. RESULTS: No adverse effects of ESAW were observed in the experimental group. The 5-day survival rate was 25% (3/12) and 85.7% (12/14) in Groups S and E, respectively (P < 0.01). The bacterial count at 18 h after the irrigation in Groups S and E was (5.0 +/- 2.5) x 10(5)/ml and (2.2 +/- 2.0) x 10(4)/ml, respectively (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Peritoneal lavage with ESAW had no adverse effect, and achieved more effective decontamination than saline for perforated peritonitis. Therefore, the results of this study are considered to warrant and support the clinical application of ESAW.

A chlorine sanitizer that gives high disinfection efficacy with minimal available chlorine has a potential to be an environmentally-friendly method for disinfection of vegetables. In the present study, disinfection efficacy of slightly acidic electrolyzed water (SlAEW: pH 6.1, 20 mg/L available chlorine) produced by electrolysis for fresh cut cabbage was compared to that of sodium hypochlorite solution (NaOCl solution: pH 9.6, about 150 mg/L available chlorine). SlAEW reduced about by 1.5 log CFU/g for total aerobic bacteria and 1.3 log CFU/g for moulds and yeasts, compared to fresh cut cabbage before dipping. Statistical analysis of the results showed that the disinfectant efficacy of SlAEW was equivalent to or higher than that of NaOCl solution. Results also indicated that SlAEW under shaded and sealed conditions could keep its available chlorine during storage.

This study investigated the antibacterial effect of electrolyzed water on oral bacteria both in vitro and in vivo. Tap water was electrolyzed in a water vessel using platinum cell technology. The electrolyzed tap water (called Puri-water) was put in contact with five major periodontopathogens or toothbrushes contaminated with these bacteria for 30 sec. In addition, Puri-water was used as a mouthwash for 30 sec in 16 subjects and the antibacterial effect on salivary bacteria was evaluated. Puri-water significantly reduced the growth of all periodontopathogens in culture and on toothbrushes, and that of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria in saliva, when compared to the effect of tap water. It also significantly reduced mutans streptococci growing on mitis salivarius-bacitracin agar. Our results demonstrate that the electrolyzed tap water is effective as a mouthwash and for toothbrush disinfection.

The effectiveness of electrolyzed oxidizing anode (EOA) water (oxidation-reduction potential, 1,120 mV; pH 2.0) as a sanitizer for use in abattoirs was compared with the iodophor (IOD) Mikroklene (25 ppm), a sanitizer approved for use by regulatory authorities in Canada and the United States. A total of 240 swab (100 cm2) samples were obtained from 4 sites on the kill floor and 16 sites in the secondary processing areas, during two visits within a 4-week period to each of three meat packing plants, processing < or =50 animals per week. Swabs were obtained 12 h after the application of IOD and EOA and were analyzed for the presence of total aerobic bacteria, total coliforms, and total Escherichia coli. Total aerobic bacteria (log CFU/ 100 cm2) recovered from the 20 sample sites were lower (P < 0.0001) in EOA as compared with IOD (2.94 +/- 0.12 versus 3.75 +/- 0.12, respectively). Plant A was 1.5 times more likely (P < 0.0001) to have a sampling site positive for the presence of coliforms and E. coli than plants B and C. There was no difference (P > 0.05) between treatment IOD or EOA in the likelihood of obtaining a positive sample for the presence of total coliforms or E. coli among the three plants. When the kill floor and secondary processing areas are compared, the likelihood of obtaining a sample positive for coliforms or E. coli was similar (P > or = 0.05). Results indicate that EOA was more effective than IOD in reducing populations of total aerobic bacteria on equipment surfaces in the three meat packing plants studied. Because the likelihood of obtaining a positive sample for coliforms or E. coli in EOA as compared with IOD was similar, EOA may be a suitable alternative or complement to IOD as a sanitizer in small- to medium-sized abattoirs. Additional research is required to further evaluate the effectiveness of EOA to sanitize processing equipment on the basis of subsequent isolation of aerobes, coliforms, and E. coli from meat products.

Among different fish slices used for sashimi preparation, tuna is the most popular and preferable fish type for Taiwanese people. To improve the hygienic quality of fish slices, electrolyzed (EO) water containing 10, 50, and 100 mg/L chlorine, was used in combination with CO gas treatment. Effect of different treatment on aerobic plate count (APC), volatile basic nitrogen (VBN), K value, and Hunter L*, a*, b* values of yellow-fin tuna steak during storage (4 C and 20 C) were evaluated. It was found that APC, VBN, and K values increased with storage time for all treatment. Except for K value, APC and VBN of tuna steak treated with the combination of more than 50 mg/L chlorine EO water and CO gas had the lowest value after 8 d of refrigerated storage. Hunter a* value of tuna steak treated with only CO gas was the highest, followed by those treated with EO water and CO gas. These results demonstrated that EO water containing 50 mg/L chlorine combined with CO gas treatment in tuna fish steak would be an effective method for enhancing the hygienic quality and freshness for tuna meat and extending refrigerated storage time. Tuna treated with EO water containing 100 mg/L chlorine and CO gas combination had the lowest APC immediately after treatment and reduced further to below detection limit after 1 mo frozen storage at 20 C.

This study investigated the antibacterial effect of electrolyzed water on oral bacteria bothin vitro and in vivo. Tap water was electrolyzed in a water vessel using platinum celltechnology. The electrolyzed tap water (called Puri-water) was put in contact with fivemajor periodontopathogens or toothbrushes contaminated with these bacteria for 30 sec. Inaddition, Puri-water was used as a mouthwash for 30 sec in 16 subjects and the antibacterialeffect on salivary bacteria was evaluated. Puri-water significantly reduced thegrowth of all periodontopathogens in culture and on toothbrushes, and that of aerobic andanaerobic bacteria in saliva, when compared to the effect of tap water. It also significantlyreduced mutans streptococci growing on mitis salivarius-bacitracin agar. Our resultsdemonstrate that the electrolyzed tap water is effective as a mouthwash and for toothbrushdisinfection.

The effects of electrolyzed water ice (EW-ice), compared with traditional tap water ice (TW-ice), on the microbiological, chemical, and sensory quality of Pacific saury (Cololabis saira) stored for a period of up to 30 days at 4 C were evaluated. EW-ice with active chlorine at a concentration of 34 mg/kg was prepared from weak acidic electrolyzed water, whose pH, oxidation-reduction potential, and chlorine content were 5, 866 mV, and 47 mg/liter, respectively. Microbiological analysis showed that EW-ice, compared with TW-ice, markedly inhibited the growth of both aerobic and psychrotrophic bacteria in saury flesh during refrigerated storage, primarily because of the action of active chlorine. Chemical analysis revealed that EW-ice retarded the formation of volatile basic nitrogen and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and reduced the accumulation of alkaline compounds in the fish flesh in comparison with TW-ice. Sensory analysis confirmed that the freshness of saury was better preserved in EW-ice than in TW-ice and showed that the saury stored in EW-ice had a shelf life that was about 4 to 5 days longer than the fish stored in TW-ice.

Electrolysed oxidizing (EO) water is produced by passing a DC current through a weak sodium chloride solution, resulting in alkaline and acidic EO water. The goal of this research was to determine whether EO water could be used as an acceptable cleaning and disinfecting agent for materials used in pipeline milking systems. Small pieces of materials commonly used in milking systems were soiled using raw milk inoculated with a cocktail of four bacterial cultures similar to those commonly found in raw milk, and then cleaned by soaking in alkaline EO water followed by soaking in acidic EO water at various treatment times and temperatures. Effective treatment time and temperature combinations were determined by response surface design for a temperature range of 2560C and a time range of 520 min. Treated materials were evaluated by aerobic plate counts and ATP bioluminescence to assess the disinfecting and cleaning effectiveness of EO water. Most of the treatments at 60C and several treatments at lower temperatures successfully removed all detectable bacteria and ATP. Overall, the results of this study indicated that EO water has the potential to be used as a cleaning and disinfecting agent for materials used in milking systems.

The hides of cattle are the primary source of pathogens such as Escherichia coli O157:H7 that contaminate preevisceration carcasses during commercial beef processing. A number of interventions that reduce hide contamination and subsequent carcass contamination are currently being developed. The objective of this study was to determine the efficacy of ozonated and electrolyzed oxidizing (EO) waters to decontaminate beef hides and to compare these treatments with similar washing in water without the active antimicrobial compounds. Cattle hides draped over barrels were used as the model system. Ozonated water (2 ppm) was applied at 4,800 kPa (700 lb in2) and 15 C for 10 s. Alkaline EO water and acidic EO water were sequentially applied at 60 C for 10 s at 4,800 and 1,700 kPa (250 lb in2), respectively. Treatment using ozonated water reduced hide aerobic plate counts by 2.1 log CFU/100 cm2 and reduced Enterobacteriaceae counts by 3.4 log CFU/100 cm2. EO water treatment reduced aerobic plate counts by 3.5 log CFU/100 cm2 and reduced Enterobacteriaceae counts by 4.3 log CFU/100 cm2. Water controls that matched the wash conditions of the ozonated and EO treatments reduced aerobic plate counts by only 0.5 and 1.0 log CFU/100 cm2, respectively, and each reduced Enterobacteriaceae counts by 0.9 log CFU/100 cm2. The prevalence of E. coli O157 on hides was reduced from 89 to 31% following treatment with ozonated water and from 82 to 35% following EO water treatment. Control wash treatments had no significant effect on the prevalence of E. coli O157:H7. These results demonstrate that ozonated and EO waters can be used to decontaminate hides during processing and may be viable treatments for significantly reducing pathogen loads on beef hides, thereby reducing pathogens on beef carcasses.

An examination was made of the efficacy of acidic electrolyzed water (AcEW, 30 ppm free available chlorine), ozonated water (5 ppm ozone), and a sodium hypochlorite solution (NaOCl, 150 ppm free available chlorine) for use as potential sanitizers of cucumbers and strawberries. AcEW and NaOCl reduced the aerobic mesophiles naturally present on cucumbers within 10 min by 1.4 and 1.2 log CFU per cucumber, respectively. The reduction by ozonated water (0.7 log CFU per cucumber) was significantly less than that of AcEW or NaOCl (P 0.05). Cucumbers washed in alkaline electrolyzed water for 5 min and then treated with AcEW for 5 min showed a reduction in aerobic mesophiles that was at least 2 log CFU per cucumber greater than that of other treatments (P 0.05). This treatment was also effective in reducing levels of coliform bacteria and fungi associated with cucumbers. All treatments offered greater microbial reduction on the cucumber surface than in the cucumber homogenate. Aerobic mesophiles associated with strawberries were reduced by less than 1 log CFU per strawberry after each treatment. Coliform bacteria and fungi associated with strawberries were reduced by 1.0 to 1.5 log CFU per strawberry after each treatment. Microbial reduction was approximately 0.5 log CFU per strawberry greater on the strawberry surface than in the strawberry homogenate. However, neither treatment was able to completely inactivate or remove the microorganisms from the surface of the cucumber or strawberry.

Background and Aim: Two percent glutaraldehyde, the most widely used liquid chemical germicide (LCG), may be hazardous to patients and medical personnel. Alternatives to glutaraldehyde, such as electrolyzed acid water (EAW), are being developed, but data from well-controlled studies with patient-used endoscopes are rare. The purpose of the present paper was to evaluate the high-level disinfection capability of EAW and compare it with glutaraldehyde. Methods: A random sample of 125 endoscopes was collected immediately after upper endoscopic examination. After careful manual cleaning, endoscopes were divided into a glutaraldehyde and EAW group. After the disinfection procedure, samples from working channel (S-1), insertion tube (S-2), umbilical cord (S-3), and angulation knob (S-4) were taken and cultured. Another twenty endoscopes were experimentally contaminated with hepatitis B virus (HBV) and samples were collected after contamination (T-1), after manual cleaning (T-2), and after final disinfection (T-3). Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for HBV-DNA was performed. Results: In the EAW group, culture-positive rates were 3.2% in S-1, 9.5% in S-2, 3.2% in S-3, and 27.0% in the S-4 samples. There was no significant difference between the EAW and glutaraldehyde groups for all sampling sites. However, in both groups, disinfection of the angulation knobs (S-4) was less efficient than the others. For the T-1 site, HBV-DNA was detected from all of them, and in 95% (19/20) of T-2. However, HBV-DNA was not detected from T-3 samples. Conclusions: Electrolyzed acid water is as efficient as glutaraldehyde in eliminating bacteria from patient-used endoscopes. After disinfection procedures using both methods, HBV-DNA was not detected from any endoscopes experimentally contaminated with HBV-positive mixed sera. However, some bacteria may remain on the surface of the endoscopes. Therefore, more careful precleaning of the endoscopes may help achieve high-level disinfection in the clinical setting.

Aims: To evaluate the efficacy of electrolysed NaCl solutions (EW) for disinfecting bacterial isolates from carp, and the potential application of EW to reducing the bacterial load in whole carp and carp fillets. Methods and Results: EW was produced by using a two-compartment batch-type electrolysed apparatus. Pure cultures (in vitro), whole carp (skin surface) and carp fillets were treated with EW to detect its antimicrobial effects. The anodic solution [EW (+)] completely inhibited growth of the isolates. Furthermore, dipping the fish samples in EW (+) reduced the mean total count of aerobic bacteria on the skin of whole carp and in fillets by 2 8 and 2 0 log10, respectively. The cathodic solution [EW ( )] also reduced growth of the isolates from carp by ca 1 0 log10. Moreover, the total counts of aerobic bacteria in whole carp (on the skin) and fillets were reduced by 1 28 and 0 82 log10, respectively. Conclusions: EW (+) has a strong bactericidal effect on bacteria isolated from carp. Significance and Impact of the Study: Treatment with EW (+) could extend the shelf life of these fish.

Milking systems, electrolyzed oxidizing water, CIP, clean in place, ATP bioluminescence Electrolyzed oxidizing (EO) water is a technology that electrolyzes a weak sodium chloride solution into sodium and chlorine, resulting in two solutions alkaline and acid. The goal of this research is to determine if EO water is an acceptable cleaning agent for pipeline milking systems. After constructing 1.5 inch-diameter pipeline milking system, the system was soiled using raw milk that had been spiked with common raw milk microorganisms. After soiling, the system was rinsed with warm water and then evaluated in several locations for initial counts. To evaluate the level of soiling, the surfaces were evaluated using an ATP bioluminescence method. The milk contact surfaces were also swabbed for microbial analysis. The pipeline system was then washed with an alkaline EO water treatment followed by an acidic EO water treatment. After treatment, the effectiveness of the treatment was evaluated by ATP bioluminescence and microbiological analysis. First, a 10 min wash with 60C alkaline water followed by a 10 min wash with 60C acid water successfully removed all detectable bacteria and ATP from the non-porous milk contact surfaces. Shorter treatment times (5 and 7.5 min) with EO water were also tested, along with a control treatment using conventional dairy cleaning chemicals. Using ANOVA, there were no significant differences between the EO water treatments and the conventional treatment, however the 5-min EO water treatment was significantly less effective than the 10-min treatment.

Acidic electrolyzed oxidizing (EO) water quickly kills a variety of fungi and shows promise as a broad-spectrum contact fungicide for control of foliar diseases of greenhouse-grown ornamentals. One requirement for use in the greenhouse is that EO water will not cause excessive phytotoxic symptoms on a wide variety of species. In one experiment, two applications of EO water did not damage 15 species of bedding plants. In a second experiment, EO water applied as a foliar spray three times per week for 4-7 weeks did not produce any visible phytoxicity on seven of the 12 species tested. Small, white spots were observed on flowers of geranium (Pelargonium x hortorum), impatiens (Impatiens walleriana), and vinca (Catharanthus roseus). Slight necrosis was observed on some leaf edges of petunia (Petunia x hybrida), and snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus). EO water generated from magnesium chloride produced more phytotoxicity than EO water generated by potassium chloride or sodium chloride. Phytotoxicity ratings of greater than 3 (0-10 scale) were not observed on any of the species tested. EO water caused slight damage to some plant species but, in general, appears to be safe to use as a foliar spray on a wide variety of bedding plants grown under greenhouse conditions.

The use of electrolyzed water for washing and sanitizing eggshells and an egg washer was evaluated for its effectiveness at a Grade & Packing Center adjacent to a poultry farm for a period of nine months. The test results indicate improvement in sanitation control. Dissolving yolks of broken eggs with electrolyzed alkaline water followed by sanitizing with electrolyzed acidic water produced favorable effects. Also, the use of electrolyzed water has an advantage in that it simplifies the conventional washing and sanitizing process and motivates operators to employ the process more frequently. This sense developed in operators may be a significant factor in the improvement of sanitation control.

We investigated the effects of frozen acidic electrolyzed water (AcEW) on lettuce during storage in a styrene-foam container. The lettuce was kept at 2 to 3 degrees C for 24 h. Populations of aerobic bacteria associated with lettuce packed in frozen AcEW were reduced by 1.5 log CFU/g after storage for 24 h. With frozen tap water, no microorganism populations tested in this study were reduced. A frozen mixture of AcEW and alkaline electrolyzed water (AlEW) also failed to reduce populations of microorganisms associated with lettuce. Although chlorine gas was produced by frozen AcEW, it was not produced by the AcEW-AlEW mixture. This result indicates that the main factor in the decontaminative effect of frozen AcEW was the production of chlorine gas. Accordingly, low-temperature storage and decontamination could be achieved simultaneously with frozen AcEW during distribution.

The disinfectant effect of acidic electrolyzed water (AcEW), ozonated water, and sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) solution on lettuce was examined. AcEW (pH 2.6; oxidation reduction potential, 1140 mV; 30 ppm of available chlorine) and NaOCl solution (150 ppm of available chlorine) reduced viable aerobes in lettuce by 2 log CFU/g within 10 min. For lettuce washed in alkaline electrolyzed water (AlEW) for 1 min and then disinfected in AcEW for 1 min, viable aerobes were reduced by 2 log CFU/g. On the other hand, ozonated water containing 5 ppm of ozone reduced viable aerobes in lettuce 1.5 log CFU/g within 10 min. It was discovered that AcEW showed a higher disinfectant effect than did ozonated water significantly at P < 0.05. It was confirmed by swabbing test that AcEW, ozonated water, and NaOCl solution removed aerobic bacteria, coliform bacteria, molds, and yeasts on the surface of lettuce. Therefore, residual microorganisms after the decontamination of lettuce were either in the inside of the cellular tissue, such as the stomata, or making biofilm on the surface of lettuce. Biofilms were observed by a scanning electron microscope on the surface of the lettuce treated with AcEW. Moreover, it was shown that the spores of bacteria on the surface were not removed by any treatment in this study. However, it was also observed that the surface structure of lettuce was not damaged by any treatment in this study. Thus, the use of AcEW for decontamination of fresh lettuce was suggested to be an effective means of controlling microorganisms.

Effects of storage temperature (1, 5, and 10 C) on growth of microbial populations (total aerobic bacteria, coliform bacteria, Bacillus cereus, and psychrotrophic bacteria) on acidic electrolyzed water (AcEW)-treated fresh-cut lettuce and cabbage were determined. A modified Gompertz function was used to describe the kinetics of microbial growth. Growth data were analyzed using regression analysis to generate best-fit modified Gompertz equations, which were subsequently used to calculate lag time, exponential growth rate, and generation time. The data indicated that the growth kinetics of each bacterium were dependent on storage temperature, except at 1 C storage. At 1 C storage, no increases were observed in bacterial populations. Treatment of vegetables with AcEW produced a decrease in initial microbial populations. However, subsequent growth rates were higher than on nontreated vegetables. The recovery time required by the reduced microbial population to reach the initial (treated with tap water [TW]) population was also determined in this study, with the recovery time of the microbial population at 10 C being <3 days. The benefits of reducing the initial microbial populations on fresh-cut vegetables were greatly affected by storage temperature. Results from this study could be used to predict microbial quality of fresh-cut lettuce and cabbage throughout their distribution.

The disinfectant effect of acidic electrolyzed water (AcEW), ozonated water, and sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) solution on lettuce was examined. AcEW (pH 2.6; oxidation reduction potential, 1140 mV; 30 ppm of available chlorine) and NaOCl solution (150 ppm of available chlorine) reduced viable aerobes in lettuce by 2 log CFU/g within 10 min. For lettuce washed in alkaline electrolyzed water (AlEW) for 1 min and then disinfected in AcEW for 1 min, viable aerobes were reduced by 2 log CFU/g. On the other hand, ozonated water containing 5 ppm of ozone reduced viable aerobes in lettuce 1.5 log CFU/g within 10 min. It was discovered that AcEW showed a higher disinfectant effect than did ozonated water significantly at P < 0.05. It was confirmed by swabbing test that AcEW, ozonated water, and NaOCl solution removed aerobic bacteria, coliform bacteria, molds, and yeasts on the surface of lettuce. Therefore, residual microorganisms after the decontamination of lettuce were either in the inside of the cellular tissue, such as the stomata, or making biofilm on the surface of lettuce. Biofilms were observed by a scanning electron microscope on the surface of the lettuce treated with AcEW. Moreover, it was shown that the spores of bacteria on the surface were not removed by any treatment in this study. However, it was also observed that the surface structure of lettuce was not damaged by any treatment in this study. Thus, the use of AcEW for decontamination of fresh lettuce was suggested to be an effective means of controlling microorganisms.

Electrolyzed water accelerated the healing of full-thickness cutaneous wounds in rats, but only anode chamber water (acid pH or neutralized) was effective. Hypochlorous acid (HOCl), also produced by electrolysis, was ineffective, suggesting that these types of electrolyzed water enhance wound healing by a mechanism unrelated to the well-known antibacterial action of HOCl. One possibility is that reactive oxygen species, shown to be electron spin resonance spectra present in anode chamber water, might trigger early wound healing through fibroblast migration and proliferation.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the study was to determine whether electrolyzed oxidized water (EOW) functions as a bactericide in burn injury with Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection in a rat burn-wound model. METHODS:Anesthetized Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 31) were subjected to third-degree burns to 30% of total body surface area. Two days after injury, all rats were infected with P. aeruginosa using 1 mL of a suspension containing 1 x 10(8) colony-forming units. Rats were assigned to one of three groups: no irrigation (group I), irrigation with physiologic saline (group II), or irrigation with EOW (group III). Blood culture, endotoxin levels, and survival rates were determined. RESULTS: Survival rate was significantly higher in group III than in groups I or II (p < 0.0001). Serum endotoxin levels on day 3 after infection in group III were significantly lower than the levels in group I (p < 0.01) and group II (p < 0.01). There were significant differences between the three groups in the culture of P. aeruginosa (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Irrigation and disinfection with EOW may become useful in preventing burn-wound sepsis.

The main factor contributing to the disinfecting potential of acidic electrolyzed water (AcEW) is deduced to be the oxidizing power of available chlorine. In this study, we compared the reliability of two different methods for measuring the available chlorine concentration (ACC). Several AcEW solutions with different levels of ACC to which various reducing agents (ascorbic acid, ammonium iron (II) sulfate, and iron (II) chloride) had been added were prepared. These ACC levels were quantified by iodometry and the DPD (N, N-diethyl-p-phenylenediamine) method. In the case of AcEW with iron (II) ions, iodometry did not show the correct ACC. On the other hand, the DPD method correctly quantified ACC even in the case of AcEW with iron (II) ions. Thus, the DPD method is an appropriate method for measuring ACC in AcEW. Moreover, we investigated the effect of the available chlorine concentration (ACC) in AcEW on its disinfecting potential. First, we examined the disinfectant effects of AcEW on shredded vegetables. We found that there was no difference in the disinfectant effects between AcEW with high ACC (40ppm) and low ACC (0.4ppm). The similar effect was detected in AcEW with 0ppm of ACC, a solution that seemed to be the same as hydrochloric acid. Moreover, tap water with pH adjusted to 2.4 showed the same disinfectant effect as that of AcEW. These results indicated that AcEW is a solution in which available chlorine is activated in a low pH condition. Next, we examined the disinfectant effects of AcEW on a suspension obtained from shredded vegetables in vitro. The disinfecting potential became weaker, but did not completely disappear, when ACC was reduced to 0ppm. Thus, AcEW with low ACC could be used to disinfect shredded vegetables, although the disinfecting potential of AcEW would become weak. When the effective concentration of Acc was examined, it was found that the AcEW with ACC of less than 20ppm did not have sufficient disinfectant potential. Moreover, it was found that high ORP (above 1000mV) does not contribute to disinfecting potential. Thus, the lower limit of ACC in AcEW for AcEW to exert a sufficient disinfectant effect will be 20ppm.

Objective. The purposes of this study were to examine the time-related changes in pH, oxidation-reduction potential, and concentration of chlorine of electrolyzed neutral water and to evaluate the bactericidal effect of electrolyzed neutral water against bacteria from infected root canals. Study Design. Various properties of electrolyzed neutral water pH value, oxidation-reduction potential, and concentration of chlorine were measured at different times after storage of the water in the open state, the closed state, or the closed-and-dark state. The bactericidal effect of the various electrolyzed neutral water samples was then tested against 17 strains of bacteria, including 15 strains isolated from infected canals, as well as against 1 strain of fungus. Each bacterial or fungal suspension was mixed with electrolyzed neutral water, and the 2 substances were reacted together for 1 minute. After incubation for 1 to 7 days, the bactericidal effect of the electrolyzed neutral water was determined. Results. The pH value and oxidation-reduction potential of electrolyzed neutral water remained almost unchanged when the water was stored in a dark, closed container. However, the concentration of chlorine decreased from 18.4 ppm to 10.6 ppm. Electrolyzed neutral water showed a bactericidal or growth-inhibitory effect against the bacteria. Conclusions. The results indicate that electrolyzed neutral water maintains a constant pH and oxidation-reduction potential when kept in a closed container without light and that it exhibits a bacteriostatic/bactericidal action against isolates obtained from infected root canals.

The effect of electrolyzed water on total microbial count was evaluated on several fresh-cut vegetables. When fresh-cut carrots, bell peppers, spinach, Japanese radish, and potatoes were treated with electrolyzed water (pH 6.8, 20 ppm available chlorine) by dipping, rinsing, or dipping/blowing, microbes on all cuts were reduced by 0.6 to 2.6 logs CFU/g. Rinsing or dipping/blowing were more effective than dipping. Electrolyzed water containing 50 ppm available chlorine had a stronger bactericidal effect than that containing 15 or 30 ppm chlorine for fresh-cut carrots, spinach, or cucumber. Electrolyzed water did not affect tissue pH, surface color, or general appearance of fresh-cut vegetables.