Impact of slightly acidic electrolyzed water (SAEW) and ultrasound on microbial loads and quality of fresh fruits

• Ultrasonic treatment had no effect on ACC, pH, and ORP of SAEW.
• Ultrasound enhanced the sterilization performance of SAEW.
• Firmness of cherry tomatoes was more sensitive to ultrasonic treatment.
• Combination of SAEW and ultrasound is a promising method to enhance food safety.

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.