EFFECT OF SANITIZER TREATMENTS ON SALMONELLA ENTERICA SEROTYPE POONA ON THE SURFACE OF CANTALOUPE AND CELL TRANSFER TO THE INTERNAL TISSUE DURING CUTTING PRACTICES A Thesis

Effect of Sanitizer Treatments on Salmonella enterica Serotype Poona on the Surface of Cantaloupe and Cell Transfer to the Internal Tissue during Cutting Practices. (December 2004) Sasi Vadlamudi, B.E., Avinashilingam Institute for Higher Education for Women Chair of Advisory Committee: Dr. Alejandro Castillo In recent years, due to the increasing number of produce-related outbreaks, greater attention has been given to interventions that remove human pathogens on fresh produce. Survival of Salmonella Poona on the surface and stem scar portions of inoculated cantaloupe, effect of chlorine or lactic acid or ozone on the survival of bacteria, transfer of pathogen from the rind to the fresh-cut tissue during cutting and growth and survival of Salmonella Poona on the fresh-cut tissues during 15 days of refrigerated storage were investigated. Preliminary studies were conducted to confirm that the rifampicin-resistant strain used in the study was indistinguishable from the parent strain of Salmonella Poona. Growth curve, heat tolerance and lactic acid resistance studies were performed, all of which showed no differences in behavior between the organisms. Cantaloupes were immersed in an inoculum containing rifampicicn-resistant strain of Salmonella Poona (10 CFU/ml) for 3 min and then dried for 12 h. The inoculated melons were washed with chlorine (200 ppm) for 3 min or lactic acid (2%) for 2 min or ozone (30 ppm) for 5 min and fresh cut tissues were prepared by peeling the rind and cutting into pieces or cutting the melon and removing the rind.