Post-Harvest Safety Enhancement: Combatting Antibiotic-Resistant Pathogens on Retail Fresh Green Onions
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Date
2025-05
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The Ohio State University
Abstract
Environmental contamination in agricultural environments is a major contributor to the presence of antibiotic-resistant (AR) bacteria in raw, plant-based foods, creating significant public health concerns (Geldreich et al, 1971). Common vectors of AR pathogens include soil, water, and manure-based fertilizers, which can contaminate both the surfaces and internal tissues of produce, complicating decontamination efforts. Green onions, widely consumed raw, and also frequently used in fermented foods like kimchi and usually consumed raw as well, have been implicated in foodborne illness outbreaks due to bacterial contamination. This study investigates the efficacy of a 0.2% electrolyzed water solution in reducing bacterial contamination on green onions.
We hypothesize that post-harvest treatment with electrolyzed water will significantly reduce the prevalence of AR bacteria on green onions compared to untreated controls. Store- bought green onions were treated with electrolyzed water under controlled laboratory conditions simulating typical post-harvest sanitation procedures. Following treatment, samples were plated on selective media to assess bacterial presence and abundance, both with and without sanitizer treatments. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification and 16S rRNA gene sequencing were employed to further characterize representative bacterial colonies. The effectiveness of electrolyzed water was assessed based on microbial reduction, identifying its potential for minimizing contamination on fresh produce.
This study aims to provide valuable insights into effective sanitization strategies for reducing AR bacteria in raw produce, offering evidence to inform food safety protocols for both the food industry and consumers. Ultimately, these findings will contribute to mitigating public health risks associated with antibiotic-resistant pathogens in the food supply.
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Keywords
Antibiotic-resistant bacteria, green onions, electrolyzed water, post-harvest sanitization, foodborne pathogens, fresh produce safety