Authors:

Niah L Patel

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About Paper:

Contamination of produce with human pathogens is a major cause of foodborne illness. Pathogens can reach the food supply by a number of different routes, including the contamination of produce seeds. Seed sanitizers, therefore, are a potential means of preventing foodborne illness. We tested the efficacies of peracetic acid, sodium hypochlorite, and calcium hypochlorite in reducing the presence of Salmonella typhimurium, Listeria monocytogenes, and Escherichia coli O157:H7 in the seeds of cucumber, lettuce, and cantaloupe plants, respectively. We found that sodium hypochlorite at a concentration of 19,000 ppm was most effective at reducing E. coli and Salmonella, and peracetic acid at a concentration of 5000 ppm was most effective at reducing Listeria. These sanitizers may have the potential to be used in agriculture to reduce the incidence of foodborne illness, providing a resource for produce companies and local farmers to improve the safety of their produce. Keywords: Foodborne Illness; Foodborne Pathogens; Seeds; Sanitizers; Food Safety

Source:

Purdue University / 2025

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Co-authors:

Niah L Patel