Encapsulated Plant-Derived Antimicrobial Reduces Enteric Bacterial Pathogens on Melon Surfaces during Differing Contamination and Sanitization Treatment Scenarios

This study aimed to quantify survival in Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium isolates on melon rind surface samples achieved by sanitizer treatment under three differing contamination sanitization scenarios. Sanitizing treatments consisted of the plant-derived antimicrobial (PDA) essential oil component (EOC) geraniol (0.5 wt.%) entrapped polymeric surfactant Pluronic F-127 (GNP), 0.5 wt.% unencapsulated (UG), 200 mg/L hypochlorous acid at pH 7.0 (HOCl), a sterile distilled water wash (CON). The experimental scenarios tested were: (1) pathogen inoculation preceded treatment; (2) was inoculated onto twice with sanitizing applied between events; or (3) followed treatment. Reductions numbers surviving pathogens were dependent treatment, storage period, interaction these effects. GNP provided greatest reductions counts rinds, but did not regularly statistically differ from those HOCl UG best control conditions pre- and/or post-harvest cross-contamination can be reduce risk transmission rinds.