Impacts and interactions of organic compounds with chlorine sanitizer in recirculated and reused produce processing water

• Published in: PloS one 2018-12, Vol.13 (12), p.e0208945-e0208945
• Main Authors: Teng, Zi, van Haute, Sam, Zhou, Bin, Hapeman, Cathleen J, Millner, Patricia D, Wang, Qin, Luo, Yaguang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acids; Agriculture; Biological Oxygen Demand Analysis - standards; Biology and Life Sciences; Brassica - drug effects; Brassica - growth & development; Brassica oleracea; Chemical compounds; Chemical oxygen demand; Chlorine; Chlorine - chemistry; Chlorine compounds; Disinfectants - chemistry; Ecology and Environmental Sciences; Food Safety; Food science; High-performance liquid chromatography; Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated - chemistry; Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated - isolation & purification; Information processing; Laboratories; Liquid chromatography; Nutrition; Organic acids; Organic Chemicals - chemistry; Organic Chemicals - toxicity; Organic chemistry; Organic compounds; Organic matter; Oxygen; Pathogens; Peptides; Phenols; Phenols - chemistry; Physical Sciences; Process water; Processors; Proteins; Replenishment; Sugar; Wash water; Water - chemistry; Water conservation; Water quality; Water Quality - standards; Water reuse; Water treatment; Weight
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0208945

Water conservation and economics dictate that fresh produce processors reuse/recirculate the process water. However, the ensuing accumulation of organic matter in water depletes the chlorine sanitizer required for food safety. In this study, we comprehensively investigated chemical compounds that are responsible for water quality in relation to chemical oxygen demand (COD) and chlorine demand (CLD), the two most critical factors associated with water treatment and chlorine replenishment. Simulating commercial fresh-cut wash operations, multiple batches of diced cabbage (0.3 x 0.3 cm2) were washed in the same tank of water. The major components were isolated from the wash water and analyzed by HPLC. Sugars were the predominant compounds (82.7% dry weight) and the major contributor to COD (81.6%), followed by proteins/peptides (7.3% dry weight, 5.3% COD), organic acids (6.2% dry weight, 3.6% COD), and phenolics (0.5% dry weight, 0.5% COD). By repeated time course measures, the effect of these chemicals on CLD are dependent on the chemical structure, concentration in the wash water, and their rate of reaction. Proteins/peptides accounted for about 50% of the total CLD over a 120-min period and phenolics was 21% at 5 min, but diminished with time. The contribution by organic acids and sugars increased continuously, reaching 22% and 16% of total CLD at 120 min of chlorination, respectively. Collectively, these compounds represented 86% of the CLD in cabbage wash water at 5 min and greater than 94% CLD afterwards. This is the first systematic report on the source of COD and CLD during fresh produce washing. It provides essential information for the produce processors to develop safe, effective, and economical wash water treatment/reuse and chlorine replenishment strategies.