Disinfection by‐products in baby lettuce irrigated with electrolysed water

BACKGROUND Irrigation water disinfection reduces the microbial load but it might lead to the formation and accumulation of disinfection by‐products (DBPs) in the crop. If DBPs are present in the irrigation water, they can accumulate in the crop, particularly after the regrowth, and be affected by th...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of the science of food and agriculture 2018-06, Vol.98 (8), p.2981-2988
Main Authors: López‐Gálvez, Francisco, Andújar, Silvia, Marín, Alicia, Tudela, Juan A, Allende, Ana, Gil, María I
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Accumulation
Agricultural Irrigation
agricultural water
chemical risk
Chlorates
Chlorates - analysis
Crops
Disinfectants - analysis
Disinfection
disinfection by‐products
food safety
fresh produce
Irrigation
Irrigation water
Lactuca - chemistry
Lactuca - growth & development
Legislation
Microorganisms
Regrowth
Storage
Trihalomethanes
Washing
Water - chemistry
water disinfection
Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis
Water Purification
Water treatment
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Summary:BACKGROUND Irrigation water disinfection reduces the microbial load but it might lead to the formation and accumulation of disinfection by‐products (DBPs) in the crop. If DBPs are present in the irrigation water, they can accumulate in the crop, particularly after the regrowth, and be affected by the postharvest handling such as washing and storage. To evaluate the potential accumulation of DBPs, baby lettuce was grown using irrigation water treated with electrolysed water (EW) in a commercial greenhouse over three consecutive harvests and regrowths. The impact of postharvest practices such as washing and storage on DBP content was also assessed. RESULTS Use of EW caused the accumulation of chlorates in irrigation water (0.02–0.14 mg L−1), and in the fresh produce (0.05–0.10 mg kg−1). On the other hand, the disinfection treatment had minor impact regarding the presence of trihalomethanes (THMs) in water (0.3–8.7 μg L−1 max), and in baby lettuce (0.3–2.9 μg kg−1 max). CONCLUSIONS Disinfection of irrigation water with EW caused the accumulation of chlorates in the crop reaching levels higher than the current maximum residual limit established in the EU legislation for leafy greens. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry
ISSN:0022-5142
1097-0010
DOI:10.1002/jsfa.8796