A Novel Sterilized Method for Escherichia coli Infected Eggs: Atmospheric Arc Discharge Technology

Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Letters Vol. 9, 1981–1986, 2017

Yunjin Sun, Lihua Zhu, Tingjun Ma, Qigen Tong, Chonghao Bi, and Daoyi Li

Beijing Laboratory of Food Quality and Safety, Beijing Key Laboratory of Agricultural Product Detection and Control for Spoilage Organisms and Pesticides, Faculty of Food Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Agriculture, Beijing 102206, China
China Agricultural Biological Products and Seed Industry of Zhongguancun Open Laboratory,
Beijing University of Agriculture, Beijing 102206, China
School of Materials Science and Mechanical Engineering, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing 100040, China 4Chinese Academy of Agricultural Mechanization Sciences, Beijing 100083, China

Keywords:

Inactivation Mechanism, Atmospheric Arc Discharge, E. coli Inactivation.

Abstract:

In order to avoid environmental microorganism pollution of fresh eggs, a novel arc discharge equip- ment was built up, which can be worked in air environment at room temperature. As a case, clean and fresh eggs were inoculated with Escherichia coli (E. coil, 106∼108 Colony-Forming Units (CFU)/mL) suspension, then eradiated under the atmospheric arc discharge for different durations. Surface and cross section morphologies of irradiated E. coli collected from the eggs respectively by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) analysis indicate that arc plasma phase could effectively and efficiently inactivate E. coli in a very short duration time through etching effect and protein leakage. Subsequently, the analysis of chamber diameter was measured to assess the storage and freshness preservation performances of eggs. Our results indicated that this technology could effectively inactivate E. coli suspended on the sur- face of eggshell and extend egg shelf-life, which open the possibility of industrial applications of atmospheric arc discharge in sterile area.