The effect of a different disinfectants that used in institutional food services on the microbial load of raw vegetables served

This research conducted in order to examine the effect of various disinfectants that used for raw vegetable served in institutional food services vegetables microbial load. For this aim, lettuce samples were collected in Ankara wholesalers. Whole or sliced into thin strips 2 cm thick samples of lettuce have been disinfected with 50 or 200 ppm chlorine solutions at 5 and 15 minutes and 0.1% calcium oxide of 5 minutes. As a result, whole or sliced lettuce samples that have been disinfected with 50 ppm chlorine at 5 minutes solutions determinated a reduction Enterobacteriaceae (log kob/g) respectively are 4.97, 5.31 and total coliform bacteria (log kob/g) respectively are 4.11, 4.31. Whole or sliced lettuce samples that have been disinfected with 50 ppm chlorine at 15 minutes solutions determinated a reduction Enterobacteriaceae (log kob/g) respectively are 5.29, 5.48 and total coliform bacteria (log kob/g) respectively are 4.20, 4.58. As a result of 200 ppm chlorine disinfection and calcium oxide disinfection, whole or sliced lettuce leaf samples was found any growth of Enterobacteriaceae and total coliform bacteria. At the end of disinfection procedures microbial reductions weren?t statistically significant between whole and sliced lettuce samples. Chlorine are an effective disinfectant in institutional food services. Calcium oxide that is a natural product and a food additive known as code E529 may constitute a better alternative for surface decontamination of vegetables in institutional food service because of possible health risk of chlorin. Much research is needed about calcium oxide.