Abstract
This study focused on the effectiveness of neutral electrolyzed water (NEW) in inactivating coliforms on sweet basil, a fresh-cut vegetable consumed, and estimating the human health risks related to the consumption of untreated sweet basil. The sweet basil samples contaminated with coliforms were treated with NEW to evaluate its effectiveness in inactivation. The hazard quotients (HQs) for untreated and treated sweet basil were then calculated based on the estimated daily intake and the toxicological reference values for coliforms. The results demonstrated that NEW was effective in reducing the coliform counts on sweet basil. The ranges of the total and fecal coliform removal efficiency were 62.31%-100% and 40.86%-100%, respectively. Moreover, HQ calculations indicated that consumption of untreated sweet basil had a higher risk of coliform exposure compared with treated sweet basil. On the basis of the results, NEW greatly reduced the risk of gastroenteritis in children (HQ decreased from 558,000 to 27.4). In other words, this disinfection solution reduced the probability of risk by 232,500 times. The application of NEW promises to reduce the microbial load on freshly chopped vegetables, such as sweet basil, making them safer for consumption, especially for children.