AgronoBlog – Agriculture Blog PEROXY-ACETIC ACID, A SAFE ALTERNATIVE TO DISINFECTION WITH CHLORINE
Microorganisms of different families and varieties will always be found in water, in the environment and even in food. Some of them are part of the processes of life. For example, omnivorous beings need a certain type and quantity of microbes in our digestive system, because their task is to process sugars, proteins and cellulose. Likewise, in microbial biotechnology they take advantage of the ability of some microorganisms to carry out chemical changes that humans still do not carry out without the help of these agents, for example the fermentation of dairy products, in the production of liquors, beer, vinegar, among others.
However, many of these microorganisms present in the environment and in the water are dangerous to humans and living beings. For this reason, disinfection is perhaps the most important treatment since it tries to inactivate especially pathogenic microorganisms that are the cause of diseases that could cause harm to humans.
Despite these measures, disinfecting the water is not enough. Additionally, fruits and vegetables must be treated directly in the Post-Harvest stage, taking into account that previously a deep wash must be carried out with a food detergent, in order to eliminate any residue of organic matter, to guarantee that the sanitizer used eliminates bacteria or viruses.
In this disinfection, various types of sanitizers are normally used, such as Chlorine and Peroxyacetic Acid.
Many experts disagree that bleach is a suitable way to sanitize fruits and vegetables. When chlorine generates hypochlorite and hypochlorous acid, it becomes a very active chemical that reacts not only with microbial cells, but also with organic material and other species present in what is to be disinfected. The combination of chlorine with organic matter results in organochlorine compounds. Due to this, trihalmethanes such as chloroform, trichloromethane, dichloro, bromine, and methane, among others, have been found in products disinfected with chlorine. These are minute amounts that are still cause for alarm, since when they are frequently dosed in appreciable amounts to laboratory animals, they develop cancerous tumors. For this reason, the use of chlorine as a disinfectant for fruits and vegetables causes concern.
Peroxyacetic acid is another sanitizer, alternative to chlorine, for the disinfection of fruits and vegetables, which has been used to remove bacteria since 1950. By its nature, it is much safer for treating food than chlorine. Its main attributes are that it works at low temperatures, it is not corrosive, and it has a long shelf life. This compound is made up of acetic acid and hydrogen peroxide in an aqueous solution. Peroxyacetic acid, when used as a disinfectant, oxidizes the outer membrane of microorganisms. The oxidation mechanism consists of the transfer of electrons and therefore causes the microorganism to be quickly deactivated without jeopardizing human consumption.
Grupo Fagro and PHS offer an innocuous disinfectant solution based on acetic acid and hydrogen peroxide, under the Purex Biosanitizer brand to disinfect post-harvest fruits and vegetables.
Purex Biosanitizer, is a powerful bactericide and fungicide used as an alternative to sodium hypochlorite that also has the added bonus of healing fruit wounds. Compared to chlorine, it is much more stable and less photodegradable. The antimicrobial activity of Purex Biosanitizer is based on its powerful oxidizing power, affecting the cytoplasmic membrane.
Additionally, it releases O2 in its decomposition, forming bubbles, and thus favors the elimination of cellular debris, bacteria and devitalized tissues.
Purex Biosanitizer also has OMRI Certification so it can be used in organic products.
The following image shows the effects on a fruit when sanitizing with Purex Biosanitizer®