# Application of Electrolyzed Water in the Food Industry: A Review
## 2 Application of Electrolyzed Water in the Food Industry
### Antimicrobial Properties of Electrolyzed Water
Recent studies showed that sprinkling with electrically oxidized water (pH--2.4, electrical conductivity--1160 mV, available Cl--50 mg/L) for 15 s could limit the proliferation of _Listeria monocytogenes_, _Salmonella typhimurium_, and _E. coli_. The population capacity was 1.23, 1.67, and 1.81 log on the stainless-steel surface, and it was deduced that a longer contact time could increase the disinfection effect [66; 90]. It was reported that in order to sterilize bovine hides before slaughter, electrically oxidized water constituting 70.0 mg/L of available Cl was sprayed sequentially at a temperature of 60 \({}^{\circ}\)C. Sprays can reduce the amount of anaerobic bacteria by 3.5 logs CFU/100 cm\({}^{2}\) and the number of _Enterobacter_ by 4.3 log CFU/100 cm\({}^{2}\). Recently, soaked or sprayed _Listeria monocytogenes_ and hams with electrically oxidized water (pH--2.3; electrical conductivity--1150 mV; available Cl--45 mg/L) and/or ER water. At a storage temperature of 4 \({}^{\circ}\)C for 7 days, no significant difference was found between the hunter sausages, Frankfurt sausages, and hams. Electrolyzed water has been used in the medical field for over a century. Before antibiotics were available, electrolyzed water was used to irrigate and disinfect wounds in World War I. The main challenge of using this disinfectant has been keeping it in a stable form for use as a disinfectant. Statistical results have shown that electrically oxidized water has no harmful \"whitening\" effect on the superficial layer of the instantly tested meat [91; 92]. Table 2 shows food the safety applications of different types of electrolyzed water in the food industry. \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c c} \hline
**EW Generating** & **Salt/Acid Used as** & **pH** & \begin{tabular}{c} **Reported Food** \\ **Safety Application** \\ \end{tabular} & **Target Pathogen** & **Reference** \\ \hline NEW & NaCl (1.0\%) & 8.6 & \begin{tabular}{c} Lettuce, corn salad, \\ shredded carrots, freshly \\ cut iceberg lettuce \\ \end{tabular} & _Salmonella_, _Escherichia coli_ & [90] \\ \hline AEW & NaCl (0.1–0.2\%) & 2.5 & \begin{tabular}{c} Alfalfa seeds and sprouts, \\ tomatoes \\ \end{tabular} & \begin{tabular}{c} _E. coli_ O157:H7, \\ _Listeria monocytogenes_ \\ \end{tabular} & [93] \\ \hline NEW & NaCl (25\%) & 8.27 & \begin{tabular}{c} Plastic and wood cutting \\ boards \\ \end{tabular} & \
\begin{tabular}{c} _Staphylococcus aureus_, _Listeria_ \\ _monocytogene_, _Pseudomonas_ \\ \end{tabular} & [94] \\ \hline SAEW & NaCl (0.1\%) & 5.9 & Pure culture & _Vibrio vulnificus_ & [77] \\ \hline SAEW & HCl (2\%) & 5.8 & Pure culture & _Escherichia coli_, _Salmonella_, & [83] \\ \hline SALcEW & NaCl (0.9\%) & 6.2–6.3 & Freshly cut spinach &
\begin{tabular}{c} Total bacteria, yeast, molds, \\ _E. coli_ O157:H7, \\ _Listeria monocytogenes_ \\ \end{tabular} & [73] \\ \hline SAEW & NaCl (0.6\%) and & 6–6.5 & Pure culture, Lettuce, pork & Total bacteria, _Listeria monocytogenes_ & [67; 70] \\ \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 2: Food safety applications of different types of electrolyzed water. Reports regarding the utilization of electrically oxidized water to inactivate bacterial cells in seafoods revealed that the treatment of raw salmon with electrically oxidized water (pH--2.6; electrically conductivity--1150 mV; available Cl--90.0 mg/L at 35 \({}^{\circ}\)C for 64 min, yielded 1.07 log CFU/g) and _E. coli_ O157: H7 and _Listeria_ reduced 1.12 log CFU/g. Recently, it was pointed out that gloves used for food handling to protect workers and sellers can become carriers of pathogenic bacteria sourced through contact with raw commodities and biologically contaminated food surfaces. Electrolyzing water and CO gas are used to extend the periods of the storage life and the refrigeration time of bluefin tuna (_Thunus albacares_). It was reported that tuna processed with electrically oxidized water and CO gas constituting 100 mg/L Cl could immediately obtain the lowest level of aerobic plate count (APC) [92].