Since 2020, innovations in sanitizing fresh produce have advanced food safety through methods like ozone, UV-C light, cold plasma, pulsed light, ultrasound, and nanobubbles. Ozone oxidizes microbial cell membranes, achieving up to 4.8 log reductions in E. coli on raspberries while extending shelf-life by ethylene removal, though high costs and potential tissue damage limit scalability. UV-C light damages DNA, reducing E. coli by 2.9 logs on apples with minimal quality impact, but penetration is poor. Cold plasma generates reactive species for 5.0 log reductions on tomatoes, preserving nutrients, yet struggles with textured surfaces. Pulsed light combines UV and heat for 3.33 log reductions on avocados, enhanced by water-assisted techniques, but risks overheating. Ultrasound uses cavitation for 3.1 log reductions on spinach when paired with chlorine, though it may soften textures. Nanobubbles with ozone yield 2.6 log reductions on basil, preventing cross-contamination sustainably, despite energy demands. Combined approaches, like pulsed light with malic acid, offer synergistic effects for comprehensive pathogen control, balancing efficacy and quality.
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