Efficacy of Ozonized Water for Fungal Decontamination of Fresh Fruit Pieces Decorating Dessert Cakes

SEVEN different fresh-cut fruit samples prepared for decorating cakes were screened for fungal contamination. The contamination of the fruits ranged from 8 to 242CFU/g and are arranged in descending order as follow: Strawberry> banana> raspberries> pineapples> mangoes> papaya> kiwi. The most common fungi recovered from the fruits were (CFU/g); Rhizopus oryzae (125), Mucor mucedo (63), Botrytis cinerea (60), Alternaria alternata (54), and Aspergillus flavus (47). The Efficacy of ozonized water to eliminate fungal contamination associated with fresh fruits was evaluated compared with hypochlorite and acetic acid as commercial disinfectants. Application of 1ppm ozonized water for 2min was the most efficient method and induced a complete reduction of fungi by 100% in case of all investigated fruits except strawberries that revealed 98.2%. Strawberries were the most mycotoxin-contaminated fruit showing aflatoxins, alternariol and patulin recording 2.6, 531.0 and 83.2μg/kg, respectively. Treatment with ozonized water even when applied at 1ppm for one minute was sufficient and effective in complete elimination of mycotoxins in fruits. In SEM image, the ozonized water-treated spores appeared irregular and deformed, with obvious necrotic lesions and disruptions in the walls. As well, there was an increase in activity of hepatic enzymes in serum namely; AST, ALT and ALP that detected in guinea pigs using water mixed with strawberries extract from contaminated fruit compared to those consuming tap water. Guinea pigs consuming tap water mixed with extract from ozonized-treated strawberries did not significantly induce marked change in the most hematological values compared to the control.