Review on Household Decontamination Technologies for Fruits & Vegetables

Fruits and Vegetables are a rich source of vitamins & minerals and protect us from micronutrient deficiencies as well as gastrointestinal imbalances. Increasing demand for fruits & vegetables in recent few years have also led to an exponential increase in the occurrence of foodborne illnesses. These foodborne illnesses have often been linked to the pathogens found in fruits & vegetables, residual pesticides as well as organic & inorganic deposits. Household decontamination methods & techniques form the last barrier to prevent the illness carriers in the entire supply chain from farm to fork. In this review, we have summarized various decontamination techniques employed at household level to ensure safe intake. The techniques range from potable water wash to chemical aids to heat treatments to modern methods employed to reduce microbial load, residual pesticide level and organic/inorganic non-natural contaminants. No single technique was able to cleanse the produce as well as preserve integrity & sensorial parameters. Hence, multiple hurdle concept for combination technologies is the preferred way for future decontamination strategies. There is a need for research in identifying complimenting technologies, which can be used in combination to reduce contaminants as well as preserve the organoleptic properties and shelf life of produce.