Scientists Aim for Cleaner Cantaloupe

Simply washing fresh fruits and vegetables may only be marginally effective at removing microbial contaminants, so scientists are investigating new techniques for better processing produce.

Bacteria quickly attach to the surface of fruits and vegetables and form biofilms, a mass of microbes that attach to a surface and to each other by complex sugars. Scientists believe that biofilm coatings may protect bacterial cells from exposure to antimicrobial compounds used to sanitize produce.

Salmonella bacteria are often responsible for produce-related outbreaks of foodborne illness. They're especially tricky to remove from cantaloupe because they attach to inaccessible sites and form biolfim on cantaloupe rind surface, allowing the bacteria to avoid contact with sanitizing solutions. Surviving Salmonella cells can be transferred from the surface of the melon to the internal tissues during cutting prior to consumption.